The recent centenary celebrations of eminent poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz at the Bagh Ibn-i-Qasim in Karachi were duly punctuated by a famous line from his poetry: Raaj Kare Gi Khalq-i-khuda. It seemed like a dream being gradually realised; like a promise in the process of being fulfilled.

Thanks to the proponents of the Arab Spring and the Occupy Wall Street movements that unravel the human misery behind concrete corporations; at home Faiz’s poetry advocates the dignity of the human spirit that transcends beyond borders.

The Anjuman Tarraqi Pasand Musanifeen, Pakistan put together the three-day event which included musical recitations, dance, discussions and readings from Faiz’s works. As they worked with supporting arms to organise various events over three days, the Tehzeeb Foundation organised beautiful and enriching dance and music performances featuring classical dancer Naheed Siddiqui and the upcoming dance group Nirat Taal of which the young Suhaee performed a solo accompanied by musicians.

Singer Fariha Pervez sang a yet-to-be-released rendition composed by Arshad Mahmud: “Go sab ko ba’aham sagar-o-bada to nahin tha; ye shahar udaas itna ziada to nahin tha”. Fariha has mastered the skill to sing Faiz to perfection and seems fit to replace the old guards that now prefer payments and personal aggrandizement in singing Faiz.

The famous Indian classical singers, Seema Anil Sehgal and Vidya Shah were also invited to sing Faiz as they have been part of the Pabejolan caravan when it was difficult to talk about Indo-Pak reconciliation.

While they sang their choice collections from the poetry of Faiz, Seema Sehgal’s personal composition (she self-composes her tunes) of Bahar Aaye was a pleasant divergence from the local version and lauded by the audience. She very aptly opened with Faiz’s famous poem, Mere Dil, Mere Musafir, Hua Phir se Hukm Saadir, which was written by Faiz when East Pakistan separated. The rendition was well-received.

Seema Sehgal hails from the Jammu and Kashmir region and takes her leanings towards Urdu poetry, especially that of Faiz, from her father who worked for the All India Radio’s Urdu service.

“I am been particularly drawn by the message of Faiz which is that of co-existence and respect for human dignity,” she said.

Her simple tunes transported the beauty of Faiz’s poetry than a stylised music based on a plethora of instruments. “I usually read a particular poem again and again until I know how to compose it. That time usually comes at night,” she added.

Seema usually prefers to compose in dogr and the Pahari ragas that she is comfortable with. “This has probably to do with the fact that I belong to a mountainous area,” she says proudly. Her compositions were given as gift to the people of Pakistan at the ‘bus diplomacy’ event by Atul Behari Vajpayee in 1999.

Vidya Shah was invited to perform late in the night and she mesmerised the audience with her opening rendition of Faiz’s tribute to Amir Khusrau, Nazr-i- Khusrau embellished in the raag Sudh Saarang, followed by compositions in the puriya, danasri ragas, etc. Her recital of the poem, Hum Ke Thehre Ajnabi, was well-received but the audience was thrilled to hear her recital of Hum Dekhenge.

What inspires Vidya about Faiz? “I have been very impressed by the fact that Faiz’s poetry invoked the tidings of a social movement, especially the line: Bol kay lub azad hein tere,” said Vidya who is known as an activist singer. She cherishes the fact that she “came across these borders that Faiz fought against.”

Trained in classical music with mentors Shubha Mugdal and Shanti Hiranand, she has also worked on advocacy projects in gender issues. Her main area of interest remains culture that she believes is a very important factor in the building of a society.

“I am still getting into the skin of Urdu,” says the Tamil-speaking Vidya who is from South India and lives in Delhi. “Faiz found khayal extremely elevating. I feel that my compositions are classical interpretations that compliment the poems of Faiz.”

Such was the endurance of Faiz Ahmed Faiz that keeps the message kindled through his poetry and writings, especially the acceptance speech given by him at the Lenin Peace Prize ceremony where he said, “I believe that humanity which has never been defeated by its enemies will, after all, be successful at long last instead of wars, hatred and cruelty. The foundation of humankind will rest on the message of the great Persian poet Hafiz Shiraz who said ‘Every foundation you see is faulty, except that of love, which is faultless’.”