KARACHI, Oct 11 Heartfelt speeches and scholarly papers marked the event organised to pay homage to Urdu's highly respected poet, lexicographer and writer Shanul Haq Haqqi on Saturday evening at the Arts Council. Poetess Zehra Nigah presided over the programme. Writer Fatima Surayya Bajia was also present on the occasion.

It was on Oct 11, 2005 that Haqqi sahib passed away.

To start off proceedings, poetess Dr Fatima Hasan read a well-researched paper. She said Shanul Haq Haqqi was a genius whose literary endeavours in almost every genre of literature were worth going through. His ghazals contained all the classical elements, and at the same time were not devoid of contemporary sensibilities. His mastery over the Hindi language imparted musicality to his verse, and Haqqi sahib's kehmukarniyan and pahelian reminded students of literature of Amir Khusrau. Dr Hasan particularly praised Haqqi sahib's Urdu translation of the Concise Oxford Dictionary and praised his ability as a lexicographer.

Shedding light on Shanul Haq Haqqi's personal life, his son Shayan Haqqi said his father was a perfectionist. When he dabbled in gardening, he did it meticulously. When he started to paint pictures, he did it with undivided attention. However, Shayan said, the great man seldom had time for his children because he was always busy with his scholarly work. Then he touched upon, in a lighter vein, his father's absent-mindedness and recited Haqqi sahib's famous poem Dost hain apney bhai bhulakkar. It made many in the audience reminisce the good old days of their childhood.

Writer Masood Ahmed Barkati, who has done invaluable work for children, told the audience about the essay he had written on Shanul Haq Haqqi while the man of letters was alive, and read from it. He Zehra Nigah speaks at a ceremony held to pay homage to Shanul Haq Haqqi.—White Star

placed Haqqi sahib's accomplishments against the backdrop of the 20th century's ups and downs, achievements and breakdowns.

Masood Barkati pointed out that Shanul Haq Haqqi and the Soviet Union saw the light of day together. He never let his literary efforts turn into journalistic pursuits. He adhered to his traditions, and had mastery over the Urdu language. He was one of the architects of Urdu lughat. Even when he wrote advertisements, Haqqi sahib's creativity was more than evident.

Scholar Mohammad Ahmed Sabzwari highlighted Haq Haqqi's cultured disposition. He said even though Haqqi sahib and his wife Salma had some difference with poet Jan Nisar Akhtar and his better half Safia, he never stopped meeting them, and would even often visit Jan Nisar's daughter at her PIB Colony residence. Mr Sabzwari then commended the great man's remarkable translation of the Bhagvad Gita and William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra.

Prof Sahar Ansari talked about the fact that Haqqi sahib was completely immersed in literary and intellectual quests. He would always be doing one thing or another for literature or for Urdu lughat. Prof Ansari said in order to translate Arth Shastara Haqqi sahib learned Sanskrit, as a result of which his translation of the great work was among many of his stupendous feats. No less in worth were his translations of the works of T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound and Emily Dickinson, he said.

Zehra Nigah, in her inimitable style and mellifluous voice, read a brilliant paper, co-relating Shanul Haq Haqqi's personal traits and literary achievements in an intelligent manner. She informed the discerning gathering that Haqqi sahib was a close friend of her husband's. Those were the days when such people as her husband and Haqqi sahib had their own set of priorities. They loved words. They would be constantly discussing poetry, or finding faults in some great poets' usage of certain words.

Zehra Nigah said once during a mushaira, she recited a ghazal, which was very well received. After her stint, she stepped down the stage where Haqqi sahib was waiting for her. He praised her ghazal but added that one of the words she employed in it was wrongly used as it was an unstressed utterance, and she had used it as a stressed one. Such was his fondness for, and knowledge of, words. Zehra Nigah said Shanul Haq Haqqi had three love affairs with his wife, with diligence, and with the Urdu language. While the former two proved successful, the last one left much to be desired. However, even when he settled in Canada, Haqqi sahib kept working for the betterment of Urdu.

In the end, Arts Council secretary Ahmed Shah thanked all the participants of the event.

The programme was ably conducted by poet Javed Saba.