Asrar Jamayee: An Offspring Of Ill-Fate

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 4 April 2024 "Jis Tarah Hans Raha Hoon Main Pee-Pee Ke Garm Ashk Yoon Doosra Hanse Toh Kaleja Nikal Pade" Kaifi Azmi (The way I'm smiling, swallowing the hot tears/ Anyone in my place would have given in) Youtube/Rekhta - Asrar Jamayee left the world on April 4. ------ Does the name Asrar Jamayee ring a bell? Maybe not. This Urdu poet and King of satire breathed his last on April 4, 2020. Hardly anyone had any idea how this Khuddaar (self-respecting) man lived his life in abject penury. He had a towering self-esteem, like most Urdu poets. Asrar Jamayee's satire was once awarded by the first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, who had his early education at a Madarsa and could read, write and speak Urdu, Persian and Arabic. But that's for some other day. Towards the fag-end of Jamayee's life, even local Mushairas stopped inviting him. I've always wondered why lady luck never smiled on Jamayee Saheb. He died at the age of 83. Happiness eluded him throughout his life. On this count, Jamayee Saheb’s life was like that of the exceptionally good composer of Hindi film music, Jaidev Verma who also lived in poverty and died unsung in a small room in Bombay. Both the greats never tied the knot. But that's immaterial. Asrar would always sing Jaidev Verma's immortal composition sung by Talat Mahmood, 'Dekh Lee Teri Khudai, Bas Mera Dil Bhar Gaya/ Teri Rahmat Chup Rahi, Main Rote-Rote Mar Gaya' (Film: Kinare-Kinare, Lyricist: Nyaya Sharma, 1963). Indeed, both the stalwarts were terribly upset by god or fate's ill-treatment. Jamayee Saheb was declared dead by the Social Welfare Department of South Delhi in 2013, depriving him of his monthly pension of Rs 1,500! He never got any award for his poetry, though he certainly deserved the Padma Shri or Urdu Academy Award. He was not good at lobbying and hobnobbing with those who pick up candidates for awards. Before he breathed his last, he met with an accident. Yet, he soldiered on quoting Ghalib, "Ranj Se Khoogar Hua Insaan Toh Ghat Jaata Hai Ranj/ Mushkilein Mujh Par Padeen Itni Ke Aasaan Ho Gayeen" (Once you're inured to pains, the intensity may drop/ Troubles became bearable when they befell me non-stop). It was like, pessimism when you get used to it, is just as agreeable as optimism. Satire and sarcasm are often the manifestations of angst. "Humour is a child of an emotional tumour," aptly opined the English critic, I A Richards. American humorous poet Ogden Nash also suffered a lot in life. His personal life was shambolic. Since Asrar's heart was full of angst and disenchantment, he could write beautiful satires. For example, you'll agree with him when he wrote, "Ae Desh Ke Rahbar Ye Toh Bata, Kya Tujhe Ye Nahin Dikhta Hai/ Jis Desh Mein Ganga Bahti Hai Uss Desh Mein Paani Bikta Hai " (Oh the leader/well-wisher of the country, are you blind?/ Where Ganga flows, water is sold). Asrar was a prolific writer. In fact, writing would assuage his lingering pain and suffering. He once quoted Jameel Mazhari, "Itna Gham Hai Mere Andar/ Na Likhoon Toh Paagal Ho Jaaoon" (There's so much pain within me/ I shall go mad if I don't write). By the way, like Jameel Mazhari, Asrar Jamayee was also from Patna, Bihar where he was born in 1937. His entire life was a saga of pain, pathos and predicament. It was Aazmaish-e-daaro-rasan (test of the stake and rope). Such sustained ill-fate must never visit anyone, not even to those whom we don't like much. ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/asrar-jamayee-offspring-fate/d/132074 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism