Darakhshan Andarbi’s poems are always beautiful, and unique. Combining the bitterness of neem and the sweetness of mango, a new text has been put forward. While reading these poems in “HATHELI PE SURAJ”, I felt that the feminine feelings have been given a voice.
These poems point to a world of possibilities enough to illuminate thousands of lights. Through these poems she is seen standing in the land of light where the darkness itself is in pursuit of her.
Maybe she too longs for the rays of light. In the valley of thoughts, every poem is burning like a bonfire. The fire is icy and there is a feeling of stillness in the poet’s way of thinking and expression.
This poetry is actually an expression of a tense but controlled situation. Of course, reciting these poems is tantamount to enjoying a holy bath after a tiring time. It was a ghazal that connected me to Dr Darakhshan Andarbi.
Apparently I have not met her but there are metaphysical literary meetings which connect me to her aesthetic existence.
I often talk to her through her books, words and verses. After a serious reading of her book “HATHELI PE SURAJ” I came out with my point of view that Darakhshan Andarbi’s eloquence, simple tone and thought-provoking style, are enough to give her an elevated place in Urdu literature. Her poems are similar to her ghazals.
These are new accent creations in Urdu poetry. She has a good study of human psychology, which a reader can feel everywhere in her poems. The poems found in this book speak the language of mysteries and secrets of the universe.
This poetry is the poetry of glory and beauty. Her blank verse poetic expression creates an aura like her ghazals that gives a new pleasure to human senses.
After an in-depth study of this book, there are many mysteries that have come to light. The style and expression of poetess is simple, smooth and beautiful, however, the depth of her philosophical and spiritual ideas does leave the reader in a dance of ecstasy of the soul and mind.
Blank verse genre is borrowed from the West. This style of poetry flourished in the progressive era. In fact, the main problem of the poets of that time was to free the country from the shackles of slavery and to raise voice against the social discriminations, a language was needed which was not in need of rhyme; a language of masses through which the nation’s problems could be easily explained.
Blank verse is written everywhere nowadays and it is getting a good response and encouragement from all over the world. The blank verse and semi-blank verse poems of this anthology are multi-layered, opening doors to the world of meanings.
She expresses her experiences and observations of her own inner self and of the universe with very powerful and unique symbols and metaphors creating huge surprises.
The symbols and metaphors she chooses do not interfere with the transmission of the meaning of the subject and the idea, and the stirring emotions.
Feelings that cannot be grasped in plain words can only be put into the mould of creation by someone who has the ability to decipher meanings and who has mastered the art.
Dr. Darakhshan Andarbi is an expert poet who has created dozens of masterpieces in this book and has flowed rivers of her magical beauty and perfection. Many poems can be mentioned as examples. “Ratjaga” is a very impressive poetic piece.
Her similes speak louder than the words and the craft of the poem also sweeps the emotions of the reader leaving him in a state of inebriation and ecstasy. As she says:
“I’m in the basement at night
Keep quiet
Under the waterfall of light
Taking a bath”
My amazement increased as I tread the path of the muses along with the poems of Darakhshan. When I read the poem “Judaayee” (Separation), the river of amazement turned into a sea.
This poem creates a world of symphony out of the contradictions of life; constructs a bridge between the the widening gaps. Patience and anger become metaphors and sound harmonious chords:
“In the clash of different voices
The strings of music are ringing
As in your prosperity
Chords of poverty sound”
In an unprecedented situation when living together is tantamount to suffering the hell, there can be no better way than separation or moving ahead alone on a new path. She says:
“Take a few steps along a third path
Take a few steps eastward
Let me go a few steps to the west”
Further, if the distance becomes impassable by moving step by step in opposite directions, then all the problems get solved automatically. The real solution erupts out of the alienation itself that when all ties of togetherness get shattered. In such a situation, if the lovers ever meet on the way, they will pass by each other like strangers:
“Even if we meet back
Then we can easily get out of each other’s own directions”
The poem speaks about the relationships of mutual respect, dignity, understanding and true love. Relationships that have these qualities deserve to be called intact relationships; otherwise it becomes difficult to live together.
What is the intimacy gained without the feelings of love and mutual understanding, what is the result of such intimacy? Her poem “Separation” talks about basic principles of building a healthy relationship in such a lucid expression that a reader stops at intervals and takes a long breath to feel the aroma of the rhyme of the meaning and its impact.
Every poem of Darakhshan Andarbi here becomes a voice of protest driving the receptors of the readers to it, a voice of shaking of consciences of readers.
These poems are poets’ monologue with her own self creating magical paradoxes with exceptional resonance that transcendence her own creative world and makes us all part of this monologue.
These are compositions of light, of inner meditations and of sublime weavings. These poems have been applauded by tallest poetry critics of the contemporary Urdu world who call these compositions as the ‘trend-setters’. I feel comfortable in calling these poems ‘beacons of consciousness’.
The writer is a student, hailing from Tangmarg
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.
The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.