THE POETS
Mir Babar Ali Anees (1803-1874), also known as Mir Anees was an Urdu poet born near Faizabad, Oudh. India. He lived (and died) in Lucknow. Hailing from a family of prominent poets, he was a fifth generation poet and proudly pointed to this fact in the following stanza:
Namak-e-Khwaan-e-Takallum hai Fasaahat meri
Naatqein band hai’n sun sun ke balaaghat meri
Rang udte hain wo rangee’n hai ibarat meri
Shor jiska hai wo darya hai tabeeyat meri
Umr guzri hai isi dasht ki sa’iyaahi mei’n
Paanchvi pusht hai Shabbir ki maddaahi mei’n
He wrote extensively. It is estimated that he composed hundreds of marsiyas and a vast number of salāms (short poems). His fame spread rapidly such that stately rulers, eminent princes and the noblemen would gather at his house and offer patronages. He read at gatherings in Azimabad (Patna), Banaras, Allahabad and Hyderabad. A literary genius, his writings are distinguished by his eloquence, imagery and creative approach to language. His style of Marsiya recitation and delivery was enthralling. Once he reached the pulpit to recite. he would get immersed in the subject and content of his marsiya and his personality would change to reflect this immersion.
More information about Mir Anees can be found at the following links:
Mirza Salaamat Ali Dabeer (1803–1875) was an Urdu poet who excelled and perfected the art of marsiya writing. He is considered the leading exponent of Marsiya Nigari or marsiya writing along with Mir Anees.
A peer of Mir Anees, Mirza Dabeer was born in 1803 in Delhi. He started writing poetry under the tutelage of Mir Muzaffar Husain Zameer. Dabeer was an erudite scholar of his time. He migrated from Delhi to Lucknow, where he found suitable environment to develop and demonstrate his skills in marsiya writing. Mirza Dabeer died in Lucknow in 1875 and is buried there. It is said that he wrote in excess of 3000 elegies as well as numerous shorter poems. Of note is a dotless (be-nuqta) marsiya he composed describing _____. The opening verse of this marsiya is: Hum tale-e-Huma murad hum rasa hua (my far-reaching imagination has the same fortune-star as the Huma). Marsiyas written by Dabeer include:
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Kis sher ki Amad hai ki Run kaanp raha hai
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Dast-e-Khuda Ka Quwat-e-Bazoo Husain hain
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Bilqees paasbaan hai ye kiski janaab hai
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Paida Shua-E-Mehar Ki Miqraaz Jab Huee
The rivalry of Anees and Dabeer is much discussed and debated amongst fans of Urdu literature. Yet the two poets remained at cordial terms and acknowledged each other with great respect. When Anis died in 1874, Dabeer penned the following couplet as a tribute to the departed poet:
Aasman Be Mah-i-Kamil Sidrah Be Ruhul Amin
Toor-i-Sina Be Kalimullah Mimbar Be Anis
Additional information about Mirza Dabeer can be found at: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Mirza_Salaamat_Ali_Dabeer