I am sorry to hear about the passing of Munawwar Rana, a renowned Urdu poet. According to India Today News, he passed away at the age of 71 due to a cardiac arrest at the PGI Hospital in Lucknow. He had been battling with prolonged illness for the past several months. Munawwar Rana was born on November 26, 1952, in Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareli. He was widely recognized for his contributions to Urdu literature and poetry, particularly for his ghazals. His poetic style was notable for its accessibility, as he often incorporated Hindi and Awadhi words while avoiding Persian and Arabic, which resonated with Indian audiences2. His most famous poem was ‘Maa’, which celebrated the virtues of a mother within the traditional ghazal form.
Throughout his career, Rana received numerous accolades, including the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 2014 for his poetry book 'Shahdaba’. However, he returned the award about a year later due to concerns over rising intolerance in the country. Other awards he received include the Ameer Khusro Award, Mir Taqi Mir Award, Ghalib Award, Dr Zakir Hussain Award, and the Saraswati Samaj Award.
Rana spent much of his life in Kolkata and had a significant presence in mushairas (poetic symposiums) both in India and abroad. The poet was also active in political developments in Uttar Pradesh. His daughter Sumaiya is a member of the Samajwadi Party (SP), led by Akhilesh Yadav. Munawwar Rana’s death is a great loss to the world of Urdu poetry. His contributions to the field will be remembered for years to come.
A Tribute to the Poet Who Celebrated the Virtues of Motherhood.
Few Famous Couplets:
अब जुदाई के सफ़र को मिरे आसान करो
तुम मुझे ख़्वाब में आ कर न परेशान करो
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तुम्हारी आँखों की तौहीन है ज़रा सोचो
तुम्हारा चाहने वाला शराब पीता है
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सो जाते हैं फ़ुटपाथ पे अख़बार बिछा कर
मज़दूर कभी नींद की गोली नहीं खाते
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एक आँसू भी हुकूमत के लिए ख़तरा है
तुम ने देखा नहीं आँखों का समुंदर होना
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बर्बाद कर दिया हमें परदेस ने मगर
माँ सब से कह रही है कि बेटा मज़े में है