This article is about the Indian Urdu poet. For the Bangladeshi Bengali poet, see Shamsur Rahman (poet).
Shamsur Rahman Faruqi (30 September 1935 – 25 December 2020) was an Indian Urdu languagepoet, author, critic and theorist. He is known for ushering modernism to Urdu literature. He formulated fresh models of literary appreciation that combined western principles of literary criticism and subsequently applied them to Urdu literature after adapting them to address literary aesthetics native to Arabic, Persian, and Urdu. Some of his notable works included Sher-e-Shor Angez (1996), Ka’i Chand The Sar-e Asman (2006), The Mirror of Beauty (2013), and The Sun that Rose from the Earth (2014). He was also the editor and publisher of the Urdu literary magazine Shabkhoon.
Faruqi received the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honor in 2009. He was also a recipient of the Saraswati Samman, an Indian literary award, for his work Sher-e-Shor Angez in 1996, and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1986 for Tanqidi Afkar.
Faruqi was born on 30 September 1935 in Pratapgarh, in present-day Uttar Pradesh, and was raised in Azamgarh and Gorakhpur.[1][2][3] He studied at Wellesley High School in Azamgarh and graduated from the Government Jubilee High School in Gorakhpur in 1949.[4] He finished his intermediate education in 1951 from Mian George Islamia Inter College in Gorakhpur.[4]
He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Maharana Pratap College in Gorakhpur, and his Master of Arts (MA) degree in English literature from Allahabad University in 1955.[5][3] He pursued a doctorate in English symbolism and French literature with the poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan as his supervisor, but dropped out after a disagreement with Bachchan.[3]
Career
Faruqi began his writing career in 1960.[5] He founded the Urdu literary magazine Shabkhoon in 1966, and was its editor and publisher for more than four decades.[6][7] He was a visiting professor at the South Asia Regional Studies Center at the University of Pennsylvania.[8] He was additionally employed by the Indian Postal Service until his retirement as a Postmaster General and a member of the Postal Services Board in 1994.[5]
An expert in classical prosody and ‘ilm-e bayan (the science of poetic discourse), he contributed to modern literary discourse with a profundity rarely seen in contemporary Urdu critics.[5] He was described as "the century's most iconic figure in the realm of Urdu literature".[9] Some of his notable works included Tafheem-e-Ghalib, a commentary on Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib, Sher-e-Shor Angez, a four-volume study of 18th century poet Mir Taqi Mirand Kai Chand Thay Sar-e-Asmaan.
Faruqi is noted for ushering in modernism into Urdu literature through his works.[3] He formulated fresh models of literary appreciation, while absorbing western principles of literary criticism, and subsequently applied them to Urdu literature after adapting them to address literary aesthetics native to Arabic, Persian, and Urdu.[5][7][10] Through his works, he wrote about the Indian–Muslim way of life through the 18th and 19th centuries.[7] A progressive himself, he spoke against the burqa, hijab, and skull cap worn by conservatives, while continuing to emphasize the need for minority communities to express their own identity within democracies.[7] He considered himself to be an outsider in the Urdu literary establishment, challenging the position of incumbent progressive writers for stifling other writers.[7] He also emphasized the need for language to be a binding force for culture and communities and expressed his concerns that language had been reduced to a tool of identity. He said in an interview, "It is sad that language has become a tool of ownership and hegemony; not the thread that binds people together."[11] His magazine, Shabkhoon (transl.Ambush at Night) between 1966 and 2006, aimed at publishing modernist Urdu literature and authors aiming to break the hegemony of the incumbent progressives.[8][3]
Faruqi also translated many of his own works to English. His 2013 novel, The Mirror of Beauty, was a translation of Kai Chand The Sar-e Asman, his 2006 Urdu novel. The book chronicled the life of Wazir Khanum, mother of late-19th-century Indian Urdu poet Daagh Dehlvi, and was set in that time's Delhi.[11][12] The book was shortlisted for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature.[11] His 2014 novel, The Sun That Rose from the Earth, detailed the thriving Urdu literature scene in the Indian cities of Delhi and Lucknow of the 18th and 19th centuries, and resilience amidst the Indian Rebellion of 1857. There is no doubt that he was an iconoclast who was sometimes termed as TS Eliot of Urdu Literature.[13]
Dastaangoi
In addition to his contributions to Urdu literature, Faruqi is credited with the revival of the Dastangoi, a 16th-century Urduoral storytelling art form.[14][7] The art form reached its zenith in the Indian sub-continent in the 19th century and is said to have died with the death of Mir Baqar Ali in 1928. Working with his nephew, the writer and director Mahmood Farooqui, Faruqi helped to modernize the format, and led its revival in the 21st century.[15] Starting in 2004, Farooqui and his Dastangoi group performed in India, Pakistan, and the United States.[16][17]
Awards
He received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1986 for his book Tanqidi Afkar, which focuses on modern theories of poetry appreciation.[3] He was awarded the Saraswati Samman, an Indian literary award, for his work Sher-e-Shor Angez, a four-volume study of the 18th-century poet Mir Taqi Mir, in 1996.[5][11] He was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honor, in 2009.[18]
Personal life
Faruqi met his future wife, Jamila Hashmi, when she was a student in Allahabad pursuing her master's degree in English literature. She later set up and ran two girls' schools focused on the economically marginalized.[19] The couple had two daughters, Afshan and Baran Faruqi, both of whom are academics.[20] Jamila died in 2007 of complications from hip replacement surgery.[21] Reflecting on the role played by his wife in advancing his career, Faruqi acknowledged that without her influence he would not have been able to invest his efforts in his magazine and stated that in consequence, "my struggle to become a writer of my kind would never have ended."[19]
He died on 25 December 2020 in Allahabad due to complications from COVID-19.[7] It was announced that he would be buried in the Ashok Nagar cemetery in Allahabad.[7]
^Kumar, Nikhil. "Shamsur Rahman Faruqi: The literary life of a translator". The Caravan. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
^"Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, noted Urdu poet-critic and Padma Shri awardee, passes away at 85 – Art-and-culture News , Firstpost". Firstpost. 25 December 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
^ abcdefg"'Ushered in the trend of modernism in Urdu' Noted writer, poet dies". The Indian Express. 26 December 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
^ ab"Farewell Shamsur Rahman Faruqi: The Sun That Set in the Earth". The Wire. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
^ abcdefghijklmn"Shamsur Rehman Faruqi – The master critic". Daily Dawn-11 July 2004). columbia.edu. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
^Amaresh Datta (1988). Encyclopedia of Indian Literature. Sahitya Akademi. p. 1899. ISBN978-81-260-1194-0. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
^ abcdefgh"Noted writer, poet Shamsur Rahman Faruqi passes away". The Indian Express. 26 December 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
^ abBilal, Maaz Bin. "Shamsur Rahman Faruqi (1935–2020): Why this death leaves a permanent patch of darkness in literature". Scroll.in. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
^"Urdu poet and critic Shamsur Rahman Faruqi dies of Covid-19 at 85". Hindustan Times. 25 December 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
^"A Conversation with Shamsur Rahman Faruqi by Prem Kumar Nazar" (PDF). UrduStudies.com. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
^ abcdef"Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, noted Urdu poet-critic and Padma Shri awardee, passes away at 85 – Art-and-culture News , Firstpost". Firstpost. 25 December 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
^"The Last Ustad – OPEN Magazine". OPEN Magazine. 21 October 2014.
^Khalid Bin Umar, Khalid Bin Umar (1 January 2021). "Shamsur Rahman Faruqi – T.S Eliot of Urdu Literature'". /
^"Walk Back In Time: Experience life in Nizamuddin Basti, the traditional way". The Indian Express. 29 November 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
^Husain, Intizar (25 December 2011). "COLUMN: Dastan and dastangoi for the modern audience". Dawn. Archived from the original on 7 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
^Sayeed, Vikram Ahmed (14 January 2011). "Return of dastangoi". Frontline. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
^Ahmed, Shoaib (6 December 2012). "Indian storytellers bring Dastangoi to Alhamra". Dawn. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
^(PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
^ abSoofi, Mayank Austen (15 November 2014). "Shamsur Rahman Faruqi: Darcy was a 'damn sexist'". mint. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
^Bilal, Maaz Bin. "Shamsur Rahman Faruqi (1935–2020): Why this death leaves a permanent patch of darkness in literature". Scroll.in. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
^"Shamsur Rahman Faruqi (1935–2020) 'Link uniting old, new cultures': Tributes pour in for literary icon". Hindustan Times. 25 December 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
^"Tafheem-e-Ghalib by Shamsur Rahman Faruqi". Rekhta. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
^Khwaja, Waqas. "Shamsur Rahman Faruqi's "The Mirror of Beauty": Striking a Discordant Note". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
Further reading
Dastan-e-Shamsur Rahman Faruqi: Life of a Writer. A profile in The Caravan by Nikhil Kumar
"Paradise of Rectitude". 27 June 2013. Anjum Hasan in The Caravan on The Mirror of Beauty
George, Rajni (21 October 2014). "The Last Ustad". Open Magazine. Profile
Soofi, Mayank Austen (15 November 2014). "Shamsur Rahman Faruqi: Darcy was a 'damn sexist'". Mint. Interview
Khalid Bin Umar, Khalid Bin Umar (1 January 2021). "Shamsur Rahman Faruqi – T.S Eliot of Urdu Literature'".
Urdu Article, Khalid Bin Umar (28 December 2020). "Alvida Shamsur Rahman Faruqi'".
An informal festschrift in honor of Shamsur Rahman Faruqi
External links
Official website
Work in English
"A Conversation with Literary Critic and Novelist Shamsur Rahman Faruqi", New York Times
Shamsur Rahman Faruqi's profile on Rekhta
May 19, 2023
shamsur, rahman, faruqi, this, article, about, indian, urdu, poet, bangladeshi, bengali, poet, shamsur, rahman, poet, september, 1935, december, 2020, indian, urdu, language, poet, author, critic, theorist, known, ushering, modernism, urdu, literature, formula. This article is about the Indian Urdu poet For the Bangladeshi Bengali poet see Shamsur Rahman poet Shamsur Rahman Faruqi 30 September 1935 25 December 2020 was an Indian Urdu language poet author critic and theorist He is known for ushering modernism to Urdu literature He formulated fresh models of literary appreciation that combined western principles of literary criticism and subsequently applied them to Urdu literature after adapting them to address literary aesthetics native to Arabic Persian and Urdu Some of his notable works included Sher e Shor Angez 1996 Ka i Chand The Sar e Asman 2006 The Mirror of Beauty 2013 and The Sun that Rose from the Earth 2014 He was also the editor and publisher of the Urdu literary magazine Shabkhoon Shamsur Rahman FaruqiBornShamsur Rahman Faruqi30 September 1935Pratapgarh United Provinces British India now in Uttar Pradesh India Died25 December 2020 2020 12 25 aged 85 Allahabad Uttar Pradesh IndiaResting placeAshok Nagar Allahabad beside his wifeOccupationPoet criticLanguageUrduNationalityIndianAlma materAllahabad UniversityNotable worksSher e Shor AngezThe Sun that Rose from the EarthThe Mirror of BeautyNotable awardsSahitya Akademi Award 1986 Saraswati Samman 1996 Padma Shri 2009 Faruqi received the Padma Shri India s fourth highest civilian honor in 2009 He was also a recipient of the Saraswati Samman an Indian literary award for his work Sher e Shor Angez in 1996 and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1986 for Tanqidi Afkar Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 2 1 Dastaangoi 3 Awards 4 Personal life 5 Bibliography 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksEarly life and education EditFaruqi was born on 30 September 1935 in Pratapgarh in present day Uttar Pradesh and was raised in Azamgarh and Gorakhpur 1 2 3 He studied at Wellesley High School in Azamgarh and graduated from the Government Jubilee High School in Gorakhpur in 1949 4 He finished his intermediate education in 1951 from Mian George Islamia Inter College in Gorakhpur 4 He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Maharana Pratap College in Gorakhpur and his Master of Arts MA degree in English literature from Allahabad University in 1955 5 3 He pursued a doctorate in English symbolism and French literature with the poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan as his supervisor but dropped out after a disagreement with Bachchan 3 Career EditFaruqi began his writing career in 1960 5 He founded the Urdu literary magazine Shabkhoon in 1966 and was its editor and publisher for more than four decades 6 7 He was a visiting professor at the South Asia Regional Studies Center at the University of Pennsylvania 8 He was additionally employed by the Indian Postal Service until his retirement as a Postmaster General and a member of the Postal Services Board in 1994 5 An expert in classical prosody and ilm e bayan the science of poetic discourse he contributed to modern literary discourse with a profundity rarely seen in contemporary Urdu critics 5 He was described as the century s most iconic figure in the realm of Urdu literature 9 Some of his notable works included Tafheem e Ghalib a commentary on Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib Sher e Shor Angez a four volume study of 18th century poet Mir Taqi Mir and Kai Chand Thay Sar e Asmaan Faruqi is noted for ushering in modernism into Urdu literature through his works 3 He formulated fresh models of literary appreciation while absorbing western principles of literary criticism and subsequently applied them to Urdu literature after adapting them to address literary aesthetics native to Arabic Persian and Urdu 5 7 10 Through his works he wrote about the Indian Muslim way of life through the 18th and 19th centuries 7 A progressive himself he spoke against the burqa hijab and skull cap worn by conservatives while continuing to emphasize the need for minority communities to express their own identity within democracies 7 He considered himself to be an outsider in the Urdu literary establishment challenging the position of incumbent progressive writers for stifling other writers 7 He also emphasized the need for language to be a binding force for culture and communities and expressed his concerns that language had been reduced to a tool of identity He said in an interview It is sad that language has become a tool of ownership and hegemony not the thread that binds people together 11 His magazine Shabkhoon transl Ambush at Night between 1966 and 2006 aimed at publishing modernist Urdu literature and authors aiming to break the hegemony of the incumbent progressives 8 3 Faruqi also translated many of his own works to English His 2013 novel The Mirror of Beauty was a translation of Kai Chand The Sar e Asman his 2006 Urdu novel The book chronicled the life of Wazir Khanum mother of late 19th century Indian Urdu poet Daagh Dehlvi and was set in that time s Delhi 11 12 The book was shortlisted for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 11 His 2014 novel The Sun That Rose from the Earth detailed the thriving Urdu literature scene in the Indian cities of Delhi and Lucknow of the 18th and 19th centuries and resilience amidst the Indian Rebellion of 1857 There is no doubt that he was an iconoclast who was sometimes termed as TS Eliot of Urdu Literature 13 Dastaangoi Edit In addition to his contributions to Urdu literature Faruqi is credited with the revival of the Dastangoi a 16th century Urdu oral storytelling art form 14 7 The art form reached its zenith in the Indian sub continent in the 19th century and is said to have died with the death of Mir Baqar Ali in 1928 Working with his nephew the writer and director Mahmood Farooqui Faruqi helped to modernize the format and led its revival in the 21st century 15 Starting in 2004 Farooqui and his Dastangoi group performed in India Pakistan and the United States 16 17 Awards EditHe received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1986 for his book Tanqidi Afkar which focuses on modern theories of poetry appreciation 3 He was awarded the Saraswati Samman an Indian literary award for his work Sher e Shor Angez a four volume study of the 18th century poet Mir Taqi Mir in 1996 5 11 He was awarded the Padma Shri India s fourth highest civilian honor in 2009 18 Personal life EditFaruqi met his future wife Jamila Hashmi when she was a student in Allahabad pursuing her master s degree in English literature She later set up and ran two girls schools focused on the economically marginalized 19 The couple had two daughters Afshan and Baran Faruqi both of whom are academics 20 Jamila died in 2007 of complications from hip replacement surgery 21 Reflecting on the role played by his wife in advancing his career Faruqi acknowledged that without her influence he would not have been able to invest his efforts in his magazine and stated that in consequence my struggle to become a writer of my kind would never have ended 19 He died on 25 December 2020 in Allahabad due to complications from COVID 19 7 It was announced that he would be buried in the Ashok Nagar cemetery in Allahabad 7 Bibliography EditSher Ghair Sher Aur Nasr 1973 5 The Secret Mirror in English 1981 5 Ghalib Afsaney Ki Himayat Mein 1989 5 Tafheem e Ghalib 22 Tanqidi Afqar 1982 3 Sher e Shor Angez in 3 volumes 1991 93 5 Mir Taqi Mir 1722 1810 Collected works with commentary and explanation 5 Urdu Ka Ibtedai Zamana 2001 5 Ganj i Sokhta poetry 5 Sawar Aur Doosray Afsanay 2001 5 Kai Chand Thay Sar e Asmaan 2006 23 The Mirror of Beauty 2013 11 The Sun that Rose from the Earth 2014 11 Ajab Sehar Bayan Tha 2018 Published by M R Publications New Delhi Hamarey Liye Manto Sahab 2013 Published by M R Publications New Delhi Khurshid ka Saman e Safar 2016 Published by M R Publications New Delhi Tanqidi Mamlat 2018 Published by M R Publications New Delhi Majlis e Afaq main Parwana Saan Collecction of Poetry 2018 Published by M R Publications New Delhi Sorat o Ma ani e Sukhan 2010 2021 Published by M R Publications New Delhi Sahiri Shahi Sahib e Qarani Dastan Ameer Hamza ka Mutalea Dastan Dunya 2 Vol 5 2020 Published by M R Publications New Delhi Afsaney ki Nai Himayat Main 2021 Published by M R Publications New DelhiSee also EditList of Urdu language poets List of Urdu language writersReferences Edit Kumar Nikhil Shamsur Rahman Faruqi The literary life of a translator The Caravan Retrieved 27 December 2020 Shamsur Rahman Faruqi noted Urdu poet critic and Padma Shri awardee passes away at 85 Art and culture News Firstpost Firstpost 25 December 2020 Retrieved 26 December 2020 a b c d e f g Ushered in the trend of modernism in Urdu Noted writer poet dies The Indian Express 26 December 2020 Retrieved 27 December 2020 a b Farewell Shamsur Rahman Faruqi The Sun That Set in the Earth The Wire Retrieved 28 December 2020 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Shamsur Rehman Faruqi The master critic Daily Dawn 11 July 2004 columbia edu Retrieved 25 August 2012 Amaresh Datta 1988 Encyclopedia of Indian Literature Sahitya Akademi p 1899 ISBN 978 81 260 1194 0 Retrieved 10 May 2015 a b c d e f g h Noted writer poet Shamsur Rahman Faruqi passes away The Indian Express 26 December 2020 Retrieved 26 December 2020 a b Bilal Maaz Bin Shamsur Rahman Faruqi 1935 2020 Why this death leaves a permanent patch of darkness in literature Scroll in Retrieved 27 December 2020 Urdu poet and critic Shamsur Rahman Faruqi dies of Covid 19 at 85 Hindustan Times 25 December 2020 Retrieved 26 December 2020 A Conversation with Shamsur Rahman Faruqi by Prem Kumar Nazar PDF UrduStudies com Retrieved 13 September 2012 a b c d e f Shamsur Rahman Faruqi noted Urdu poet critic and Padma Shri awardee passes away at 85 Art and culture News Firstpost Firstpost 25 December 2020 Retrieved 27 December 2020 The Last Ustad OPEN Magazine OPEN Magazine 21 October 2014 Khalid Bin Umar Khalid Bin Umar 1 January 2021 Shamsur Rahman Faruqi T S Eliot of Urdu Literature Walk Back In Time Experience life in Nizamuddin Basti the traditional way The Indian Express 29 November 2012 Retrieved 18 December 2012 Husain Intizar 25 December 2011 COLUMN Dastan and dastangoi for the modern audience Dawn Archived from the original on 7 November 2013 Retrieved 7 November 2013 Sayeed Vikram Ahmed 14 January 2011 Return of dastangoi Frontline Retrieved 18 December 2012 Ahmed Shoaib 6 December 2012 Indian storytellers bring Dastangoi to Alhamra Dawn Retrieved 18 December 2012 Padma Awards PDF Ministry of Home Affairs Government of India 2015 Archived from the original PDF on 15 October 2015 Retrieved 21 July 2015 a b Soofi Mayank Austen 15 November 2014 Shamsur Rahman Faruqi Darcy was a damn sexist mint Retrieved 27 December 2020 Bilal Maaz Bin Shamsur Rahman Faruqi 1935 2020 Why this death leaves a permanent patch of darkness in literature Scroll in Retrieved 27 December 2020 Shamsur Rahman Faruqi 1935 2020 Link uniting old new cultures Tributes pour in for literary icon Hindustan Times 25 December 2020 Retrieved 27 December 2020 Tafheem e Ghalib by Shamsur Rahman Faruqi Rekhta Retrieved 27 December 2020 Khwaja Waqas Shamsur Rahman Faruqi s The Mirror of Beauty Striking a Discordant Note a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Further reading EditDastan e Shamsur Rahman Faruqi Life of a Writer A profile in The Caravan by Nikhil Kumar Paradise of Rectitude 27 June 2013 Anjum Hasan in The Caravan on The Mirror of Beauty George Rajni 21 October 2014 The Last Ustad Open Magazine Profile Soofi Mayank Austen 15 November 2014 Shamsur Rahman Faruqi Darcy was a damn sexist Mint Interview Khalid Bin Umar Khalid Bin Umar 1 January 2021 Shamsur Rahman Faruqi T S Eliot of Urdu Literature Urdu Article Khalid Bin Umar 28 December 2020 Alvida Shamsur Rahman Faruqi An informal festschrift in honor of Shamsur Rahman FaruqiExternal links EditOfficial website Work in English A Conversation with Literary Critic and Novelist Shamsur Rahman Faruqi New York Times Shamsur Rahman Faruqi s profile on Rekhta 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