Send Email
A three-day festival organised to mark the poet's first visit to Hyderabad
For diehard Allama Iqbal aficionados, here is an opportunity to relieve his moments in Hyderabad. A century after the poet-philosopher visited the city; preparations are on to celebrate his historic trip.
The âJashn-e-Iqbal' will not only recall his momentous journey, but also throw light on his Hyderabadi connections and the famous ânazm'âGorastan-e-Shahiâpenned by him after visiting the Quli Qutb Shahi tombs.
Urdu scholars and litterateurs are arriving here from different parts of the globe to take part in the three-day celebrations, beginning December 21, to mark the poet's first visit to Hyderabad in 1910. The programme is being organised by the Iqbal Academy, a leading centre of studies on the poet.
Five-day stay
During his brief five-day stay, Iqbal was the guest of Maharaja Kishan Prasad, the-then Prime Minister of Hyderabad and attended a âmushaira' at his residence. Not many know about Iqbal's visit to the Qutb Shahi tombs. The full moon night and the serene ambience had such an effect on the poet in him that he immediately came up with the poem âGorastan-e-shahi' which depicts the rise and fall of kingdoms.
Subsequently, Iqbal made two more visits to Hyderabad and delivered extensive lectures on the âReconstruction of religious thought in Islam' at the Town Hall, the present Assembly building. In a letter to his friend Atiya Begum, he wrote âmy visit to Hyderabad had some meaning which I shall explain to you when we meet'. But none knows what it was.
Warm regard
Of course, Hyderabadis had a warm regard for the âShair-e-Mashriq'. This can be gauged from the fact that the first âIqbal dayâ was celebrated in Hyderabad on January 7, 1938. Also, the first Iqbal society, Bazm-e-Iqbal, was set up here. The city also has the credit of publishing a collection of his early poems again for the first time.
There will be intellectual stimulation aplenty at the Jashn-e-Iqbal being held at the Salar Jung Museum hall. âEminent scholars will hold forth on Iqbal's relevance today and his message of humanism,â says Ziauddin Nayyar, vice president, Iqbal Academy.
One can also enjoy his well known ghazals besides the enduring patriotic songâSaare Jahan se achchaâ sung by noted singers.
