Poetry, Music and the Mushairah - Sajjad Zaheer

Sajjad Zaheer (1905–1973) was a Marxist poet and revolutionary who lived and worked in both India and Pakistan. The essay featured in this episode, written around 1958, explores the tradition of tarannum (melodic recitation) in the Urdu mushairah (poetic symposium). Zaheer examines why poets who recite their verses melodiously are so beloved by mushairah audiences, and whether tarannum allows listeners to overlook questions of literary merit. He discusses the performance styles of poets such as Jigar Moradabadi and Josh Malihabadi, his own introduction of full-fledged singing at a Calcutta mushairah, and the popularity of inferior or suggestive verse. Crucially, Zaheer argues for the cultivation of refined taste among mushairah audiences and emphasizes the crucial role of second-tier poetry in sustaining the Urdu literary tradition.

Featured recitals and music:
1. Khumar Barabankvi - Akele hain wo
   • Khumar Barabankvi | Old Mushaira | Best Gh...  

2. Jigar Moradabadi - Sad arzu-e khushgavar
   • Jigar Moradabadi Ghazal   پھرا کرے گی زندگ...  

3. Barkat Ali Khan - Ah ko chahiye ik umr
   • Ustad Barkat Ali Khan sings Ghalib (6)- Au...  

4. Josh Malihabadi - Mojid-o Mufakkir {6:103}
   • Josh* Malihabadi - Marsiya - Mojid O Mufakkir  


Sounding Board is an audio series about South Asian music, Islamic sound arts and the Urdu literary tradition. It features readings of essays by influential Urdu scholars, musicologists, poets and critics from the 19th and 20th centuries, exploring themes of identity, inheritance and imagination. These open-ended essays were produced for public consumption by leading music writers and scholars, and served as vital springboards, anticipating commentary and critique.

The project is supported by The Society of Fellows/Heyman Center for the Humanities, Columbia University, and Humanities New York.

Produced by Ali Raj