Patna: The legendary Urdu poet and Padma Shri, Dr. Kalim Ajiz passed away on Sunday in Hazaribagh, Jharkhan.He was 89.

Dr Ajiz was born in Patna district in 1920. He got his education from Patna University from graduation to doctorate. He also got his doctorate from Patna University for his thesis on “Evolution of Urdu Literature in Bihar.” This thesis is now available in a book form. He served as a lecturer for decades in the Department of Urdu at Patna University.

In 1976, his first book of ghazals was released by the President of India in Vigyan Bhawan, Delhi. In the ’60s and ’70s he was the only Urdu poet who represented Bihar in the Red Fort Mushaira held every year in Delhi on the eve of Independence Day.

The renowned  Urdu poets , Rahgupati Sahay Firaq Gorakpuri was a great admirer of Dr. Kaleem Ajiz. He sent his famous tape recorded words for Dr. Ajiz’s first book while he was lying on his deathbed in which he respectfully said he felt jealous of Dr. Ajiz because of the ease in which he could express his thoughts through his verses.

He said he loved Mr. Ajiz’s poems so much that whenever he heard him reciting his ghazals, he always forgot his own works.

Even in old age his heart was young and his shayri recited with exquisite tarannum was the rage of mushairas.  He literally painted beautiful pictures of beauty of flowers, hawaa, beautiful female form and tamanna in a most dignified and refined manner that the audience could relate to directly and lifted them out of depression.  In mushairas people waited for him to be called to recite and many demand were made to call.

For sure he was a classical poet and a master of words in the style of Jigar Moradabadi who brought out the distinction of Urdu vocabulary in taking imagination to high heights.  It was remarkable that in old age his imaginary and literary mind was so creative.  Unlike the modern times when most shayers talk about mazloomiat and zulm , and talk of helplessness, he retained the quintessential beauty of Urdu that is giving words to imagination such that listeners can enjoy it and regain optimism.

All great and classical Urdu shayers (Khumar Barabankvi, Qateel Shafaee, Parven Shakir, Ahmad Faraz, Habib Jalib etal) are passing away one by one and now Kaleem Ajiz sahib.

Dr. Ajiz used to avoid publicity despite the fact that he had thousands of admirers all over the world. For the last 10-15 years, he avoided mushairas as he believed their quality had gone down immensely and  became cheap and mediocre.

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Mere hii lahuu par guzar auqaat karo ho
Mujh se hii amiiroN ki tarah baat karo ho

Din ek sitam,  ek sitam raat karo ho
Vo dost ho dushman ko biii jo maat karo ho

Ham khaak_nashiN tum suKhan aara ho sar-E-baam
Paas aake milo duur se kyaa baat karo ho

Ham ko jo milaa hai vo tumhiiN se to milaa hai
Ham aur bhulaa deN tumheN kyaa baat karo ho

YuuN to hameN muNh pher ke dekho bhi nahiN ho
Jab vaqt paRe hai to madaaraat karo ho

Daaman pe koii chiiNt na Khanjar pe koi daaGh
Tum qatl karo ho ke karaamaat karo ho

 ———–

Is naaz is andaaz se tum haaye chalo ho
Roz ek Ghazal ham se kahalavaaye chalo ho

Rakhnaa hai kahiN paaNv to rak_kho ho kahiN paaNv
Chalnaa zaraa aayaa hai to itaraaye chalo ho

Diivaana-E-gul qaidii-E-zanjiir hai, aur tum
Kyaa THaa_TH se gulshan kii havaa khaaye chalo ho

MaE meN koi Khaami hai na saaGhar meN koi khoT
Piinaa nahiN aaye hai to chhalkaaye chalo ho

Ham kuchh nahiN kahate haiN koi kuchh nahiN kahtaa
Tum kyaa ho tumhiN sab se kahalavaaye chalo ho

ZulfoN kii hai fitrat yahi, lekin mere pyaare
zulfoN se bhii zyaadaa tumhiN bal khaaye chalo ho

Vo shokh sitam_gar to sitam Dhaaye chale hai
Tum ho ke “Kaleem” apanii Ghazal gaaye chalo ho

——–

Kalim’ haal to apnaa sunaao kaisa hai ???
Hai dard kam k bahut dil ka ghaao kaisa hai

Bachi k toot k kashtii E dil bhi doob gayi
Ab aaNsuoN ki nadi ka bahaao kaisa hai

Dayaar E husn me ab is ki maang hai k nahi
Wafaa ka in dinoN baazaar bhaao kaisa  hai

Hai waz’a kaisi naye qatl karne waaloN ki
Puraane qaatiloN ka rakh-rakhaao kaisa hai

Ye der – der se yaa jald jald milte hiaN
Gale ke saath chhuri ka lagaao kaisa hai

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Ye deewaane kabhi paabandiyoN ka Gham nahi leNge

GarebaaN chaak jab tak ker na leNge, dam nahi leNge

Lahoo deNge to leNge pyar, moti hum nahi leNge

HameN phooloN ke badle phool do shabnam nahi leNge

Muhabbat karne wale bhi ajab khud_daar hote haiN

Jigar per zakhm leNge, zakhm per marham nahi leNge

SaNwaare jarahe haiN hum to uljhee jatee hen zulfeN

Tum apne zimma lo, ab ye bakheRa hum nahi leNge

———-

Dardmand E ishq haiN, gham se na ghabraayeNge hum
Shaairy karte raheNge!!  aur mar jaayeNge hum

Hum to deewaane haiN humko maslehat se kya Gharaz
Apni chaadar se bhi zeyaadaa, paaoN phailayeNge hum

Ishq ki barbaadiyaaN, Qismat se hoti haiN naseeb!!
Jis qadar bigReNge utnaa hi saNwar jaayeNge hum

HoshiyaaroN ko mubaarak teri mahfil ae Khirad!!
Subh aayeNge tere dar par na shaam aayeNge hum

Apne aaNsoo hi jawaab E purshish E ahwaal haiN
Khud nahi samjhe to kya auroN ko samjhaayeNge hum

Ab ke phir barsaat meN ganj E shaheedaaN par chaleN
AasmaaN royegaa aur apni ghazal gaayeNge hum

 ——-

Kaleja thaam lo roodad E gham ham ko sunaane do
Tumhein duk_kha hua dil ham dikhate hain dikhane do

Usi ke dam se thoRi raushni hai khaana E dil meiN
Bujhaate kyuN ho sham- E aarzoo ko jhilmilane do

Usi se tum kisii kii zulf ki roodaad sun lena
Udhar dekho wo deewaana chala aata hai aane do

Suna hai ishq ka me’raaj pinhaN hai shahadat me
Chhuri laao mujhe bhi apni qismat aazmaane do

Na dagh aayega apne daman E husn E tabiy’at per
Wafaa per mere jo tohmat lagate hain lagane do

Zamana sabr kar leta hai ‘Ajiz’ ham bhi kar leNge
Khalish dil ki miTa lene ke do aaNsoo bahane do

——

Yeh samundar hai!  kinaare hi kinaare jaao

Ishq har shakhs ke bas ka nahi pyaare jaao

YuN to maqtal mein tamashaayi bahut aate hain

Aaao us waqt, K jis waqt  pukaare jaao

Dil ki baazi lage phir jaan ki bazi lag jaye

Ishq mein haar ke abiTho nahi, haare jaao

Kaam ban jaye agar zulf junuN ban jaaye

Is liye us ko saNvaaro K saNvare jaao

Koi rastaa koi manzil use dushwaar nahi

Jis jagah jaao muhabbat ke sahaare jaao

Hum to mitti se ugaayeNge muhabbat ke gulab

Tum agar toRne jaate ho sitaare, jaao

Doobna hoga agar doobna taqdeer mein hai

Chaahe kashti pe raho chaahe kinare jaao

Tum hi socho bhal yeh shouq koi shouq hua

Aaj ooNchayi pe baiTho kal utaare jaao

Maut se khel ke karte ho muhabbat ‘Ajiz’

Mujh ko Dar hai kahiN be-maut na maare jaao

——–

Ye aaNsu be-sabab jaari nahi hai

Mujhe rone ki beemaari nahi hai

Na puchho zakhm-hae-dil ka aalam

Chaman mein aisi gulkari nahi hai

Bahut dushwar samjhana hai Gham ka

Samajh lene mein dushwari nahi hai

Ghazal hi gungunaane do K mujh ko

Mizaaj -e- talkh guftaari nahi hai

Chaman me kyuN chaluN kantoN se bachkar

Yeh aayeen -e- wafaadaari nahi hai

Woh aayein Qatl ko jis roz chaheiN

YahaN kis roz taiyyari nahi hai

(Dr. Kalim Ajiz)