Mohammad Sanaullah Dar 'Meeraji': A Reckless Genius
By
Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
25 May 2023
May 25 is Mohammad Sanaullah Dar '
Meeraji's' Birth Anniversary
------
"Many a gem of purest ray serene
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear
Many a flower is born to blush unseen
And waste its sweetness on the desert air
"
Thomas
Gray, " Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard "
The
aforementioned famous lines apply to many a great whose genius couldn't blossom
as fate, circumstances and caprice didn't let them reach the pinnacle they were
destined for, but the quintessence of such ill-fate was the bohemian Urdu poet
Meeraji (Mohammad Sanaullah Dar: May 25, 1912 - November 3, 1949).
Manto
writes to the “moral” poet Meera Ji with utmost sincerity
----
In love
with a Bengali damsel Meera Sen, a daughter of an accounts officer serving in
Lahore, he adopted his nom de guerre (Takhallus), Meeraji, on her name.
He was an astounding poet, translator and polyglot. By the way, he could speak
Bangla as well. Otherwise also, men invariably learn their girlfriends' mother
tongue to impress them! Do women also try to learn the language of the men they
love?
Readers may
throw light on this. Alas, he squandered away his formidable talents by
drinking, smoking and leading the life of a libertine. "Aasmaan Chhat
Hai Meri, Dharti Mera Bistar" (The sky is my roof, earth is my bed)
was the philosophy of his life. Call it the influence of a Hindu girl, Meeraji
was drawn to Hindu mythology and Sanskrit poetry. He'd use Hindi vocabulary in
his prose, poetry and letters: Soone Aakaash Ka Khaalipan Hai Mere Antar Ki
Gaharaiyon Mein (The emptiness of the lonely firmament has seeped into the
depths of my sanctum sanctorum).
He was one
of the pioneers of symbolism (Ramzi/Alamati Shayari) in Urdu poetry and
tried to free it from the shackles of prosody and Persianised vocabulary. Musta'ar
Leta Nahin Woh Alfaaz Farsi Ke/ Lafz Ghule Hain Yahan Ki Mitti Ke (He
doesn't borrow words from Persian/ The words of his poetry are from this soil),
wrote Noon Meem Rashid about Meeraji.
His poetry,
written in blank verse, was full of varied themes. He even ventured into terra
incognita in his poetry. "Zeest Aur Jism Ki Zarooratein Bhi
Hissa-E-Sukhanvari Hain" (Life and the physical needs are also parts
of poetry), he once wrote in a letter.
Overwhelmed
by a persistent death-wish, Meeraji's self-destructive ways expedited his end. "Fasana
Itna Hi Hai Hayaat Ka/ Nahin Hosh Mujhe Din-Raat Ka" (This is the
summary of my life/ I'm oblivious of day and night). This rank careless
attitude to life proved to be his bane. But at the same time, it lent a kind of
an endearing bohemianism to his persona. It also made him magnanimous: Nagri-Nagri
Phira Musafir Ghar Ka Rasta Bhool Gaya / Kya Hai Tera, Kya Hai Mera, Apna
Paraya Bhool Gaya (The wandering traveller forgot the way to his
destination/ What's yours and what's mine, there remains no distinction
eventually).
Meeraji's
life is a lesson to all creative people. Extreme indiscipline and
devil-may-care approach may chip away at life and creativity. Ergo, his genius
is to be emulated, but not his life.
-----
A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul
is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He
has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several
languages including Persian.
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/sanaullah-dar-meeraji-genius/d/129849
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