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Asrar-ul-Haq (19 October 1911 – 5 December 1955), better known as Majaz Lakhnawi, was an Indian Urdu poets. He is known for his Romanticism and revolutionary poetry. He composed and in Urdu language. He was the maternal uncle of poet and screenplay writer Javed Akhtar and Indian-American psychoanalyst Salman Akhtar.
Majaz's father, Seraj-ul-Haq, was a university graduate at a time when this was rare; he joined government service, serving in the middle ranks of the registration department, and finally reached the rank of Assistant Registrar. He was posted mainly in Lucknow, but since his aged parents needed attention, he kept his wife and children in the ancestral house at Rudauli, which is not far from Lucknow, and he would visit them about twice a month. Thus, Majaz grew up mainly in Rudauli and received his basic education there. In the late 1920s, his father was transferred to Agra. Since his parents were no more, and since Agra was too far from Rudauli for frequent visits, Seraj-ul-Haq decided to take his wife and children with him.
Majaz completed school in Agra in 1929, and enrolled in St. John's Intermediate College. Almost immediately, his father was transferred to Aligarh, and the family moved again, leaving Majaz in a hostel. The young Majaz was given a cash allowance for the first time in his life, and freedom from his mother's adoring but eagle surveillance. He behaved like many teenagers of his age, neglected his studies, spent his time and money the way he liked, and failed his exams. Yet, his time was spent not on games or in disreputable activities, but in attending (poetry symposia) and Music concert. It was at this time that he came in contact with both senior and upcoming poets of Agra, including Fani Badayuni, Ale Ahmad Suroor and Jazbi. With difficulty, Majaz finally cleared his intermediate exams in 1931, and rejoined his parents in Aligarh, where his father got him enrolled for BA at Aligarh Muslim University, his subjects being philosophy, economics and Urdu. He graduated in 1936, again taking a year more than he should have.
Majaz abandoned his MA in Aligarh due to financial reasons and moved to Delhi where he worked as sub-editor for the journal, Awaaz (Call). Here he became actively involved with the Delhi branch of the Progressive Writers' Association run by Shahid Ahmad Dehlvi. He also worked for the All India Radio for a year before moving to Bombay, where he worked in the Department of Information for the Government of Bombay.
In 1937, he returned to Lucknow and along with Jafri and Sibte Hassan founded the literary magazine, Parcham (Flag) which ran only for a single issue. In Lucknow, he also worked on the editorial staff of journals like Halqa-e-Adab (Circle of Literature) and in Naya Adab (New Literature) along with Jafri and Sibte Hassan.
Due to his heavy drinking, he had a tragic death. On the night of his death, according to a newspaper, "Majaz's friends took him to a tavern in Lalbagh Fort where they all drank on the rooftop. One by one they all left leaving Majaz alone in the cold winter night. The next morning he was rushed to the hospital where doctors diagnosed a brain hemorrhage and pneumonia". Majaz died that night.
He was buried in a cemetery in Lucknow. His grave bears a verse from one of his ghazals written in 1945:
Career
The years that Majaz spent in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) coincided with the presence there of many important poets and writers of Urdu. AMU was indeed a nursery of literary talent during those years. Here he came in contact with the Progressive Writers' Movement under K. M. Ashraf and Abdul Aleem. Majaz lived and wrote in times which were exceptionally vibrant for poetry; Urdu-language poets such as Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Fani Badayuni, Jazbi, Makhdoom, Sahir Ludhianvi, Ismat Chughtai, and Ali Sardar Jafri were among his peers. They were not merely his contemporaries but close friends as well. Others such as Josh Malihabadi and Firaq Gorakhpuri knew him well. His first diwan, Ahang, is dedicated to Faiz and Jazbi whom he calls his “dil-o-jigar,” and to Sardar Jafri and Makhdoom, who are “mere dast-o-bazu.” Faiz wrote a thoughtful prelude to Ahang.
Death
Majaz died on 5 December 1955, while the first Students' Urdu Convention was underway in Lucknow. His condolence meeting was held on 7 December 1955 in the Rifa-e-Aam Club and was attended by poets and writers from all over India.
And after this there is morn and the new morning Majaz
With me ends the eve of sorrows of Lucknow.
Major works
Majaz's collection of poems include:
Legacy
(2025). 9788176505284, Star publications, New Dekhi. ISBN 9788176505284 The programme included video clippings on Majaz including comments by Hamida Salim (Majaz's sister) and Ali Sardar Jafri (Majaaz's friend and contemporary poet), a speech by Parvaiz Alam (broadcaster and dramatist), a lecture Majaz – Teen Daayeron ka Shayer by Akhtar, and Kalam-e-Majaz sung by Nasser Harvani and Majaz's nephew from New Delhi.
Notes
Cited sources
Further reading
(2025). 9788176505284, Star publications, New Dekhi. ISBN 9788176505284
External links
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