Aaj kii raat bahut garm havaa chaltii hai
Aaj kii raat naa fuT-paath pe niiNd aaegii
Sab uTho, maiN bhii uThuu.N, tum bhii uTho, tum bhii uTho
Koii khiRkii isii diivaar meN khul jaaegii

(A very hot breeze blows tonight,
I will not be able to sleep on the footpath, tonight,
All arise, I, you, and you too,
This wall itself will open a window)

- Makaan
Kaifi Azmi
1919-2002

For over half a century, he established a linkage between poetry and life. The world of progressive poetry lost one of its last pillars on May 10, 2002. The death of Kaifi Azmi can be seen as the conclusion of an era of liberal and humanist verse, which resides now only in the memory of its clique.

In one of her earliest memories of school, Shabana Azmi once described him as "different from my friends’ fathers" since he not only "looked different in a kurta and pyjama", he also "didn’t go to office to work either”. With moist eyes, Shabana goes on to recount undying memories of her father, the legendary Kaifi Azmi.

(Q) Kaifi Azmi was a multi-faceted personality. How do you remember him?
A. For me, as for all children, he was a father first and foremost, and then my greatest friend and source of inspiration. He had a very special ability, along with my mother, to get my brother, Baba and me to participate in the decision making process of the family. It was always all four of us who made choices, which were to affect the entire family. This is rather exceptional, coming from an era when parents usually make decisions on behalf of children. He used to actually (not superficially) consult us. For me, his poems like Makaan, Aurat, Doosra Banvaas and so many, many others, have been the pillars for my work on upliftment of women, and my campaign against communalism.

(Q) How would you compare or contrast the poetry of Javed Akhtar with that of Kaifi Azmi?
A. Javed Akhtar’s poetry is the voice of struggle. He speaks in his personal voice. His description of anguish and pain is in words that are totally unsentimental. Sometimes, they are almost brusque. He plays against the emotions. He doesn’t indulge in the sorrow or the pain and that, in turn, makes it more painful. I once asked Abba about Jadoo (Javed’s) poetry, and he was certain that Javed was the best poet in this generation. It was not because he is his son-in-law, but because Javed came from the same tradition of poetry, with nearly seven generations of writers. Both Abba and Javed have never had to look at a book to recall either their own poems, or those of Ghalib, Faiz and Firaq. Some of Javed’s poetry is also politically motivated like Abba’s.

(Q) Tell us a bit about your childhood and the strongest memories thereof?
A. My father was a card holding member of the CPI (Communist Party of India). Until the age of 9, we lived in a flat where all members, including Ali Sardar Jafri, were given one room each. There was a little balcony that had been converted into a kitchen, and an attached, common bathroom for all 8 families. The drawing room of the flat was called the Red Flag Court in which all the CPI meetings were to be held. All the money that my father earned went to the CPI, and we were left with only Rs. 40 a month. This is precisely why he had to start writing in films - because he had to subsidize the family. It was a very bohemian, cosmopolitan atmosphere. We celebrated Diwali, Christmas, Eid, and even Republic Day & Independence Day as festivals. I think the time has come when this generation should celebrate all of these as festivals rather than formal rituals.

The childhood we had was a very happy one. Politics was being discussed all the time. I used to enjoy going for the ‘Mazdoor Kisaan’ meetings, and seeing all the red flags being waved. It was only much later that I understood completely what it was all about. I used to enjoy it mainly because the organization used to make a fuss about Abba and me. When I was 9, we moved into this little cottage in Janki Kutir, where he lived till now. We had people like Firaakh Gorakhpuri, Begum Akhtar, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Josh Malihabadi, as houseguests. For Abba and me, it unobtrusively started making us believe that money is not everything. These people could well afford to live in five-star hotels, but I guess that there was something special in the comfort of our little home. Abba used to always insist on my mingling with the adults. He would never hush us away. I used to enjoy the post-dinner conversations of the living room, not even half-understanding them. It used to just fascinate me. Of course, I was allowed to stay up late only on the condition that I took the responsibility of waking up to go to school the next day. At every stage, my brother and I were encouraged to be adults and to take decisions. That helped us become confident.

But, politics bored me. I didn’t understand it. I never used to read newspapers, even at the age of 19. And the best part is that Abba never pushed me. Unquestionably, he must have been disappointed, because of the environment in which I was brought up and then, my non-keenness. But, I suppose that he was so confident of the soil being so very fertile, that the plant was bound to take root someday.

(Q) Why didn’t you pursue your B.A. in Psychology?
A. I was never interested in it. I still remember sitting on the lawn and telling Abba that I wanted to take literature, and he said, “I thought you were interested in acting”, and I said, “Yes!”. He said, literature is something that you can continue to learn all your life, but if you want to become an actor, I think psychology is something that will help you immensely, because it’s all about developing character.

(Q) Do you think Kaifi Azmi achieved the stratum of acclaim that he truly deserved?
A. Kaifi Azmi is, indubitably, the most lauded poet in India. There’s not a single award that he has not won. In terms of critical acclaim and respect, he reached his pinnacle. As a lyricist, he didn’t write too much, but his body of work is outstanding. The popularity or ‘success factor’ of lyrics is usually linked with the success of the film. If the film wasn’t successful, then the lyrics did not get their required recognition. His lyrics for Kaagaz Ke Phool and Shola Aur Shabnam are appreciated greatly till date. But, it needed a Haqeeqat and the other films of Chetan Anand, which were commercially successful, for him to get the credit due of his stature.

(Q) Do you think you could select one poem of Kaifi Saheb, with which you would like him to be associated or remembered for posterity?
A. There are so many exceptional poems of his. I know of one, which he liked very much which was Ibn-E-Mariam, where he speaks to Jesus - an affectionate brother and fellow-sufferer. My personal favourite would be Aurat, even though it is rather ‘high flown’ in its language. But, keeping in mind that it was written 50 years ago, when it was thought that a woman’s work was restricted to the kitchen, the lines were ahead of their times. “Uth meri jaan, mere saath hi chalna hai tujhe” (rise my love, you have to walk along with me). Even Makaan which goes “aaj ki raat bahut garm hava chalti hai aaj ki raat ….” (A hot breeze blows tonight). It spoke about the irony of life, where a construction worker builds this wonderful building with his own blood and sweat. And then, a chowkidar (watchman) is posted at the door, and the same worker is not allowed to enter the premises. It was a very sharp and poignant poem.

His poetry was as thought provoking as it was stirring. “Ailaane haq mein khatra-I-daaro rasan to hai ; lekin sawaal ye hai ke daaro rasan ke baad”. Amongst his more recent work, there’s ‘Doosra Banvaas’, which is about Ram returning on the black day of December 6^th to Ayodhya, and not recognizing his hometown, what with all the bloodshed. Communalism is his biggest bete noire. I even like his misra, Inteshaar (Chaos), which says “Koi to sood chukaae, Koi to zimma le, Us inquilaab ka jo aaj tak udhaar ka hai”. I’m not an expert to comment on his poetry. All I can say is that his poetry was … is striking for its characteristic imagery and broadness of vision. His struggle is not ‘his’, alone. It is the struggle of mankind. The best thing about Abba was that he practiced what he preached. When he spoke about the exploitation of the poor and the underprivileged in his poetry, 20 years ago, he went back to this village called Mijwan in Azamgarh, where he was born. There was no road, no electricity and no school. With his help, the village was established with a main road, electricity, three schools, a maternity ward, an employment exchange, a computer center and everything that a modern village could ask for.

* * *

The disbelief is crisply visible in Shabana’s eyes, and the occasional twinkle as she recounts ‘what Abba said’ demonstrates a deep union of souls between the father and daughter.

Kaifi Azmi’s poetry has an immeasurable impact on one’s consciousness, with each weighty, deftly selected word, singeing deep into our understanding. If we were to sum up his large selection of verse with one simple word, it would definitely be termed ‘timeless’. He was born out of an age of strife and uncertainty, but he never spoke of a surreal nature. His poetry was as real and hard-hitting as it gets, and the attainment of this attribute in verse, is an achievement in itself.

When writing about a man blessed with pure genius, how does one justifiably bring it to a close? Perhaps, the most apt way is with these words, which Kaifi Azmi wrote for Chetan Anand’s epic, Haqeeqat. Words, which are as everlasting as time itself.

Kar chale hum fidaa jaan-o-tan saathiyon

Ab tumhaare havaale vatan saathiyon

(I leave the nation in your hands, friends)

- Vishal Oberoi

Selected Poems of Kaifi Azmi

Makaan

Aaj kii raat bahut garm havaa chalatii hai

Aaj kii raat naa fuT-paath pe niiNd aaegii

Sab uTho, maiN bhii uThuu.N, tum bhii uTho, tum bhii uTho

Koii khiRkii isii diivaar meN khul jaaegii

Ye zamiin tab bhii nigal lene pe aamaadaa thii

PaaNv jab TuuTii shaaKhoN se utaare ham ne

In makaanoN ko Khabar hai na makiinoN ko Khabar

Un dinoN kii jo gufaaoN meiN guzaare ham ne

Haath Dhalte gaye saaNche meiN to thakate kaise

Naqsh ke baad naye naqsh nikhaare ham ne

Kii ye diivaar buland, aur buland, aur buland

Baam-o-dar aur zaraa, aur saNvaare ham ne

AaNdhiyaaN toR liyaa kartii thii shamoN kii laveiN

JaR diye is liye bijlii ke sitaare ham ne

Ban gayaa qasr to pahare pe koii baiTh gayaa

So rahe Khaak pe ham shorish-e-taamiir liye

Apnii nas-nas meiN liye mehanat-e-paiham kii thakan

Band aaNkhoN meiN isii qasr kii tasviir liye

Din pighalataa hai isii tarah saroN par ab tak

Raat aaNkhoN meiN KhaTakatii hai syaah tiir liye

Aaj kii raat bahut garm havaa chalatii hai

Aaj kii raat naa fuT-paath pe niiNd aaegii

Sab uTho, maiN bhii uThuu.N, tum bhii uTho, tum bhii uTho

Koii khiRkii isii diivaar meN khul jaaegii