Ba yaad-e-Insha

Mohammed Ali

Canberra

What an era of Urdu literature it was when Ibn-e-Insha's columns used to be published in Jang Karachi and not so infrequently he would toss a sentence or two just to provoke Aali Ji. And in his next column Aali Ji will reply to him - Banters of high lietrary lelvels used to be exchanged - and beneficiaries used to be their readers and I was one of them.

The kind of friendship - bhai chaara - that was the hallmark of Aali Ji and Insha Ji's relation is an example for all. Aali aur Insha batain karain aur baaton say khushboo aa'ay kay misdaaq - aur mehfil muttar aur muattar kay saath zaafranzaar bhee.

 Their friendship transcended ethnic boundary. This is the level of friendship when 'na tau too raha na tau mein raha + jo rahee tau baikhudee rahee' waala maamla ho jata hai.

Ibn -e- Insha was a legend and will always remain so.

Below please see a write up form Aali Ji's son.

Kind regards
Mohammed Ali
Canberra

Real name Sher Mohammad Khan...he had many popular names otherwise; NANA FARLOUNEEN, HAJI BABA, DOU DARWAISH, DAMASHQI and finally IBNE INSHA.

BORN IN PHANWARR, Jullundhar, he did his Matric in 1942 from Ludhiana..and B.A from Govt. College-Lahore in 1956...and M.A in Urdu adab from Karachi university in 1953.

Before the partition, he worked for IMPERIAL COUNCIL FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH-Dehli on the editorial board of their magazine...titled INDIAN FARMING. 

Ibne Insha later joined ALL INDIA RADIO as script writer.

In 1947 he migrated to Pakistan and got employed at the Radio Pakistan, Lahore..and in a few months...RP-Karachi as the script editor and announcer. He also worked as a senior translator at the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan till 1956.

He is one of the founder of PAKISTAN WRITERS GUILD (1959) alongside; Qudratullah Shahab, Jamiluddin Aali, Ashfaq Ahmed and Shaukat Siddiqui. Later he became the treasurer of Guild.

By 1960 he became the Advisor of UNESCO (France) in Pakistan and traveled far and wide which resulted in his four fantastic travelogues; "AWARA GARD KI DAIRY", "CHALTE HO TO CHEEN KO CHALEIYAY", "IBNE BATUTA KE TA'AQUBB MEIN" & "DUNYA GOLE HAI".

His poetic works; 

CHAND NAGAR - ISS BASTI KE AIK KOOCHAY MEIN - QISSA AIK KUNWAARE KA.

His famous poem "BILLO KA BASTA" (written inspired by his own sister BIRJIS BANO..a.k.a BILLO) was included in the syallabus of school books)

IBNE INSHA's famous columns in JANG and AKHBAR E KHAWATEEN...were most popular to all and sundry; B'A QALAM KHUDD - BAATEIN INSHAJEE KI - DAKHALL DARR MA'QOOLAAT.

Inshajee also translated many great short stories of the world...his favorite short story writer was ED GRALIN PAU. His five famous works were translated by Insha Chacha; "SAANS KI PHAANSI" - "WOH BEIZVI TASVEER" - "CHE DILAWAR UST DAZVE" - "ATTR FAROSH DOSHEEZA KE QATAL KA MUA'MA" - "ANDHA KUNWAAN". He also translated the works of the famous American writer O'Henry as "LAKHON KA SHEHAR". He also translated the wonderful works of John Steinback as "SHEHAR-e-PANAH" and the works of famous Russaian writer Chekov as "MAJBOOR".

IBNE Insha also wrote "KARNAME TEES MAAR KHAN KE".

The family of Insha Chacha comprised of talented people. His sister NADRA KHATOON turned out to be a popular novelist of her times (early 70's) and his brother Mahmood Riaz established a publishing house. His other two sisters; Birjis (Billo) and Meedoo (Hameeda) however..did not take up on his skills and talents.

Ibne Insha became my dad's (Jamiluddin Aali) one of the few of the closest friend in 1957..and since Writers Guild was established (1959) and since then till his sad demise due to Throat Cancer (12 January-1978 in London..where he was posted at the Pak Embassy) it was like meeting Insha Chacha and his family...almost every day.

My father was so taken aback on Insha Chacha's death that he literally went off from poetic gatherings etc for almost two years. Rememberance to Insha Chacha, he also wrote his famous poem...which at one point say's;

"JALTI DHOOPON MEIN BHI AA KARR SAATH BOHAT DE JAATAY HEIN...,
 CHAND NAGAR KE INSHA SAHEB....AALI JINN KA HAALA THAH.....
 NAQD-E-SUKHAN MEIN ZIKR YE AYA...DOHAY PARRH NE WALA THAH...."

IBNE INSHA's some famous geets and ghazals were sung by Nayyara Noor and Ustad Amanat Ali Khan (Shafqat's Dad) for PTV-Karachi and Lahore Studios......

Nayyara sang;

Jallay to jalao gori 
Peet ka allao gori 
Abhi na bhujhao gori........ 
Abhi se bhjhao naa 
Abhi se bhjhao naa 
Jallay to jalao gorieee 

Peet mai bijog bhi hai 
Kamna ka sog bhi hai 
Peet bura rog bhi hai......... 
Galay to lagao naa 
Galay to lagao naa 
Jallay to jalao gorieee 

Raat ko udas dekhain 
Chand ko niras dekhain 
Tumhain jo na pas dekhain........ 
Aao pas aao naa 
Aao pas aao naa 
Jallay to jalao gorieee 

Aur bhi hazar hon gay 
Jo kay dawaedaar hongay 
Ap peh nisaar hon gay....... 
Kabhi azmao naa 
Kabhi azmao naa 
Jallay to jalao gorieeee 

Sheher mai nazeer thehre 
Jog mai kabeer thehre 
Kabhi se faqeer thehre.......... 
Aur jee lagao naa 
Aur jee lagao naa 
Jallay to jalao gorieeeee 

Jallay to jalao gori 
Peet ka allao gori 
Abhi na bhujhao gori....... 
Abhi se bhujao na 
Abhi se bhujhao na. 

and Amanat Ali Khan sang;
www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_CZYJHcBTM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_CZYJHcBTM

And the most popular ghazal he wrote at our house in 1968 while visiting his dearest friend--my father; Jamiluddin Aali....

کل چودہویں کی رات تھی شب بھر رہا چرچا تیرا
کچھ نے کہا یہ چاند ہے کچھ نے کہا چہرہ تیرا

ہم بھی وہیں موجود تھے ہم سے بھی  سب  پوچھا کِیے
ہم چپ رہے  ہم ہنس دِیے منظور تھا پردہ تیرا

اس شہر میں کس سے ملیں ہم سے تو چھوٹیں محفلیں
ہر شخص تیرا نام لے ہر شخص دیوانہ تیرا

تو باوفا تو مہربان ہم اور تجھ سے بدگمان
ہم نے تو پوچھا تھا ذرا  یہ وصف کیوں  ٹھہرا  تیرا

کوچے کو تیرے چھوڑ کے ..جوگی ہی بن جین  مگر
جنگل تیرے پربات تیرے بستی تیری صحرا تیرا

ہم پر یہ سختی کی نظر ہم ہیں فقیر رہگزر
راستہ  کبھی روکا تیرا دامن کبھی تھاما تیرا

ہاں ہاں تیری صورت حسین لیکن تو ایسا  بھی نہیں
اس شخص کے اشعار سے شہرہ ہوا کیا کیا تیرا  

بیدرد سنی ہو تو چل... کہتا ہے کیا اچھی غزل
عاشق  تیرا  رسوا  تیرا شاعر  تیرا انشا  تیرا

------------

Kal chaudhvin ki raat thi

kal chudhvin ki raat thi shab bhar raha charcha tera
kuch ne kaha ye chand hai kuch ne kaha chehra tera

hum bhi wahin maujood thay hum se bhi poocha gaya
hum chup rahe hum hans diye manzoor tha parda tera

is sheher main kis se milain hum se to chhootin mehfilain
har shakhs tera naam le har shakhs deewana tera

tu bawafa tu meherban hum aur tujh se badguman
hum ne to poocha tha zara ye wasf kiun thehra tera

koochay ko chor kar teray jogi hi ban jayen  magar
jungle teray parbat teray basti teri sehra tera

hum per ye sakhti ki nazar hum hain faqeer rahguzar
rasta kabhi roka tera daaman kabhi thaama tera

haan haan teri soorat haseen lakin tu aisa bhi nahi
is shakhs k ashaar se shuhra hoa kiya kiya tera

bedard sunni ho to chal kehta hai kiya achi ghazal
aashiq tera ruswa tera shair tera Insha tera 

INSHA Chacha is buried at Paposhnagar graveyard near his house....nearby Hussain D'silva Town Karachi and the road in front of his house has been declared as IBNE INSHA ROAD by the Government.

۸۸۸۸۸۸۸۸۸۸۸۸۸۸۸۸۸