Mehr Lal Soni Zia Fatehabadi
Encyclopedia
Zia Fatehabadi(urdu: ضیاء فتح آبادی ) (hindi: ज़िया फ़तेहाबादी ), born Mehr Lal Soni (urdu:مهر لال سونی ) (hindi: मेहर लाल सोनी ), was a renowned Urdu ghazal
and nazm
writer. He was a disciple (shaagird) of Syed Aashiq Hussain Siddiqui Seemab Akbarabadi
(1882–1951) who was a disciple of Nawab Mirza Khan Daagh Dehlawi. He took on the takhallus (nom de plume) of Zia meaning "Light" on the suggestion of his teacher, Ghulaam Qadir Farkh Amritsari.
, Punjab, as the eldest son of Munshi Ram Soni, a Civil Engineer by profession, whose family, it is believed, had some time during the reign of the Mughal ruler, Shahjahan, migrated from Rajasthan
to Punjab
and settled at Fatehabad
( PIN Code:143407 )near Tarn Taran
.
His forefather, belonging to the Kapil Gotra Kshatriya clan, who had then migrated to Fatehabad
is yet to be identified, however, according to the available records kept preserved by the Pandas i.e. the Family priests who conduct the Last Rites,at Haridwar
the name of Mehr Lal’s great-great-great grandfather, Tansukh Rai Soni, the son of Badri Das and was the grandson of Badal Das Soni, and who had visited Haridwar
in the year 1773 has been found documented as also are the name(s) of his son, Amolak Ram, whose son, Mool Raj,was the father of Jyoti Ram, and who was also the grandfather of Munshi Ram. Munshi Ram Soni, the son of Tara Chand Soni, was Mehr Lal Soni’s father. Whereas Munshi Ram Soni moved from one place of posting to another place his only brother, Durga Das, chose to remain at Fatehabad
, where latter's descendents still continue to reside retaining possession of the ancestral house and lands.
Located about 25 km. from Sultanpur Lodhi
on the Tarn Taran - Goindwal Road or the old Lahore - Delhi Road, historically known as the Badshahi Road that was long ago laid by Sultan Sher Shah Suri
and finished by the Mughal Ruler Jalaludin Akbar, is the small town called Fatehabad
in the District of Tarn Taran
. This town was once the capital of the Ahluwalia Misl
prior to the shifting of their capital to Kapurthala
. Fatehabad
is older than Tarn Taran
and Amritsar
. This place was originally a garrison station, a border fort that is known to have existed from the time of Mahmud Ghazni. Its name Fatehabad
is believed to signify the victory of the Ahluwalia Misl
against the Khokhars, the ancient resident clan reputed to have assassinated Muhammad Ghori. The older town which was of strategic importance was frequently visited by the Mughals and the later rulers; it, therefore, housed the Mughal Imperial Serai ( now in ruins the older town having been destroyed by the forces of the Mughal Ruler Jahangir
) was the place where the First Sikh
Guru
, Guru Nanak had penned the Gurubani in praise of Nature.
At the time i.e. around 9.00 A.M on 9 February 1913, when Zia Fatehabadi was born the horoscope cast according to Jyotisa reveals that Pisces
sign was rising in the East i.e. in the Lagna or Ascendant, with Venus
and Rahu
located therein, Saturn
occupied Taurus
, Ketu
was in Virgo
, Jupiter
combining with Mars
was in Sagittarius
, Sun
and Mercury
were together in Capricorn
and the Moon
was situated in Aquarius
sign; moreover Jupiter
was in its friendly Leo
Navamsa and Mars
was in Vargottama.The major period or Dasa
of Jupiter
which ran its course when he was a child paved the way for his subsequent fame through Rahu
, and Mars
supported by Venus
, the exalted dispositor of the dispositor of Moon
, made him rise in ranks to occupy positions of authority during the course of his service; Venus
, the Karaka
of Fine Arts, conjoining with Rahu
during latter's Dasa
made him gain proficiency in a language that was not his mother-tongue. The Moon
occupying a sign owned either by Mars
or Saturn
and aspected by a malefic (papa-graha) generally gives death by fire or a weapon; as ordained Zia Fatehabadi did not survive a surgical operation when the Dasa
of Sun
afflicted by the maraka Mercury
was running its course.
Even when Zia Fatehabadi was a college student his was a respected name in the Urdu world. After the publication of his first book, Tullu, which had invited some disheartening criticism, he had thought of giving up writing but he was dissuaded by his friends and elders alike. Zia Fatehabadi had started composing Urdu sh'ers and ghazals at a tender age when he was studying in a school in Jaipur.
Zia Fatehabadi’s education began in Khalsa Middle School, Peshawar (1920 to 1922), however, he completed his schooling from Maharaja High School, Jaipur
, Rajasthan
(1923 to 1929), whereafter he obtained his B.A.(Hons) degree in Persian in 1933 and M.A.(English) degree in 1935 as a student of Forman Christian College
, Lahore
. He was an above average student. As the then editor of the Urdu section of the college house magazine Zia Fatehabadi was instrumental in having got published in the year 1932 the first ever Urdu short story, "Sadhu", written by Krishan Chander
who was at that time more interested in English writings of his own and edited the English section. It is also in evidence that Zia Fatehabadi infatuated by a Bengali
girl named Meera who was also then studying in the same college, addressed almost all his love-poetry to her. Her name figures unreservedly in several of his writings. In an interview he had once disclosed that she was that very Meera who had actually inspired Meeraji
(1912–1949) to write superb poems and adopt her name as his takhallus. Krishan Chander
, Meeraji
and Zia Fatehabadi were good friends. It was during his college days that Zia Fatehabadi came into contact with Shabbir Hussain Josh Malihabadi
and Samdayaar Khan Saghar Nizami
and there developed a very close lifelong relationship with them, both influenced as also helped shape his literary life.
In the year 1936 Zia Fatehabadi joined the service of Reserve Bank of India
, from which institution he finally retired in July,1971. In 1942 he had married Raj Kumari (1919–2003),daughter of Murli Ram Berera of Lahore
.
’s disciple in the year 1930 and remained true to his ustaad till his own death all the time working for spreading Seemab’s methods and instructions. He never gave a thought to his own name or fame and sought no favours, honours or public or state recognition. He did not believe in these exercises. He believed that the real worth of a poet's creativity is to be eventually gauged by those who looked into his works in their eagerness to know him better.
" Tullu ", meaning Dawn, was Zia Fatehabadi’s first collection of Urdu poems which collection was published from Meerut by Saghar Nizami
(1905–1983) in the year 1933 when Zia Fatehabadi was as yet pursuing his college studies. Zia Fatehabadi wrote from the heart. He effectively dressed his feelings, emotions, thoughts and his experiences with simple, delicate, sweet - sounding, lyrical, meaningful, easily understood words and phrases, which quality set him apart from the rest and gave him a distinct identity. Therefore, his writings simultaneously touch one’s heart and mind making one feel all that he had himself felt. He was equally at ease in the use of various kinds of prose and poetical formats. However, he did not succumb to the practice of uninhibited expression of ideas in open forms as was being done by some of his noted contemporaries who had introduced symbolism
in Urdu Poetry.
While remaining true to the classical style Zia Fatehabadi did not ignore the changing trends as is reflected in his rubiaats, qataas, geets, ghazals, nazms and sonnets. These compositions exhibit his extraordinary mastery of and command over Urdu language. Zia Fatehabadi's contribution to Urdu language extends over 60 years and is voluminous. The first major collection of Zia Fatehabadi titled Noor-E-Mashriq was published from Delhi in the year 1937 in which his couplet
look at the yonder light shining in the East emerging as the glowing Truth cast aside your fetters temperamental for you are that very Truth.)
got quite famous.
Though he did not identify himself with any particular group Zia Fatehabadi appears to have belonged equally to all groups that were and his works are a noteworthy contributions. As an essential part of his literary activity Zia Fatehabadi when ever invited did attend poetic symposia and conferences many of which he also happened to preside, a collection of some of his presidential addresses was published titled " Masanad e sadarat se " in the year 1985. However,he did not believe in the theory that poetry is spontaneous for poetry is an amalgam of words and thoughts and thoughts are seldom spontaneous.
Zia Fatehabadi died on 19 August 1986 after a prolonged and painful bout with illness. But then, he had once said
.
In a way this one couplet (verse), taken from his book "Gard-e-Raah" (Urdu) published in 1963, very briefly sums up what was Zia Fatehabadi in person and in his life. He had himself led a life filled with hope and contentment and he certainly wanted others to do so likewise. These sentiments won for him many admirers. Amongst those who appreciated as well as influenced his poetry were Firaq Gorakhpuri
(1896–1982) and Josh Malihabadi
(1898 - 1982).
His three books -" Noor e Mashriq "," Gard e Raah " and " Meri Tasveer ", include Urdu Sonnets that were penned by him influenced more by the many English poets he had had the occasion to study for his M.A.(English literature) Degree than by few of his fellow Urdu poets such as Akhtar Sheerani
and Noon Meem Rashid
who had also composed Urdu Sonnets.
with great distinction. He was a keen observer of economic trends, development and change. Zia Fatehabadi was also very good at Mathematics
, proficient in Persian
, English
and Sanskrit
language and grammar. He was a keen student of Hindu astrology i.e. Jyotisa,and was deeply interested in the study of the Upanishads and the Rig Veda. He subscribed to the Advaita School promoted by Adi Sankara. Zia Fatehabadi imparted this part of his knowledge and exclusive experience to his eldest son, Ravinder Kumar Soni
, as is reflected in the latter’s two books titled In Search Of True Happiness and The Illumination Of Knowledge.
In his aforecited book,In search of True Happiness, on page 215 Zia Fatehabadi's son writes that a comparative study of the horoscopes belonging to the male members of his branch of Soni family has revealed (a) that all those individuals who did not have the lords of the 9th and the 10th houses occupying a quadrant or a trine from the Ascendant or Natal Moon
did not prosper regardless of their efforts and levels of education nor those who had the lord of the 4th or of the 7th afflicted experience domestic peace, and (b) that Munshi Ram Soni, his eldest son, Zia Fatehabadi,and the latter's eldest son, eldest grand-son and the eldest great grand-son, all five, had at their time of birth Venus
situated in its exaltation sign Pisces
in a quadrant from the Ascendant with the lord of the 9th house also in a quadrant in a friendly or in its exaltation sign either aspected by or conjoining Jupiter
. He is of the opinion that such like studies of family horoscopes are bound to open new grounds for research in the field of Jyotisa.
Ghazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
and nazm
Nazm
Urdu Nazm is a major part of the Urdu poetry, that is normally written in rhymed verse and also in modern prose style poems. Nazm has many different forms as,* Doha * Geet * Hamd * Hazal * Hijv...
writer. He was a disciple (shaagird) of Syed Aashiq Hussain Siddiqui Seemab Akbarabadi
Seemab Akbarabadi
Seemab Akbarabadi , born Aashiq Hussain Siddiqui, was a renowned Urdu poet belonging to the Daagh School. He hailed from Agra where his family had lived for nearly three hundred years.-Early life:...
(1882–1951) who was a disciple of Nawab Mirza Khan Daagh Dehlawi. He took on the takhallus (nom de plume) of Zia meaning "Light" on the suggestion of his teacher, Ghulaam Qadir Farkh Amritsari.
Early life
Mehr Lal Soni Zia Fatehabadi was born on 9 February 1913, at KapurthalaKapurthala
Kapurthala is a city in Punjab state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Kapurthala District. It was the capital of the Kapurthala State, a princely state in British India. The secular and aesthetic mix of the city with its prominent buildings based on French and Indo-Saracenic...
, Punjab, as the eldest son of Munshi Ram Soni, a Civil Engineer by profession, whose family, it is believed, had some time during the reign of the Mughal ruler, Shahjahan, migrated from Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
to Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
and settled at Fatehabad
Fatehabad
Fatehabad may refer to:* Fatehabad, Afghanistan* Fatehabad, Haryana a town in Haryana, India* Fatehabad district, a district in Haryana, India* Fatehabad, Madhya Pradesh, a city in Madhya Pradesh, India* Fatehabad, Agra, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India...
( PIN Code:143407 )near Tarn Taran
Tarn Taran
Tarn Taran may refer to:*Tarn Taran Sahib, a city in Tarn Taran district, Punjab, India*Tarn Taran district, a district in Punjab, India*Tarn Taran...
.
His forefather, belonging to the Kapil Gotra Kshatriya clan, who had then migrated to Fatehabad
Fatehabad
Fatehabad may refer to:* Fatehabad, Afghanistan* Fatehabad, Haryana a town in Haryana, India* Fatehabad district, a district in Haryana, India* Fatehabad, Madhya Pradesh, a city in Madhya Pradesh, India* Fatehabad, Agra, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India...
is yet to be identified, however, according to the available records kept preserved by the Pandas i.e. the Family priests who conduct the Last Rites,at Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
the name of Mehr Lal’s great-great-great grandfather, Tansukh Rai Soni, the son of Badri Das and was the grandson of Badal Das Soni, and who had visited Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
in the year 1773 has been found documented as also are the name(s) of his son, Amolak Ram, whose son, Mool Raj,was the father of Jyoti Ram, and who was also the grandfather of Munshi Ram. Munshi Ram Soni, the son of Tara Chand Soni, was Mehr Lal Soni’s father. Whereas Munshi Ram Soni moved from one place of posting to another place his only brother, Durga Das, chose to remain at Fatehabad
Fatehabad
Fatehabad may refer to:* Fatehabad, Afghanistan* Fatehabad, Haryana a town in Haryana, India* Fatehabad district, a district in Haryana, India* Fatehabad, Madhya Pradesh, a city in Madhya Pradesh, India* Fatehabad, Agra, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India...
, where latter's descendents still continue to reside retaining possession of the ancestral house and lands.
Located about 25 km. from Sultanpur Lodhi
Sultanpur Lodhi
Sultanpur Lodhi is a city and a municipal council in Kapurthala district in the Indian state of Punjab. The town is named after its founder, Sultan Khan Lodhi who was a general of Mahmud of Ghazni in AD 1103, which has been also mentioned in Ain-e-Akbari...
on the Tarn Taran - Goindwal Road or the old Lahore - Delhi Road, historically known as the Badshahi Road that was long ago laid by Sultan Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
and finished by the Mughal Ruler Jalaludin Akbar, is the small town called Fatehabad
Fatehabad
Fatehabad may refer to:* Fatehabad, Afghanistan* Fatehabad, Haryana a town in Haryana, India* Fatehabad district, a district in Haryana, India* Fatehabad, Madhya Pradesh, a city in Madhya Pradesh, India* Fatehabad, Agra, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India...
in the District of Tarn Taran
Tarn Taran
Tarn Taran may refer to:*Tarn Taran Sahib, a city in Tarn Taran district, Punjab, India*Tarn Taran district, a district in Punjab, India*Tarn Taran...
. This town was once the capital of the Ahluwalia Misl
Misl
Misl generally refers to the twelve sovereign states in the Sikh Confederacy. The states formed a commonwealth that was described by Antoine Polier as an "aristocratic republic"...
prior to the shifting of their capital to Kapurthala
Kapurthala
Kapurthala is a city in Punjab state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Kapurthala District. It was the capital of the Kapurthala State, a princely state in British India. The secular and aesthetic mix of the city with its prominent buildings based on French and Indo-Saracenic...
. Fatehabad
Fatehabad
Fatehabad may refer to:* Fatehabad, Afghanistan* Fatehabad, Haryana a town in Haryana, India* Fatehabad district, a district in Haryana, India* Fatehabad, Madhya Pradesh, a city in Madhya Pradesh, India* Fatehabad, Agra, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India...
is older than Tarn Taran
Tarn Taran
Tarn Taran may refer to:*Tarn Taran Sahib, a city in Tarn Taran district, Punjab, India*Tarn Taran district, a district in Punjab, India*Tarn Taran...
and Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
. This place was originally a garrison station, a border fort that is known to have existed from the time of Mahmud Ghazni. Its name Fatehabad
Fatehabad
Fatehabad may refer to:* Fatehabad, Afghanistan* Fatehabad, Haryana a town in Haryana, India* Fatehabad district, a district in Haryana, India* Fatehabad, Madhya Pradesh, a city in Madhya Pradesh, India* Fatehabad, Agra, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India...
is believed to signify the victory of the Ahluwalia Misl
Misl
Misl generally refers to the twelve sovereign states in the Sikh Confederacy. The states formed a commonwealth that was described by Antoine Polier as an "aristocratic republic"...
against the Khokhars, the ancient resident clan reputed to have assassinated Muhammad Ghori. The older town which was of strategic importance was frequently visited by the Mughals and the later rulers; it, therefore, housed the Mughal Imperial Serai ( now in ruins the older town having been destroyed by the forces of the Mughal Ruler Jahangir
Jahangir
Jahangir was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگیر,meaning "Conqueror of the World"...
) was the place where the First Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
Guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
, Guru Nanak had penned the Gurubani in praise of Nature.
At the time i.e. around 9.00 A.M on 9 February 1913, when Zia Fatehabadi was born the horoscope cast according to Jyotisa reveals that Pisces
Pisces
Pisces may refer to:*Pisces , a constellation*Pisces , an astrological sign*Fish , as an obsolete taxonomic term*OZ-09MMS Pisces, a fictional mecha in the Gundam Wing anime...
sign was rising in the East i.e. in the Lagna or Ascendant, with Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
and Rahu
Rahu
In Hindu mythology, Rahu is a cut-off head of an asura, that swallows the sun or the moon causing eclipses. He is depicted in art as a serpent with no body riding a chariot drawn by eight black horses. Rahu is one of the navagrahas in Vedic astrology...
located therein, Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
occupied Taurus
Taurus
Taurus is Latin for "Bull" and may refer to:* Taurus , one of the constellations of the zodiac* Bull , the mythological references around Taurus* Taurus , the astrological sign* Bos taurus, a species of cattle...
, Ketu
Ketu
*In Vedic astrology, Ketu is the Moon's South node. Ketu is generally referred to as a "shadow" planet.*Ketu is a historical location in present day Benin.*Ketu is another name for the mountain K2....
was in Virgo
Virgo
-Astronomy:* Virgo Cluster, a cluster of galaxies in the constellation Virgo* Virgo , a constellation* Virgo Stellar Stream, remains of a dwarf galaxy* Virgo Supercluster, a galactic supercluster-Surname:* Virgo...
, Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
combining with Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
was in Sagittarius
Sagittarius
Sagittarius may refer to:Astrology* Sagittarius , a Zodiac sign.Astronomy:* Sagittarius , corresponding to the astrological sign...
, Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
and Mercury
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
were together in Capricorn
Capricorn
Capricorn may refer to:* Capricornus, one of the constellations of the zodiac** Capricorn * Capricorn , a manga series created by Johji Manabe* Capricorn , Jay Chou's 9th studio album...
and the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
was situated in Aquarius
Aquarius
Aquarius may refer to:Astrology* Aquarius , an astrological sign* The Age of Aquarius, a time period in the cycle of astrological ages.Astronomy* Aquarius , a defined area of the sky containing a group of stars....
sign; moreover Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
was in its friendly Leo
LEO
LEO as an initialism may refer to:* Low Earth orbit, a satellite path* Law enforcement officer, an official* Louisville Eccentric Observer, a newspaper* LEO , an electronic device* LEO , a lunar mission...
Navamsa and Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
was in Vargottama.The major period or Dasa
Dasa
Dasa is a term used with the primary meaning 'enemy', especially relating to tribes identified as the enemies of the Indo-Aryan tribes in the Rigveda....
of Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
which ran its course when he was a child paved the way for his subsequent fame through Rahu
Rahu
In Hindu mythology, Rahu is a cut-off head of an asura, that swallows the sun or the moon causing eclipses. He is depicted in art as a serpent with no body riding a chariot drawn by eight black horses. Rahu is one of the navagrahas in Vedic astrology...
, and Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
supported by Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
, the exalted dispositor of the dispositor of Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
, made him rise in ranks to occupy positions of authority during the course of his service; Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
, the Karaka
Karaka
Karaka may refer to the following:*Karaka , a tree endemic to New Zealand*Karaka, New Zealand, a small town in the North Island, New Zealand*Karaka , a concept in Vedic astrology...
of Fine Arts, conjoining with Rahu
Rahu
In Hindu mythology, Rahu is a cut-off head of an asura, that swallows the sun or the moon causing eclipses. He is depicted in art as a serpent with no body riding a chariot drawn by eight black horses. Rahu is one of the navagrahas in Vedic astrology...
during latter's Dasa
Dasa
Dasa is a term used with the primary meaning 'enemy', especially relating to tribes identified as the enemies of the Indo-Aryan tribes in the Rigveda....
made him gain proficiency in a language that was not his mother-tongue. The Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
occupying a sign owned either by Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
or Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
and aspected by a malefic (papa-graha) generally gives death by fire or a weapon; as ordained Zia Fatehabadi did not survive a surgical operation when the Dasa
Dasa
Dasa is a term used with the primary meaning 'enemy', especially relating to tribes identified as the enemies of the Indo-Aryan tribes in the Rigveda....
of Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
afflicted by the maraka Mercury
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
was running its course.
Even when Zia Fatehabadi was a college student his was a respected name in the Urdu world. After the publication of his first book, Tullu, which had invited some disheartening criticism, he had thought of giving up writing but he was dissuaded by his friends and elders alike. Zia Fatehabadi had started composing Urdu sh'ers and ghazals at a tender age when he was studying in a school in Jaipur.
Zia Fatehabadi’s education began in Khalsa Middle School, Peshawar (1920 to 1922), however, he completed his schooling from Maharaja High School, Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
, Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
(1923 to 1929), whereafter he obtained his B.A.(Hons) degree in Persian in 1933 and M.A.(English) degree in 1935 as a student of Forman Christian College
Forman Christian College
Forman Christian College University, or FCCU, is a chartered university in Lahore, Pakistan, named after its American-born founder, Dr. Charles William Forman.- History :...
, Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
. He was an above average student. As the then editor of the Urdu section of the college house magazine Zia Fatehabadi was instrumental in having got published in the year 1932 the first ever Urdu short story, "Sadhu", written by Krishan Chander
Krishan Chander
Krishan Chander was an Urdu and Hindi Afsaana Nigaar, or short story writer. He wrote mainly in Urdu, but was well-versed in Hindi and English....
who was at that time more interested in English writings of his own and edited the English section. It is also in evidence that Zia Fatehabadi infatuated by a Bengali
Bengali people
The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
girl named Meera who was also then studying in the same college, addressed almost all his love-poetry to her. Her name figures unreservedly in several of his writings. In an interview he had once disclosed that she was that very Meera who had actually inspired Meeraji
Meeraji
Meeraji was an eminent Urdu poet. He lived the life of a bohemian and worked only intermittently.-Early life:...
(1912–1949) to write superb poems and adopt her name as his takhallus. Krishan Chander
Krishan Chander
Krishan Chander was an Urdu and Hindi Afsaana Nigaar, or short story writer. He wrote mainly in Urdu, but was well-versed in Hindi and English....
, Meeraji
Meeraji
Meeraji was an eminent Urdu poet. He lived the life of a bohemian and worked only intermittently.-Early life:...
and Zia Fatehabadi were good friends. It was during his college days that Zia Fatehabadi came into contact with Shabbir Hussain Josh Malihabadi
Josh Malihabadi
Josh Malihabadi was a noted Urdu poet born in British India, who was an Indian citizen until 1958, when he emigrated to Pakistan and became a Pakistani citizen...
and Samdayaar Khan Saghar Nizami
Saghar Nizami
Saghar Nizami or Samdayaar Khan was a renowned Urdu ghazal and nazm writer. He was one of the earliest disciples of Seemab Akbarabadi . He was a recipient of the Padma Bhushan Award and the 1982 Ghalib Award....
and there developed a very close lifelong relationship with them, both influenced as also helped shape his literary life.
In the year 1936 Zia Fatehabadi joined the service of Reserve Bank of India
Reserve Bank of India
The Reserve Bank of India is the central banking institution of India and controls the monetary policy of the rupee as well as US$300.21 billion of currency reserves. The institution was established on 1 April 1935 during the British Raj in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of...
, from which institution he finally retired in July,1971. In 1942 he had married Raj Kumari (1919–2003),daughter of Murli Ram Berera of Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
.
Literary life
The poet in Zia Fatehabadi surfaced in the year 1925 under the supervision of his mother, Shankari Devi, with the help of Moulvi Asghar Ali Haya Jaipuri who used to teach him Urdu at home and who also imparted the knowledge of Urdu poetry composition. By the year 1929 itself Zia Fatehabadi had become a familiar name in the Urdu literary circles of those times. He became Seemab AkbarabadiSeemab Akbarabadi
Seemab Akbarabadi , born Aashiq Hussain Siddiqui, was a renowned Urdu poet belonging to the Daagh School. He hailed from Agra where his family had lived for nearly three hundred years.-Early life:...
’s disciple in the year 1930 and remained true to his ustaad till his own death all the time working for spreading Seemab’s methods and instructions. He never gave a thought to his own name or fame and sought no favours, honours or public or state recognition. He did not believe in these exercises. He believed that the real worth of a poet's creativity is to be eventually gauged by those who looked into his works in their eagerness to know him better.
" Tullu ", meaning Dawn, was Zia Fatehabadi’s first collection of Urdu poems which collection was published from Meerut by Saghar Nizami
Saghar Nizami
Saghar Nizami or Samdayaar Khan was a renowned Urdu ghazal and nazm writer. He was one of the earliest disciples of Seemab Akbarabadi . He was a recipient of the Padma Bhushan Award and the 1982 Ghalib Award....
(1905–1983) in the year 1933 when Zia Fatehabadi was as yet pursuing his college studies. Zia Fatehabadi wrote from the heart. He effectively dressed his feelings, emotions, thoughts and his experiences with simple, delicate, sweet - sounding, lyrical, meaningful, easily understood words and phrases, which quality set him apart from the rest and gave him a distinct identity. Therefore, his writings simultaneously touch one’s heart and mind making one feel all that he had himself felt. He was equally at ease in the use of various kinds of prose and poetical formats. However, he did not succumb to the practice of uninhibited expression of ideas in open forms as was being done by some of his noted contemporaries who had introduced symbolism
Symbolism (arts)
Symbolism was a late nineteenth-century art movement of French, Russian and Belgian origin in poetry and other arts. In literature, the style had its beginnings with the publication Les Fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire...
in Urdu Poetry.
While remaining true to the classical style Zia Fatehabadi did not ignore the changing trends as is reflected in his rubiaats, qataas, geets, ghazals, nazms and sonnets. These compositions exhibit his extraordinary mastery of and command over Urdu language. Zia Fatehabadi's contribution to Urdu language extends over 60 years and is voluminous. The first major collection of Zia Fatehabadi titled Noor-E-Mashriq was published from Delhi in the year 1937 in which his couplet
- " Woh dekh mashriq se noor ubhara liey huey jalwa-e-haqiqat "
- " Majaz ki tark kar ghulami ke tu to hey banda-e-haqiqat "
look at the yonder light shining in the East emerging as the glowing Truth cast aside your fetters temperamental for you are that very Truth.)
got quite famous.
Though he did not identify himself with any particular group Zia Fatehabadi appears to have belonged equally to all groups that were and his works are a noteworthy contributions. As an essential part of his literary activity Zia Fatehabadi when ever invited did attend poetic symposia and conferences many of which he also happened to preside, a collection of some of his presidential addresses was published titled " Masanad e sadarat se " in the year 1985. However,he did not believe in the theory that poetry is spontaneous for poetry is an amalgam of words and thoughts and thoughts are seldom spontaneous.
Zia Fatehabadi died on 19 August 1986 after a prolonged and painful bout with illness. But then, he had once said
- " Kyaa gham agar qraar–o–sukun kii kamii rahii "
- " Khush hoon ke kaamyaab merii zindagi rahii "
.
- I am (gratefully) happy to have led (a contented and) a successful life.)
In a way this one couplet (verse), taken from his book "Gard-e-Raah" (Urdu) published in 1963, very briefly sums up what was Zia Fatehabadi in person and in his life. He had himself led a life filled with hope and contentment and he certainly wanted others to do so likewise. These sentiments won for him many admirers. Amongst those who appreciated as well as influenced his poetry were Firaq Gorakhpuri
Firaq Gorakhpuri
Raghupati Sahay , better known under his pen name Firaq Gorakhpuri , was a writer, critic, and one of the most noted contemporary Urdu poets from India...
(1896–1982) and Josh Malihabadi
Josh Malihabadi
Josh Malihabadi was a noted Urdu poet born in British India, who was an Indian citizen until 1958, when he emigrated to Pakistan and became a Pakistani citizen...
(1898 - 1982).
Works
Beginning with the first publication " Tullu " in the year 1933 in all nineteen works of Zia Fatehabadi have come to light. These works include eleven collections of his poetry, one of his short-stories, two of his essays, one of his presidential addresses, three of letters and one biography. Much of his work, including Naats, scattered in various magazines and papers remains unpublished. He certainly was a romantic who spoke about his own love as well as about the limitless eternal universal love spread everywhere but his poems, which are heartfelt and filled with purpose, are set in the ordinary - man's language. Easily understood they compel one to shed the afflicting stupor, pessimism and despondency.They compel a person to look deeply inwards more than outwards, overcome individual inner conflicts and fears, thus gain strength and the confidence needed to bravely face the vagaries of the outer world. His poems invariably provide the much needed and difficult to find solace and simultaneously infuse confidence. This, they do with a soothing touch.His three books -" Noor e Mashriq "," Gard e Raah " and " Meri Tasveer ", include Urdu Sonnets that were penned by him influenced more by the many English poets he had had the occasion to study for his M.A.(English literature) Degree than by few of his fellow Urdu poets such as Akhtar Sheerani
Akhtar Sheerani
Akhtar Shairani is considered one of the most prolific romantic poets of Urdu.-Early life:...
and Noon Meem Rashid
Noon Meem Rashid
Nazar Mohammed Rashed commonly known as Noon Meem Rashed or N.M. Rashed, was born as Raja Nazar Muhmmad Janjua...
who had also composed Urdu Sonnets.
Theses
- A biography of Zia Fatehabadi titled - " Budha Darakhat " (Urdu) (1979), meaning, The Old Tree, was penned by Dr.Zarina SaniZarina SaniZarina Sani was a renowned Indian Urdu poetess, writer and researcher.-Early life:Sani was born in Nagpur, Maharashtra. She obtained Master of Arts degrees in Urdu and Persian, and a Ph.D.-Career:...
M.A.Ph.D. (1936–1982) of Nagpur.
- Previously a very comprehensive critical appraisal and interpretation of Zia’s literary works was ably conducted in the year 1977 and published by the renowned Urdu scholar, critic and author of " Zikr-e-Ghalib ", Malik RamMalik RamMalik Ram Baveja or Malik Ram was a renowned Urdu, Persian and Arabic scholar. His monumental work “Tazkirah-e-Muasireen” was awarded the 1983 Sahitya Akademi Award.- Early life :...
(1906–1993), which appraisal titled - " Zia Fatehabadi Shakhs Aur Shair " (Zia Fatehabadi - the person and the poet), proved to be one more valuable addition to the field of Urdu literary criticism.
- In 1989, under the guidance of Dr.Adam Sheikh M.A.Ph.D.,the then Chairman of the Board of Studies in Urdu, and Dr.Farid Sheikh M.A.Ph.D. of Anjuman-e-Islamiyaa, MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, Dr.Shabbir Iqbal M.A.Ph.D. of Dhulia, MaharashtraMaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, obtained his Ph.D. degree from Bombay University based on his thesis in Urdu - " Anjahaani Mehr Lal Soni Zia Fatehabadi – Hayaat Aur Kaarnaame " (Late Mehr Lal Soni Zia Fatehabadi - Life and Works).
- The National register of doctoral dissertions accepted and in progress Vol.3 reveals that Mohammad Ameenuddin Mohammad Idris of Nagpur University had presented his thesis in Urdu titled - " Zia Fatehabadi-personality,life and works " to the Nagpur University for its acceptance.
Other interests
Zia Fatehabadi was a man of many tastes and abilities. He was not a professional poet. For over thirty-five years he had served Reserve Bank of IndiaReserve Bank of India
The Reserve Bank of India is the central banking institution of India and controls the monetary policy of the rupee as well as US$300.21 billion of currency reserves. The institution was established on 1 April 1935 during the British Raj in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of...
with great distinction. He was a keen observer of economic trends, development and change. Zia Fatehabadi was also very good at Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, proficient in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
language and grammar. He was a keen student of Hindu astrology i.e. Jyotisa,and was deeply interested in the study of the Upanishads and the Rig Veda. He subscribed to the Advaita School promoted by Adi Sankara. Zia Fatehabadi imparted this part of his knowledge and exclusive experience to his eldest son, Ravinder Kumar Soni
Ravinder Kumar Soni
Ravinder Kumar Soni , the eldest son of Mehr Lal Soni Zia Fatehabadi , was born on 5 April 1944 at Delhi. He is a scholar devoted to the study and interpretation of traditional Hindu thought and Jyotisa...
, as is reflected in the latter’s two books titled In Search Of True Happiness and The Illumination Of Knowledge.
In his aforecited book,In search of True Happiness, on page 215 Zia Fatehabadi's son writes that a comparative study of the horoscopes belonging to the male members of his branch of Soni family has revealed (a) that all those individuals who did not have the lords of the 9th and the 10th houses occupying a quadrant or a trine from the Ascendant or Natal Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
did not prosper regardless of their efforts and levels of education nor those who had the lord of the 4th or of the 7th afflicted experience domestic peace, and (b) that Munshi Ram Soni, his eldest son, Zia Fatehabadi,and the latter's eldest son, eldest grand-son and the eldest great grand-son, all five, had at their time of birth Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
situated in its exaltation sign Pisces
Pisces
Pisces may refer to:*Pisces , a constellation*Pisces , an astrological sign*Fish , as an obsolete taxonomic term*OZ-09MMS Pisces, a fictional mecha in the Gundam Wing anime...
in a quadrant from the Ascendant with the lord of the 9th house also in a quadrant in a friendly or in its exaltation sign either aspected by or conjoining Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
. He is of the opinion that such like studies of family horoscopes are bound to open new grounds for research in the field of Jyotisa.
External links
- Zia Fatehabadi at Kavita Kosh http://www.kavitakosh.org/ziafatehabadi Hindi
- Zia Fatehabadi at Jakhira "http://www.jakhira.com/tag/mehr-lal-soni-zia-fatehabadi/"
- Zia Fatehabadi at Nilambar http://kv.nilambar.com/poet/7770353