Josh Malihabadi

Josh Malihabadi
Josh Malihabadi
Born	Shabbir Hasan Khan December 5, 1894 Malihabad, United Provinces, British India
Died	22 February 1982(1982-02-22) (aged 83) Islamabad, Pakistan
Pen name	Josh
Occupation	Poet
Nationality	Pakistani
Education	Tagore's University, Shantiniketan
Notable work(s)	Yaadon ki Baarat
Notable award(s)	Padma Bhushan, 1954
Relative(s)	Bashir Ahmed Khan (father)

Josh Malihabadi (Urdu: جوش ملیح آبادی) (born as Shabbir Hasan Khan; شبیر حسن خان) (December 5, 1894 – February 22, 1982) 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. He wrote ghazals and nazm under the takhallus (Urdu for nom de plume) Josh (جوش) (literally, "Passion" or "Intensity").

Early life

Josh was born in a Sunni family in Malihabad, United Provinces, British India. He studied at St Peter's College, Agra and passed his Senior Cambridge examination in 1914. Although Josh subsequently studied Arabic and Persian and, in 1918, spent six months at Tagore's university, Shantiniketan. The death of his father, Bashir Ahmed Khan, in 1916, prevented him from undertaking a college education.

Career

In 1925, Josh began to supervise translation work at Osmania University, in the princely state of Hyderabad. However, his stay there ended, when he found himself exiled from the state for writing a nazm against the Nizam of Hyderabad, the then ruler of the state.

Soon thereafter, he founded the magazine, Kaleem (literally, "interlocutor" in Urdu), in which he openly wrote articles in favour of independence from the British Raj in India. As his reputation spread, he came to be called Shaair-e-Inquilaab (Poet of the Revolution). Subsequently, he became more actively involved in the freedom struggle (albeit, in an intellectual capacity) and became close to some of the political leaders of that era, especially Jawaharlal Nehru (later to be the first Prime Minister of independent India).

After the end of British Raj in India (1947), Josh became the editor of the publication Aaj-Kal .

Josh in Pakistan

Josh migrated to Pakistan in 1958 - despite Jawaharlal Nehru's insistence against it - over what is generally believed to be his concern regarding the future of the Urdu language in India, where he thought the Hindu majority would encourage the use of Hindi rather than Urdu. After migration, Josh settled in Karachi and rigorously worked for Anjuman-i-Tarraqi-i-Urdu with Maulvi Abdul Haq.

He remained in Pakistan until he died on February 22, 1982 in Islamabad. Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Syed Fakhruddin Balley both were the closest companions and friends of Josh and Sajjad Hyder Kharosh (son of Josh). Faiz Ahmad Faiz visited Islamabad during his illness and Syed Fakhruddin Balley remained entirely engaged with Hazrat Josh and Sajjad Hyder Kharosh.

Josh Malihabadi's family had intermarried with Sunni and Shia families. Josh Malihabadi was Shia and has written about Sunni-Shia tension in his family in his biography titled Yaadon ki baarat.

His poetry and publications

Josh is reputed to have had a masterful command over Urdu and was quite strict about respecting the grammar and rules of the language. This is the reason, he is also referred to as, the King of Urdu language. The first collection of his poetry was published in 1921. The collection of his poetry include Shola-o-Shabnam, Junoon-o-Hikmat, Fikr-o-Nishaat, Sunbal-o-Salaasal, Harf-o-Hikaayat, Sarod-o-Kharosh & Irfaniyat-e-Josh (all Urdu titles). On the advice of film director W.Z. Ahmed, he also wrote songs for Shalimar Pictures. One of the pictures is Aag ka darya. During this time, he was staying in Pune. His autobiography is titled Yaadon ki baraat.

Poetic work

Here's a brief list of his contribution to Urdu poetry.

آوازۂ حق روح ادب شاعر کی راتیں جوش کے سو شعر نقش و نگار شعلہ و شبنم پیغمبر اسلام فکر و نشاط جنوں و حکمت حرف و حکایت حسین اور انقلاب آیات و نغمات عرش و فرش، رامش و رنگ سنبل و سلاسل سیف و سبو سرور و خروش سموم و سبا طلوع فکر موجد و مفکر قطرۂ قلزم نوادر جوش الہام و افکار نجوم و جواہر جوش کے مرثیے عروس ادب - حصہ اول و دوم عرفانیات جوش محراب و مضراب دیوان جوش

Prose work

مقالات جوش اوراق زریں جذبات فطرت اشارات مقالات جوش مکالمات جوش (یادوں کی بارات (خود نوشت سوانح

Awards

He was honored with the Padma Bhushan in 1954.

External links

• Josh Malihabadi at Kavita Kosh (Hindi)

Persondata
Name	Malihabadi
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	December 5, 1894
Place of birth	Malihabad, United Provinces, British India
Date of death	February 22, 1982
Place of death	Islamabad, Pakistan