The personality of the immortal poet of Urdu literature Raghupati Sahay alias Firaq Gorakhpuri was full of contradictions. His poetry, filled with frank nature, pain of deep love and philosophy of life, still touches the hearts. His composition ‘Nagam-e-Haqeeqat’ inspired by Bhagavad Gita is a priceless gem of spiritual depth in Urdu. Born in Gorakhpur in 1896, Firaq died in Delhi in 1982.
Starting his journey of poetry from 1918-19, he composed hundreds of ghazals, rubaiyans and poems till 1930. During that period, Urdu got a new color of truth, emotion, patriotism and nature. There was a unique strength in his voice which became immortal.
Firaq remained ahead in the freedom struggle also. Left the civil service job and jumped into non-cooperation and civil disobedience movements. The British Raj imprisoned him in Agra jail for 15 months. In the Mushaira there, his couplet ‘Ahl-e-Zinda Ki Yeh Mehfil…’ still resonates. On the invitation of Nehruji, he became Under Secretary in Congress.
One such love in 1918 kept me restless for 12-13 years. There is depth of spiritual flame in his Ishqiya couplets of loneliness, waiting and separation. The sorrows of the family – the demise of father Munshi Gorakh Prasad, untimely death of brothers – emerged poignantly in the poems.
Firaq writes in ‘Nagam-e-Haqeeqat’, translating the teachings of Geeta into Urdu – The whole creation is the rays of his light, the patience of the Pandavas, the bravery of Badar, Ram’s exile, the sacrifice of Karbala, all were sustained by his power.
Composed a patriotic ghazal in Allahabad in 1924. Honors include Sahitya Akademi, Padma Bhushan, Jnanpith. Firaq’s life is a unique confluence of poetry, struggle and education, which continues to inspire today.
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