Firaq Gorakhpuri
Encyclopedia
Raghupati Sahay better known under his pen name Firaq Gorakhpuri (Urdu
: فراق گورکھپوری, Hindi
: फ़िराक़ गोरखपुरी), was a writer
, critic
, and one of the most noted contemporary Urdu
poet
s from India
. He established himself as one of the greats in an era which boasted stalwarts like Iqbal
, Yagana Changezi
, Jigar
and Josh
.
, into a Hindu
Kayastha
family. He was selected for the Provincial Civil Service (P.C.S.) and the Indian Civil Service (I.C.S.), but he resigned to follow Mahatma Gandhi
's Non-cooperation movement
, for which he went to jail. Later, he joined Allahabad University
as a lecturer in English literature
. It was there that he wrote most of his Urdu poetry, including his magnum opus
Gul-e-Naghma which earned him the highest literary award of India, the Jnanpith Award
, and also the 1960 Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu
. During his life, he was given the positions of Research Professor at the University Grants Commission
and Producer Emeritus by All India Radio
. After a long illness, he died on March 3, 1982, in New Delhi
.
As a distinguished poet, Firaq Gorakhpuri was well-versed in all traditional metrical forms such as ghazal
, nazm
, rubaai and qat'aa
. He was a prolific writer, having written more than a dozen volumes of Urdu poetry
, a half dozen of Urdu
prose, several volumes on literary themes in Hindi
, as well as four volumes of English
prose on literary and cultural subjects.
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
: فراق گورکھپوری, Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
: फ़िराक़ गोरखपुरी), was a writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, critic
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
, and one of the most noted contemporary Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
s from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He established himself as one of the greats in an era which boasted stalwarts like Iqbal
Muhammad Iqbal
Sir Muhammad Iqbal , commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal , was a poet and philosopher born in Sialkot, then in the Punjab Province of British India, now in Pakistan...
, Yagana Changezi
Yagana Changezi
Mirza Yaas Yagana Changezi was one of the most important Urdu poets of the twentieth century and indeed among the masters of Urdu poetry. Real name was Mirza Wajid Hussain . He was born in Azeemabad, now Patna in 1884...
, Jigar
Jigar Moradabadi
Jigar Moradabadi was the nom de plume of Ali Sikandar , one of the most famous Urdu poets of the 20th century and a celebrated Urdu ghazal writer...
and Josh
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...
.
Biography
Raghupati Sahay was born in 1896, in GorakhpurGorakhpur
Gorakhpur is a city in the eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, near the border with Nepal. It is the administrative headquarters of Gorakhpur District and Gorakhpur Division. Gorakhpur is one of the proposed capitals of the Purvanchal state which is yet to be formed...
, into a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Kayastha
Kayastha
Kayastha or Kayasth or Kayeth is a caste or community of Hindus originating in India. Kayastha means "scribe" in Sanskrit, and has traditionally denoted members of the writer caste....
family. He was selected for the Provincial Civil Service (P.C.S.) and the Indian Civil Service (I.C.S.), but he resigned to follow Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
's Non-cooperation movement
Non-cooperation movement
The non-cooperation movement was a significant phase of the Indian struggle for freedom from British rule which lasted for years. This movement, which lasted from September 1920 to February 1922 and was led by Mohandas Gandhi, and supported by the Indian National Congress. It aimed to resist...
, for which he went to jail. Later, he joined Allahabad University
Allahabad University
Allahabad University , is a premier Central University located in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. Its origins lie in the Muir Central College, named after Lt...
as a lecturer in English literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
. It was there that he wrote most of his Urdu poetry, including his magnum opus
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
Gul-e-Naghma which earned him the highest literary award of India, the Jnanpith Award
Jnanpith Award
The Jnanpith Award is a literary award in India. Along with the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, it is one of the two most prestigious literary honours in the country...
, and also the 1960 Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu
Sahitya Akademi Award to Urdu Writers
Sahitya Akademi Award is an annual literary honour, given since 1955, by Sahitya Akademi , to writers and their works, for their outstanding contribution to the upliftment of Indian literature. Urdu is one of 24 languages in which the award is given.:-Sahitya Akademi Award winners and their works...
. During his life, he was given the positions of Research Professor at the University Grants Commission
University Grants Commission (India)
The University Grants Commission of India is a statutory organisation set up by Union government in 1956, for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education. It provides recognition for universities in India, and provides funds for government-recognised...
and Producer Emeritus by All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
. After a long illness, he died on March 3, 1982, in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
.
As a distinguished poet, Firaq Gorakhpuri was well-versed in all traditional metrical forms such as ghazal
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...
, 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...
, rubaai and qat'aa
Qat'aa
Qat'aa, a form of poetry, is a part of soazkhwani / mersiya-khwani. Qat'aa is also known as Ruba'ee and performed before marsiya-khwani. When Qat'aa, Ruba'ee, Soaz, Salaam and Marsiya are performed combined it is called soazkhwani / marsiya-khwani....
. He was a prolific writer, having written more than a dozen volumes of Urdu poetry
Urdu poetry
Urdu poetry is a rich tradition of poetry and has many different types and forms. Borrowing much from the Persian language, it is today an important part of Pakistani and North Indian culture....
, a half dozen of Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
prose, several volumes on literary themes in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, as well as four volumes of 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...
prose on literary and cultural subjects.
Selected works
- (Urdu Love Poetry)
Awards
- 1960 – Sahitya Akademi Award in UrduSahitya Akademi Award to Urdu WritersSahitya Akademi Award is an annual literary honour, given since 1955, by Sahitya Akademi , to writers and their works, for their outstanding contribution to the upliftment of Indian literature. Urdu is one of 24 languages in which the award is given.:-Sahitya Akademi Award winners and their works...
- 1968 – Padma BhushanPadma BhushanThe Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
- 1968 – Soviet Land Nehru Award
- 1969 – Jnanpith AwardJnanpith AwardThe Jnanpith Award is a literary award in India. Along with the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, it is one of the two most prestigious literary honours in the country...
(First Jnanpith Award for Urdu literature) - 1970 – Sahitya Akademi FellowshipSahitya Akademi FellowshipThe Sahitya Akademi Fellowship is a literary honour in India. Awarded by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, to the "immortals of literature," and limited to twenty one individuals at any given time, it is the highest literary honour conferred by the Government of India...
- 1981 – Ghalib Academi Award