Bazm 2019: A Tribute to Janaab Kaifi Azmi on his Birth Centenary

I, Ameeta Parsuram ‘Meeta’, have been organizing BAZM: Jashn-e-Ghazal, since 2009, in the capital of India. Bazm is successful because Dilliwallas love this event….Ghazal lovers of Delhi look forward to it because this event is aimed at preserving traditional Ghazal gayaki, by ensuring Raagdaari as well as the use of traditional instruments like Sarangi, Israaj, Harmonium and Tabla for Sangat.

This year Bazm became all of ten years old and I wanted to celebrate its success in a very special way!

I could not have had a better celebration than the one offered by the power of time. The year 2019 celebrates Birth Centenary of the legendary poet of our country, Janaab Kaifi Azmi. And I, therefore, dedicated this year’s Bazm to this iconic personality.

I am indebted to Shabana Azmi Sahiba, daughter of the legendary poet, for choosing BAZM as the platform for starting a series of the “Kaifi Tributes’ all over the world…on January 4, 2019.

While for the last ten years, Bazm has focused on Ghazal Gyaki- (Bazm-e-Mausiqui); as a tribute to Kaifi Saab, Bazm 2019 opened a new chapter…that is, ‘Bazm-E-Sukhan’…Mushaira.

On this day, Bazm-E-Sukhan: Episode-1, showcased Urdu poetry of many talented poets. Ghazals and Nazms shared by the poets covered a wide spectrum of themes, philosophies and styles of writing.

Bazm-E-Mausiqui, on this very special day, had a renowned Ghazal singer, Jaswinder Singh from Mumbai, who started the evening by a soulful rendition of Kaifi Saab’s kalaam, followed by various Ghazals written by many different poets.

The most cherished and widely enjoyed by the Bazm audience was, a ‘Guftagu’ between Meeta (myself) and Shabana sahiba. focused on Kaifi Saab, this baat-chiit had the audience listening with rapt attention to every word said by Shabana Azmi. Questions asked by Meeta and fielded so skillfully and with loads of wit and humour, by Shabana sahiba. brought the multifaceted personality of Kaifi Azmi closer to the audience. Shabana ji captivated the audience through her witty answers as well as sharing of interesting anecdotes from her journey with Kaifi…. The answers, woven beautifully in the fabric of Shabana’s perceptions of, experiences with and admiration for her, larger than life father, revealed the enormous contributions of Kaifi saab, to not just the world of culture, but also for the good of people of this country. Her answers brought alive the softest and the toughest dimensions of Kaifi. She shared the lovely, romantic story of ‘kaifi & Shauqat’ …how they met…how they walked the journey of life being so there for each other…She also threw light on kaifi, the father who taught about life to his children by being the person that he was!

Audience, in the Kamani Auditorium of New Delhi, was spellbound through this talk….as if they were all trying to experience the life of Kaifi….vicariously, through Shabana Azmi Sahiba!