Once integral to Mughal culture, 'mushairas' or poetic symposiums have now been politicised and are being used to garner votes, says Sahitya Akademi Award winning Urdu poet Sayyad Munawwar Ali Rana.
"Mushairas are now politicised. Ministers have been organising mushairas in order to draw votes into their kitty. The shayaris are thus hardlined and the standard does not remain the same," the poet said.
The 63-year-old was in the city to participate in the 'Jashn-e-Rekhta festival, a two-day celebration of Urdu language that began on March 14.
Rana, best known for compilation of ghazals eulogising the mother was awarded the Sahitya award for his contribution to Urdu poetry, specifically for the collection of ghazals titled "Shehdaba."
The session was moderated by journalist Ravish Kumar focused on the changing face of mushairas and the evolution it has undergone over the years.
Pakistani poet Ali Akbar Natiq who was present at the discussion pointed to the striking differences between the Mushairas in Pakistan with those from India.
"In India when the people come to know about mushairas, they come voluntarily. However, if people in Pakistan come to know about a mushaira they run away and do not want to be a part of it," Natiq said.
Rana also pointed at the changing economy of the mushairas with the passage of time. He said that Mushairas have now become a profession and there is huge marketing which precede the events.
"If the government today imposes a ban on the holding of mushairas, then all the 'shayars' or poets would become jobless. This, thus shows that mushairas have become a profession. The marketing has led to a decline of status of Mushairas," Rana said.
The poets received a full house at the IIC where they were seen reciting some of their creations.
Also present was poet Satyapal Anand who threw light on the "auction process" that the poets are put under before their performance in places like Toronto, London, Los Angeles and New York.
"The rate for the poet's performance is fixed even before his tour. They are more of singers than poets and I am really pained to see this condition abroad," said Anand who broke down while reciting a poetry for his dead wife.
