Majaz was born in Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh in 1909-10. After
completing his initial education from Lucknow and Agra, Majaz moved to
Aligarh for his higher studies. He completed his graduation from Aligarh
Muslim University in 1936. This was the same era when Aligarh Muslim
University was swept by the progressive writers movement. It was pretty
evident that Majaz was got impressed and influenced by the progressives.
It was here that he started composing his initial poetries.
After completing his graduation from AMU he joined All India Radio but
after differences with Pitras Bukhari he left his job. What followed was
a long stint of alcoholism and self-destruction. It was also catalyzed
by the failed love life. In the mean while he founder 'Naya Adab', the
progressive mouthpiece of that era. He was also associated with Harding
Library Delhi. Majaz was one of the founders of the Progressive Writers
Movement. He did believe in revolution, but he was by temperament a
romantic person. He never advertised revolution in his poems but sang
sweet songs of revolution that matched his personality. This is the
reason; he has been termed 'Keats of India'.
He was a poet of love and revolution, but preferred to write mostly on
love. By genre, he can be classified as a poet of Nazam. But most of
them were not in free verse as customary. His Nazam maintained all
parameters of the Ghazal. His most famous Nazam is 'Awara', which is
considered one of the best Urdu Nazam ever written. His first poetry
collection 'Aahang' was published in 1938 it was followed by
'Shab-e-taab' in 1945 and 'Saaz-e-nau' in 1945. Majaz died of Liver
Cirrhosis in the year 1955 leaving a vacuum in the Urdu Poetry.
 |
