Mirza Salaamat Ali Dabeer

**Mirza Salaamat Ali Dabeer**
Mirza Salaamat Ali Dabeer
	File:100 9052.JPG Mirza Salaamat Ali Dabeer
Born	1803; Delhi, India
Died	1875
Resting place	Lucknow
Occupation	Poet

Mirza Salaamat Ali Dabeer (1800/1803-1875)

Life

Mirza Dabeer was born in 1803 in Delhi. He was a leading urdu poet who excelled and perfected the art of Marsia writing. He is considered the leading exponent of Marsianigari or marsia writing along with Mir Anis. He started reciting marsia since childhood during muharram ceremonial gatherings called majalis (singular-majlis). He started writing poetry under the tutelage of Mir Muzaffar Husain Zameer^[1]. Dabeer himself was an erudite scholar of his time. He migrated from Delhi to Lucknow, where he found suitable environment to develop and demonstrarte his skills in marsia writing. According to Maulana Muhammad Husain Azad in Aab-e-Hayat quoting Tazkira-e-Sarapa Sukhan, there is confusion regarding his father's name because of two different names mentioned in Tazkira as- Ghulam Husain /Mirza Agha Jan Kaghazfarosh. Mirza Dabeer passed away in Lucknow in 1875 and is burried there.

Works

List of Marasi by Dabeer:

Kis sher ki Amad hai ki Run kaanp raha hai
Dast-e-Khuda Ka Quwat-e-Bazoo Husain hai
Jab Chaley Yasrab Se Sibte Mustafa (SAW) Soo-e-Iraaq
Bilqees paasbaan hai ye kiski janaab hai

Although Dabeer's poetic expression found expression in the genre of marsia but he made use of other forms of urdu poetry, viz., salaam and rubai, he seldom wrote ghazals too. A couplet from one of his salams is a clear example of his genius comparable to Ghalib:

     “Hurr fida pyaasa jo Shah par ho gaya;
      Ai salami, qatra tha samandar ho gaya!”

Meaning:

                "When the thirsty Hurr (willingly) sacrificed
                  his life for the Shah (Hussain);
                (Know) O salami, (O pilgrim)) In truth
                 the drop became the entire ocean!"

Naqaash naqsh, Kaatib o Khat, Baani o Bina,

Bood o Nabood, Zaat o Sifat, Hasti o Fana,

Aadam Malak, Zameen Falak, Gard e Kimiya,

Duniya o Deen, Hadoos o Qidam, Banda e khuda,

Sab, Shahid e Kamal e Shahe Mashraqain hain,

Jab Tak Khuda Ka Mulk hai, Malik Hussain hain.

Dabeer and Anees Rivalry

Anis and Dabeer rivalry is the most debated and talked about rivalry in Urdu Literature. Their rivalry led to the development of two distinct styles/schools of Marsia-nigari or marsia writing at its inception. The staunch supporters of each each of the masters identified themselves as "Aneesiya" and "Dabeeriya". The impact of rivalry was so intense that the followers could neither free themselves from their influence nor surpass either master's brilliance. Although the populace divided themselves into two separate groups the two poets remained at cordial terms and acknowledged each other with great respect. When Anis died in 1874, Dabeer penned the folllowing couplet as a tribute to the departed poet:

      Aasman Be Mah-i-Kamil Sidrah Be Ruhul Amin 
      Toor-i-Sina Be Kalimullah Mimbar Be Anis

Legacy

Dabeer, along with Anis, left an everlasting influence on Urdu literature and marsia in particular. Marsia, in its content and matter, allowed the two masters to demonstrate their artistry and command of Urdu language and idiom. At the same time epical nature of marsia covered and dealt with entire range of emotions and ideas. It has both mystical and romantic appeal. All the contemporary and succeeding generations of poets who adopted marsia as the genre of poetic expression and also others who took to other forms of poetry found it difficult to break away from the trends and standards set by these two masters. The names of Dabeer and Anis are inextricable whenever Urdu Marsia is mentioned. In short, marsia attained its zenith under the poetic genius of Anis and Dabeer. Marsia became synonymous with the names of these two masters and also the form-musaddas- adopted by them became synonymous with the identity of marsia. Dabeer alongwith Anis influenced two major aspects of the socio-cultural life of the Indian sub-continent. One is literature and other is azadari tradition of the sub-continent.

Urdu Literature

Muharram and Azadari in the Indian Subcontinent

References

^ Mohammad Husain Azad- Aab-e-Hayat

Links

[1] Aab-e hayat link to Mirza Salaamat Ali Dabeer
[2] Jab Chaley Yasrab Se Sibte Mustafa (SAW) Soo-e-Iraaq
[3] Masters of Marsia-Anees and Dabeer
[4] Mir Anis & Mirza Dabeer: the battle is still on
[5] Reliving Karbala: Martyrdom in South Asian Memory. By SYED AKBAR HYDER . New York: Oxford University Press, 2006 (Link o google books)
[6] Hadees-e-Dil Marsia Number
[7]Remembering Karbala Once Again-Selected Marsias of Meer Anis and Mirza Dabeer Translated by Syeda B. Raza
[8] History and Influence of Marsia on South Asian Culture
[9] The Year of Mirza Dabeer By Hasan Abidi
[10] Abstracts from Marsia by Dabeer
[11] Mir Anis and Karbala
[12] Brief introduction to Urdu Marsia
[13] Brief history of urdu poetry

[1] Mohammad Husain Azad- Aab-e-Hayat

[1]

Mirza Salaamat Ali Dabeer

Life

Works

Dabeer and Anees Rivalry

Legacy

Urdu Literature

Muharram and Azadari in the Indian Subcontinent

References

See Also

Suggested Readings

Links