It was a one-of-its-kind occasion held on March 25, 2016 as the poets who gathered for the programme were some of the brightest names in Urdu literature, and a few of them are seldom seen participating in mushairas (poetry symposia).
Presided over by eminent poetess Zehra Nigah, the event, as per tradition, began with the (relatively) junior poets reciting their ghazals. Be it a younger versifier or a seasoned poet, the quality of the kalaam throughout the event never came down. Yes, there were moments when the daad (verbal appreciation for a verse) wasn’t forthcoming, but on the whole the daad was hearty, encouraging the poets to stay on stage for a little more than they were required to.
For example, Basir Kazmi, son of the late Nasir Kazmi, took a bit more time than expected, largely because of the cheers that he received from the audience. Among many, he read out the following two lines:
Is qadar hijr mein ki najm shumari hum ne
Jaan laite hain kahaan koi sitara kum hai
(Separation, from you, made me indulge in star-gazing, so much so that now I know which one is missing from the firmament)
Ismailimail 