One song that determined that he was the poet of Pakistan:
میں بھی پاکیستان ھوں تو بھی پاکیستان ھے
Today is the 16th death anniversary of this poet who celebrated being Pakistani as non other before him could, he was Poet of Pakistan, Sehba Akhtar (1930-1996)
In 1968 the charismatic and incredible actor and film maker Waheed Murad ventured one of the most beautiful films of his career named SAMANDER, at the most crucial period of our political history when nation needed a reconciliatory and consensus mood and approach . The songs of this film were penned by Sehba Akhtar , and one of the song I think is a song of hope, courage, national character, brotherhood, reconciliation, fortitude, belief and strength, just see how this song deals with all these issues so easily, so beautifully and so forcefully:
ساتھی تیرا میرا ساتھی ھے
لہراتا سمندر
ھم بیٹے ھیں سمندر کے
ھم طوفانوں کے پالے ھیں
ھر مشکل سے ھم ھنس ھنس کے
ٹکرانے والے ھیں
ساتھی تیرا میرا ساتھی ھے
لہراتا سمندر
اسی نے ھم کو جینا سکھایا
اسی کے ھم ھیں لال
کبھی نہ خالی آئے اس میں ڈوب کے اپنے جال
یہ وہ سخی ھےجس کے گھر میں کبھی پڑا نہ کال
کیسا داتا ھے موتی برساتا سمندر
ساتھی تیرا میرا ساتھی ھے
لہراتا سمندر
موج سے موج گلے مل جائے
تو بنتی ھےدھار
لہر سے لہر ملے تو ساتھی
لہراتا ھے پیار
ھاتھ میں ھاتھ رھے تو
بن جاتی ھے وہ دیوار
.جس کے آگے پانی ہے
ٹکراتا سمندر
ساتھی تیرا میرا ساتھی ھے
لہراتا سمندر
جس کے آگے پانی ہے ٹکراتا سمندر
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Akhtar Sahib!
Thanks Khurram Sahib yes جس کے آگے پانی ہے
ReplyDeleteNice post, Dar sb can you please confirm me his birthplace, as i watched someone repoting on TV that he was born in India while the little information on internet tells he was born in Sri Nagar (IOK).
ReplyDeleteShahid, Pakistan Chronicle says Sehba Akhtar was born in Jammu in 1930.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed finding this, finally in a Dawn article from 2010 and loved the metaphor and reality of the sea as between/among people and as a friend. Is this the Akhtar you were named for?
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed an Oct 2011 post from Thinking about the nuances of URDU and it's beauty...I can tell although so hard to learn..but won't give up yet..:)
"The lyrics of Samandar were written by Sehba Akhtar, who would later write such national songs as Mein bhi Pakistan hoon, and become known as “the Poet of Pakistan”. The music was composed by Deboo Bhatacharya. Since the two wings of the country were connected by the sea, and not by the land, the title song becomes especially symbolic: Saathi, tera mera saathi hai lehrata samandar’ (Friend, the sea is our common friend)
Did you notice that the song you have quoted (Lehrata Samandar) actually resonates with the message of Moses :)
ReplyDeleteConnie thanks for quoting the amazing thoughts from KAS.
ReplyDeleteKhurram Sahib, please let us see:)
ReplyDeleteI have not seen this movie samandar.have always heard of it from my father..its one of his favourites..but this song is truely amazing..
ReplyDelete@Sumaiya
ReplyDeleteSamander is one the best from Pakistan Cinema and truly a national theme.