Established: 1973 u]gzlt; zl/7k\ :uM9 i].s[. eJi u]gzlt; d]xliz# Kdz:6sl x:fjlz ª¥ v#uQ7 ª¼¼¢ a#M7f d]:Kmd uMk\ Ks}m President Vice President General Secretary Joint Secretary Yacoob Mank Adam Ghodiwala A. Kamal Patel Siraj Patel 01204 591709 01204 523268 01772 823145 01204 403999 [email protected] [email protected] Gujarati Writers Guild UK Achievement Awards Guild President, Yacoob Mank (left), presenting a lifetime achievement award to Muhammad Patel (ex MLA of Gujarat Assembly and prominent social worker) Guild Joint Secretary, Siraj Patel (left), presenting a lifetime achievement award to Lord Adam Patel of Blackburn :a‹7fdL u]gzlt; uhm> /:tclkf]= v[s 5lf]= ... » ú]ml/ Á»‰ƒ /=Um[F9f; cjldL u]gzlt s[z; b]Xa} À x[blnd vla]jlml m¿s[xlizdL v9w]= eZr jk[m]= º vAn]Mmlc sdlm 57[m átbMm]k> sndâ, eZr tlm]slfl 7=slz;vlfl jtf;, jzk#y; 5‹ÇK7fdL jk[ml º a#t[z Fi] c#m m[fdL v[df; v#:ok ávlz. s[. 7`lj[Mkâ vlj[m; º vl v#:ok tdf[ s[j4 elzt d#smt; fy;, elztf[ t[ v#:okdL i m/ vlj[ º v#:Okfl dl4[ ulnmL 5yzli[mL º t:sil 56. g[7ml el/v# TiL v[s8l yil à t[dL v¿k; 7sl s:jv# à - j;k 7sl z:ks#. s#/ v#:okdL slzs]f Ã, s#/ :dmdL dg}z. a5#zy; xZ yi[m; dc[:om zltfl v[s k]w; rlm;. rlm; g fcÂ, úd; 56. u]flc# Ã, btlv# à f[ c]= V]= jd4y; arlj;f[ mlj; :sflz[ b]nl tlz; s+5lv# à f[ c]= V]= 9]al9; f n[g[ df[ tlzflzl vl x[z#fl s:j snd[ vl s:j kel i#î º ‘dc[s’ 7=slzj; á‘%ilk’fl s:jâ 56 keldL clgz º c]= kelfl dc[dlf tz;s[ slJi# ápn}\, ñcn; vf[ u]gzlt;â k=e4lj]= V]= - vf[ clgz zc[ml s:j a=w]v#fL slJi# kLe4]= V]=. tzFf]d u}=g[ º xAn#f; o}mh9;v# V}7[ º u]gzltfl s:jv# áfj#:nt vf[ p:ntâ m¿s[xlizf; cjldL u]gzltf; dc[s ez; z†l º s:jv[ u]gzlt V#9i]= Ã, 56 u]gzlt[ v[f[ V#9i# fy;. m¿s[xlizdL u]gzlt; waslzl k=e4li à - u]gzlty; n}z u]gzlt îj; z†]= º vl kly[ v[s v{:tcl:ks aflj 56 af[ Ã. u]gzlt; zl/7k\ :uM9, i].s[. f; Kyl5fl 56 yli º u]gzlt; kl:cTifl 5‹klz vf[ 5‹rlz dl7[. 1 Gujarati Writers Guild UK A brief introduction The Gujarati Writers Guild UK was formed in 1973. Its core purpose was to bring Gujarati writers and poets together, mainly through Ghazal writing and holding Mushairas in order to keep the Gujarati language, poetry and culture alive here in the UK. We are pleased to say that we have succeeded in fulfilling this purpose to a large extent by: • providing inspiration and guidance to a number of budding poets; • holding as many as 65 Mushairas so far in various towns and cities across the country; • organising literary seminars and poetry workshops; • undertaking publication of poets works from time to time; • publishing and distributing free of charge booklets as memoirs of Mushaira events; and • inspiring a number of poets in different parts of the country to write Ghazals and form similar groups in their own areas to promote the Gujarati language and literature. The activities we have carried out and the progress we have made would not have been possible without the valuable assistance and encouragement from our friends and supporters and financial backing from various arts and other organisations including the local Councils. We are grateful to them all and hope that they will continue to support us so that we can carry on sharing our ideas, imagination, dreams and vision with our Gujarati speaking community and keep the language and the culture alive for as long as possible. Yacoob ‘Mahek’ President 2 Ghazal The most popular form of poetry both in Urdu and in Gujarati these days is known as Ghazal, which is similar to lyric in English poetry and means “talking to the tender sex”. It is usually short with the same rhyme and rhythm throughout. It is composed of a few couplets beginning with a Matla meaning the ‘rise’ in which both lines have the same rhyme and ends with a Maqta meaning the ‘end’ in which the poet generally indicates his adopted pseudonym. In a Ghazal every couplet is a complete unit in itself, rounding up an idea or a picture within the constraints of its two lines and its own rhyme and rhythm. This is one of the peculiarities of Ghazal, requiring great skill and discipline to say in one line or couplet what in other literatures would have to be said in a complete poem. The most common themes are love, ‘Tasawwuf’ (mysticism), ‘Gham-e- Jana’ (poet’s personal sorrow) and ‘Gham-e-Doran’ (the sorrow of the world). In Ghazal, the Sufis (mystics) found a very convenient medium for expressing their love of God, their beloved. The subject matter of modern Ghazal ranges from the helplessness and hopelessness of modern man to the lovey-dovey talk of the love sick. Ghazal appeals equally to the literary critic and lay reader, which is one of the reasons for its past and present popularity. Gujarati Ghazal was first introduced in the UK in the sixties by the poets of the Gujarati Writers Guild UK. Mahek Tankarvi and Kadam Tankarvi, the two most prominent of those poets and also the founder members of the Guild, played an important role in popularising Ghazal by regularly holding Mushairas – first in Lancashire and then in other towns and cities of the UK. The arrival from India of the renowned Ghazal writer Adam Tankarvi in 1991, the frequent visits by the famous poet Adil Mansuri from the USA and other well known Ghazal writers from Gujarat gave an impetus to this literary activity, which is now flourishing. 3 Mushaira Mushaira is the gathering of poets for the reading or recitation of their compositions. It has played an important role in the development of both Urdu and Gujarati Ghazal. In the past these events provided opportunities for masters and pupils to meet, recite their Ghazals and criticise. It is a pity that the age of masters and pupils is gone and this is not happening anymore. Held on various occasions, Mushairas are very popular even today and are most enjoyed by the participating audiences. They can be both educational and entertaining. In addition, they enable the poet to share his experiences, dreams, ideas and interpretation of life with an appreciative audience. In a Mushaira, some poets prefer to read their Ghazal in a plain way, while others prefer to recite it in a sing song manner (Tarannum). An audience appreciating a Gujarati Mushaira in Bolton 4 Kyl5flsl4y; vlg5i|t u]gzlt; zl/7k\ :uM9, i].s[. ãlzl, vyjl v[fl p5Sd[, i#úi[ml d]xlizlv#f; k}r; Mushairas (Poetry Readings / Recitals) organised by, or in collaboration with, the Gujarati Writers Guild UK Sd tlz;b fuz Ky4 tzc; 5=:å 1 08/08/70 Preston St Paul’s Hall df[ k=t#q à d¿ t# vl dc[:om b}a dl6; à 2 15/08/71 Batley Old Peoples Home :aVlj[ s#/ ú[ sL7l t# c]= o}m# :aVlj]= V]= 3 26/12/72 Blackburn Theatre Hall iln vlj[ à df[ dl½= jtf 5zn[xdL 4 25/12/73 Batley Old Peoples Home c]= v[j]= 5]Q5 V]= dc[s; zc]= GiL GiL 5jf mlu[ 5 03/08/74 Blackburn Theatre Hall em[ à z=u ú]n# 5‹[dy; îj; atlj;x]= 6 26/01/75 Bolton College Hall x; baz vlaln d]g pGg9 rdf silz[ yx[³ 7 17/08/75 Blackburn St Georges Hall vd[ tdf[, td[ vdf[ ú[ kdú[ t# dú vlj[ 8 20/12/75 Leicester Sangam Theatre Hall m[K7zf; jlt siL v[ t# m3] u]gzlt à 9 25/12/75 Batley Community Hall 5‹t;1l siL k]w; szj; s[ k}il¹ni yjlf# à 10 14/02/76 Blackburn Windsor Hall tf[ i]k]o d]alzs c# g[ vl a=wli à k[cz# 11 26/12/77 Batley Community Hall kdgjl g[ f dLu[ t[f[ kdúj;f[ x]= szx#³ 12 25/12/81 Blackburn Theatre Hall dlfj; t[ g[ a;úf[ sld vlj; úi à 13 26/12/82 Preston College Hall jtfy; n}z 56 :nm t# vdlZ= ak jtfdL à 14 25/12/83 Blackburn Community Hall v[g kdút]= fy; s[ s[d vlj]= yli à 15 26/12/84 Bolton School Hall à 36L v[jl s[ g[v# i]uf[ 5m7lj; uil 16 18/10/85 Batley Community Centre Ãj7[ n]:filf[ dlz; jlt kdú/ gx[ 17 19/10/85 Batley Community Centre kdif; dLu6; à v[7m[ tmjlz dLu]= V]= 18 15/11/86 Bolton School Hall v[stlf; à gZzt v[stl v5flj;v[ 19 19/09/87 Batley Community Hall vjlg g]Mdf; kld[ p8lj;v[, vlj# 20 31/07/88 Bolton School Hall o}m#f[ b;mjlf# v:wslz à vc 21 25/12/88 Blackburn Museum Hall vl5# cj[ a;ú]= g sx]= îjjlf]= fld 22 11/06/89 Bolton Community Centre 5lfbz vlj; VtLi[ o}m szdli]= fc 23 09/07/89 Preston Community Centre kdi y#9# vf[ mLa; scl6; m/f[ vlJi# V]= vd[ v[g a]ma]m V;v[ g[d6[ vl, 24 09/09/89 Preston Museum Hall rdff; c=d[xL :colht sz; à 25 03/11/89 Preston Guild Hall kluzf# tlu fl d4[ 9}a; uil :jfl 26 18/11/89 Blackburn Community Centre v[ dlz; v#7 ú[/f[ :sflz[ 3z aflj[ à 27 26/12/89 London Community Centre tdlzl kd vd[ vl ñgnu;f[ b}a rlc; à 28 10/03/90 Bolton Community Centre v# îjÚ îjjlf; dú siLy; mljx]=³ 29 07/07/90 Blackburn Community Centre :nmy; vdlz; iln e}mlj; fc xs# 5 30 28/07/90 Batley Girls School Hall pul9[ s=7s# v[ f[ sz[ u]mhlzf; jlt# 31 29/12/90 London Community Centre d4; GiL vLby; vLb# awli[ e[n kdúil 32 24/08/91 Bolton Muslim Girls School Hall cj[ mlu; z†]= à jlztl 5}z; yjl vlj; 33 25/01/92 Preston Catherine Beckett Hall d]mlid t[ VtL o}m#i sL7ly; :felj[ à 34 25/07/92 London Community Centre t[9# vf[ f vlj;v[ v[jl fy; vd[ 35 09/08/92 Preston Guild Hall c#i fl Ji:å f[ v[f]= fld a#mlil sz[ 36 03/10/92 Batley Community Centre vc e;9 hlh; f[ k}f]= fuz à 37 26/12/92 Bolton Community Centre c]= kczldL u]mxf aflj; xs]= V]= 38 14/08/93 Bolton Muslim Girls School Hall ñgnulf; s[n à n]:filfl slzlulzdL 39 08/10/93 Blackburn Library Hall Z5 f;zb; vl5f]= u]mhlz xzdlil cx[ 40 07/11/93 Bolton Cricket Hall jltdLy; jlt 5[nl yli t# s[‘jlifl 41 29/12/93 Blackburn Library Hall g]Mdf; flj 9}al9; n[ kdFnz y/f[ 42 14/10/94 Blackburn Library Hall cj[ vl w}=wjlt; vlu 8=9; yli t# kl½= 43 21/10/94 Batley Town Hall 5lzsl t[g[ 5‹slx[m# :ktlz# c]= fy; 44 01/01/95 Bradford Community Centre 5=:å juz áu[z tzc;â 45 07/07/95 Bolton Quebec Hall cúz# jkjklv# Wilf ú[ tl½= w½= V]= c]= 46 21/07/95 Blackburn Museum Hall z#g