Remembering Parveen Shakir: A symbol of Feminist Expression

As a young journalist advocating for women’s rights, I often find myself inspired by the mystifying thoughts of the great poetess Parveen Shakir. Her profound impact on my life is undeniable.

The poetess has left behind a legacy of women’s empowerment that future generations will cherish for years to come.In today’s Pakistan, a rising surge of young girls are taking to the streets to demand their rights. Parveen Shakir’s romantic poetry serves as a powerful inspiration for them. From raising slogans and staging protests to celebrating their victories, these young women are fueled by the poetess’s fearless spirit and unwavering commitment to social justice.

Parveen Shakir: A Life of Fragrance

There is no doubt about that Parveen Shakir and ‘Khushboo’ are inseparable. Khushboo took Parveen Shakir to the heights of fame. Parveen Shakir’s poetry always remains fragrant like Khushboo. It is impossible for today’s generation to be introduced to Parveen Shakir without reading Khushboo.

Parveen Shakir was born in a middle-class Syed family in Karachi and completed her education in the same city. It was in this city that she was introduced to feminist feelings.

Then, she successfully passed the competitive exam with a distinguished position. Parveen Shakir was only 24 years old when Khushboo was published in 1976, which was Parveen Shakir’s first collection of poetry. Parveen Shakir’s journey is indeed inspiring, and her poetry is a testament to her talent and emotional depth. At just 24 years old, she wrote remarkably profound and emotive poetry.

Khushboo is the philosophy of a young woman’s expression of love, how an eastern woman, when she loves a man, then nothing else means anything to her. Parveen Shakir also fell prey to the beautiful emotion of love, and she did not want to hide it, but rather expressed it openly in her poems. Reading these poems gives the feeling that she was trapped in intense love.

In Urdu literature, no other voice except Parveen Shakir expresses love for her beloved with such intensity. But then, the failure of love also saddened the poetess Parveen Shakir. However, after some time, she regained her composure, and this was the moment when this great poetess took her real birth. From here, a sentimental girl began to take the form of a strong woman.

Parveen Shakir passed the civil service exam with distinction and joined the Customs Department. Interestingly, Parveen Shakir chose Urdu literature as an optional subject for the CSS exam, and on the day of the exam, a question was asked in the Urdu paper about a poetess commenting on herself, which is perhaps a unique incident in the history of literature.

Life took a new turn, and after four years, “Sad Barg” 1980 (marsh merrygold) appeared. Meanwhile, Parveen Shakir had married to her cousin, Syed Nasser Ali. This emotional and sensitive girl had now become a strong woman. She had come to realize that in the world, emotions and love are not everything.

She had seen the hypocrisy prevalent in the society and people’s criticism of her poetry. Parveen Shakir had also faced harassment at her workplace, which inclined her towards women’s empowerment. Sad Barg’s study also suggests that after marriage, Parveen Shakir had become a strong woman, and her joys had overcome her sorrows. Her poetry presents Parveen Shakir as a mother, when a son was born to this great poetess, who was named Murad. The birth of her son introduced the poetess to new emotions, as she had given birth to a new life. She was grateful to Allah for this blessing, which is reflected in Sad Barg.

A delicate balancing act

Her life was divided between her career, household responsibilities, and being a mother, due to which she could not find time for her poetry, which Parveen Shakir has expressed in some way.

Hindsay gidh ki tarha din mera kha jatay hain
Harf milnay mujhe atay hain zara sham ke baad

(Numbers eat my day like a vulture
Words come to see me in the night)

However, during this time, Parveen Shakir also faced ups and downs in her marriage, and sorrows once again engulfed her, leaving her isolated. In 1986, her posting in the FBR took her to Islamabad, forcing her to leave her beloved city, Karachi. Then, in 1990, a collection of her poetry, “Inkaar” (Denial), was published, encapsulating her entire life. At that time, Parveen Shakir was 40 years old, and during this period, she had experienced many trials and tribulations, including divorce. The poetess poured all these experiences into her poetry.

In “Inkaar”, Parveen Shakir also wrote poems against Zia-ul-Haq’s dictatorship. In 1990, during Benazir Bhutto’s government, Parveen Shakir was awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz. But who knew that life’s journey could end abruptly at any moment. On a foggy morning of December 26 1994, while Parveen Shakir was on her way to the office, her car collided with a bus, and she couldn’t survive. And with her, the fragrance of Urdu literature was forever buried.

However, Khushboo (Fragrance) is still read and written in every corner of the world, and it’s impossible that Parveen Shakir’s presence is not felt there. Khushboo has immortalized Parveen Shakir in Urdu literature. Her unfinished collections were published by her close friends in the form of “ Kaf-e-Aaina 1996 ” (edge of the mirror). Later, all her poetic work was compiled and published as “Maah-e-Tamam 1994” (The full Moon). Future generations will always remember Parveen Shakir through her poetry, because fragrance never fades away!

Mar bhi jaun tou kahan log bhula hi dein ge

Lafz mere mere honay ki gawahi dein ge

(People won’t forget me, even after my demise
My words would be my testament)