Parveen Shakir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Parveen Shakir
پروین شاکر |
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Parveen Shakir
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| Born | Parveen Shakir Syed 24 November 1952 Karachi, Pakistan |
| Died | 26 December 1994 (aged 42) Islamabad, Pakistan |
| Resting place | Islamabad Graveyard H-8, Islamabad 33°41′19″N 73°3′52″E / 33.68861°N 73.06444°E |
| Occupation |
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| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Education | BA, MA, PhD |
| Alma mater | Harvard University, University of Karachi |
| Period | 1976–1994 |
| Genre | |
| Subject | Romance |
| Literary movement | Post-modernism |
| Notable works | خوشبو, Khushbu (1976) |
| Notable awards |
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| Spouse | Syed Naseer Ali |
| Children | Syed Murad Ali |
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Parveen Shakir (Urdu: پروین شاکر; 24 November 1952 – 26 December 1994) was a famous Pakistani poet, teacher, and government worker. She is well-known for her poems that brought a special female voice to Urdu literature. She often used a rare grammatical feminine form for the word "lover" in her writings.
After her death, the "Parveen Shakir Urdu Literature Festival" is held every year in Islamabad to remember her.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Parveen Shakir started writing when she was very young. She wrote both prose (like stories or essays) and poetry. She also wrote articles for Urdu newspapers and some English daily papers. At first, she used the pen-name "Beena."
After teaching for nine years, she joined the Civil Service of Pakistan. This meant she worked for the government. She worked in the customs department. In 1986, she became a second secretary for the Central Board of Revenue in Islamabad.
In 1976, Parveen Shakir published her first book of poetry, Khushbu (meaning Fragrance). It was very popular. She received one of Pakistan's highest awards, the Pride of Performance, for her great writing. She later published more poetry books. These included Sad-barg (Marsh Marigold) in 1980, and Khud Kalāmi (Soliloquy) and Inkār (Denial) in 1990. All these poetry books were later put together in a collection called Māh-e-Tamām (Full Moon).
She also published a collection of her newspaper articles called Gosha-e-Chashm (Corner of the Eye). After she passed away, another book called Kaf-e-Āina (The Mirror's Edge) was released. It contained writings from her personal diaries.
Poetry Styles
Parveen Shakir mainly wrote in two styles: ghazal and āzād nazm (which means free verse). She used different writing techniques and explored sensitive topics. Her goal was to show a complete picture of what it was like to be a woman.
Ghazals
Shakir's ghazals are seen as a mix of old traditions and new feelings. They mostly talk about love and romance from a woman's point of view. Themes include beauty, closeness, being apart, break-ups, and trust issues.
Most of Shakir's ghazals have five to ten couplets (two lines that rhyme). Sometimes, two couplets next to each other can have very different meanings. Here is an example:
- English translation:
That girl just like her home Fell victim to the flood perhaps
I see light when I think of you Remembrance, has become the moon perhaps
- Urdu:
اپنے گھر کی طرح وہ لڑکی بھی نذرِ سیلاب ہو گئی شاید تجھ کو سوچوں تو روشنی دیکھوں یاد، مہتاب ہو گئی شاید
Her ghazals use many metaphors and similes. These are figures of speech that compare two different things. They make her poems powerful and musical. Here is a famous example:
- English translation:
He is fragrance, and shall diffuse in the winds, The trouble lies with the flower, where shall the flower go
- Urdu:
وہ تو خوشبو ہے، ہوائوں میں بکھر جائے گا مسئلہ پھُول کا ہے، پھُول کدھر جائے گا
In this poem, Shakir compares fragrance to a person who is not loyal. The air is like their secret loves, and the flower is the person who is being cheated. Shakir often used other comparisons too. For example, titlī (butterfly) for a Romeo, bādal (cloud) for love, bārish (rain) for affection, āṅdhī (storm) for problems, and chāṅd (moon) for feeling lonely. Here is an example about loneliness using the moon:
- English translation:
All are passengers All share the fate I, alone here on Earth! He, alone there in the sky!
- Urdu:
ایک سے مُسافر ہیں ایک سا مقدّر ہے میں زمین پر تنہا! اور وہ آسمانوں میں!
Some of her ghazals have become very famous in Urdu literature. Another well-known couplet talks about how smart young people are today:
- English translation:
They insist upon catching the firefly in daylight The children of our age, have grown wiser
- Urdu:
جگنو کو دن کے وقت پرکھنے کی ضد کریں بچّے ہمارے عہد کے چالاک ہو گئے
Free Verse
Shakir's free verse poems are bolder than her ghazals. They explore social issues and topics that people usually don't talk about openly. These include unfairness between genders, discrimination, love for one's country, dishonesty, and how the human mind works. Her free verse was, and still is, seen as very modern in Pakistan.
Besides topics about women, Shakir also used free verse to write about money problems. She wrote about how society often takes advantage of weak and poor people. Many of her poems talk about the hard lives of low-income workers. For example, her poem "Steel Mills Worker" describes the tough conditions and long hours workers face every day. It also shows how these workers are not appreciated.
Another poem, "We Are All Dr Faustus," talks about corruption among rich and powerful people. She believed that rich people achieve their goals but at a high cost. She used these ideas to criticize economic systems like capitalism.
Shakir's free verse poems can be short or long. Most have a main theme, while some are written like a "stream of consciousness," where thoughts flow freely.
Parveen Shakir was known for using pop culture references and English words in her poems. This was often seen as unusual in Urdu poetry. For example, her poem Departmental Store Mein (In a Departmental Store) uses an English title. She also used words like "natural pink," "hand lotion," "shade," "scent," and "pack." She even mentioned makeup brands like Pearl, Revlon, Elizabeth Arden, and Tulip in the poem. Other examples are her poems Nun, Duty, Flower show, and Picnic.
Some of Shakir's free verse poems were inspired by or translated from other writers. For example, "Wasteland" was inspired by T. S. Eliot's poem. "Benasab Wirsay Ka Bojh" (The Burden of Illegitimate Inheritance) is a translation of W. B. Yeats' "Leda and the Swan." "Banafshay Ka Phool" (A Violet) was inspired by William Wordsworth's "A Violet under a hidden rock."
Poetic Themes
Parveen Shakir's poems are famous for exploring sensitive topics that were rarely discussed, especially by women. Her poems aimed to cover all parts of being a woman. This included the difficulties of love, the limits and social pressures women face, and the need for women to be more visible in all parts of society.
One special thing about Shakir's writing is her use of female pronouns. She used both "I" (first person) and "she" (third person) to make femininity normal in poetry. This was important in Urdu poetry, which was traditionally more focused on men.
Through her ghazals, she continued to use a female voice through her grammar choices. This gave a voice to women and their experiences. Shakir's own life greatly influenced her writing style and topics. For example, her difficult divorce meant she lost custody of her son because of Pakistani law. This event was a big reason why her writing focused so much on women's issues in society. Many of her poems talk about the unfairness women face, especially as a divorced woman in a more traditional country.
Legacy and Impact
Parveen Shakir's poetry was very well-received. After her early death, she is now considered one of the best and most important modern poets in the Urdu language. She is called a "great poetess." Her poetry has been compared to that of Iranian poet Forough Farrokhzad. She is seen as one of the writers who bravely challenged traditions by showing the "female experience" in Urdu poetry.
Her poems were special because they showed and even encouraged freedom of expression for women. She was not afraid to write about taboo topics. Instead, she used them to create powerful poems that questioned how much women depended on men. Because of her experiences with Pakistani traditions, experts believe she used her poems to offer a safe space for women fighting against unfair treatment, especially in South Asian culture.
Her first and most famous book, Khushbu, was very important in this way. In her writing, Shakir explored the theme of separation. Her book looked at separation not just as being emotionally alone, but also as unfairly losing social standing as a woman without a man. Her poems hinted at what a man provided for a woman, not just emotionally and physically, but also financially and in terms of what society expected.
Many other poets and the media have praised Shakir's work. One source said, "Parveen... seems to have captured the best of Urdu verse... Because of [her] style and range of expressions one will be intrigued and... entertained by some soul-stirring poetry." Another praised "her rhythmic flow and polished wording."
Iftikhar Arif, a well-known literary figure in Pakistan, praised Parveen Shakir. He said she impressed young people with her varied topics and realistic poetry. He also noted that she added "a new dimension to the traditional theme of love by giving expression to her emotions in a simple and clear style."
The Delhi Recorder stated that Shakir "has given the most beautiful female touch to Urdu poetry."
Shakir's work in writing, teaching, and government service inspired many women. After learning about Shakir's pioneering career, many women decided to join jobs that rarely had women before, such as journalism and public service.
In 2011, the poet Paiker-e-Hussain made the first major selection of Shakir's work translated into English. In 2019, 100 of Shakir's poems were translated into English by Naima Rashid. Oxford University Press published them under the title "Defiance of the Rose."
Parveen Shakir Urdu Literature Festival
Because of Parveen Shakir's huge impact in the world of poetry, the Parveen Shakir Trust was started in 1994. This Trust now holds the Parveen Shakir Urdu Literature Festival every year in Islamabad. During the festival, poems from various poets, including Parveen Shakir, are shown. This helps create interest in traditional Pakistani writing and poetry. The festival especially aims to get young people interested in this type of study, but it welcomes everyone. The organizers say the event honors past writers, keeps their influence alive, and encourages creativity.
Awards and Honors
Shakir's first book, Khushboo, won the Adamjee Literary Award in 1976. Later, she received the Pride of Performance in 1990. This is one of Pakistan's highest honors.
After her death, her close friend, Parveen Qadir Agha, set up the Parveen Shakir Trust. The Trust holds a yearly event and gives out the "Aks-e-Khushbu" award.
Commemorative Postage Stamp
In 2013, the Pakistan Post Office issued a special postage stamp worth 10 Rupees. This stamp honored Parveen Shakir on the 19th anniversary of her death.
Google Doodle Tribute
On 24 November 2019, Google celebrated Parveen Shakir's 67th birthday with a special Google Doodle on its homepage.
Personal Life
Birth and Education
Parveen was born on 24 November 1952 in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
She was highly educated. She earned two bachelor's degrees, one in English literature and another in linguistics. She also earned two MA degrees in the same subjects from the University of Karachi. She also had a PhD and another MA degree in Bank Administration.
In 1982, Shakir passed the Central Superior Services (CSS) Examination. This is a very competitive exam for government jobs. In 1991, she earned an MA degree in public administration from Harvard University in the United States.
Family and Death
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Parveen Shakir married a Pakistani doctor named Syed Naseer Ali. They had a son, Syed Murad Ali. However, their marriage did not last, and they got divorced.
On 26 December 1994, Parveen was on her way to work in Islamabad when her car crashed into a bus. She died in the accident. This was a great loss to the world of Urdu poetry.
The road where the accident happened is now named Parveen Shakir Road in sector F-7 Islamabad, in her memory.
Books by Parveen Shakir
Here is a list of the books Parveen Shakir published. The English translation of each title is in italics.
Poetry Collections
- خوشبو • "Khushbu" (1976) – Fragrance
- صد برگ • "Sad-barg" (1980) – Marsh Marigold
- خود کلامی • "Khud-kalaami" (1990) – Soliloquy
- اِنکار • "Inkaar" (1990) – Refusal
- ماہِ تمام • "Maah-e-Tamaam" (1994) – Full Moon (This book collects the ones listed above)
- کفِ آئینہ • "Kaf-e-Aa'ina" – The Mirror's Edge (Released after her death, with writings from her diaries)
Prose (Essays and Articles)
- گوشہ چشم • "Gosha-e-Chashm" – Corner of the eye (A collection of her newspaper articles)
See also
In Spanish: Parveen Shakir para niños
- Ghazal
- Ada Jafri
- Fehmida Riaz
- Kishwar Naheed
- Forough Farrokhzad
