JEDDAH, 23 June 2004 — In the late 1950s, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy was riding a wave of popularity in Hyderabad. As the first chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, he had endeared himself to both the majority and minority communities. Criticizing a popular politician even on constructive grounds was a difficult proposition for writers of the day. Satirists, therefore, thrived during that time. The most popular Hyderabadi satirist of that era was Sarwar Danda.

His name was repeatedly invoked over the weekend at a humorous poetry session organized here by the Khak-e-Taiba Trust. There was a good reason for that. Danda wrote exclusively in Deccani. As a language, Deccani is crude and unpolished but its beauty lies in its crudeness.

Danda and many before him used this aspect of the language to the hilt in their satirical compositions.

In one of his most famous satires, Danda addressed Sanjeeva Reddy in these memorable Deccani lines: “Hum Bhagyanagar Waale; Toofan Jin Ko Paale/ Ab Ban Gaye Drama; Sanjeeva Reddy Mama.// Police Ki Diary Mein; Dande Ki Shayeri Mein/ Na Full Stop Na Comma; Sanjeeva Reddy Mama.// Taaleem Nayee So Bachche; Niklenge Kaan Se Achche/ Taaleem Tum Dilana; Sanjeev Reddy Mama.”

On Thursday, some of the illustrious contemporaries of Sarwar Danda such as Himayatullah, Ghouse Khahmakhah, Talib Khondmiri, Mustafa Ali Baig, Narendra Luther and Raoof Rahim regaled a select audience at the Saudi-German Hospital Auditorium.

The fact that the session was being held at a hospital was a source of fun for many. Ghouse Khahmakhah of the “Nayee Bole To Sunte Nayeen” fame repeatedly mentioned that this was the first time he was reading his humorous poetry at a hospital and wondered what this meant for the world of Deccani poets.

Mustafa Ali Baig has made a virtue out of composing his poems in what one illustrious reader of Arab News has called “Urdulish” — a delectable combination of Urdu and English.

One of his compositions aptly titled “Angry Ghazal” was fantastic. He was given rapturous applause and he rightly deserved it. “You Don’t Know,” crooned the audience much after the session was over.

Khahmakhah was as usual at his best.

“Muhabbat Mein Meri Biwi Ghazal Ka Sher Lagti Hai; Khafa Ho Jaaye To Baarood Ka Dher Lagti Hai/ Bahot Jaldi Mujhe Bhi Is Liye Ghussa Nahi Aata; Bada Bartan Garm Hone Mein Der Lagti Hai.”

The surprise was Jeddah’s own Aleem Khan Falki. He set the tone of the session with some interesting couplets. The compering by Nayeem Jaweed was excellent.