Parveen Shakir ( ur, ; 24 November 1952 – 26 December 1994) was a Pakistani poet, teacher and a civil servant of the

government of Pakistan The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provin ...

. She is best known for her poems, which brought a distinctive feminine voice to

Urdu literature Urdu literature ( ur, , ) is literature in the Urdu language. While it tends to be dominated by poetry, especially the verse forms of the ''ghazal '' غزل and ''nazm '' نظم, it has expanded into other styles of writing, including that of t ...

, and for her consistent use of the rare grammatical feminine gender for the word "lover". Since her death, the "Parveen Shakir Urdu Literature Festival" has been held every year in

Islamabad Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital T ...

in her memoriam.

Early career

Parveen Shakir started writing at a very young age. She wrote both prose and poetry, contributed columns in

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

After teaching for nine years, she joined the

Civil Service of Pakistan The Central Superior Services (CSS; or Civil Service) is a permanent elite civil service authority, and the civil service that is responsible for running the bureaucratic operations and government secretariats and directorates of the Cabinet of ...

and worked in the customs department. In 1986, she was appointed second secretary of the

Central Board of Revenue The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) ( ur, ), formerly known as Central Board of Revenue (CBR), is a federal law enforcement agency of Pakistan that investigates tax crimes, suspicious accumulation of wealth, money-laundering make regulation of ...

(now

Federal Board of Revenue The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) ( ur, ), formerly known as Central Board of Revenue (CBR), is a federal law enforcement agency of Pakistan that investigates tax crimes, suspicious accumulation of wealth, money-laundering make regulation of ...

) in

, Pakistan. In 1976, Parveen Shakir published her first volume of poetry ''

Khushbu Khushbu Sundar (born Nakhat Khan; 29 September 1970) is an Indian actress, politician, film producer and television presenter. She is known for her works predominantly in Tamil, besides Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada films. She is a rec ...

'' (''Fragrance'') to great acclaim. She was awarded one of the highest honours of Pakistan, the

Pride of Performance The Pride of Performance ( ur, ), officially known as Presidential Pride of Performance, is an award bestowed by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to recognize people with "notable achievements in the field of art, science, literature, sports, an ...

, for her outstanding contributions to literature. She subsequently published other volumes of poetry including ''Sad-barg'' (''Marsh Marigold'') in 1980, and ''Khud Kalāmi'' (''Soliloquy'') and ''Inkār'' (''Denial'') in 1990. These poetry books are collected in ''Māh-e-Tamām'' (''Full Moon''). She also published a collection of her newspaper columns, titled ''Gosha-e-Chashm'' (''Corner of the Eye''). ''Kaf-e-Āina'' (''The Mirror's Edge'') was released posthumously with works from her diaries and journals.

Style of poetry

The two main styles she wrote in were

ghazal The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...

and ''āzād nazm'' (

free verse Free verse is an open form of poetry, which in its modern form arose through the French ''vers libre'' form. It does not use consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any musical pattern. It thus tends to follow the rhythm of natural speech. Definit ...

) where she utilized several literary techniques and examined delicate topics to create a full image of the female experience.

''Ghazliat''

Shakir's ''ghazliāt'' are considered "a combination of classical tradition with modern sensitivity", and mainly deal with the feminine perspective on love and romance, and associated themes such as beauty, intimacy, separation, break-ups, distances, distrust, infidelity and disloyalty. Most of Shakir's ''ghazliāt'' contain five to ten couplets, often interrelated. Sometimes, two consecutive couplets may differ greatly in meaning and context, an example of this can be noted in the following couplets: The ''ghazliāt'' rely heavily on metaphors and similes, which are repeatedly and thought-provokingly used to bring force and lyricism in her works. A fine example of this is seen in one of her most famous couplets: Here, Shakir relates fragrance to an unfaithful lover, air to the unfaithful person's secret loves, and flower to the person being cheated. Other metaphors Shakir commonly uses are ''titlī'' (butterfly) for a Romeo, ''bādal'' (cloud) for one's love, ''bārish'' (rain) for affection, ''āṅdhī'' (storm) for difficulties and ''chāṅd'' (moon) for loneliness. An example with the central theme of loneliness using the moon as a metaphor is: Some of her ''ghazliāt'' have gained iconic status in

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

The last lines of the poem paint this stark picture vividly. Another one of her poems, "We Are All Dr Faustus", delves deeper into this subject and directly addresses the prevalence of corruption in wealthy and powerful circles of people. She claimed that the rich achieve their goals but at a grave price, and used these arguments to critique economic systems such as

capitalism Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for Profit (economics), profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, pric ...

. The length of Shakir's free verse poems can range from a few to many lines. Most are written with a central theme while some are written in the mode of

stream of consciousness In literary criticism, stream of consciousness is a narrative mode or method that attempts "to depict the multitudinous thoughts and feelings which pass through the mind" of a narrator. The term was coined by Daniel Oliver (physician), Daniel Ol ...

. Parveen Shakir is known for her use of pop culture references and English words and phrases – a practice that is generally considered inappropriate and is criticised in Urdu poetry. An example is the poem ''Departmental Store Mein'' (In a Departmental Store), which is named thus despite the fact that the title could have been substituted with its Urdu equivalent. She also used words like "natural pink", "hand lotion", "shade", "scent" and "pack", and made references to cosmetics brands like Pearl,

Revlon Revlon, Inc. is an American multinational company dealing in cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, and personal care. The headquarters of Revlon was established in New York City on March 1, 1932, where it still remains. Revlon was founded by brothe ...

Elizabeth Arden Elizabeth Arden (born Florence Nightingale Graham; December 31, 1881 – October 18, 1966) was a Canadian-American businesswoman who founded what is now Elizabeth Arden, Inc., and built a cosmetics empire in the United States. By 1929, s ...

and Tulip in the poem. Other examples are her poems ''Ecstasy'', ''Nun'', ''Duty'', ''Flower show'', and ''Picnic''. Shakir's free verse also contains a few credited works and poems that are translations of, or inspired by, other authors. Examples are "Wasteland", a poem inspired by Eliot's poem of the same name, "''Benasab Wirsay Ka Bojh''" (The Burden of Illegitimate Inheritance), a translation of

Yeats William Butler Yeats (13 June 186528 January 1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and became a pillar of the Irish litera ...

' "Leda and the Swan", and "''Banafshay Ka Phool''" (A Violet), inspired by

Wordsworth William Wordsworth (7 April 177023 April 1850) was an English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication ''Lyrical Ballads'' (1798). Wordsworth's ' ...

's "A Violet under a hidden rock".

Poetic themes

Parveen Shakir's poems are known for their in-depth exploration of sensitive topics rarely talked about, especially for women. Her poems aimed to encompass all parts of being a woman, from the innocence to the start of being conscious of one's own sexuality, and more adult struggles as well. These include the hardships of love, the restrictions and social pressures faced uniquely by women, and the need for women to be more represented in all areas of society. One aspect of writing that Shakir is particularly known for is her introduction of female pronouns, both first person and third person, as a way to normalize femininity in poetry, specifically within the realm of Urdu poetry, a traditionally masculine field. Through her ghazals in particular, she continued to embody a feminine voice through grammatical choices, giving a voice to females and the female experience. Shakir's personal life was extremely influential in the choice of style and topic that she chose to pursue. An example of this would be the tumultuous divorce between her and her husband, which resulted in her losing custody of her son due to

Pakistani law The law of Pakistan is the law and legal system existing in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Pakistani law is based upon the legal system of British India; thus ultimately on the common law of England and Wales. History Following the establish ...

. This event was one of the reasons her writing focused heavily on women's issues in regards to their place in society. Many of her poems lament the discrimination women face, especially as a divorcee living in a more conservative country.

Legacy

Parveen Shakir's poetry was well-received, and after her untimely death she is now considered one of the best and "most prominent" modern poets Urdu language has ever produced. Hailed as a "great poetess," her poetry has drawn comparisons to that of Iranian poet

Forough Farrokhzad Forugh Farrokhzad ( fa, فروغ فرخزاد; 28 December 1934 – 14 February 1967) was an influential Iranian poet and film director. She was a controversial modernist poet and an iconoclast,* feminist author.Forugh Farrokhzad died at the age ...

, and she is considered among the breed of writers "regarded as pioneers in defying tradition by expressing the 'female experience' in Urdu poetry." Her poems were unique in the sense that they exposed and even encouraged freedom of expression among women. She did not shy away from taboo themes; instead, she claimed them and used them to create provocative poems that challenge the dependency of women on men. As influenced by her experience with Pakistani tradition, literary analysts suggest she tried to use her poems to offer a refuge for women fighting misogyny, specifically in South Asian culture. Her first and most well-known work, ''

'', was specifically monumental in this regard. In Shakir's writing, she touched on the theme of separation. Shakir's book explored the theme not only in the sense of not only emotionally being alone, but also in regards to unjustly losing social capital as a woman in the absence of a man. Her poems allude to not only what a man provides of her emotionally and physically, but also financially and in terms of societal expectations. Shakir's work has been acknowledged by several other poets and the media in general. A source states, "Parveen ... seems to have captured the best of Urdu verse ... Owing to erstyle and range of expressions one will be intrigued and ... entertained by some soul-stirring poetry." Another praises "her rhythmic flow and polished wording". Pakistan's noted literary figure

Iftikhar Arif Iftikhar Hussain Arif ( ur, ; born 21 March 1944), is an Urdu poet, scholar and littérateur from Pakistan. His style is romantic Urdu poetry. He has headed the Pakistan Academy of Letters and the National Language Authority. He has received t ...

has praised Parveen Shakir for impressing "the young lot through her thematic variety and realistic poetry," for adding "a new dimension to the traditional theme of love by giving expression to her emotions in a simple and pellucid style," and using a "variety of words to convey different thoughts with varying intensities." ''The Delhi Recorder'' has 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 to follow suit. After learning about Shakir's pioneering career, many women decided to join work sectors that seldom contained women before, such as journalism and public service. The first substantial selection of Shakir's work translated into English was made by the poet Paiker-e-Hussain in 2011. In 2019, a collection of 100 selected poems of Shakir were translated into English by Naima Rashid and published by the Oxford University Press under the title "Defiance of the Rose".

Parveen Shakir Urdu Literature Festival

Due to Parveen Shakir's far-reaching impact in the poetry world, the Parveen Shakir Trust was established in 1994. The Trust now hosts the Parveen Shakir Urdu Literature Festival in

every year. During the festival, works from various poets, including Parveen Shakir, are displayed in an attempt to create awareness and interest in traditional Pakistani forms of writing and poetry. The festival particularly targets youth in order to increase the amount of younger individuals dedicated to this type of study, although it welcomes those of all ages who attend. According to the organizers of the festival, the event serves as a way to honor past writers, continue the influence of their writing, and promote creativity among the general public.

Awards and accolades

Shakir's first book, ''Khushboo'', was awarded the Adamjee Literary Award in 1976. Later, she was awarded the

, one of

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

's highest honours in 1990. Upon her death, the Parveen Shakir Trust was established by her close friend, Parveen Qadir Agha. The Parveen Shakir Trust organises a yearly function and gives out the "Aks-e-Khushbu" award.

Commemorative postage stamp

In 2013, Pakistan Post Office issued a commemorative postage stamp of Rupees 10 denomination to honor her on Parveen Shakir's 19th death anniversary. Postage Stamp to mark Parveen's death anniversary
Dawn (newspaper), 23 December 2013, Retrieved 1 June 2019

Tribute

On 24 November 2019,

Google Google LLC () is an American multinational technology company focusing on search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and consumer electronics. ...

celebrated her 67th birthday with a

Google Doodle A Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google's homepages intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and notable historical figures. The first Google Doodle honored the 1998 edition of the long-running an ...

Personal life

Birth

Parveen was born on 24 November 1952 in

Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...

Sindh Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...

Education

Parveen was highly educated. She received two undergraduate degrees, one in

English literature English literature is literature written in the English language from United Kingdom, its crown dependencies, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, and the countries of the former British Empire. ''The Encyclopaedia Britannica'' defines E ...

and the other in

linguistics Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...

, and obtained MA degrees in the same subjects from the

University of Karachi The University of Karachi ( sd, ; informally Karachi University, KU, or UoK) is a public research university located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Established in June 1951 by an act of Parliament and as a successor to the University of Sindh (whic ...

. She also held a PhD, and another MA degree in Bank Administration. In 1982, Shakir qualified for the Central Superior Services (CSS) Examination. In 1991, she obtained an MA degree in

public administration Public Administration (a form of governance) or Public Policy and Administration (an academic discipline) is the implementation of public policy, administration of government establishment (public governance), management of non-profit establ ...

from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

Family and death

Parveen Shakir married a Pakistani doctor, Syed Naseer Ali, with whom she had a son, Syed Murad Ali – but the marriage did not last long and ended in a divorce. On 26 December 1994, Parveen's car collided with a bus while she was on her way to work in Islamabad. The accident resulted in her death, a great loss to the Urdu poetry world. The road on which the accident took place is named after her as Parveen Shakir Road in sector F-7 Islamabad.Parveen Shakir's death anniversary observed
Dawn (newspaper), 27 December 2016, Retrieved 1 June 2019

Books

Following is a list of Shakir's published books. English translation of each book's title follows in italics. Volumes of Poetry * • "''

''" (1976) – ''Fragrance'' * • "''Sad-barg''" (1980) – ''Marsh Marigold'' * • "''Khud-kalaami''" (1990) – ''Soliloquy'' * • "''Inkaar''" (1990) – ''Refusal'' * • "''Maah-e-Tamaam''" (1994) – ''Full Moon'' (Compilation of the books above) * • "''Kaf-e-Aa'ina''" – ''The Mirror's Edge'' (Posthumous release compiling works from diaries) Prose * • "''Gosha-e-Chashm''" – ''Corner of the eye'' (Compilation of newspaper columns)

References

External links

*
Parveen Shakir Ghazals
– Parveen Shakir Ghazals on rekhta.org website
Parveen Shakir Selected Poetry
– The Website has research based segregation of Parveen Shakir's Poetry into Love, Sadness, Social, Political and Religious Poetry

– Parveen Shakir: A Note and Twelve Poems, by C.M. Naim
Hashmi – Five poems by Parveen Shakir, translated by Alamgir Hashmi

Where am I? , Wo bin ich?
Retrieved 19 Jan 2016 {{DEFAULTSORT:Shakir, Parveen 1952 births 1994 deaths Harvard Kennedy School alumni Muhajir people Urdu-language poets from Pakistan Pakistani civil servants Pakistani feminist writers Writers from Karachi 20th-century poets Pakistani women writers 20th-century women writers Road incident deaths in Pakistan Recipients of the Adamjee Literary Award Recipients of the Pride of Performance