Know all about renowned Indian Urdu poet Munawwar Rana

Munawwar Rana - Most loved Urdu Poet in the world

Munawwar Rana (born 26 November 1952) is an Indian Urdu poet & writer and is considered as one of the most successful poets across the Globe. Munawwar Rana was born in Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh in 1952 but spent most of his life in Kolkata. He uses Hindi and Awadhi words and avoids Persian and Arabic. This makes his poetry accessible to Indian audiences and explains his success in poetic meets in non-Urdu areas. Rana's poetry has been published in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali and Gurumukhi.

Most of his close relatives, including his aunts and grandmother, had moved across the border to Pakistan during the upheavals of the Partition. But his father, out of love for India, preferred to remain here, despite the prevailing communal frenzy. His family later moved to Kolkata where the young Munawwar had his schooling.

The notable feature of his poetry is that he used the genre of Ghazal to eulogize Mother, which is unique, as Ghazal was considered a poetic form in which lovers' conversed with each other.

Apart from his poetry collection, Rana has also penned a memoir. Rana's poetry has also been published in Hindi, Urdu, Bangla and Gurumukhi.

Rana is known to be a sensitive poet who uses Hindi and Awadhi words in the couplets. He avoids using flowery language and shuns chaste Urdu in his couplets, which is a reason that he is successful in poetic meets in non-Urdu areas also.

चलती फिरती हुई आँखों से अज़ाँ देखी है  

मैं ने जन्नत तो नहीं देखी है माँ देखी है ।

जब भी कश्ती मेरी सैलाब में आ जाती है  

माँ दुआ करती हुई ख़्वाब में आ जाती है ।

ऐ अँधेरे! देख ले मुँह तेरा काला हो गया, 

माँ ने आँखें खोल दीं घर में उजाला हो गया। 

तेरी यादों ने बख़्शी है हमें ये ज़िन्दगी वरना,

बहुत पहले ही हम क़िस्सा-कहानी हो गये होते!

मैंने कल शब चाहतों की सब किताबें फाड़ दीं, 

सिर्फ़ इक काग़ज़ पे लिक्खा लफ़्ज़ माँ रहने दिया !

मोहब्बत करने वालों में यह झगड़ा दाल देती है,

 सियासत दोस्ती की जड़ में मत्था दाल देती है। 

तवायफ़ की तरह अपने गलत कामों के चेहरे पर 

हुकूमत मंदिर और मस्जिद का पर्दा दाल देती है।  

Awards:

• Sahitya Akademi Award for Urdu Literature (2014). He returned the award about one year later, during the "intolerance" movement started by the civil society activists in the run-up to the 2015 Bihar Legislative Assembly election. He vowed to never again accept a government award. He was accused (along with other Academi award winners) of conspiring to tarnish the image of government).
• Vishisht Rituraj Samman Award under ‘Parampara Kavita Parv 2012’
• Ameer Khusro Award 2006, Itawa
• Kavita ka Kabir Samman Upadhi 2006, Indore
• Mir Taqi Mir Award 2005
• Shahood Alam Afkui Award 2005, Kolkata
• Ghalib Award 2005, Udaipur
• Dr. Zakir Hussain Award 2005, New Delhi
• Saraswati Samaj Award 2004
• Maulana Abdul Razzaq Malihabadi Award 2011 (West Bengal Urdu Academy)
• Saleem Jafri Award 1997
• Dilkush Award 1995
• Rais Amrohvi Award 1993, Raebareli
• Bharti Parishad Award, Allahabad
• Humayun Kabir Award, Kolkata
• Bazm e Sukhan Award, Bhusawal
• Allahabad Press Club Award, prayag
• Hazrat Almas Shah Award
• Saraswati Samaj Award
• Adab Award
• Mir Award
• Maulana Abul Hasan Nadvi Award
• Ustad Bismillah khan Award
• Kabir Award

Books by Munawwar Rana:

• MUHAJIRNAMA
• MAA
• GHAZAL GAON
• BADAN SARAI
• PIPAL CHHAON
• SUKHAN SARAI
• MOR PAON
• SAB USKE LIYE
• GHAR AKELA HO GAYA
• SHAHDABA
• PHUNNAK TAAL
• BAGHAIR NAQSHE KA MAKAN
• DHALAN SE UTARTE HUE
• SAFED JANGALI KABOOTAR
• BAGHAIR NAQSHE KA MAKAN
• DHALAN SE UTARTE HUE
• PHUNNAK TAAL
• SAFED JANGALI KABOOTAR