My Creative Experience
I believe that the destination of literature is to realize the extreme points of the epical grandeur of life. My poetic experience shows that epical grandeur reveals two phases of its essential being:
First there is eternal dignity of man that is everlasting distinction of individuality which has its claims beyond time and space beyond the mundane side of nationalism beyond the static designs of human consciousness and perhaps beyond the lifeless superstructure of religion that distorts its spiritual origins. My friends! This statement of mine is not some hollow abstraction but this extreme point of the spiritual claims of individuality can be expressed in the words of Tagore Words that shimmer musically in the 5th verse of Lovers gift; “but would be content with the smallest corner of this earth if only she were mine.”
Second phase of Epical grandeur of life highlights the thrilling vastness of concrete as well as of subtle universe while establishing the close relationship with social life of man. It includes such concepts that are related to the aesthetic patterns of great nature racial enigma’s far-off horizons of time & space and above all invincible self-respect of man in the perspective of permanent sociopolitical dignity.
I think a sense of dominant justice especially an intense justice of conscience should remain in the center of this poetic sensibility. My poetic experience tells me that this epical grandeur cannot be attained without realizing all ordeal of agony. We can enlist so many causes of this agony such as some kinds of political oppression social injustice some violent dualities of mind and the existential tensions or restless questionings of “to be or not to be” (Hamlet). A literate mind must be sensitive enough to register its protest against such dark situations. A poet must confront the monstrous fear of final extinction of human existence when a state of permanent oblivion arises in case of a nation a religion or a race the spirit of literature reconstructs a fresh vision of perennial hope fills this void of nonexistence and in this process illumines the epical grandeur of life.
While standing amidst internal inertia of life and death the spiritual and creative urge of Man is destined to declare emphatically in all forms of great literature say: novel drama or short story. This Context inspires me to quote Mulana Rum: I am sick of these sluggish spiritual companions.
But the next step of this tragic insight envisions the complete journey of life unassuming all death centers into a victorious flow of human dignity I take liberty to quote Maulalla Rum again: I want lion spiritual heroes such as Ali and Rustam. I think the lyrical slogans of the invincibility of man in literature would become a boast or lifeless abstraction if it doesn’t supply enough social/political reality of sighs groans & torments to its roots to the background of its vision & imaginative flights Without overcoming the lower depths of grim reality and excruciating dilemmas of humanity the flight of literacy as the world losses its majesty of epical grandeur in the absence of actual pain victory becomes an illusion. In this context even our sweet Igbal the profound & intense singer of this sub-continent baffles his readers when sometimes the Muses don’t allow his voluntarism that is his to attain a handsome harmony with the agony of Islam.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 4, 1992
