Lucknow,

Nov 10 (HS): If I were to mention my literary encounters with Tashna Kanpuri

Sahib and forget this encounter in Firozpur, my memories would be incomplete.

There was an occasion in Firozpur when I had the opportunity to share a room

with Tashna Sahib. This wasn't just a one-night or a few hours-long encounter,

but a memorable experience of observing his personality closely and

understanding his temperament.

In

Mushairas, we generally know a poet by his poetry, style of recitation and his

presence on stage, but when we get a chance to spend time in a room with the

same poet, many such aspects of his personality come to the fore which are not

visible in the lights of the stage.

Tashna

Kanpuri Sahib was a deeply sincere, loving, and welcoming person. He possessed warmth

that transformed even formal interactions into a casual one. Spending time with

him made one feel that he was not just a poet, but also a person who truly

valued relationships.

In

my view, a person's true greatness is also measured by how they treat others,

despite their fame and literary reputation. Being a great poet is one thing,

but being a great human being is even more important. Tashna Sahib's

open-mindedness and loving attitude created a special place for him in my

heart.

After

this visit to Firozpur, whenever I met him, I felt a sense of humanity and familiarity

in our relationship. Over time, our literary closeness remained intact, and his

memories became ever more cherished in my mind.

A

poet who is always in search of new lands and new subjects: One of Tashna

Kanpuri's qualities was that he constantly sought new avenues for poetry. He

would compose poetry in new terrains, contemplate new topics, and strive to

continue his creative journey. Creating freshness in poetry is no easy task. On

the one hand, a poet must maintain a connection with his language and literary

traditions, while on the other, he must also understand the changing feelings

and experiences of his era. A good poet doesn't simply repeat past successful

traditions, but also adds his own personal touch to them through his

observation and creative ability.

Look

at these verses from Tashna Sahab's ghazal: These strange shadows were fooled

like this, how long will my loneliness cry clinging to me? This couplet

resonates with the voice of someone who has experienced loneliness and is now

questioning their own loneliness. The imagery of strange shadows evokes a state

of inner being in which a person possesses memories, but lacks the solace

associated with them. Loneliness comes in many forms. Sometimes, a person feels

lonely when they are away from others, and sometimes, even when surrounded by

people, they feel a void within. Sometimes, instead of providing support,

memories of the past deepen their loneliness. Tashna Sahib has summed up this

situation in two lines. The word how long in the couplet is not

just a question, but also an expression of the restlessness arising from a

continuous situation.

There

is another couplet from the same ghazal: Every day there is a new problem in

every village of mine. Friends, for how long will you continue to be kind to

me? In this couplet, along with the difficulties of life, there is also the

feeling of a person who expects love and support from his friends, but is also

aware of the fact that ultimately a person has to decide the journey of life

himself. The help of friends, their prayers, and their love are certainly the

treasures of life, but a person's own courage and self-confidence are also

essential. The poet's lamentable nature brings him closer to human experience.

The speciality of Tashna Sahab's poetry is that he brings forward such topics

with which even a common man can feel connected.

Truth,

face and human essence: This couplet from his ghazal also seems particularly

significant to me: One day the reflection of the heart will emerge on the face,

how long will your eyes hide the truth. In life, humans try to hide many

things. Sometimes they hide their sorrow behind a smile, sometimes they turn

their troubles into silence, and sometimes they refrain from expressing their

heart's feelings in words. But feelings have their own expressions. Eyes,

facial expressions, and changes in tone often convey what the tongue tries to

conceal.

Tashna

Sahib has expressed this expression of truth through the reflection of the

heart and the eyes. The basic idea of this couplet is that it is not possible

to keep reality hidden forever. At some stage, a person's inner self

establishes a relationship with their outer self. Reading this couplet, one

realizes that poetry is about understanding the stories hidden behind human

faces. Through observation, the poet recognizes those qualities that the

ordinary eye often overlooks.

Question

of weather's ravages and queens: Tashna Kapuri Sahib has said in this ghazal:

The

glow on the face vanishes due to the ravages of the weather. How long can the

queens remain in their attire? The vagaries of the weather are particularly

striking here. Seasons change, circumstances shift, and the attitudes of

characters on the stage of life also change. These changes impact a person's

personality. By referring to the glow of the face and the elegance of the

dress, the poet has raised the question that how long can the outward charm

remain intact when the circumstances of life are constantly changing?

The

elegance of clothes and the glow of the face can be considered as signs of

external beauty, but the passage of time also reminds a person that the real

value of life lies not merely in appearance, but in character, feelings and

humanity. The connection established in this couplet between the changing

seasons and external beauty points to the changes in life. Time leaves its

impact on every person, and perhaps that is why one must seek one's true

identity beyond external splendor.

The

intensity of past feelings and the shadows of memories: The last couplet of the

ghazal also helps in understanding the current state of Tishna Sahib: My past

torments me in my imagination, how long will the winds of intensity of feeling

continue to blow? In this couplet, memories of the past emerge as a state that

cannot be easily forgotten. Some memories bring joy, some bring sadness, and

some bring a person back to those moments that they cannot forget even if they

wanted to.

The

past isn't just about past events, it's also about the feelings that

accompanied them. Sometimes the memory of a meeting brings a smile to the face

even years later, and sometimes the feeling of separation lingers in the heart

despite the passage of time.

Tashna

Sahib has combined the intensity of feeling with the ambiance of the east. This

technique creates a sense of warmth, a constant presence of memories and the

influence of the past.

Reading

this couplet, I recall many scenes from my own literary life. In this journey

spanning more than half a century, I've attended so many mushairas, met so many

poets, traveled with so many friends, and met so many personalities who, over

time, have become a part of my memories. Today, when some of them are no longer

among us, the moments spent with them seem even more precious. The memory of

staying in the same room with Tashna Kanpuri Sahib in Firozpur is also included

in those precious moments.

Request

for phone calls and prayers in the last days: There is one aspect of my

relationship with Tashna Kanpuri Sahib which even today creates a strange

feeling in my heart when I remember it. In his final days, he was in touch with

me frequently. We would talk on the phone, inquire about my well-being, and at

the end of our conversation, he would ask for prayers. This style of his will

always be memorable to me. This conversation over the phone may seem like a

simple everyday thing, but when a person leaves this world, these simple things

turn into the most precious memories of life.

At

the time, we may not realize how great a blessing it is to hear someone's

voice, to inquire about their well-being, and to pray for them. But after

separation, these moments remain treasured in the heart. Tashna Sahib's

repeated requests for prayers remind me of his humanity, openness, and

appreciation for mutual connections. I don't view my association with him

merely as a relationship between one poet and another, but rather as a memory

of a sincere person who earned a place in my heart with his love and affection.

Today he is not among us, but the memories of his voice, his poetry and his

loving conversations are with me.

It's

the custom of life that a person departs, but the feelings they left behind

linger: Sometimes through a couplet, sometimes through an old photograph, and

sometimes through a memory that suddenly knocks at the heart's door. When I

read Tashna Sahib's poetry, I recall many facets of her personality. His poems

about loneliness reveal his feelings, his poems about human nature remind me of

life's experiences, and poems expressing self-respect reveal a brave person.

Much more could be written about his literary life and his poetry, but for me

his most important memory is his sincere nature and loving attitude.

One

prayer, one remembrance and one tribute of faith: Tishna Kanpuri Sahib passed

away on December 12, 2025, but the memories associated with him remain vivid for

me. Our first meeting at a mushaira in Chandigarh, a series of meetings at

various literary gatherings through Faiyaz Farooqui Sahib, sharing a room in

Firozpur, and phone contact until the last days—these are all such memories of

this literary journey of my life that I cannot forget. I

saw in him a sincere, loving, and constantly engaged person with poetry. He was

constantly exploring new poetic possibilities, and his work reflects life's

varied experiences.

Today,

while taking up the pen in his memory, my only wish is to preserve those

aspects of his poetry and his personality which are a part of my own

observation and connection. There

are many ways to remember a person in the world of literature, but in my

opinion the most beautiful way is to remember his humanity along with his art.

Tishna

Kanpuri Sahab's poetry is one thing, but his love, sincerity and the way he

asks for blessings are also an unforgettable part of his personality for me.

May Allah Ta'ala grant complete forgiveness to Tashna Kanpuri Sahab, fill his

grave with light, grant him a high place in Jannatul-Firdaus and grant complete

patience to his family, friends and all his admirers.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi