"Mariz" - by Shakil Kadri

      I have issued a Gujarati book "Mariz" from the central library of MKB university, the book has written by Shakil Kadri, and it contains the writing style of Mariz. “Mariz” is a very important figure in Gujarati literature especially in Gazal writing.

          

      Gazal is a form of poetry which is derived from Urdu language and there are so many Gazals written in Gujarati. Gazal is written in parts, two lines of each stanza can be read separately which is called sher and the combination of all shers creates Gazal.  Shunya Palanpuri and Amrut Ghayal were contemporary writers of Mariz. There are four Gujarati ages in which Gazals have been written and got fame. First is “Bal-Kalapi Yug” second is “Shayada Yug” , Mariz was writing in this period. Third is “Anushayada Yug” and fouth is “Swatantroyttar Yug”.

     

     The real name of Mariz was Abbas ‘Vasi’ and “Mariz” was his pen name as well as he was considered as a patient of an addiction of writing Gazals, so his fellow writers and readers used to call him “Mariz”. His writing was so effective, which touches the human soul, and that is why he was given a name “Gujarat’s Galib”. Galib was a very famous and prominent figure in writing Gazals in Urdu.

Writing Style of Mariz:

1)  Autobiographical elements:

        

        If we read his Gazals and shers we may find deep pain and struggle of life, for example,

“છે તેથી મારી હરેક વાતમાં પરેશાની
પવિત્ર દિલ દીધું જીવન ખરાબ આપીને…”

     He had an addiction of alcohol and that’s why his family has suffered a lot, he has written “Sharabini Vasiyat” (will of an alcoholic) and in this Gazal he wrote to her wife that,

“રડો તો મારી આ પત્નીના હાલ પર રડજો,
એ બદનસીબ છે સંસારમાં સળગતી રહી,

મેં આગ જેટલી પીધી હતી સુરાલયમાં,
એ એની આંચમાં  અંગારમાં સળગતી રહી.”

2) Use of language:

     Mariz has left his studies after completed second standard, and it proves that he has not enough information about use of language but most of his contemporary writers and readers accepts that he has a connection of heart with his gazals, and that connection connects the readers. Mariz considers Gazal as the“Language of heart”...

‘એ તો બની ન શકતે જગતમાં કલા વિના
સમજાય જાય વાત અનુભવ થયાં વિના.’

     

       There are two types of ‘Art’, “Art for art’s sake” and “Art for life’s sake” and here is what Mariz thinks about this.

“જયારે કલા કલા નહી જીવન બની જશે,
મારું કવન જગતનું નિવેદન બની જશે.
જે કંઇ હું મેળવીશ હંમેશાં નહીં રહે
જે કંઇ  તું આપશે એ સનાતન બની જશે.”

           

        It suggests that Art should be not only art but it should be deeply connected with life, and whatever artist will gain, it will not remain immortal, but whatever the reader will gain from art is eternal.

3) Sufi Gazals:

      “Sufis” are those people who follow the rules of Quran which has emerged from the mysterious and miracle stories of Muhammad Paigambar. “Sufi” has not any boundries of religion. It’s all about leaving world and leading towards God, Khuda. here is one sher by Mariz,

“ન ધર્મ ભેદ છે એમાં, ન એની જાત 'મરીઝ
આ અલ્લાહ, અલ્લાહ ગઝલ છે કે રામ રામ ગઝલ.”

             

       There are varieties in the Gazals of Mariz, like poverty, love, division and Liquor.

Here is one sher by him aabout poverty,

“જાણે છે સૌ ગરીબ કે વસ્તુ ઘણી 'મરીઝ'
ઇશ્વરથી પણ વિશેષ નિરાકાર હોય છે.”

One more about his way of looking towards God,

“જો એ ખબર પડે તો કેટલી મજા પડે
ઇશ્વર જગતમાં કોનો તરફદાર હોય છે”

      This was just the writing style of Mariz,  but the collection of writings are available on web named “Samagra Mariz”  at last I would like to conclude with one of his sher about love,

“હા, સૌને પ્રેમ કરવા લીધોતો મેં જનમ... વચમાં તમે જરાક વધારે ગમી ગયા...”