|
Participating poets at a recent event
L to R: Dr Zafar Iqbal, Ambassador A.K. Singh, Dr Maina Singh, and Ms Rashmi Sanan
Participating poets
A section of the audience
Building Cultural Bridges: The Remarkable Journey of Washington’s Mushaira–Kavi Sammelan
By Zafar Iqbal, PhD
The annual Mushaira–Kavi Sammelan, hosted by the Aligarh Alumni Association of Metro Washington (AAA-DC) in association with the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin–Metro Washington (GOPIO-Metro DC), has grown into one of the region’s most cherished literary and cultural traditions. Launched in 2008, it was the first event in the Metro-Washington area to mark the subcontinent’s Independence Day (Yaum-e-Azadi) through a joint celebration of Urdu and Hindi poetic heritage. Conceived by Drs A. Abdullah and Renuka Misra, along with this writer (Dr. Zafar Iqbal), in collaboration with AAA-DC and GOPIO-Metro DC, the program has become a vibrant expression of South Asia’s Ganga–Jamuni tehzeeb.
- A significant milestone came in 2011 when the Embassy of India joined AAA-DC and GOPIO-Metro DC to co-host the first international, bilingual Mushaira–Kavi Sammelan. Encouraged by the late Dr. Virandar Paul, an esteemed AIIMS New Delhi colleague and (then) Minister at the Embassy, this partnership elevated the gathering into a crucial platform for cultural diplomacy. The Embassy’s ongoing support has further enhanced the program’s prestige and reach.
Each year, the Mushaira–Kavi Sammelan features distinguished poets representing the rich traditions of Urdu and Hindi literature. The event serves as a bridge across languages and cultures, celebrating shared metaphors, idioms, and artistic sensibilities. Its diverse audience—students, families, new immigrants, long-time residents, and members of the diplomatic corps—reflects its success in promoting interfaith harmony, cross-cultural understanding, and intergenerational appreciation for South Asian literature.
This year’s Mushaira–Kavi Sammelan held special significance as the inaugural event of AAA-DC’s Golden Jubilee celebrations. Several community organizations co-sponsored the program, including the Association of Indian Muslims, the Hyderabad Association of the Washington Metro Area, Montgomery Nawabs, the Global Beat Foundation, Bazm-e-Harf-o-Sukhan, and R K Biosciences. Previous events have also been supported by the University of Karachi Alumni Association of Metro Washington and Baltimore, the National Council of Asian Indian Associations, and the Indian Cultural Coordination Committee.
A hallmark of this annual gathering is its encouragement of literary creativity across the South Asian diaspora. Over the years, it has hosted numerous book releases and welcomed celebrated writers such as Prof. Satyapal Anand, Prof. Asghar Wajahat, Dr. A. Abdullah, Dr. K. Mohan, Dr. Raj Kumar Qais, Mr. Anadi Naik, Dr. Astha Naval, Mr. Dhananjaya Kumar, Dr. Zaheer Parvez, Ms. Rashmi Sanan, Ms. Nuzaira Azam, Ms. Farah Kamran, Mr. Surinder Deol, Ms. Daler Deol Aashna, Dr. Salman Akhtar, and the late Prof. Gopichand Narang.
- The Washington metropolitan area continues to nurture a vibrant community of poets whose voices enrich the region’s cultural landscape. Since its inception, the Mushaira–Kavi Sammelan has welcomed more than 90 poets from across the United States and Canada, firmly establishing the program as a cornerstone of South Asian literary expression in the nation’s capital.
- Poets who have participated in the Mushaira–Kavi Sammelan include: A. Abdullah, Abdur Rahman Siddiqi, Akram Mahmood, Anis Chaudhary, Arif Mahmood, Arooj Roshni, Ashok Narayan, Astha Naval, Aziz Qureshi, Baqar Zaidi, Bhupinder Katohora, Bina Goindi, Daler Deol Aashna, Dhananjaya Kumar, Farah Kamran, Fayyazuddin Saieb, Gajinder Singh Ahuja, Gulshan Madhur, Haris Hasan, Harish Naval, Harvinder Kamna, Ishrat Afreen, Jamal Qadri, K. Mohan, Khurram Yousufzai, Kiran Nath, Krishnakumar Singh Mayank, Madhu Maheshwari, Marghub Alam, Mohammad Anwar, Mohammad Hussain Imam, Mohammed Akbar, Mohammed Jaweed, Naiyyar Jahan, Narendra Tandon, Naseem Farogh, Naseem Sayyed, Natwar Gandhi, Nisha Narayan, Panna Nayak, Preethi Govindraj, Qamar Kazmi, Raj Kumar Raaz, Rajkumar Qais, Rakesh Khandelwal, Rashmi Sanan, Razi Raziuddin, Rekha Maitra, Rizwan Ali, Saad Hadi, Sabiha Saba, Sadiq Bajwa, Salahuddin Nasir, Saroj Joshi, Sarwar Iqbal, Sarwat Parvez, Sarwat Zehra, Shahida Kazmi, Shakila Rafeeq, Shamsa Najam, Sneh Sudha, Sukesh Chopra, Suman Shukla, Suman Vardan, Surender Deol, Tabassum Jabeen, Tahira Rida, Tasneem Abdi, Uday Kamath, Vandana Singh, Vinita Tiwari, Vishakha Thaker, Yusuf Rahat, and Zaheer Parvez.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Back to Pakistanlink Homepage
|
