Book Review: Maharaja Kishan Pershad `Shad', a poet par excellence

Book Review By Syed Akbar

Guldasta-e-Shad
(A collection of poems by Maharaja Kishan Pershad ‘Shad’, prime minister
to the Nizam VI & VII)
Publisher: AP Urdu Academy, Hyderabad
Pages: 230
Price: Rs 200

The history of Hyderabad revolves around love and religious tolerance.Maharaja Kishan Pershad, the prime minister to the Nizam VI and VII, was the epitome of religious tolerance, or in short the Hyderabad tehzeeb or culture. Besides being an able administrator, the Maharaja was a poet par excellence.
He penned hundreds of couplets in Urdu and several of them have been lying unpublished all these decades. The AP Urdu Academy has brought out a collection of Maharaja Kishan Pershad's unpublished poems, Guldasta-e-Shad (Bouquets of Shad) that have been the prized possession of Dr Sheela Raj and Dr Narayan Raj.
The Urdu Academy also came out with another publication on the Maharaja, highlighting his contribution to government, State and society. This publication, "Nazr-e-Shad", is a collection of articles by eminent scholars,
academicians and the elite class.
The Maharaja's couplets take one deep into the realms of philosophy, religion, societal and moral values, while highlighting his love for the poor and the downtrodden, They also tell us about his dedication to the Almighty. Sample these couplets from the new publication.

Teray hi dar ka bhikari hoon tu he hai data
Shad ko sub teray chowkat ka gada kahtay hain.
(I am the beggar at your door as you are the giver,
Everyone says that Shad is the beggar at your door step.)

Kohi duniya se naheen apni khushi se jata
Hai-e-Firman-e-Khuda  jis ko qaza kahtay hain
(No one leaves the world happily.
It is the order of the God which is called death.)

Meray kareem!  Atakar jo thujsee  mein mangoon
Hai vasta thuje bas apni kibriaye ka
(O my Lord, please grant me whatever I ask
because you are concerned only with your grandeur)

Chala jata hoom har rahrow ke pheechey
Khuda janay meri manzil kahan hai.
(I follow each and every wayfarer (traveller)
God only knows my destination.)

The Guldasta-e-Shad was carefully compiled by Prof Habeeb Zia. The poems and verses were composed by ‘Shad’ during the period 1928 to 1938. These poems/verses were taken from two unpublished "Bayas’ of Maharaja, which were preserved  by Raja Narsing Raj ‘Aali’  (a reputed poet of Deccan) and later by Dr Sheela Raj (a distinguished scholar and historian).
The book comprises of Naat, Hamd, Salam, Rubaiyat, Qatat, Qasida, Geet, Thumri, etc. in which ‘Shad’ has expressed his thoughts on various topics.
At one place Maharaja expressed his thoughts thus: Gada ho Shah ho aa Shad Saail ho ke Moti ho
Khuda ke Ghar se sab apna muqaddar lay ke aa tay  hain" It means that a man be a beggar or king or faqir or donor, he cannot go beyond the irony of fate. He has to face the will of God.
There are many stanzas on the historical topics. Maharaja's ideas expressed in verse stir up the heart.

Sulahkul Policy aa Shad hai sub se Acchi
Jis ke dil mei hai taassub kabhi acha na raha

It means that policy of peace is the  best policy in the world because the man,
who sows the seeds of prejudice in his  heart, can never be successful.

The book is an excellent source of information to research scholars and
academicians and makes an interesting  reading to all.