"Ada Jafri is the first and only lady Poet who carries in her poetry the eternal colours of Ghalib, Iqbal and Jigar." (Jazib Qureshi). The sad day of the March 12 marked the end of the luminous chapter of Urdu literature. The first lady of the Urdu poetry Ada Jafri left the literary scene on March 12 and has created a vacuum, which cannot be fulfilled easily. Ada Jafri known for her poetry that surrounds with the beauty of emotions, traditional sensuality, and cultural values. She was a prominent figure of contemporary Urdu literature. She had left deep marks in male dominated poetic world.
Ada was born in 1924 in Badayun, India. Ada entered in poetry world as Ada Badayuni but after her marriage, she expressed her poetic art with the name Ada Jafri. Her poetic expedition spanned over seven decades. She wrote her first verse at the age of 9 years. Even though belonged to a traditional society, she got encouragement from her mother and then after marriage from her husband Nurul Hasan Jafri.
She married Nurul Hasan Jafri on January 29, 1947 in Lucknow, India. Nurul Hasan Jafri, a Civil Servant, rose to the highest ranks in the federal government and was posted periodically in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore, and Ada's writing also moved with the family. Nurul Hasan Jafri himself had a literary bent and was a frequent contributor to both Urdu and English newspaper columns. He also served as the President of the Anjuman-e-Taraqi-e-Urdu. Nurul Hasan, a major inspiration to Ada's writing, passed away on December 3, 1995.
Ada's literary work mainly consists of ghazals, she also successfully experimented with Azad Nazm and Urdu Haiku. Ada Jafri's first ghazal was published in Akhtar Sheerani's magazine, Roman, in 1945. She published her first book "Main Saaz Dhundtee Rahee" in 1950. Her book, 'Ghazal Numa', containing short essays with short biographies and brief commentaries on the work of previous Urdu poets was published in 1987.
In addition to this research work, Ada has published five collections of poetry. ('Shahr-i-Dard', 'Ghazalan, Tum to Waqif Ho!', 'Harf-i-Shanasai', 'Safar Baqi', and 'Mausam, Mausam'). In addition to her autobiography ("Jo Rahi so Be Khabri Rahi"), she also published her collection of Urdu Haiku, "Sazi Sukhn Bahana hai." Her ghazal, "Honton pih kabhi un ke mera nam hi aye" got countrywide popularity.
Ada Jafri had received acclaims for her outstanding literary achievements. She was awarded the Adamjee Award in 1967 for her second poetic collection 'Shehr-e-Dard'. In recognition of her work, the Government of Pakistan awarded her the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz in 1981. She received the Baba-e-Urdu Award from the Pakistan Academy of Letters in 1994 and the Quid-e-Azam Literary Award in 1997.
In 1955, Hamdard Foundation, New Delhi recognized her as the "Outstanding Female Poet of the Century." The Government of Pakistan presented her the Pride of Performance Award for Literature in 2002.
Ada Jafri was the recipient of the "Kamal-e-Fan" Award for lifetime achievement in literature by the Pakistan Academy of Letters in 2003. She was also the recipient of the Hamdard Foundation of Pakistan's Certificate of Merit. She was the recipient of various international awards from literary societies in North America and Europe. She is the first woman recipient of the award since the literary prize was established by the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) in 1997.
Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL), Chairman, Dr Muhammad Qasim Bughio in a condolence message said that Ada Jaffri's demise is a great loss to Urdu literature. The chairman said that Ada Jaffri's books "Main Saaz Dhoondti Rahi", "Ghazala Tum to Waqif Ho", "Harf-i-Shanasai", 'Safar Baqi' and 'Jo Rahi Sau Be Khabri Rahi' are great assets for Urdu literature. She wrote her autobiography with progressive thinking.
Ada Jafri had politeness of expression in her poetry. Her poetic approach portrays famous poet William Wardswarth words who once said, "Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. It takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility."
A close relative "Mrs. Rehana Bukhari" shares her fondest memories of Ada Jafri, "She had a charismatic, intelligent, humble, and polite personality. She had all sophistication, elegance, and orderliness of Lucknow culture. She was a caring wife, devoted mother and a loving grandmother. Her first book was a tribute to her husband. Ada was a patriotic woman. She loved her country so much and refused to settle abroad despite the fact that she had two of her children living in foreign countries."
Ada Jafri was a supporter of feminism. She said "I did not accept the restrictions imposed by men, rather accepted only those restrictions which my mind has imposed upon me... I think that saying things from behind a veil is more appropriate because symbolism and allusion are the beauty of poetry, too."
Ada jafri's some unforgettable stanzas: be/
• sangrezon main dhal gaye ansu
log hansate rahe dikhane ko
zakhm-e-nagma bhi lau to deta hai
ik diya rah gaya jalane ko
jalane vale to jal bujhe akhir
kaun deta Khabar zamane ko
kitne majbur ho gaye honge
ankahi bat munh pe lane ko
• Honto pe kabhi unkay mera naam hee aaye,
Aaye tau sahee ber-ser-e-ilzaam hee aaye,
Heraan hain lab-basta hain, dilgir hain gunche,
Khushboo kee zubani tera paigham hee aaye,
Kya raah badalne ka gila hum safaroun say,
Jis rah say chalay teray der-o-baam hee aaye,
Baqi na rahay saakh "ada" dasht-e-junoon kee,
Dil main agar andesha-e-anjaam hee aaye,
Ada Jafri was a rare jewel in the Urdu literature's crown. Her death is a great and profound loss to our country. "Dhoondo Ge Agar Mulkon Mulkon, Milne Ke Nahin Nayaab Hain Hum".
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