The genius Urdu Poet Saghar Siddique who breathed his last on the streets of Lahore among drug addicts once used to be a very ambitious lad.~
*دو قدم رایگان ہوئے تو کیا
دو قدم اور جستجو کر لو*
Saghar came from a well-to-do middle-class family in the Indian town of Ambala. Even as a child he used to write powerful poetry. Saghar migrated to Pakistan at the age of 19. The gifted teenager was so excited by the prospect of becoming a citizen of the newly born country that he even wrote a national anthem for it. His version, however, was not accepted by the state.
After migrating to Pakistan Saghar preferred to live in cheap hotels instead of requesting the government to settle him on the properties left by the Hindus and the Sikhs. He paid his rent by writing poems to magazines. The initial enthusiasm of the sensitive lad for the new state soon eruded when he saw corruption, nepotism and mediocrity being promoted at the expense of genuine talent.
Saghar had got his heart broken several times. His parents had rejected his beloved simply because she was the daughter of a bread-maker. In frustration Saghar left his family and all the luxuries of his home.~
*ساغر کسی کی یاد میں جب اشکبار تھے
کتنے حسین دن تھے جہان خراب میں*
*یاد آئی بہار کی ساغر
پھول دیکھے کسی کے دامن میں*
Broken in more ways than one, Saghar saught solace in cheap wisky of Lahore and morphine.
*میں تلخیِ حیات سے گھبرا کے پی گیا
غم کی سیاہ رات سے گھبرا کے پی گیا*
*ساغر وہ کہہ رہے تھے کہ پی لیجیے حضور
ان کی گزارشات سے گھبرا کے پی گیا*
Soon he was turned out from the cheap hotels and ended up living in the streets of Lahore. ~
*نگری نگری پھرا مسافر گھر کا راستہ بھول گیا
کیا ہے تیرا کیا ہے میرا اپنا پرایا بھول گیا*
He plunged even deeper into despair when some contemporary poets started publishing the poems written by Saghar on their names by giving Saghar few rupees. ~
*میری غربت نے میرے فن کا بنا رکھا ہے مذاق
تیری دولت نے تیرے عیب چھپا رکھے ہیں*
A fan of Saghar wrote that (1966) while he was driving on the Circuit Road of Lahore, the radio in his car played a ghazal written by Saghar. While he was revelling in the magic of Saghar’s words, he saw a thin man with unkept hairs and in ragged clothes walking aimlessly on the side of the road. It was Saghar Siddique.
It is narrated that President Ayub Khan as the chief guest of the programme, arranged by some poets, in India was so impressed by a sad verse of Saghar that he sent a delegation to search out Saghar. The delegation finally found Saghar among addicts, however, Saghar refused to go with them. Saghar said: “Go and tell that Saghar does not meed anyone as he is in bad terms with everyone.” President Ayub himself came to meet Saghar but Saghar refused even to shake hand when with him. ~
* جس عہد میں لٹ جائے غریبوں کی کمائی
اس دور کے سلطان سے کوئی بھول ہوئی ہے*
*ہوس مشیر ہو جس بادشاہ کی
تو اس غلام پہ درویش مسکراتا ہے*
Saghar wrote when he got his heart broken in love.~
* وہ بلائیں تو کیا تماشا ہو
ہم نہ جائیں تو کیا تماشا ہو*
His wish came true when his beloved after dissolution of her marriage searched him among the addicts and asked to go with her. The intoxicated Saghar while playing cards on the side of the road said:~
*بندہ پرور کوئی خیرات نہیں
ہم وفاؤں کا صلہ مانگتے ہیں*
For years the depressed genius could be seen walking and sleeping on the streets of Lahore, living on the food handed to him by those who think him to be a beggar or a fakir. ~
*نہ کوئی پھول نہ ساغر نہ ماہتاب نہ تو
بجھا ہوا شابستان ہے زندگی اپنی*
His verses nicely address those who taunt him to be the addict.~
*فقط ایک ہاتھ میں ٹوٹا ہوا ساغر اٹھانے سے
لرز اٹھا ہے اے یزدان! تیری عظمت کا مینارا*
Even in the miserable conidtion he would write powerful poetry. He would read them loud, tear the paper in despair, make a heap and set the heap on fire.
With friends and strangers equally exploiting him, Saghar lost faith on hunams and instead preferred to be befriended with a stray dog.
*اس درندوں کی بھیڑ میں ساغر
کاش انسان کوئی کہلائے*
Their friendship lasted for six years till the death of Saghar. They would share whatever food the shopkeepers handed Saghar. The dog would follow Saghar and sleep beside him on any street corner Saghar would choose to sleep.
After 15 years of living in depression , poverty, drug addiction and living on the streets, in 1974 Saghar was found dead on such a street of Lahore in a cold winter night.He was just 46.~
* آہ! نہ ہو سکا معلوم
کیوں بہاروں میں پھول مرجائے*
His faitgful friend, the dog, never left the place and was found dead after one year exactly at the place where Saghar had died. ~
*دل ملا اور غم شناس ملا
پھول کو آگ کا لباس ملا*
A fan of him correctly wrote on his grave :”This society murdered Saghar.” Through his unique style Saghar badly exposed the inhuman face of this so called pious society. ~
*زندگی جبرِ مسلسل کی طرح کاٹی ہے
جانے کس جرم کی پائی ہے سزا یاد نہیں*
Only his own words could do justice to the collection of his captivating poems “Kuleyaty Saghar”;~
*آج بھی دو چار قطرے پی کے میرے جام کے
اہل دل، اہل وفا، اہل نظر ہو جائے*
The people used to ridicule Saghar by calling him as the addict and the beggar. A verse of Saghar nicely addresses such critics;
آو اک سجدہ کریں عالم مدہوشی میں
لوگ کہتے ہیں کہ ساغر کو خدا یاد نہیں
