Mushaira has been an important event for Urdu-speaking expatriates of Saudi Arabia and last week a mehfil-e-mushaira was organized by the women's organization Mavra at a local hotel in honor of famous poetess Shamazafar Mehdi on her arrival in Jeddah. The venue provided a perfect feminist ambience for the event. The Mushaira was attended by a good number of female Urdu enthusiasts. The traditional candle of Mushaira was lighted at the opening of the event by the poetess. Tabbasum Alvi, president of Marva, said Mushairas are “our cultural and literary assets” and that Mavra organized it to propagate the Urdu language. The pain of love was candidly expressed in her verses: Aksar us ki aankh ke ansu meri ankh say girtay hain Aankhon se barsat ka mausam kabhi kabhi hojata hai (Often his tears in his eyes are falling from my eyes, as infrequently my eyes presents drizzling conditions of the rainy season.) Umeed Rehan presented her beautiful poems as: Lafz zahr alood hotay hai jo sunne wale ke ankh men aansu ban kar thaher jate hain (Words are poisonous as they stay like a tear in the listener's eyes.) Several local poetesses presented their verses which were very much appreciated by the crowd. Among them were Fariha Mansoor, Naghma Hassan, Rafat Ayesha, Maimona Anjum, Lubna Saleem, Sumyya Rubi Sajjad, Aliya Mansoor, Rubina Akbar (from Makkah) Nausheen Majeed, Sofia Hamid, Maimoona Anjum, Afshan Nigar, Bint e Hassan and Mona Najmi. Saudi Gazette's senior editor Sameera Aziz recited thought-provoking poetry on women's role, rights and situation in society besides her humorous verses that mesmerized the audience. Mera pehla hi gunah hai ke aurat hoon maiN So baday teer aarpaar khulaygay mujh per (Feminism is the first sin of mine I am facing many torments) Shama Zafar presented her elegant poems, Saleeqa dene ka seekhee kisi samandar se Sadaf me rakh ke diye jate hai goher logo Jo sub kahan wohi mujh ko dikhai deyta hai Yeh kis ne chheen li mujh se meri nazar logo (Learn the knack and art of giving from the sea, as it always gives out pearls, preserving them in the oysters. I can only see what people say to me, how has my sight been stolen from me?) The first part of the event consisted of prosaic poems. A tableau was presented by Tabbasum Alvi, along with Itrat Farooqi, Atiya Manzoor, Fariha Manzoor, Samra Awan, Rehana Mehtab and Lubna Quadri.
