Book Review: Intisab-e-Nafs by Dr Nazia Sheikh

Social media and writing platforms have revolutionized literature and poetry, giving wings to expression and musings to scores of poets and authors. Nowadays poetry in any language becomes an easy task, and it has evolved to a point of culmination. You could read from one-liners to a page full of free-flowing verses. I have been an avid reader of old to contemporary poetry of Hindi and Urdu on social media. Roots of Hindi poetry traces back to the dawn of civilization but then came that medieval period when Urdu intervened and it took a new form in the ways of Ghazals and Nazm.

To be precise, Dr Nazia Sheikh’s written Hindi poetry (basically an Urdu Nazm book) Intisab-e-Nafs impressed me with its rich content that sheds light on life and its allied themes that keep us mesmerized. I would say, I found, this book taking stance on belongingness, aloofness, lonely ways of lovers, love, rememberence, betrayals, intriguing maze of relationships…and much more. It certainly shares stares with eminent Urdu poets of yesteryears like Faiz, Allama, Ghalib, and Mir, and Faraz (to be précis he is new-age guy). These poets/shayers were pure and undefiled. Reading and understanding them means having a show of juicy entertainment in itself.

Intisab-e-Nafs by Dr Nazia Sheikh is a closely tied intimate poetry; she at times pours out her heart through the string of words. It reflects the pouring and musing of the heart of a simple and innocent poet caught in the tramline of love and its vicissitude.

Most of the nazms are marked by a sense of the self and personal expression. Since the book offers over 100 piece of diverse nazm/shayari/poetry, it can be read anytime to be energized and feel empowered and fresh. She has kept the book close to her heart, it was evident from many poems in which she was seen talking to herself or expressing heartfelt emotions that she gathered through the rite of passage of life. Those who love Urdu poetry in Hindi, will definitely savour this book. In its nature the collection is light, simple, contemporary and contemplative.

Wanted to read this book of exclusive poetry at your comfort level, better get a copy from Amazon or Kindle.

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