Farzana Mansoor
DUBAI (UAE): Dubai witnessed an enthralling evening of poetry and literary brilliance at the Grand International Mushaira organized by Applause Adab. This year’s Mushaira, the second in a series of annual community engagement events, was jointly presented by Sharaf Exchange and HBL.
In his opening address, the CEO of Sharaf Exchange warmly welcomed the audience and emphasized HBL and Sharaf Exchange’s commitment to contributing to social, cultural, and community events for the Indian and Pakistani communities in the UAE.
The event was a masterclass in organization and planning, leaving many attendees impressed with the meticulous execution.
The ceremony was hosted by Ms. Tarnam Ahmed while the renowned Geo Anchor, Newscaster, and Poet, Waji Sani, infused extra energy into the evening with his charismatic hosting.
The esteemed poet, Iftikhar Airf, presided over the session and was greeted with enthusiasm by the fascinated audience.
Wasi Shah, a celebrated poet, drama writer, and AV anchor, who has recently taken charge of Pakistan’s Ministry of State for Tourism, fascinated the audience with his thought-provoking and melodious poetry. Known as Pakistan’s post-romantic poet in the early ’90s, many attendees requested his classical poems, and he received an overwhelming response.
Khalid Irfan, a humorous poet, changed the mood of the evening, filling the atmosphere with laughter and joy. Having spent 20 years in the USA before recently relocating to Karachi, Khalid brought a unique perspective with funniness poetry to the event.
Among the youth Ammar Iqbal received high praise from the audience for his poetic brilliance.
A highlight of the event was the appearance of the Pakistani Ambassador, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, accompanied by his wife. Their presence greatly enhanced the occasion. He was invited onto the stage and received a warm welcome from the community.
Audience engagement plays a vital role throughout the Mushaira. Traditionally, audiences appreciated phrases or stanzas they liked with applause and enthusiastic “Wah Wahs.” While older traditions discouraged applause during Mushairas, modern trends have embraced it as a way to show appreciation for the poets. This change was reflected in the event’s name, “Applause Adab.”
The event was graced by luminaries poets such as Abbas Tabish, Nadeem Bhabha, Waji Sani, Aziz Nabeel, Jyoti Azad, Aisha Ayub, Khalid Irfan, Syed Anser, Amardeep Singh, and Atif Rais, each a star in the firmament of Urdu poetry.
Alok Shri Vastu, Farah Sarosh, Dr. A. Abdullah and Himanshu Bajpai were among the special guests.
This grand Mushaira was generously sponsored by HBL and Sharaf Exchange, representing a heartfelt gift to the Urdu-loving community residing in Dubai.
It is the honor of the United Arab Emirates that it plays an important role in promoting the civilization and culture of those who come to its land in search of sustenance so that those who live far from their homeland do not feel far from home.