Mareez

Mareez, born Abbas Abdulali Vasi (Gujarati: અબ્બાસ અબ્દુલઅલી વાસી, 22 February 1917 – 19 October 1983), was a Gujarati poet, mainly popular for his Ghazals.^[1] He is popularly known as Ghalib of Gujarat.^[2] He left studies in young age and started working in rubber shoe factory. Having interested in poetry, he took up journalism but remained financially unstable throughout his life. He wrote Gazals published in collections but many of his works remained uncredited which he sold during his financial difficulties. His popularity escalated after his death.

Early life

Abbas Vasi was born on 22 February 1917 in Pathanwada area of Surat, India to Abdulali and Amatulla Vasi. His mother died of tuberculosis when he was young. He studied only till second grade as he was not interested in studies. He used to go to the railway station and what engines of the trains. His father was a teacher and as he saw that young Abbas is not interested in studies he discontinued his studies and sent him to Mumbai to work.^[3][4]

From young age, Abbas was interested in Marsiyas as his elder sister Rukhaiya used to recite Marasiyas written by Urdu poets, Anis and Dabeer. He wrote his first poem on the first birthday of his elder sister when he was fourteen years old. He used to go to Zhapa Bazar in Surat where the group of people interested in Urdu and Gujarati Gazals gathered on regular basis. He met Ameen Azad there whom he acknowledged as his teacher or Ustad.^[4]

Career

He went to Mumbai in 1932 and started working at Universal Rubber Works which manufactured rubber shoes. Though his earnings were not well he used to spent them on books. He fell in love with his cousin. His marriage proposal was rejected by her father because of his financial condition and habit of smoking and drinking. He was deeply shocked by the incident.^[4]

He left rubber shoe factory and started working as journalist.^[3] He worked briefly with Vatan and Matrubhumi dailies. He published Azaan, Khushbu and Umeed magazines but they were stalled due to financial constraints. His friend and poet, Asim Randeri helped him and he presented his first ever Mushayara, recitation of Gazals, on All India Radio in Mumbai in 1936. He married his wife Sona in 1946 and uncle of his wife, Salehbhai Abdulkader introduced him to Indian Independence Movement and he participated in Quit India Movement in 1942.^[4]

In 1960, He joined as an editor of Insaaf, a weekly of Muslim Dawoodi Bohra community which helped him stabilize financially. He was appointed by Sayyedna Taher Saifuddin, Dā'ī al-Mutlaq of the Dawoodi Bohra. After death of Sayyedna, the weekly stalled so he returned to freelance journalism. In 1964, he was infected with tuberculosis and was admitted to Sarvoday Hospital, Ghatkopar for two months with monetary help of his admirer Pravin Pandya. In 1965, a wealthy person who wanted be poet hired Mareez to write poems in his own pen name Tabeeb. The book Dard was published in September 1966 causing uproar in literary circles and his admirers resulting in its withdrawn from the market.^[4][5] He was felicitated in 1970 and 1981 for his contributions.^[4]

He confined himself to his home in last two years. He was knocked down by speeding auto rickshaw while crossing road just outside his home on 13 October 1983. He had multiple fractures in thigh. He was admitted to hospital in Ghatkopar, Mumbai and underwent successful surgery on 19 October 1983. He died on the same day following heart attack in the hospital. He was buried the next day at Kurla Dawoodi Bohra Kabrastan.^[4]

Works

His pen name, Mareez, literally mean "a sick man".^[6] He wrote some Nazm and many Gazals. In his financially difficult times, he sold his creation for which he was not credited. His first collection of Gazals, Aagman was published in 1975. He dedicated it to Pravin Pandya. His second collection Nakshaa was published posthumously in 1984. Some of his poetry is published in Disha (1980) along with others.^[3][4] His works later published by his son under Samagra Mareez in 2012 edited by Rajesh Vyas 'Miskin'.^[7]

He also partially translated Urdu poetry, Siqva Jawab E Siqva by Iqbal in Gujarati.^[4]

Raeesh Maniar published his biography titled Mareez : Astitva Ane Vyaktitva. It was later adapted into play directed by Manoj Shah.^[8]

Personal life

He was introduced to Sona in 1940s and they fell in love. They married in 1946. His son Mohsin born in 1947 and his daughter Lulua in 1952.^[4]

Further reading

• Raeesh Maniar, Mareez : Astitva Ane Vyaktitva (મરીઝ : અસ્તિત્વ અને વ્યક્તિત્વ).
• Ramesh Purohit (2008). Mareezni Gazal. Navbharat Sahitya Mandir. ISBN 978-81-8440-148-6. 
• Nitin Vadgama (2006). Gazal Sarjak Mareez. Navbaharat Sahitya Mandir. 

References