Sahir

Sahir Lakhnavi, whose real name was Syed Qaim Mehdi Naqvi, was one of the foremost classical marsiya writers of the subcontinent. He was born in 1935 in Lucknow according to some literary records, although other sources mention 1931. He belonged to a family deeply rooted in learning and religious scholarship. His grandfather Fazil Lakhnavi and his father Nawab Syed Akhtar Hussain Masood Lakhnavi were both associated with scholarship, which gave Sahir a strong foundation in language, history and the traditions of Urdu poetry. He received higher education, earning a Master’s degree and a law degree, and developed a lifelong interest in literature alongside his formal studies.

Sahir Lakhnavi devoted his literary life to the classical forms of Urdu poetry, especially marsiya and qaseeda. He also wrote ghazals, nazms and historical poems known as qataat-i-tareekh. His poetry combines elegance of diction with thematic depth. In his marsiyas he upheld the traditional structure perfected by earlier masters of Lucknow but infused it with observations on contemporary life and social issues. This ability to preserve the form while renewing its relevance made him a significant figure in the continuation of the marsiya tradition.

Over the course of his career he published about twenty books on subjects ranging from prosody, history and linguistics to theology and seerat. Among his celebrated works are Ayat-e-Dard, Ahsas-e-Gham and Mata-e-Gham. He also wrote critical studies such as Marsiya Per Aitrazat Ka Tanqidi Jaiza, in which he examined objections raised against the marsiya genre. His scholarship and his poetry both reflect a disciplined mind and a deep respect for Urdu’s literary heritage.

Despite periods of ill health, Sahir Lakhnavi continued to write and publish, producing work of high quality until his last years. He passed away in Karachi in 2019, leaving behind a rich body of poetry and critical writings. Today he is remembered as one of the last major exponents of classical marsiya writing, a poet who carried forward the dignity and depth of Lucknow’s literary tradition into the modern age and inspired new readers and scholars to appreciate the power of this form.