Anwar Masood: The People's Poet of Laughter and Truth
In the grand amphitheater of South Asian poetry, where verses often echo with the weight of romance, tragedy, and political fervor, one voice rings out with the delightful, disarming sound of laughter. That voice belongs to Anwar Masood, a man who is not just a poet but a phenomenon. An academic of Persian literature by profession and a folk philosopher by instinct, Masood has carved a unique niche for himself as a master of humorous and satirical verse. With a twinkle in his eye and a masterful command over Punjabi, Urdu, and Persian, he transforms the mundane into the memorable, finding profound truth and piercing social commentary in the most ordinary of human experiences. He is the poet of the common man, whose stage is not just the hallowed mushaira but every living room where families gather, sharing his verses to find a moment of shared joy and reflection.
Early Life & Background: Forging a Voice in the Heart of Punjab
Anwar Masood was born on November 8, 1935, in the city of Gujrat, a historic town in the Punjab province of what was then British India. Gujrat, with its rich cultural soil, provided the fertile ground for his burgeoning literary sensibilities. He was born into a family where art and literature were appreciated; his father, Abdul Ahad, was himself a poet of note, writing under the pen name 'Ahad'. This early exposure to the rhythm and cadence of verse undoubtedly shaped the young Anwar's mind, planting the seeds of a lifelong passion.
His formative years were set against the tumultuous backdrop of the final decade of British rule and the subsequent Partition of India in 1947. At the tender age of twelve, Masood witnessed the seismic shifts that redrew maps and reshaped destinies. This experience of displacement, change, and the creation of a new nation, Pakistan, would subtly inform the worldview of a poet who would later excel at observing the social and cultural currents of his society.
Seeking higher education, Masood moved to the cultural heart of the region, Lahore. The city, a crucible of arts, literature, and intellectualism, became his new home and university. He enrolled at the prestigious Oriental College, a bastion of classical and oriental languages. It was here that his academic brilliance shone through. In 1961, he completed his Master of Arts in Persian, earning a gold medal for his outstanding performance. He later also secured an MA in Urdu, cementing his scholarly foundation in the major literary languages of the subcontinent. This rigorous academic training, particularly in the classical traditions of Persian, gave his poetry a depth and structural integrity that belied its often simple and humorous surface.
Career & Major Contributions: The Professor and the Performer
Anwar Masood's professional life was a harmonious duality. For decades, he was a dedicated educationist, serving as a professor of Persian at various government colleges across Punjab. He spent a significant part of his teaching career at the Government MAO College in Lahore, from where he retired in 1996. His role as an educator was not separate from his poetic persona; it was integral to it. The classroom provided him with a direct line to the aspirations, follies, and language of the youth, while his academic discipline honed his literary craft. However, it was outside the lecture halls, on the stage of the mushaira, that Professor Anwar Masood transformed into the performer who would captivate a subcontinent.
His rise to fame was propelled by his unique and unforgettable style of recitation. An Anwar Masood performance is a masterclass in comic timing, dramatic pause, and expressive delivery. He doesn't merely recite his poems; he inhabits them. With animated facial expressions and a conversational, intimate tone, he draws the audience into the world of his characters, making them laugh at a shared absurdity or nod in recognition of a universal truth.
The Poet of Three Tongues
While he is a respected poet in Urdu and Persian, it is in his mother tongue, Punjabi, that Anwar Masood’s genius finds its most vibrant and celebrated expression. His Punjabi poetry is the cornerstone of his legacy.
"Banyan" (The Vest): Arguably his most iconic poem, "Banyan" is a masterpiece of observational humor. It is a hilarious ode to a common man's stubborn attachment to his old, tattered vest, much to the chagrin of his wife. The poem is not just about a piece of clothing; it is a profound commentary on middle-class frugality, the comfort of the familiar, and the endearing, often comical, dynamics of married life. The simple, everyday language and the universally relatable situation have made it an anthem of sorts, recited and enjoyed across generations.
"Ambri" (Mother): Displaying his incredible emotional range, "Ambri" stands in stark contrast to his humorous works. It is a deeply poignant and moving tribute to a mother's unconditional love and sacrifice. The poem’s raw emotion and simple, heartfelt language have the power to bring tears to the eyes of the listener, proving that Masood's well of creativity runs far deeper than just humor. It showcases his ability to touch the most sensitive chords of the human heart.
"Anar Kali Diyan Shana" (The Glories of Anarkali): This poem is a sharp, satirical look at the commercialism and chaos of Lahore's famous Anarkali Bazaar. Through a witty narrative, Masood critiques the changing social values and the erosion of tradition in the face of modernity, all with a light-hearted touch that makes the criticism both palatable and powerful.
His Urdu poetry, often presented in the form of qata'at (quatrains), is equally impactful. These short, four-line verses are like polished gems of wit and wisdom. Collected in his book Shaakh-e-Tabassum (The Branch of Smiles), they offer sharp, incisive commentary on social hypocrisy, political absurdities, and bureaucratic red tape. His other significant Urdu collection is Ek Dareecha, Ek Chiragh (A Window, A Lamp).
His Persian poetry, while less known to the masses, is highly regarded in academic circles. It reflects his deep classical training and his love for the grand masters of Persian literature, like Rumi and Hafez. This multilingual dexterity makes him a rare figure in modern literature, a bridge connecting the classical and the contemporary, the scholarly and the popular.
Legacy & Influence: A Cultural Icon
Anwar Masood's significance extends far beyond his literary output. He is a cultural force who has had a profound impact on the literary landscape of Pakistan and the broader Punjabi-speaking world.
Revitalizing Punjabi Poetry: In the post-partition literary scene of Pakistan, Urdu was often privileged as the language of high culture and official discourse. Anwar Masood played a pivotal role in challenging this hierarchy. By writing in a simple, accessible, and immensely entertaining form of Punjabi, he brought the language back into the mainstream. He made Punjabi poetry popular and accessible to a new generation that might have otherwise drifted away from its mother tongue. He demonstrated that Punjabi could be a vehicle for sophisticated thought, sharp satire, and profound emotion, all while being incredibly entertaining.
The People's Poet: Masood is, above all, a poet of the people. His work demolishes the wall between the poet and the audience. He doesn't write about abstract philosophical concepts or esoteric historical events; he writes about the price of onions, the hassle of dealing with electricians, and the simple joys of a good meal. This focus on the everyday has endeared him to millions, who see their own lives, struggles, and joys reflected in his verses. His poems have become a part of the cultural fabric, shared widely on social media, recited at family gatherings, and passed down orally, much like folklore.
A Bridge Across Borders: The Punjabi language does not recognize the political border drawn in 1947. Anwar Masood's poetry resonates as deeply in Amritsar and Chandigarh as it does in Lahore and Gujrat. His work is a powerful reminder of the shared cultural and linguistic heritage of Indian and Pakistani Punjab. In a region often marked by political tension, his voice of humor and shared humanity serves as a unifying force, a cultural bridge that transcends national boundaries.
Today, Anwar Masood is a living legend, a revered elder statesman of literature. His contributions have been recognized with some of Pakistan's highest civilian honors, including the Pride of Performance in 1989 and the Hilal-i-Imtiaz in 2023. Yet, his greatest award is the genuine affection and laughter he receives from his audiences. He continues to write and perform, his mind as sharp and his wit as incisive as ever. His legacy is not merely in the books he has published, but in the countless smiles he has inspired, the social follies he has exposed, and the simple, profound truth he has consistently championed: that in the small, often overlooked details of ordinary life, one can find the greatest poetry.