The Urdu Ghazal Podcast, Season 5 Episode 18: Parveen Shakir
Description
Parveen Shakir (1952-1994) was one of the most celebrated Urdu poets, known for her distinctive feminist voice and innovative approach to ghazal poetry. Born in Karachi, she earned a Master's degree in English Literature and later worked as a civil servant in the Pakistani government.
Shakir published her first poetry collection, "Khushbu" (Fragrance), in 1976, which immediately established her as a significant literary voice. Her subsequent collections included "Sad-barg" (1980), "Khud Kalami" (1990), and "Maah-e-Tamaam" (1994). Her poetry was groundbreaking for its frank exploration of women's emotions, desires, and experiences in a predominantly male literary tradition.
Her work earned numerous awards, including the Pride of Performance, Pakistan's highest literary honor, posthumously in 1999. Tragically, she died in a car accident in 1994 at the age of 42, cutting short a brilliant career. Today, she is remembered as a pioneering voice who transformed Urdu poetry by bringing authentic feminine expression to classical forms, inspiring generations of poets and readers across South Asia.
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