This, a broken column, is written in the shadow of death. Originally designed to honour Faiz Ahmad “Faiz” on the 25th anniversary of his death on 20 November 2009, the column has become an obituary to record the passing of a wonderful friend, a legend of our times — Gopi Arora, a formidable intellectual and creative bureaucrat who remained undiminished by objective reality including a lifetime in the Indian Administrative Service.
The verse quoted is from the Sabaq-i-hindee [Indian school] of mellifluous Persian.
Haiyf dur chashm zudun sohabatey yaar aakhir shud
Saiyreiy gul khoob neh deedeiym bahaar aakhir shud
[Shock, sorrow and surprise — in the blinking of an eye the wonderful company of the beloved friend has ended, I had not enjoyed my fill of Spring when it suddenly ceased to be.]
Read on Akhilesh Mithal's piece in Covert magazine
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