By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Well-known artist, musician and poetess Parvin Shere’s book ‘ Bekaranian’ (Boundless) was launched by the Urdu Academy of North America on June 16, 2019.
The book launching event was held at the Silicon Valley’s popular ornate Chandni Restaurant in Newark/Fremont. Parvin Shere flew from New York to attend the inaugural ceremony.
This reminds me launching of Parvin Shere’s book ‘ Nihaal-e-Dil Par Sahaab Jesey’ (Raindrops on Parched Land) by the Urdu Academy in 2010. At this launching, Parvin flew with her husband Prof. Waris Shere, from Canada where she was living at that time. S
ince her husband left this temporary abode she has moved to New York.
Arshad Rashid, poet and senior member of the Urdu Academy was MC of the literary event.
The program included recitation of Parvin Shere’s poetry by Abdus Sattar Ghazali, Hatem Rani, Mehboob Alam and Tasadduq Hussain Attari.
Parvin Shere mesmerized the audience with her presentations.
Jazib Qureshi, poet and literary critique, read an extensive maqala on the creative genius of Parvin Shere.
Here I will include few comments from prominent Urdu literature personalities about Parvin Shere’s latest creative work, Bekaranian:
Pro. Gopichand Narang, Literary Critic, form President of National Academy of Letters, India, says: I irresistibly kept on reading these poems and was enchanted by them. I was stunned to know that Parvin Shere is su a genuine and authentic poet. A melancholic voice drenched in the agonies of hear and absolte creativity. European and French includences have dissovled into the magic of these poems. I was spellbound.
Prof. Ateequllah, Literary Critic, Poet and Dramatist, says: Parveen Shere has seen life's glimpses of the truth smeared with lies and same lies smeared with truth, pursuit, an incessant pursuit of which is the routine of her poetry.
Ray Dirks, Artist, Curator/Director - M.H.C. Gallery,Winnipeg, Canada, says: Shere's paintings are not just the literal, realistically rendered scenes. They are about crying out loudly or triumphantly, emotion-longing, wonder, thought, hurt, nothingness and hope.
Prof. Shamim Hanfi, Literary Critic, Palywright and Poet says: Individual experiments and different modes of expressions emerged from the depths of remanticism. Parrvin Shere's peculiar poetic style is filled with romanticism. Her poetry is that of soothing and serene ragas. There is an unquestionable ambiance of disposition, a strange mist that keeps on deepening gradually.
Parvin Shere has published four coffee table books, including three collections of poetry and one travelogue. Her coffee table books are all bilingual, written in Urdu and English.
‘ Bekaranian’ (Boundless) is her fourth collection of poetry and paintings that depicts life’s challenges and one’s journey throughout eternity.
Her second book, “Pearls From The Ocean” was published in 2014. This is a travelogue about Parvin’s journeys throughout South Africa, Peru and Swaziland. It was a best-seller at McNally Robinson Booksellers in Winnipeg, Canada.
“Raindrops on Parched Land” was her second book published in 2010. This is a first of its kind award winning bilingual book of poems and paintings on the theme of motherhood. As I mentioned earlier, the Urdu Academy launched this book in December 2010.
“Fragments” is her first published book in 2005. It is an award winning coffee table book of poems and paintings, the first of its kind in Urdu literature. A second edition was published in 2008.
