India FDC Asrar-Ul-Haq'Majaaz'.

FDC name:Asrar-Ul-Haq 'Majaaz'.
FDC Issue Date:28th MARCH'2008.
Details:

• Majaz Lucknawi was born in Rudauli, Bara Banki, Uttar Pradesh on October 19, 1909. His real name was Asrar ul Haq. His early education was at Ameenabaad High School, Lucknow. Later he joined Saint John's College, Agra where he was introduced to the world of Urdu poetry and met noted Urdu poets Muin Ehsan 'Jazbi' and Fani Badayuni. He began writing poetry and accepted Fani Badayuni as his Ustaad, who suggested him the pen name 'Majaaz'.


• He graduated from Aligarh Muslim University, in 1936. Same year he moved to Delhi as editor of Awaaz, a radio magazine for All India Radio. Then he fell in unrequited love for a married woman and after a year returned to Lucknow brokenhearted. He started drinking heavily and had his first nervous breakdown. Prolonged treatment restored his sanity and he again took charge of his life. For a short time he worked in Bombay Information and after returning back took admission to study law at Lucknow University. Along with Ali Sardar Jafri, started a magazine Naya Daur and finally joined Harding Library, Delhi as Assistant Librarian. His folks fixed his marriage but the bride side backed out reportedly on his meager monthly earning of Rs 150, and this hurt him real hard. He again lost his balance and doctors one again nursed him back to mental health but he remained an alcoholic. He became a wanderer and virtually drank himself to death. Some of his so-called friends at Delhi and Lucknow used to get him over once in a while for an evening session where he was plied with alcohol and asked to recite his poetry till wee hours of the morning or till he could physically carry on. It was after one such session at a roof top of a hotel in Lucknow in a cold winter night where Majaaz was found dead in the morning in 1955. He was one of the most powerful Urdu poet that the Progressive Writer's Movement, a rallying center of liberals and intellectuals in all Indian languages with an all India presence. He composed ghazals and nazms in Urdu. He is also famous for his composition of the anthem (tarana) of Aligarh Muslim University.


• Majaz's life was short; he rose like a star but unfortunately collapsed soon.


• Brahm Prakash designed the Stamp and the First Day Cover.


• Alka Sharma designed the pictorial first day postmark. Brochure containing write-up and technical data was issued on the occasion. The First Day Cover and the Brochure are priced at Rs 2 each. Security Printing Press, Hyderabad printed the stamps by wet offset in the quantity 0.4 million in the sheets of 40 stamps.

Remark:FDC posted on the issue date.