The Poetic Style of Dr. Halil Toqar

Abstract:

Dr Halil Toqar is not only a researcher, critic, travelogue writer, translator, and educationist, but also a poet who expresses beautiful emotions through his poetry. He has published three poetry collections titled "Ek Qatra Aansoo" (A Drop of Tear), "Aakhri Faryaad" (The Final Plea), and "Pardesi" (The Foreigner). He began his literary journey with poetry and has carried out significant scholarly work on Mirza Ghalib and Bahadur Shah Zafar. Hence, the influence of these two literary figures is clearly visible in his thoughts and ideas. Dr Toqar started his poetic expression with Nazm (a form of Urdu poetry) and explored all its forms. The tone and style of his nazms are somewhat distinct from conventional Urdu poetry, and some of his poems bear resemblance to Turkish poetic traditions. His poems are rich in deep meaning, infused with emotion and imagination, and marked by sensitivity. Spontaneity is a prominent feature of his work. He conveys heartfelt sentiments in simple, direct language. Renowned poet Satyapal Anand has described him as the “Albela Shaayar” (the unique poet) of Urdu. An evolutionary process is evident in Halil Toqar’s poetry—he began with nazm, later ventured into ghazals, and also expressed his devotion through Hamd (praise of God) and Naat (praise of the Prophet Muhammad, PBUH). His poetry reflects the classical elegance of the Urdu language. His creative abundance, simple yet fluent use of vocabulary and expressions are hallmarks of his art. Due to his broad observation of life, diverse themes are moulded into the form of his poetry. He believes in the concept of literature for life. With a deep awareness of the global landscape, his poetry touches on a range of subjects—social, political, and romantic. A significant portion of his work is composed of resistance poetry. Halil Toqar is a natural poet and a valuable asset to Urdu literature.

Keywords:

Halil Toqar, Urdu poetry, nazm and ghazal, literary influence, resistance poetry, crosscultural aesthetics,

Romanised References:

1. Dr Khalīl Ṭawqār, Ek Qaṭrah Ānsū, Istanbul: Markaz Taḥqīqāte Urdu, 1999, p. 160.
2. Dr Saʿādat Saʿīd, “Khalīl Ṭawqār kī Fikrangiz Shāʿirī,” mashmūlah Turk Ghamzah Zan: Turkī men Urdu kā Āhanī S̱utūn, Dr Khalīl Ṭawqār, Ḥamīdah Shāhīn, Lāhaur: Sānjh Publications, 2015, p. 111.
3. Satyapāl Ānand, “Urdu kā ek Albēlā Shāʿir,” mashmūlah Turk Ghamzah Zan: Turkī men Urdu kā Āhanī S̱utūn, Dr Khalīl Ṭawqār, p. 28.
4. Khalīl Ṭawqār, Ākhrī Faryād, Lāhaur: Multimedia Affairs, 2007, p. 102.
5. Ibid., p. 12.
6. Ibid., p. 102.
7. Dr Khalīl Ṭawqār, Ek Qaṭrah Ānsū, p. 52.
8. Khalīl Ṭawqār, Ākhrī Faryād, Lāhaur: Multimedia Affairs, 2007, p. 9.
9. Khalīl Ṭawqār, Ākhrī Faryād, p. 15.
10. Ibid., p. 8.
11. Ibid., p. 31.
12. Ibid., p. 36.
13. Ibid., p. 49.
14. Ibid., p. 157.