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Details: Written by: Kamran Mofid; Published: 13 October 2020; Hits: 6136

Prophet for Our Times: The Life and Teachings of Mohammad-Taqi Bahar

A Journey of Love and Hope

محمدتقی بهار- Mohammad-Taqi Bahar

(10 December 1886, Mashhad- 22 April 1951, Tehran)

‘Bahar was a revolutionary thinker, a tireless democrat, a committed humanist,

and a voracious searcher after truth, whose words and deeds continue to inspire.’

Photo:pinterest

‘Mohammad-Taqi Bahar (Persian: محمدتقی بهار‎; also romanized as Mohammad-Taqī Bahār; 10 December 1886 in Mashhad – 22 April 1951 in Tehran), widely known as Malek osh-Sho'arā (Persian: ملک‌الشعراء‎) and Malek osh-Sho'arā Bahār ("poet laureate," literally: the king of poets), was a renowned Iranian poet, scholar, politician, journalist, historian and Professor of Literature. Although he was a 20th-century poet, his poems are fairly traditional and strongly nationalistic in character…’-Mohammad-Taqi Bahar

Below, I wish to quote the poem by Bahār, which has over many years now, nourished and nurtured my soul. I had noted this, in more details, in a recent posting, honouring and celebrating the life of Ostad (Master) Mohammad Reza Shajarian who embodied the timeless beauty of Persian music.

“O God, O Universe, O Nature, Turn our dark night into Dawn” - MORḠ-E SAḤAR (Bird of Dawn)

(Morghe Sahar in Persian means “mourning dove.”)

Photo: Mark Eden, Via AUDUBON

Bahar’s Poem of Freedom: MORḠ-E SAḤAR

“O God, O universe, O nature

Turn our dark night into dawn…..

Now is spring, flowers have bloomed

Clouds in my eyes are filled with dew

This cage, like my heart,

Is narrow and dark

Oh fiery sigh! start a flame in this cage!”

And with a breath, set fire to the battlefield

Of the mass of this earth

The cruelty of tyrants and the injustice of hunter

Have broken my nest to the winds”

“O Morning bird, mourn!

O Morning bird, mourn!

Further renew my pain

with a burning sigh break this cage and overturn it

Wing-tied nightingale, leave the corner of this cage

Compose the song of freedom for humanity...’

This poem, has become the national anthem of freedom in Iran and was famously sung by Mohammad Reza Shajarian.

......

The Poet’s Daughter: Malek O’Shoara Bahar of Iran and the Immortal Song of Freedom

A Book for Our Time: A Book that Speaks to Us Now

‘The many books and articles written about Bahar have focused on his work rather than on the man, on his fame as one of the greatest neoclassical poets in Iran since the 14th century, and his pursuit of social reform and freedom for the Iranian people through his writings, politics, and academic work.

'I would like to take you by the hand and lead you back in time, through the rooms my father inhabited, the flowers he gazed upon, the books that sustained him, the trees under which he sat, and the family that he loved. By taking this journey with me, I hope you will gain a sense of my father and his family within our private world, a world we affectionately called PARADISE.’- Parvaneh Bahar

This is my own copy of the book, very much loved and cherished, Kamran-Photo: Kamran Mofid

‘As the daughter of this famous but persecuted writer, academic and politician, Parvaneh grew up amidst the intellectual and political turmoil of her father’s involvement in the democracy movement in Iran. Suffering through his imprisonments, sharing his exile, and accompanying him to Switzerland to seek a cure for his tuberculosis, she absorbed his teaching and his passion for the freedom and dignity of all people. These themes became a template for her own life, and she carried them with her when she came to the US in the 1950s as the young wife of a diplomat, learning the ropes as a Washington hostess while throwing herself into the Women’s Movement and marching behind Dr. Martin Luther King in Alabama.

Parvaneh's memoir, The Poet's Daughter, portrays Iran in the early and mid-20th century and the vital role her father played as the "King of Poets". He is still revered as the greatest poet and visionary of the 20th century. In street protests in 2009, street demonstrators sang his poems of freedom. Her life has been dedicated to fighting for social justice for all including equal rights for women.’- Excerpts from CMES, Harvard University.

From the Inside Flap

They called it Paradise, their beautiful home just outside old Tehran, and nurtured there a close bond of mutual love and respect for intellectual freedom. It was a magnet for leading thinkers and activists, who visited regularly for conversation with their best living poet and tireless champion of democracy, human rights, and women's empowerment Malek o Shoara Bahar. Then one morning the children watched in horror as police dragged him away . . . Intimate and emotionally engaging, this powerful and timely memoir introduces western readers to the high-profile Iranian hero Malek o Shoara Bahar whose freedom poem Morghe Sahar ( Bird of the Dawn ) is sung regularly with great passion at rallies for human rights throughout Iran. Bahar (1882 1951) tuned his political idealism and vast poetic gifts to Iranian s deepest feelings, championing democracy, freedom, and social justice. He is revered internationally by progressive Iranians and celebrated as Iran's best poet of the 20th century, many say of the past 500 years."

From the Back Cover

"The Poet's Daughter is an engrossing coming-of-age tale of a Persian girl torn between devotion to her father--Bahar, the last icon of classical Persian poetry--and her own relentless desire to fashion for herself an identity as an independent, assertive modern woman. . . The beguiling simple elegance of the narrative never shies away from the harsh and heroic realities of the story." --Abbas Milani, Director of Iranian Studies, Stanford University, author of The Shah

"Parvaneh emerges from these pages as a role model for women everywhere who struggle to be heard. . . one of the rings in a chain of liberated women who speak the truth to a world ready to listen." --Shahrnush Parsipur, author of Women Without Men

" A touching evocation of a man, a great poet, a powerful political figure, as told by his loving daughter. . . You will learn a lot in this book about Iran and about poetry and about women. You will be deeply moved." --Marvin Zonis, Professor Emeritus, The University of Chicago and author of Majestic Failure: The Fall of the Shah and the Political Elite of Iran

"An absorbing memoir of an ongoing rich life that spanned much of the 20th century and is freshly relevant today--as thousands of Iranians rally in the streets for freedom, singing the anthems of the author's father, Malek o'Shoara Bahar." --Barbara Meade, co-founder and owner, Politics and Prose

"Malek o'Shoara Bahar was the enlightened cultural father of all Iranians who lived after him. The Poet's Daughter reveals untold minutia about the hardships that Iran's most prominent poet and literary scholar of the 20th century had to endure in his pursuit of democracy for his country. I highly recommend it to all readers." --Masoud Askari Sarvestani, Ph.D, Editor, Rahavard Persian Journal

"I recommend this book to everyone; not only does it weave a beautiful spell with its artful rendering of scenes. . . it speaks of the deep love between father and daughter, as well the inseparability of art and freedom." --Dr. Helene Saraj, Director, Foundation Culturelle Bahar, Paris"

Buy this Book HERE

A selection of related topics from the GCGI Archives:

My Poem of the month (October): MORḠ-E SAḤAR (Bird of Dawn)

Modern Iran: The Most Misunderstood Country

The Art of Persia: The Everlasting Magnificent Story of Beauty, Wisdom and Love

Cradle of god: Spirituality in the Land of the Noble

Revisiting the Persian cosmopolis: The World Order and the Dialogue of Civilisations

Zoroastrianism the ancient religion of Persia that has shaped the world

The healing power of ‘Dawn’ at this time of coronavirus crisis

Simorgh tells me: We are the leaders we have all been searching for

Celebrating International Mountain Day by Recalling my Love for Mother Nature and Mountains when I first saw the Awesome Mount Damavand

Embrace the Spirituality of the Autumn Equinox and Discover What it Means to be Human

On the 250th Birthday of William Wordsworth Let Nature be our Wisest Teacher

Finding sanctuary in poetry during lockdown

Reflecting on Life: My Childhood in Iran where the love of poetry was instilled in me

Poetry is the Education that Nourishes the Heart and Nurtures the Soul

Details: Written by: Kamran Mofid; Published: 10 October 2020; Hits: 3103

“O God, O Universe, O Nature, Turn our dark night into Dawn” - MORḠ-E SAḤAR (Bird of Dawn)

I offer this, one of the most beautiful of Persian poems, to honour and celebrate the life of Ostad (Master) Mohammad Reza Shajarian who embodied the timeless beauty of Persian music.

Ostad Mohammad Reza Shajarian (1940-2020)

He taught us that ‘Humanity is the aim of all arts’ . May he rest in Peace.

هرگز نمیرد آنکه دلش زنده شد به عشق

‘He whose heart has been revived by love will never die.

Our eternity has been written in the record of the world’- Hafez

The passing of Mohammad Reza Shajarian is a monumental loss for all Iranians, as well as all the Persian speakers everywhere in the world.

His voice will always be a reminder of our land of birth, our identity,

the timeless and precious beauty of persian poetry, mysticism and everlasting wonder. (Kamran Mofid)- Photo:Balatarin

‘In a year filled with exceptional challenges and bad tidings, the news of Mohammad Reza Shajarian’s passing is especially devastating. Known simply as "Ostad," Shajarian was more than a legendary Iranian singer. His iconic voice became the cry of a nation in its struggle for justice, which has spanned for over a century.

The outpouring of grief and emotions from Iranians the world over is a testament to his unparalleled genius and the weight of his impact on Iranian society, culture, and politics. Born in Mashhad in 1940, Shajarian was trained in Quranic recitation and later in the classical singing of Persian poetry. Despite his traditional style of music in an era of the growing popularity of pop music, Shajarian eventually rose to become perhaps the greatest Iranian vocalist and most beloved artist of Iran.

Reciting the poetry of Ferdowsi, Hafez and Rumi in his dulcet yet powerful voice, Shajarian fused the varied threads of Iran’s rich cultural tapestry and complex identity into a symbol of the nation that Iranians of all stripes could admire and feel connected. Both before and after the revolution of 1979, his songs often called for justice, engendered pride, and a longing for better days ahead.

Known globally for his incredible voice, Shajarian was revered by Iranians of all ages, many of which grew up with his voice. He was not just a musician. His social, political, and cultural impacts on Iranian society are inseparable from his artistic accomplishments. While Iranians have faced innumerable difficulties over many decades, Shajarian’s voice remained a rare constant that brought Iranians together, quite literally to sing in unity. In times of despair, his song reminded us to stay hopeful for the coming of the dawn.’- Excerpts from the NIAC’s Statement

MORḠ-E SAḤAR (Bird of Dawn)

Photo: Pinterest

This is the poem by the Iranian poet Mohammad-Taqi Bahar, and

famously sung by Mohammad Reza Shajarian.

“O God, O universe, O nature

Turn our dark night into dawn…..

Now is spring, flowers have bloomed

Clouds in my eyes are filled with dew

This cage, like my heart,

Is narrow and dark

Oh fiery sigh! start a flame in this cage!”

And with a breath, set fire to the battlefield

Of the mass of this earth

The cruelty of tyrants and the injustice of hunter

Have broken my nest to the winds”

“O Morning bird, mourn!

O Morning bird, mourn!

Further renew my pain

with a burning sigh break this cage and overturn it

Wing-tied nightingale, leave the corner of this cage

Compose the song of freedom for humanity.’- Read the entire poem HERE

......

Shajarian Concert for Bam - HamNava ba Bam

‘Mohammad Reza Shajarian (Persian: محمد رضا شجريان) (born September 23, 1940 in Mashhad, Iran) is a Persian traditional singer and undisputed Master (Ostad) of Persian music. Shajarian is one of the most well known Iranian artists and probably the greatest singer in the history of the recorded Persian traditional music.Shajarian's all-star group consists of Hossein Alizadeh, (the tar virtuoso) Kayhan Kalhor on kamancheh and Shajarian's son, Homayun (on Tombak),who is also a vocalist in the group. Shajarian has always criticized the Iranian cultural officials for creating a bureaucracy that prevents his group from performing in Iran. After the Bam earthquake, he performed a fantastic concert in Vahdat Hall in Tehran called " Hamnava ba Bam ". About 3000 people were in that concert. They were very sad for that big disaster and at the same time happy to see their own artist in Iran. Here on Iran Info we show the concert for the public.’ - www.iraninfo.dk

Watch this fascinating and timeless concert HERE

Continue and read more on related topics:

Modern Iran: The Most Misunderstood Country

The Art of Persia: The Everlasting Magnificent Story of Beauty, Wisdom and Love

Cradle of god: Spirituality in the Land of the Noble

Revisiting the Persian cosmopolis: The World Order and the Dialogue of Civilisations

Zoroastrianism the ancient religion of Persia that has shaped the world

The healing power of ‘Dawn’ at this time of coronavirus crisis

Simorgh tells me: We are the leaders we have all been searching for

Embrace the Spirituality of the Autumn Equinox and Discover What it Means to be Human

On the 250th Birthday of William Wordsworth Let Nature be our Wisest Teacher

Finding sanctuary in poetry during lockdown

Reflecting on Life: My Childhood in Iran where the love of poetry was instilled in me

Poetry is the Education that Nourishes the Heart and Nurtures the Soul

Details: Written by: Kamran Mofid; Published: 06 October 2020; Hits: 2127

Photo::Pinterest

Pope Francis Denounces Endless Growth and Humanity's Assault on Nature*

"Climate restoration is of utmost importance, since we are in the midst of a climate emergency."

Photo:GreenPolicy360

‘Pope Francis on Tuesday (1 September 2020) railed against humanity's exploitation of natural resources and pursuit of endless growth as he urged people across the world to act with the urgency young people worldwide have demanded to protect the Earth and build back better from the coronavirus pandemic.

The pope's call came in a written message to mark the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and in which he urged people to view the "disintegration of biodiversity, spiraling climate disasters, and unjust impact of the current pandemic on the poor and vulnerable" as "a wakeup call in the face of our rampant greed and consumption."

"Our constant demand for growth and an endless cycle of production and consumption are exhausting the natural world," he said. "Forests are leached, topsoil erodes, fields fail, deserts advance, seas acidify, and storms intensify. Creation is groaning!"

Francis framed the Covid-19 crisis as having "given us a chance to develop new ways of living" and "brought us to a crossroads" at which societies can choose "to end our superfluous and destructive goals and activities, and to cultivate values, connections, and activities that are life-giving."

In addition to reiterating his call for debt cancellation for poor countries, the pope said the post-pandemic recovery packages being crafted by lawmakers "must be regeneration packages."

"Policy, legislation, and investment must be focused on the common good and guarantee that global social and environmental goals are met," he said.

The pope stressed the need to meet the Paris climate accord goals to stave off "catastrophic" impacts of the planet's heating. "Climate restoration is of utmost importance, since we are in the midst of a climate emergency. We are running out of time, as our children and young people have reminded us," he added.

He further called on leaders to work "to stem the alarming rate of biodiversity loss" and expressed hope the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity—set for next May in Kunming, China—could be "a turning point in restoring the Earth to be a home of life in abundance."

The new message also called for strengthened regulation of "the activities of extractive companies" to "ensure access to justice for those affected," especially Indigenous communities.

Young climate activists and those "on the frontlines in responding to the ecological crisis," drew praise from Francis. "They are calling for a Jubilee for the Earth and a new beginning, aware that 'things can change,'" he said.- *First published HERE

Pope Francis’ words kick off the “Season of Creation,” a month-long ecumenical effort to raise awareness on the state of the world’s environment. This year, the theme is “Jubilee of the Earth” to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.