Home | April '99 Index

Date: 22-Apr-99 
Poet: Surender Malik 'Gumnaam' 

I have often come across the word 'gumnaam' 
in anthologies of poems where the publisher 
uses the word to signify unknown authorship 
of a poem of a couplet. However, things get 
complicated when a poet assumes 'Gumnaam' 
as his takhallus. The poor publisher then has 
to resort to the awkward 'naa-maaluum' in 
place of 'gumnaam'. Today's Gazal is by the 
poet Surender Malik 'Gumnaam'. I am 
thankful to one of our fellow subscribers for 
acquainting me with this poet. Jagjit Singh 
has sung two of his Gazals. Here is the first one: 

ye kaisii muhabbat kahaa.N ke fasaane 
ye piine pilaane ke sab hai.n bahaane 

vo daaman ho un kaa ke sun-saan seharaa 
bas ham ko to aaKhir hai.n aa.Nsuu bahaane 

ye kis ne mujhe mast nazaro.n se dekhaa 
lage Khud-ba-Khud hii qadam la.D-kha.Daane 

chalo tum bhii 'Gumnaam' ab maikade me.n 
tumhe.n dafn karane hai.n ka_ii Gam puraane