Shalat and Majeed Amjad: The Endless Separation
By Shariq Ali
Valueversity
(Shalat is possibly Charllote)
Majeed Amjad, a monumental figure in Urdu poetry, holds a distinctive place in literature due to his unique sensitivity, universality, and deeply poignant experiences. His poetry encapsulates the inaccessibility of life’s meaning, the helplessness of love, and the cruelty of time in a manner that profoundly resonates with readers. His life and poetry, filled with philosophical reflections, also carry a romantic essence—one that, when understood, adds depth and intensity to his verses.
This is the story of a German woman, Shalat, who briefly yet indelibly entered Majeed Amjad’s life in 1958, leaving behind an everlasting imprint of love.
A Brief Love Story
Shalat was a German traveler deeply interested in world literature, fine arts, and archaeology. In 1958, she visited the ruins of Harappa near Sahiwal, where she met Majeed Amjad. As someone with an appreciation for poetry, she was captivated by his verses. Their conversations soon developed into a warm friendship, which gradually blossomed into love.
This relationship lasted for three months (83 days)—a fleeting yet profound period in which they remained close, yet never explicitly expressed their feelings. Perhaps cultural differences played a role, or maybe it was Majeed Amjad’s inherent reticence. However, when the moment of parting arrived, the silent storm of emotions compelled him to accompany Shalat to Quetta to bid her farewell.
Even there, he could not find the courage to confess his love.
Majeed Amjad bought bangles for her, yet could not gather the strength to give them to her. Instead, upon returning, he handed them to his friend, Sabir Kunjahi, asking him to give them to his fiancée.
Shalat’s departure left a deep void within him—one that echoed in his poetry, surfacing time and again as waves of melancholic longing.
“To Quetta” – A Lament of Separation
On November 22, 1958, following Shalat’s departure, Majeed Amjad penned one of his most poignant poems, “To Quetta”, encapsulating the agony of a poet’s heart:
صدیوں سے راہ تکتی ہوئی گھاٹیوں میں تم
اِک لمحہ آ کے ہنس گئے، میں ڈھونڈتا پھرا
ان وادیوں میں برف کے چھینٹوں کے ساتھ ساتھ
ہر سو شرر برس گئے، میں ڈھونڈتا پھرا
تم پھر نہ آ سکو گے، بتانا تو تھا مجھے
تم دور جا کے بس گئے، میں ڈھونڈھتا پھرا
These words intertwine unfulfilled love, helplessness, and the relentless passage of time into a single, heart-wrenching lament.
Many of Majeed Amjad’s poems echo the sentiment that some loves, even without full expression, remain eternally embedded in the heart.
“Munich” – A Christmas Night
After Shalat’s departure, Majeed Amjad wrote another masterpiece, “Munich”.
This poem not only captures Shalat’s own words with astonishing accuracy but also documents certain real details. The imagery is so vivid that one might believe he himself was part of that culture, present in those very moments.
Dr. Wazir Agha, in his book Majeed Amjad Ki Dastan-e-Mohabbat (The Love Story of Majeed Amjad), writes:
“Majeed Amjad composed his famous poem ‘Munich’ on December 25, 1958—Christmas Day. For the first and last time, he explicitly mentioned Shalat’s name in his poetry. The poem suggests that she had also traveled through Malaya and China. On Christmas Day, she reached Munich, where her elderly mother had been waiting for her for ten years.”
This poem captures the ache of unfulfilled love, the bitterness of distance, and a daughter’s long-awaited reunion with her mother.
“Munich” (Excerpt)
آج کرسمس ہے
شہرِ میونخ میں آج کرسمس ہے
رودبارِ عسار کے پُل پر
جس جگہ برف کی سِلوں کی سڑک
فان کاچے کی سمت مڑتی ہے
قافلے قہقہوں کے اترے ہیں
آج اس قریۂ شراب کے لوگ
جن کے رخ پر ہزیمتوں کا عرق
جن کے دل میں جراحتوں کی خراش
ایک عزمِ نشاط جو کے ساتھ
امڈ آئے ہیں مست راہوں پر
باہیں باہوں میں، ہونٹ ہونٹوں پر!
برف گرتی ہے، ساز بجتے ہیں
کوئے میریں کے اک گھروندے میں
ایک بوڑھی، اداس ماں کے لیے
پھول اک طاقچے پہ ہنستے ہیں
گرم انگیٹھی کے عکس لرزاں سے
آگ اک آئینے میں جلتی ہے!
ایک دستک ہے! کون آیا ہے!
زرد کمرے کے گوشے گوشے میں
جورِ ماضی کا سایہ مصلوب
آخری سانس لینے لگتا ہے!
ماں کے چہرے کی ہر عمیق شکن
ایک حیران مسکراہٹ کے
دلنشیں زاویوں میں ڈھلتی ہے
“میری شالاط، اے مری شالاط”
“اے میں قربان، تم آ گئیں بیٹی!”
Conclusion: Love, Incompleteness, and Poetry
Perhaps, while writing this poem, Majeed Amjad realized that love is not about fulfillment—it is about incompleteness, about leaving a glowing ember in the heart that flickers for a lifetime.
His poetry encapsulates the constraints of time and the deep helplessness of human existence:
برس گیا بہ خراباتِ آرزو، ترا غم
قدح قدح تری یادیں، سبو سبو ترا غم
The three months spent with Shalat—and the enduring separation that followed—imbued his poetry with a rare and poignant hue, one that continues to resonate with readers to this day.