Mushaira 2025: An evening where shayari spoke the language of heart
The 17th All-India Mushaira, organised by the District Writers’ Forum, Hoshiarpur, emerged as a grand celebration of poetic excellence and artistic expression. The literary evening also witnessed the presentation of the 13th Prof Mohan Singh Aujla Award-2025 to Jung Bahadur Goyal, a renowned writer from Chandigarh, credited with authoring 26 books.
The event, held in Hoshiarpur, was presided over by the forum’s organiser and secretary Raghbir Singh Terkiana, whose poetic flair added charm to the occasion. Terkiana, while steering the event with enthusiasm, expressed his commitment to elevating the Mushaira to international stature in future editions.
The Mushaira brought together a distinguished group of poets from across India, showcasing a seamless blend of Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu poetry that deeply resonated with the audience. Notable among the participants were Muhammad Faiyaz Farooqui (ADGP), Prof Asrar Naseemi (Bareilly, UP), Lalit Chhabe (Delhi), Dr Sandeesh Tyagi (Rajasthan), Dr Arun Shaheriya (Sri Ganganagar), Dr Antar Nirav Swami (Jammu), Naresh Nisar (Himachal Pradesh), Ejaz Farooqi (Allahabad) and Chaman Lal Sharma (Chandigarh), among several others.
The poetry performances spanned themes of love, loss, societal introspection and cultural reflection, leaving the audience captivated. Among the highlights, Tarsem Noor drew attention with the powerful couplet, Saah chalno jadon ruk jande ne, saare jahgde mukk jande ne, while Bakhtaour Singh Dhaliwal moved the gathering with Putthe pairi parikarma.
Mohammad Rafi Malerkotla stirred emotions with Kab tak raah dekhta meri, kafila tha guzar gya hoga and former SSP Vigilance Paramjit Singh delivered a striking performance with Raavan banaam maryada purshottam, offering a critical lens on contemporary society.
Advocate Harsimrat Kaur’s reflective poem Uljhe taane-baane da kujh hal nikle taa behtar hai addressed the intricacies of life with thoughtful insight.
Jagseer Jeeda electrified the audience with Punjabi boliyan such as Baba sone wali palki ch beh gya, kodhre di roti chhad ke and Yudh Nashiyan Virudh thuss ho gya ke modheyan te lashan aandian, earning enthusiastic applause for his emotive and culturally rich delivery.
Other memorable verses included Kulwant Beea’s Samundar de ain vichkar hai ghar mera, ki karega koi toofan mere ghar aake and Ajayab Singh Hundal’s poignant Taz Mahal banaun layi sirf paisa hi hona kafi nahi.
In his presidential address, ADGP Mohd Faiyaz Farooqui expressed admiration for the poetic talent on display. His recitations, Yeh soch kar dali thi sitaron pe kamaane, duniya mein diwano ka koi kaam nahi hai and Jo zikr maazi ka kisi baab se niklta hai, to tera hi aks tahe aab se nikalta hai, were warmly received by the audience. He later felicitated Jung Bahadur Goyal with the Prof Mohan Singh Aujla Award-2025, recognising his distinguished contribution to multilingual Indian literature.
Other impactful performances came from poets including Dr Nafas Ambalvi (Haryana), Dr Janmeet (Koulpur), Er Narinder Singh, Er Parvinder Singh and Azaz Farooqui.
The smooth conduct and success of the evening were credited to the tireless efforts of Raghbir Singh Terkiana, whose organisational leadership and poetic engagement uplifted the event. In his concluding remarks, Terkiana reaffirmed the forum’s commitment to nurturing literary culture and announced plans to take the Mushaira to a global level by involving international poets in future editions.
On behalf of the Writers’ Forum, Dr Janmeet Singh extended heartfelt thanks to all attendees and participants. The event proved to be more than just a literary gathering—it was a moving cultural experience that celebrated the enduring power of poetry to connect hearts across languages and regions.
Jalandhar