City's case of grave neglect

LUCKNOW: The lane leading to the Nishatganj cemetery is named after him but Urdu poet Asrar Ul Haq Majaz’s grave is a picture of neglect. Swamped by bushes, covered with leaves, the grave lies in a state of despair. Majaz, also known as Majaz Lakhnawi, died at the young age of 44 on December 5, 1955.
While the sides of the grave have developed cracks even, the headstone carrying his name and an Urdu couplet of his own has begun to fade.Similar is the plight of the graves of his parents and sister buried adjacent to his grave. The cemetery is looked after by Anjuman Islahul Muslimeen Bagh Goonge Nawab, Aminabad. “It is sad that not even once have any of his relatives shown any interest in getting the grave cleaned or whitewashed,” said 50-year-old Abid Ali, a grave-digger at the Nishatganj cemetery. “We ourselves light an agarbatti and recite a Suah-e Fatiha on Majaz’s grave on festivals. Once every year before Shab-e-Baraat, it is whitewashed along with other graves,” he said.
However, Abdul Hae, a city-based businessman and a distant relative of Majaz, said, “It has been over a year that a letter in the name of Majaz’s maternal uncle and noted lyricist Javed Akhtar has been sent to the Anjuman seeking permission for the repair of the grave but so far, there has been no response.”
When TOI contacted Chaudhary Sharfuddin, president, Anjuman Islahul Muslimeen Bagh Goonge Nawab, Aminabad, he said, “The letter seeks permission for a canopy which is not permissible. However, relatives are welcome to get restoration work done.”
In a telephonic conversation, Javed Akhtar, said, “I will soon come to Lucknow and will get the grave repaired after talking to members of the Anjuman.”
Lamenting the neglect of Majaz’s grave, Lucknow chronicler Yogesh Pravin said, “It is painful to see that there are no permanent caretakers of Majaz’s grave, a site of historical importance that must be preserved for future generations.”