Ashufta

Aashufta Changezi was a post-modern Urdu poet born in 1956 in Aligarh. He lived a life marked by quiet observation and emotional depth rather than public acclaim.

Raised among the scent of old books and the echoes of evening prayers, he showed a natural inclination for verse and reflection. He wandered Aligarh’s streets, listening to rickshaw pullers, tea vendors, and widows by themselves. His sensitivity and empathy turned every unspoken emotion into a poem.

His work spanned ghazals, nazms, and short couplets in multiple languages. Despite his simplicity, his words held profound emotional honesty. One of his most remembered lines, “Sawaal karti kai aankhein muntazir hain yahan” (“So many questioning eyes wait here”), became a symbol of silent struggles faced by many.

In 1996, Aashufta disappeared under mysterious circumstances. He left his poems, memories, and an unfulfilled presence behind. In the years since, his absence has only deepened the emotional resonance of his verse.

Aashufta Changezi remains an unforgettable voice whose silence speaks volumes.