LAHORE - The 43rd death anniversary of renowned Urdu poet Saghar Siddiqui was observed on Wednesday.

Siddiqui was born in 1928 in Ambala. He was the only child of his parents and spent early years of his life in Ambala and Saharanpur UP, India.

He was a prodigious lad who began writing poetry as a child. He was 19 when he migrated to Pakistan in 1947 and settled in Lahore. Siddiqui was home tutored and received his early education from Habib Hassan, a family friend.

Siddiqui continued to write poetry for the film industry and moved on to publish a literary magazine. The magazine was a critical success but a commercial flop so, he shut down the magazine. In his later life, he fell into depression, financially ruined and addicted to drugs. For years he could be seen walking and sleeping on the streets of Lahore, living on the food given to him by those who considered him as a beggar.

Within a decade of coming to Pakistan, he became disillusioned as he saw corruption and nepotism being rewarded violating genuine talent.

In despair, he turned to drugs, buying it from janitors of hospitals in Lahore. As friends and strangers continued to exploit him, Siddiqui fell further into despair and was soon turned out of hotels and had to live on the street as a beggar.

He continued to write poems, though most of them are lost and unpublished. On 19 July 1974, the great poet was found dead on a roadside in Lahore. He was just 46.

Despite his shattered life, some of his verses (ash'aar) are among the best in Urdu poetry. His poetry earned immense popularity even after his death.

Some of his famous lyrical verses are Zindagi Jbr-e-Musalasal Kit Rah Kati Hay-Janay Kis Jurm Ki Payi Hay Saza Yaad Nahi”. “Ao ek Sajda Karay Alamay Madhooshi Mein--Log Kehtay hain keh Shaghar Ko Khuda Yaad  Nahi”.’