Poets, writers and lovers of Urdu poetry across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on Wednesday mourned the passing away of legendary Urdu poet Bashir Badr, recalling his unforgettable presence at mushairas across the region for decades.Bashir Badr passed away at the age of 91 in Bhopal after suffering from dementia for several years, marking the end of an era in Urdu poetry. (HT File)From the 1970s onwards, scarcely any major mushaira in Punjab, Haryana or Chandigarh felt complete without Badr, whose arrival would often become the highlight of the evening.Badr passed away at the age of 91 in Bhopal after suffering from dementia for several years, marking the end of an era in Urdu poetry.Admired across languages, generations and borders, he was credited with bringing a modern sensibility to Urdu verse, reshaping its metaphors and expressions to reflect changing times with remarkable finesse.Paying tribute to him, Hindi poet and director of the Haryana Sahitya Akademi, Chander Trikha, said, “Poets of Bashir Badr’s stature never die because their verses continue to live in the hearts of people.” He added that Badr was both a people’s poet and a poet’s poet.Remembering him, young Punjabi poet Ravitej Singh said, “He was a poet not just of his times, but also of its tragedies.” Singh recalled how Badr’s house in Meerut, where he lived and worked as a professor of Urdu, was burnt down during communal riots.Badr immortalised that pain in one of his most remembered couplets: “Log toot jaate hain ek ghar banane mein, Tum taras nahin khaate bastiyan jalane mein. (People spend their lives building a home, and you show no mercy in burning down entire colonies.)”After the death of his first wife and the destruction of his home, Badr moved to Bhopal, where he later served as chairperson of the Urdu Sahitya Akademi. During his long struggle with dementia, he was cared for by his second wife.Chandigarh-based Urdu poet Jatinder Parwaaz also paid tribute to him and recalled the time Badr had stayed at his home for a few days. “I would recite his poetry to him. He would smile, chuckle and sometimes even join in while recalling some of his couplets,” Parwaaz said, adding, “It was an honour to spend time with him. My salute to one of the finest poets of our times.”Remembering the warmth, pain and tenderness that defined Bashir Badr’s poetry, one is reminded of his immortal lines: “Ujaale apni yaadon ke hamare saath rehne do, Na jaane kis gali mein zindagi ki shaam ho jaaye. (Let the brightness of your memories remain with me; who knows in which lane life may find its evening.)”