Nazir Dekhaiya

Noormahammad Alarakh Dekhaiya (Gujarati: નૂરમહંમદ અલારખ દેખૈયા), better known by his pen name Nazir Dekhaiya (Gujarati: નાઝિર દેખૈયા), was a Gujarati ghazal poet from Gujarat, India. His ghazal collections include Tushar (1962), Nazirni Ghazalo (part 1-2) and Soona Sadan (2006).

He was born on 13 February 1921 in Bhavnagar to Alarakhbhai and his second wife Dhanbai. His father was a Bandmaster. He lost his parents at his childhood. He studied till 4th standard. He learned Clarinet and started to work in family owned India Abhu Band as a bandmaster. His brothers died thereafter and he became responsible for his family. To overcome financial needs, he joined District Panchayat Board,Bhavnagar in 1956 as a peon where he served till retirement.

He died due to bronchopneumonia on 16 March 1988 in Bhavnagar.

Grave of Poet Nazir Dekhaiya

He used to go in Ghazalsabha, a literary meeting in Bhavnagar where he got acquainted with other poets including Kismat Qureshi, Barkat Virani, Ruswa Majhalumi, Vali Lakhani and Batuk Pandya. He studied ghazal under Kismat Qureshi. Tushar, his first ghazal collection which contains 54 ghazals, published in 1962, followed by Tushar-2 (1978), Nazirni Ghazalo (Part 1-2) and Soona Sadan (2013). His ghazals mainly centers around Sufism, worship of god and talking with beloved. His ghazal Gaganvasi was sung by Manhar Udhas.

His short biography was published by his granddaughter, Sameera Dekhaiya Patrawala and grandson Firdaus Dekhaiya in October 2016.

His father Alarakhbhai had married twice. He had two sons; Jamal (later 'Bebas' Dekhaiya who was also poet) and Kadar from his first wife Hurbai. After death of Hurbai, he married Dhanbai who gave birth to Rahim and Noormohammad (later 'Nazir'). Nazir was raised by his stepbrother Jamal and his wife Hawabai. He married Halimabai. Their two daughters died at early age. He had three sons and three daughters.