Poet Sheikh Ayaz
Maqbool A January 16, 1998
Tags: Development , Wars , Government , Military , Dictatorship , India
With the recent sad demise of Sheikh Ayaz at age 74, the progressive Sindhi literature has lost a towering figure. He was laid to rest
near the shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.
Shaikh Ayaz revolutionised almost all genres of Sindhi literature
and is rightfully the greatest Sindhi poet of the 20th century. He was equally acclaimed in progressive circles for his contribution to the advancement of human values. His death is a great loss to Pakistan, a great loss to Sindh and a great loss to poetry.
He was born in Shikarpur on March 23, 1923 and was a lawyer by profession. He also served as vice-chancellor of the Sindh University, but is primarily known for his contribution to modern Sindhi literature. He began composing poetry at the age of 17, and had a strong urge for creation. He chose his own form, pattern and diction to express his feelings and message.
Shaikh Ayaz's work is spontaneous, objective and forceful. He defiantly wrote verses on every such topic which was hated by the establishment. He was incarcerated many times for his "seditious" writings and was also sentenced to death, but escaped gallows due to the sudden change of government.
He wrote short stories, novel, essays, poetry, travelogues, diaries, an autobiography and the translation of Shah jo Risalo in Urdu. He also composed poetry in Urdu and two of his anthologies,
"Booye Gul, Nala-i-dil" and "Neel Kanth Aur Neem Ke Pate" were highly acclaimed. He portrayed the miseries of suffering humanity, the sorrows of the deprived and the wretched conditions of the exploited masses who had been suffering at the hands of an unjust system for centuries.
Through his poetry, Shaikh Ayaz battled against One Unit and the military dictatorship of Ayub Khan. During the anti One Unit campaign one of his poems "Sindhri taan sir ker na deendo, sanhando ker mayar (Is there anybody who will not sacrifice his head for Sindh, and be ashamed of it)", became very popular among the people of Sindh and subsequently its broadcast was banned from Radio Pakistan. He was banned for a number of times from cities and towns where he was to participate in Mushairas. Three of his anthologies - "Bhounr Bhare Akas", "Kulhe Patam Keenaro" and "Je Kak Kakoriya Kapri" drew
sharp criticism from fundamentalists and the government denounced them.
He was one of those brave writers who wrote against the tyrannical rulers and the wars they waged. During the Indo-Pak war of 1965, he wrote a poem about progressive Sindhi poet Suragwasi Narain Shayam - who had migrated to India after independence. It goes like this:
He sangram!
samhoon Aa
Narayan Shayam!
hina ja munhinja
Qola bi saGya
Boola bi saGya
hoo kavita jo kaaka-dharni, para
munhinja ranga-ratola bi saGya
DHatu bi saGyo
DHolu bi saGyo
hanou bi saGyo
hola bi saGya
huna tay keean bandooka KhaRNa maan!
hina Khay golee keean haRNa maan!
keean haRNa maan!
keean haRNa maan!
keean haRNa maan!
Translation:
This sangram!
in front is
Narain Shayam!
His and mine
tales are the same
promises are the same
He is the king of poetry, but
my colorful ways are also same
land also same
beloved also same
heart also same
horrors also same
How can I point a gun to him!
How can I shoot him!
How can I shoot!
How can I shoot!
How can I shoot!
Shaikh Ayaz's poetry played a major role in the development of progressive thinking in the country, particulary in Sindh. He was the very imprint of Shah Latif's mystic poetry and will always be remembered as a great humanist and artist. I end this with the translation of one of his famous poem - titled "Knock".
Winter has brought hardships
The boots in uniform,
The heavy steps,
Audible from a distance.
Their march pauses at my door --
Intimidated hearts, impatient fools!
All the inhabitants tremble --
At my door is a persistant
Knock, knock
Knock, knock!
"I was telling you, Sir!"
And then the deaf shed their tears--
"Why do you write such poetry,
"That they put you in chains!
"They call you a secessionist,
"The liars tell tall tales about you" --
At my door is a persistent
Knock, knock
Knock, knock!
near the shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.
Shaikh Ayaz revolutionised almost all genres of Sindhi literature
He was born in Shikarpur on March 23, 1923 and was a lawyer by profession. He also served as vice-chancellor of the Sindh University, but is primarily known for his contribution to modern Sindhi literature. He began composing poetry at the age of 17, and had a strong urge for creation. He chose his own form, pattern and diction to express his feelings and message.
Shaikh Ayaz's work is spontaneous, objective and forceful. He defiantly wrote verses on every such topic which was hated by the establishment. He was incarcerated many times for his "seditious" writings and was also sentenced to death, but escaped gallows due to the sudden change of government.
He wrote short stories, novel, essays, poetry, travelogues, diaries, an autobiography and the translation of Shah jo Risalo in Urdu. He also composed poetry in Urdu and two of his anthologies,
"Booye Gul, Nala-i-dil" and "Neel Kanth Aur Neem Ke Pate" were highly acclaimed. He portrayed the miseries of suffering humanity, the sorrows of the deprived and the wretched conditions of the exploited masses who had been suffering at the hands of an unjust system for centuries.
Through his poetry, Shaikh Ayaz battled against One Unit and the military dictatorship of Ayub Khan. During the anti One Unit campaign one of his poems "Sindhri taan sir ker na deendo, sanhando ker mayar (Is there anybody who will not sacrifice his head for Sindh, and be ashamed of it)", became very popular among the people of Sindh and subsequently its broadcast was banned from Radio Pakistan. He was banned for a number of times from cities and towns where he was to participate in Mushairas. Three of his anthologies - "Bhounr Bhare Akas", "Kulhe Patam Keenaro" and "Je Kak Kakoriya Kapri" drew
sharp criticism from fundamentalists and the government denounced them.
He was one of those brave writers who wrote against the tyrannical rulers and the wars they waged. During the Indo-Pak war of 1965, he wrote a poem about progressive Sindhi poet Suragwasi Narain Shayam - who had migrated to India after independence. It goes like this:
He sangram!
samhoon Aa
Narayan Shayam!
hina ja munhinja
Qola bi saGya
Boola bi saGya
hoo kavita jo kaaka-dharni, para
munhinja ranga-ratola bi saGya
DHatu bi saGyo
DHolu bi saGyo
hanou bi saGyo
hola bi saGya
huna tay keean bandooka KhaRNa maan!
hina Khay golee keean haRNa maan!
keean haRNa maan!
keean haRNa maan!
keean haRNa maan!
Translation:
This sangram!
in front is
Narain Shayam!
His and mine
tales are the same
promises are the same
He is the king of poetry, but
my colorful ways are also same
land also same
beloved also same
heart also same
horrors also same
How can I point a gun to him!
How can I shoot him!
How can I shoot!
How can I shoot!
How can I shoot!
Shaikh Ayaz's poetry played a major role in the development of progressive thinking in the country, particulary in Sindh. He was the very imprint of Shah Latif's mystic poetry and will always be remembered as a great humanist and artist. I end this with the translation of one of his famous poem - titled "Knock".
Winter has brought hardships
The boots in uniform,
The heavy steps,
Audible from a distance.
Their march pauses at my door --
Intimidated hearts, impatient fools!
All the inhabitants tremble --
At my door is a persistant
Knock, knock
Knock, knock!
"I was telling you, Sir!"
And then the deaf shed their tears--
"Why do you write such poetry,
"That they put you in chains!
"They call you a secessionist,
"The liars tell tall tales about you" --
At my door is a persistent
Knock, knock
Knock, knock!
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