Bahadur Shah Zafar Kaka Khel

                                    Bahadur Shah Zafar Kaka Khel

Bahadur Shah Zafar was born in 1910 at Kaka Sahib, district Nowshera, in the knowledgeable family of Mian Khaliq Shah. After having some elementary education in a Maktab, he was admitted in fourth class in a school at Akora Khattak, his mother's native village. He pass the middle standard of a vernacular school there, having received religious education from Haji Abdul Qayum who taught him fiqh and some other basic religious subjects. He had no intention to do a job, but received an offer for the post of Naib in education department in 1928, and he accepted that. Having developed aptitude for learning, he continued his studies and did his honours in Pashto, Persian and Urdu from the Punjab university in 1940s. He also passed intermediate and Sindh vernacular examinations.

There were two types of services, as disclosed by Mian Sahib; district board and government services. He started his career from district board and joined the government service in 1936, when he was posted at Karak. He served in that capacity at Swabi and Mardan also. In 1945, education department selected 24 incumbents for university training. He was on the top. Next year, he got a post in the basic education at Rustam and transferred after an year to Malakand.

In 1957, Bahadur Shah Zafar was serving as a teacher in Nowshera when he was transferred to Kaka Sahib where he had been teaching until his retirement in 1970.

Zafar Sahib entered the literary field by compiling textbooks. During Ayub Khan's regime, he had compiled a Pashto textbook which was taught in most of the schools in NWFP. He had earnest desire that the people of Pakistan should learn every language of the state. With this idea, he prepared a Pashto grammar ‑ Rahnuma‑i‑Pashto, and translated it in Urdu also so that Urdu speaking people could also take advantage of it.

The outstanding contributions of Bahadur Shah Zafar are Zafrul Lughaat (dictionary) and Pukhtane Da Tareekh Pa Ranra Kshe (Pakhtuns in the light of history). The full‑size dictionary of more than 1,400 pages caries more than 45,000 words and idioms with meaning and definition in Pashto and Urdu. It was first published in 1959 and again in 1980. About this dictionary, Mian Sahib said that worked on it with such care and concentration that he lost his eye sight. The history of the Pakhtuns that he has compiled is, probably, the most voluminous and comprehensive, covering the period between 550 BC and 1969. It also contains 1,400 pages.

He claims that he was the first writer of a drama in Pashto. His play captioned Da Kelee Khaest (The beauty of village) was broadcast from radio Peshawar in 1935. He cherished the memory of rehearsal for this drama at the residence of Arbab Jehangir, and the company of some Hindus in this play. The does not accept the claim of Aslam Khattak that he is the first playwright of Pashto.

He further disclosed that he has compiled a book on the life and teachings of Shaikh Rahamkar Kaka Sahib in 1986. Besides his own efforts, he has taken help from the scripts of Mian Mohammad Badshah Kaka Khel who had spent most of life in field work of research on the reverend saint. Badshah Mian had travelled to several parts of Afghanistan and India to trace materials on the subject. For this accomplishment, Bahadur Shah Zafar had received an award of Rs 10,000 from Mian Ajmal Shah, brother of Mian Jamal Shah.

As a staunch religious person, Mian Sahib is a great admirer of Maulana Maudoodi and has got much of inspiration from his works. As token of his attachment with the Maulana and his works, he has translated some of his books in Pashto, including: Parda, Deen‑i‑Haq, Seerat‑un‑Noor, and some sermons. He has also translated Deen Kee Tafseer, Ahsas, Rah‑i‑Amal etc.

This versatile scholar of repute has got frustrated in his old age due to indifferent attitude of the government agencies related to literature. It was professor Preshan Khattak whom he mentioned with deference. He recalled that when Preshan Khattak was chairman of Pakistan Academy of Letters, he sanctioned a monthly stipend for him. Since his departure, the stipend has been frequented into quarterly. He also mentioned in a tone of complaint that the cheques issued by PAL are cleared from Islamabad which cost Rs 25‑30 (out of 500) on account of bank transaction charges. He had been awarded Sitara‑i‑Imtiaz, and a certificate, during the regime of General Ziaul Haq during 1988. However, he is not pleased with general attitude of the government department and literary circles. In fact, the men of letters have no regard in Pakistan, he said. The literary figures and intellectuals are forced to sell their pens and conscience and live in disgrace as parasite on the mercy of their benefactors. Material gains, thus, go to those who hum around the arrogant bureaucrats with eulogies. He mentioned that even the Pashto academy does not give him proper attention. Had he done so much works in some European country, he would have been celebrated frequently.                                    

Bahadur Shah Zafar is now too weak, with bad eye sight and hearing power. He has rendered invaluable services to Pashto literature. In this age he needs care and consolation. Casual visits from some officers of Pakistan Academy Letters, Pashto Academy, and culture and information department, with some gifts would not be a cost to redress his frustration, complaints and grievances.

When Zafar exposes the wounds of his hurt heart,

Says, leave it, what's this noise in love.

When you looked with a smile,

I got courage, and returned the look.

The snake of hair could not be tamed,

Though I tested many snake‑charmers.

No cure for love was found,

The physician consulted the books again.

I don't believe that Zafar will recover,

When I looked at the wounds of his heart.

Abdul Wahid Thekadar: Baba‑i‑Charbeta

Abdul Wahid Thekadar: Baba‑i‑Charbeta

                                                                             

Abdul Wahid Thekadar was a prominent figure, known in literary circles as Baba‑i‑Charbeta. Born in 1910 at village Jalbai of district Swabi, he feels pride and relishes in recalling the days when he used to accompany Bacha Khan on his mass campaign. Inspired by the Khudai Khidmatgar movement and encouraged by his leader Bacha Khan, Abdul Wahid had started composing poetry.

            Abdul Wahid read only three elementary classes, but having led a tough political life, he has developed his intellect and looks a seasoned and sound man of letters.

            According to Abdul Wahid Thekadar, Charbeta has also proliferated into various forms. From his explanation it could be summed up that division in forms is based on two assumptions: subject and form. In the former case, the Charbeta is known by subject such as jangi, jawabi, moamma, roomani, or related to some important event, person, place, geographical situation or historical happening. Elaborating his point, he referred to one of his Charbeta called zargaree describing and discussing different kinds of golden and silver ornaments used by women. It may be noted for interest of the readers that some of the ornaments have already been abandoned, and the rest are also through the process of modification to lose their original glamour and charm. The zargaree charbeta has, thus, become an important document of cultural value.

            By form, it has branched off in two; yau makheza or sada which means simple and plain, and zanzeerae which means the chain‑like, complex. Zanzeerae has been further divided in two; in one form the last word or phrase of a stanza starts the succeeding stanza, in the second form a number of rhymed words are placed in each or alternate hemistich

            Literary meaning of charbeta is; the poem or stanza of four couplets. But the term in literature is defined as a poem of at least four stanza each one of four lines. However, the charbeta composers, mostly illiterate or less educated, go their own way. They give more attention to metre, rhyme and rhythm.

            Charbeta is, however, closer to musaddas, the poem of 6‑line stanzas, than murabba, the poem of 4‑line stanzas. Because, after each four lines, one or both lines of the beginning are repeated in charbeta. Nevertheless, it differs in subject matter and tone from murabba and musaddas. Charbeta is a typical folklore and does not care much for grammar, language, and literary measurements. It takes the subject from the life of the people and describes it in their own language. It is purely anthropocentric, and more plain, social and cultural than the literary poems which lean against metaphorical support.

            Another striking different between murabba or musaddas and charbeta is their lyrical aspects. Charbeta is smart and swift, having developed a classical tone of music which touches and stimulates the cords of brain and heart and synchronises pulsation with the low and high pitch of the music, due to direct approach of charbeta. It normally succeeds a few tappas or a rubayee. Whereas murabba and musaddas are hardly musical.

            The charbeta composer develops his mind as a computer with a single programme of rhyme and rhythm. On proper command, it releases words in quick succession in tabular metre. No matter if a word is broken, distorted, ambiguous, meaningless or vulgar. But it must fit in the line and does not harm the rhythm. Charbeta grows wild from the mind and depicts, on the whole, a fascinating scene of natural beauty.

            Thekadar Baba is as proud of his art as any other poet. In his field, he does not recognise any other poet worth mentioning; except Nooruddin Ustad:

            Feel the charm in the poetry of Thekadar;

            Who deals in precious stones like Nooruddin.

            In reply to a question, Thekadar Baba said; radio and TV play significant role in development, propagation and popularisation of arts. These institutions have now totally ignored charbeta. He said that charbeta is awami poetry and can preserve Pukhto vocabulary, social and cultural values, legendary and historical stories, and can, thus, present a clear picture of the Pakhtuns society.

            Thekadar Baba said that Pakhtuns have been demanding persistently increase of Pukhto programmes over TV and inclusion of folklore as majority of the Pakhtuns do not understand alien languages. Not only the Pakhtuns but other peoples of Pakistan also can not derive any benefits from the radio and TV programmes of Urdu and English which they do not understand. Thekadar Baba asked; "What culture these long and short plays of Urdu present?" and then replied himself; "Urdu does not have any cultural background. It is a Darbari language and can please Dabari people only." He continued; "It is strange that Hindko which is not a language even is given more attention on TV than Pukhto." That is the reason that TV can not educate the people. It rather confuse the people and develop estrangement instead of harmony.

            Thekadar Baba criticised education policy also. He said that a student can understand easily in his own language. "In our country, the student is confused in his early age when he finds that the animal known to him at home as Chelae or Beeza is called Bakri in the school. This confusion goes along with him throughout his life. Therefore, our educated people are estranged from their own folk. They don't understand problems of their own people. Because they can not read and write the their language." In this context, Thekadar Baba said that now all the responsibility of preservation of language and culture has been taken by the poets. But these poets and writes are ignored deliberately by the government. He referred to Mardan Arts Council which is possessed by the bureaucracy. The council has ignored local poets, writers and artists and import people from other places for its functions.  He was also critical about the academy of letters and said that it has opened an office in Peshawar which has no contact with Pukhto poets and writers.

            Thekadar Baba said that Pakhtuns are discriminated in all fields. He narrated a story which had shocked him too much. In 1965‑war between Pakistan and India, he had started a diary in charbeta of daily events, including war crimes and atrocities committed by Indian soldiers. That evoked interest of the common man. On that account, Field Marshal Ayub Khan gave him a certificate and some cash in prize and promised that he would be considered for an award by his government. But the field marshal and president of the state forgot his promise. When the awards were announced, Noor Jehan also got a medal. Then Thekadar Baba composed some charbeta which includes a line:

            The poet of battles remained a chowkidar;

            (And) Noor Jehan displays medals of gallantry.

            As mentioned earlier, Abdul Wahid Thekadar has recorded his charbetas in 10 volumes; eight have been published so far:

a)      Da Sundar Khaperae (the fairy of Sundar). A ballad.

b)      Khashab‑i‑Zaitoon (an olive twig).

c)      Tangtakor (the music).

d)      Rangarang Jeshan (the colourful celebration). Depicting annual celebration in Swat during the reign of the last Wali.

e)      Maidan‑i‑jang (the battle field). Daily diary of events of 1965 war between Pakistan and India.

f)        Dur‑i‑Sadaf (the mother pearl).

g)      Bragh Moran (double stones = the precious stones in abundance).

h)      Amel (the garland). Contains brief introduction of contemporary poets. The author claims that it is the longest charbeta, ever written, comprising 150 stanzas. For this charbeta, Abdul Wahid Thekadar was acclaimed as Baba‑i‑charbeta.

      Two other books of Thekadar have not yet been published. One is captioned Gh'shay Leenda (arrow and bow) dealing with the movement of Khudai Khidmatgar. It is a historical piece and may reveal many events related to the freedom struggles and social activities of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement. The provincial government should arrange its publication and circulation, at due royalty to the octogenarian author.(Courtesy; daily Frontier Post; Peshawar;10 October 1992)

Aminullah

Aminullah

Ayaz Daudzai

If you build castles in the air; your work need not be lost; there is where they should be. Put no foundation under them. Thoreou.

     Seemingly, poets appear as if they are prone to exaggeration. Poetry prospers in unusual, elusive and un-graspable conditions. But what may be misunderstood in poetry as exaggeration is in reality the lustre of the rays, beaming from the poetic imagination and dazzling the perception of the common reader. This element makes the appeal of poetry felt by the reader, stirring his sensibility to comprehend the rarified feelings, the intensified emotions and awareness-provoking thinking which a poetic composition is intended to convey.

     Writing about poets and poetry tends to go astray from the beaten track. He bounces out of the bounds to survey the unexplored, unknown regions of the human consciousness. Evaluation of poetic works inescapably involves the process of the rediscovery of the artist, lurking behind his piece of art. It is because a piece of art materialises from the creative impulse, artistic skill and susceptibilities of the artist. Unless the artist dissolves his aesthetic-self, as it is at the creative moment, in his creative composition, a really great art seldom comes into existence.

     It is, therefore, commonly assumed that a piece of art - be it a poem, a portrait or a melody - no matter to what extent being transcendental, ethereal, is in essence a manifestation of self-projection and self-expression. It is here that even if unwanted, the narcissism gate crashes into the domain of art. Subjectivity in the creative process is unavoidable because narcissism is as much an instinctive human impulse, particularly so of the artists, as the urge to create an object of art. This concept has been contended, contested, denounced and defended by the art and the literary critics in various periods and this very discourse has resulted in "a hundred schools of thought to contend" and also in the blooming of "a hundred flowers". Writing for and against `narcissism' is itself, in fact, motivated by this very impulse.

     Even this view may be contested and contended but any one doing so may better search his heart to find out from where the motivation springs. This diversion has been occasioned by the subject I have chosen to write about Aminullah - the poet of eternity. Much can be written on why the man yearns for eternity and what `eternity' in fact is or should be. But constraint of space compels me to concentrate on the subject and leave the detailed discourse on the art and the artist for another occasion.

     While going through the manuscript of Aminullah's poetic compositions, I noticed abundance of what may appear as narcissism and exaggeration in his quest for what is abiding, what is eternal. Most often he adopts the technique of Socrates, asking a series of questions to lead to the ultimate answer - to the ultimate human desire to attain `eternity' in one way or the other and even in any way. Great art asks great and difficult questions. It is because the questions provide occasion and prompt for the answers. If there are no questions, there can be no answers. Hence the creative value of the questions - not ordinary but exceptional questions which add to, and are beyond, the collective human funds of awareness and consciousness, is accumulated from time immemorial.

     Aminullah's poetic pieces in blank verse are deeply moving, radiant with detail. He presents his `sense and sensibility' in a new effulgent light. The originality and the limitless expanse of his vision qualifies him to be elevated to the status of being a `visionary'. All the same, he is not enamoured to chase the shadows and mirages. Instead he materialises and concretises the elusive moments of the awakening of the creative impulse and of the stirring of the slumbering yearnings in the rosy lap of the human instinct. His spectacular imagination creates his own mythological reality - builds his own imagined world of lasting lustre of life. Yet he is not euphoric but prophetic, shaping in physical form what may appear to be metaphysical. He did not invent a new language to express his complex vision. The every day speech of the common man has been magnitised by his creative skill to capture, visualise and verbalise the most uncommon phenomena, and make it shine in a strange splendour.

     Words and phrases convey different meaning to different persons at different stages of mental development. Words and phrases are the very stuff Aminullah's wonderful world is made of. Therefore, it may be seen from different angles by different people in different states of mind. To me, however, it has revealed itself as the abode of `beings' and `objects of eternity personified'.

     This unassuming Pukhtun muse, Aminullah, is a charming person, with impressive personality. Lean, smart and full of life, of medium height, fair complexion, with eternal smile playing on his radiant face, he is warm-hearted, extremely sincere and friend of friends. His disarming informality and sociability keeps him quite at ease even among the unfamiliar, among the strangers. In no time, he becomes the centre of attention with his witty remarks and endearing gaze of his hazel-hued eyes, radiating love and regard. This, of course, is not a crude attempt at a panegyric in prosaic prose. This is the truth and the whole truth that I have been observing in his person right from the time he was only a tiny, tender toddler. Now he is standing on the dividing line of middle age with all the bygone ages behind him and with fixed gaze on the distant, far off, hazy future in front, aspiring to remain, as he perceives himself to be, from eternity to eternity.

     Aminullah is born and bred in a pastoral village, nine and a half miles north of Peshawar city. Bountiful in natural beauty, this village, Chaghri Matti, is situated on the bank of river Shah Alam, a branch of river Kabul, midway between Warsak on the west and Abazai bridge on Charsadda road on the east. The ancestral house of Aminullah is just on the verge of the bank of this river - the bank which overlooks a vast and extended vesta, merging in the horizon, providing an occasion to a sensitive and conscious mind to explore the unbounded boundaries of eternity. Perpetuity of his perception of an eternally youthful world behind the horizon, keeps him young - young in body and soul. He sought pre-mature retirement from radio Pakistan as programme producer because the office routine always remained at loggerhead with his poetic genius. While in service, he had a sojourn to the United States, with declared intent to settle down there. But the restlessness of his poetic impulse forced him to say adieu to the `maddening crowds' of New York and to return to his native village never to leave it again. There is a grove of trees on the bank of the river, with a ferry-boat nearby. This is the place that inspires outpourings of his uniquely conceived poetic compositions. The grove, the river, the boat suggest to him strange images which are clearly identifiable in some of his poems.

     The symbols and images that people the strange world of his imagination are mythical, celestial, legendary, and divine. You can meet there the proverbial Cupid of Roman mythology - god of love; son of Venus, represented as beautiful, naked boy with wings, carrying bow and arrow with which he pierces human heart to stamp it with love; Dionysus, Greece mythical god of the fertility of nature and wine - inspirer of music and poetry: Abul Howl (the Egyptian Sphinx), symbolising endurance and durability, (merged with Sphinx of Greek myths - with women's head and lion's body - killing all those who could not answer the riddle it had propounded); Adam and Eve; Solomon the wise; Luqman the learned; Socrates the philosopher; Moses on Mount Sinai; Pharaoh personifying ferocity; Roman emperor Nero with his flute; Alexander the great; mythical winged horses; fairies; angels of death and destruction; the roll of time; Mona Lisa - beauty eternalised by the great painter Leonardo da Vinci adored for its strange smile; Juliet a heroine of Shakespeare's plays; Romeo and Juliet representing love in its pristine purity; and Milton the blind British bard who enriched English literature with a treasure-trove of classics.

     The poetry of Aminullah abounds with similar other images and symbols. But the intent here is not to catalogue all of them. The objective is to give a glimpse of the flight of imagination of this gifted poet. He has not merely referred to such symbols and images nor he has only listed them. He, in fact, has relived them, met them, conversed with them, confided in them to know the unknowable, to measure the immeasurable. He discovers that relics of the immortal (dead) have a force of revelation. It is from here that we can plunge headlong into the river of elixir that springs from his magical imagination. A mere peep in his `world of wonders' convinces us that it is not a mere phantasmagoria that he conjures up. It is rather a world of real life brought nearer through the relativity of `Time, Space and Dimension', metamorphosed by his poetic genius.

     For having a `feel' of this world, the lifting of a stanza from here and a verse from there will lead us nowhere. It calls for going through all the felt experience the poet has gone through - weathering storms and tempests, tribulations and torments, pains and pangs, mounting the Cross to be crucified, to be beheaded and born again - born again to be beheaded, to understand what "life in death and death in life" actually means. Yet it is not a world of suffering alone. There flows the river of wine, there are chances of having a thrilling flight through the constellations, and galaxies of stars, traversing the infinite expanse of cosmos, going into ecstatic trance with the mysterious music, produced by incomprehensible instruments.

     Rendering into English of a few lines would hardly serve the purpose. Even so, I can not avoid the temptation of outlining in brief the Pukhtun poet's chance meeting with Milton who's ghost appear to be still stalking the planet earth in a quest to regain The Paradise Lost. This Pukhtun poet meets the wandering British bard, plodding his weary way with his guiding staff in his hand in a cemetery. The Pukhtun poet imagines himself to be dead in life and buried in the graveyard of his dashed aspirations. Miltons stands by his `grave' (in human body), puts his hand on his tombstone, that is his shoulder, and says; "Whatever you have written in life will not suffice, I have brought all the works of Keats, Byron, Shelley and Tennyson. Take these, along with my own poetic production and your own compositions. Heap it all, burn it as incense to your deity, --- Laila."

     The muse in Aminullah can not be better visualised than what is portrayed by Wordsworth in his sublime lines in "Tinted Abbey".

Whose dwelling is in the light of setting sun,

And the round ocean and the living air,

And in the blue sky and in the mind of man!

A motion and a spirit that impels all living

things, all objects of all thought,

And rolls through all things.

     The zestful explorer of the infinities of human soul, Aminullah, appears destined to go on `excelling' as if motivated by Long Fellow's concept - Excelsior! and be more blissful than the youth in Keat's Ode on Grecian Urn. Here are the relevant everlasting lines from this unimitable masterpieces:

Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not

leave thy song, nor ever those trees be hare;

Bold lover, never, never canst thou kiss

Though winning near the goal - yet do not grieve;

She cannot fade, though thou hast not they bliss,

Forever wilt thou love, and she be fair!

     Throughout the writing of this discourse, a few lines, committed to memory by me as far back as 1951, hovered over my subconscious, for the first time. I know not why? I also don't remember from whom and from where did I pick them up. As I come to the close of this piece, I think, these lines provide most appropriate ending. Here are those long-ignored lines:

When silence is overcome by love;

it turns into song,

When a song becomes obstinate;

it turns into noise,

When a word feels like dancing;

it turns into music,

And when music goes a drumming;

it turns into silence;

Silence is the beginning

Silence is the end.

(Courtesy: daily Frontier Post; 4 November 1995)

Abdul Malik Fida

Abdul Malik Fida

Haji Shamsuddin Muflis Durrani

     Shroud on head, to the field of match,

     I am coming O' death! don't you come.

     This resolve was expressed in emotional metallic voice in a big public meeting which was being addressed by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, and it floated, like an electric current, echoing and ringing through the hills and plains of the province, stimulating desire and elating spirit of freedom fighters. Like so many rebel poets of the freedom war, Abdul Malik Fida had also put everything at stake for freedom. A die‑hard follower of Bacha Khan, he had willed that his body be lowered in the grave by Bacha Khan. His will was fulfilled on April 21, 1957, when Bacha Khan participated in a huge funeral rally and lowered the body of Abdul Malik Fida in the grave.

     Poets and writers are considered eyes and tongues of the nation. Whatever they feel and see may be felt and seen by any man, but that can not be expressed and communicated to others in an impressive way unless the man has talents to do so. Communication of ideas has too many ways and styles, but the most impressive and lasting is poetry, because of its spontaneous appeal. Howevever, writing, in total, does not need only talents but study, observa­tion, devotion and courage.

     Art and literature have been playing significant role in construction and destruction of the nations. They are like the vehicles. If given in the hands of a trained and expert driver who feels his responsiblity, the vehicle is put on the right way to go safe and reach its destination. If the same vehicle is driven by a careless and wicked driver into bumpers and ditches, it will be damaged and destroyed, and its passengers are also doomed to annihilation. Therefore, live nations always celebrate their good poets and writers from whom they get inspiration and guidance.

     Pashto has a congested galaxy of bright and memorable poets and writers. Most of them shone on the horizon during the Khudai Khidmatgars movemnet in the third decade of the century. This was a movement of reformation which took a sharp turn to freedom struggles. A few of these poets and writers are: Habibullah Kaka, Mohamad Akbar Khadim, Fazali Mahmood Makhfi, Abdul Akbar Khan Akbar, Master Karim, Amir Nawaz Khan Jalya, Fazal Rahim Saqi, Shad Mohammad Megay, Abdul Malik Fida, Abdul Hakim Sati, Mian Akbar Shah, Mian Ahmad Shah, Jalbal, Taj Mohammad Khamosh, Abdul Khaliq Khalique, Wali Mohammad Toofan, Hussain Bakhsh Kausar, Sanobar Hussain Kakajee etc. Ajmal Khattak, Mir Mehdi Shah Mehdi and Ghani Khan known as Lewanay Falsafee are also from this lot.

     Some of these poets were not much educated but had developed, with utmost devotion and hard struggle, intuition and knowledge of their people and environments. Their poetry was more popular among the masses due to its direct approach in their own language. They had the art of entrancing the audience with their flamboyant poetry normally recited from memory in emotional tone.

     One of this host of rebel poets was Abdul Malik Fida. Not only by his nickname, but by his clean and bold character, he was a devotee (Fida), in true sense,  to his people and country. He had sacrificed everything, not caring for his own family even. He had melted in the torrential stream of freedom movement and was all absorbed in his epic poetry which was playing up emotions of the people in public meetings. His ideal was freedom. Freedom was his sweetheart, his beloved, his Laila, his bride and his everything. He was mad for freedom. His raqeeb was the Englishmen, Europeans, whitemen, usurpers, their servants and rulers. His country was his home, and his family his people. And that all reflected in his simple, smooth, fluent and flugurant poetry.

     That war of freedom in which Pashto poets and writers took chivalrious part gave too much to Pashto literature also. Freedom from slavery of the aliens invigorated nationalistic spirit also. The educated people who were shy, heretofore, of even speaking in Pashto, took a surprise turn to write and express their ideas and feelings in their own language. Works of these poets and wrtiers enriched Pashto literature in term of quantity as well as quality. Abdul Malik Fida, not formally educated, had learned writing and was one of those poets who had embelleshed excellently the folklore with literary requirements. Just have a look on the following lines:

     Hungry and naked at home as a labour,

     A patient in need of help of the healthy ones.

     I wont hesitate to offer my flesh to dogs of my land,

     But, I don't like a stranger in my home as my enemy.

     White eagles and grey hawks of Europe would be my game,

     If the falconer untied my wings.

     Take away the dust of Fida Abdul Malik,

     From the soil called the land of slaves.

     I was exposed and you evade me, where are you!

     O' my sweetheart, my Laila, where are you!

     No clue of yours in churche or temple,

     Nor in mosque, hujra, nor in home,

     But an aroma has spread over hills and plains,

     I was flustered to hear your name in cities

     Not seen you are, Laila, where are you!

     I do exist but in the books,

     Far better than worldly gains,

     But, am captive of selfish people,

     O' senseless youth, what a desire you have for me.

     Abdul Malik Fida had no certificate from any educational institution. But neither his knowledge was superfluous nor his writing was crude. He had set a clear goal for him. Freedom. Freedom of the country and the people. For this sacred cause he had been doing Jihad with pen and tongue. He had suffered imprisonment several times, but he had never faltered on this way. He did not hestitate to criticise the government, even when his own party was ruling the province under Dr Khan Sahib.

     Abdul Malik Fida has written some good romantic poetry also. But, on the whole, he was known best for his revolutionary ideas. He did not stick to a particular branch but expressed his feelings in any form, ode, Ghazal, folklore, question‑answer (dramatised), even Tappa. He was writing prose also in form of his diary as well as in form of short stories.

     The renowned poet, Abdul Malik Fida, had been born in 1897 Kandi Yasin Khel of village Prang, and passed away on April 21, 1957. His father was Abdul Jabbar Khan.

(Courtesy: daily Frontier Post, Peshawar; 14 November 1992)

Ali Khan:

                           Ali Khan:

                    Khurshid Iqbal Khattak

     Ali Khan, as a poet, is one of the four recognised and es­teemed pioneers of romanticism. As a person, his life is, howev­er, not only obscure but confusing. Even his name and family have created conflicts of opinion among the scholars. Some consider him a Khattak from the family of Khushal Khan, while others think that he was a Mohmanzai of Charsadda. These controversies over his name, family, dates and place (s) of his birth and death have, thus, become topics of discussions. But Ali Khan has left a Diwan of resplendent and forceful poetry which would not let him be ignored. Most of the scholars search his life from his own Diwan. So far there is not known any dependable external evidence to throw some light on these aspects of his life. The Diwan, having discussed many things, offers little help in identification of its creator. Throughout, the poet has mentioned his name Ali Khan; only once in a riddle:

     The riddle of my name is seven hundred,

     Still less if two laams are added.

     By abjad (counting by values of Arabic letters) 700+30+30 are equal to 760 whereas the total numbers of Ali Khan becomes 761, i.e. one more than that. It should, therefore, be taken for granted that the name was nothing else but Ali Khan.

     Whatever the scholars have gained shows that Ali Khan was born in a small village of Hashtnaghar on the bank of river Jeenday, which he remembered and admired in his poetry for its sweet potable water, as a mark of his deep attach­ment with his homeland. Jeenday is flowing through Hasht-naghar and drops in Landay (Kabul river), near Charsadda.  He has expressed emotional inclination toward the beauty of Hashtnaghar.  However his beloved was not there, rather far away, and, perhaps, it was due to this reason that he spent his life in pain and restlessness of his fruitless journeys, and his poetry is a basketful of lugubriousness, pains, yearnings and self‑reproach.

     Ali Khan's love and passion could not be considered as worldly being. Some doubts of his worldly love could be con‑ ceived, but there the language is not that of poetic submis­sion and meekness. It is feudal. In his early age, Ali Khan might have felt the pinch of love. But when he sings "O, the lord of heart!", it is, definitely, not for a pretty jilt or a handsome unfaithful boy, but a master of soul and spirit. Who is this master of soul and spirit? This is again a sub­ject of controversy due to his ambiguous references to "O, the lord of heart" of "Sahib".

     The Diwan reflects his unsuccessful, but hopeful, voy­age insearch of reality.  The mention of his beloved as `Sahib' or `the lord of heart' denote his spiritual person­age, a highly reverend and learned man. Was he Mohammadi Sahibzada or his father saint Mian Umar of Chamkanni? Most probably the former. If so, then he might have taken part, under the command of Mohammadi Sahibzada, in the revolt against Timur Shah (1772‑93) and might have suffered the consequent hardship of exile. He might have helped Mohammadi Sahibzada in his movement of renaissance of Pashto. He has, however, not made any mention of Timur Shah, but has men­tioned his son Mahmood (1800‑03, 1809‑1818) when Mohammad Akbar, nephew of Ali Khan, joined the lashkar being "pre­pared for an Islamic war".

     Only in one eulogium, he has mentioned  clearly that he was a follower of Jaami (Abdur Rahman), saying:

     I am a follower of Mohammad (PBUH),

     And obedient of Jaami, the pure,

     Therefore, I (am bound to),

     Follow these two.

     Ali Khan translated in Pashto,

     The verses of Jaami,

     As if the beauties are changing,

     New garments.                                           

     Ali Khan will praise in Pashto,

     Qualities of your beauty,

     It's a very fine art,

     Like honey or sweats.

     It also reveals that Ali Khan has translated some works of Abdul Rahman Jaami which has not yet been traced.

     He has written a parody on a Ghazal of "the Sahib" and in another invokes "the Sahib not to forget Ali Khan" who is known as his servant. In one forceful and fulgent ode, he addresses "the lord of heart". He has not mentioned any name or a clue to iden-tification of his `Sahib'. But he was, definitely, not Jaami, but someone who was a good Pashto poet also. This clue directs his attachment with Mohammadi Sahibzada. This hypothesis is confused by his four Marxas (elegies); one for his son (p.16), one for Saadatmand, Habibullah, Rasul Khan and Faizullah (p.8), one for Hawas of Khwaze (p.61), and one, most probably, for his wife (p.63). If he were really a disciple of Mohammadi Sahibzada, then he should have written a Marsia for him also. But he has not written anything about Mohammadi Sahibza who had passed away in 1200 AH. Had Ali Khan died before that? No. His famous Ghazal which `does not bear any dot' mentions the period of Mahmood, as cited earlier. A Ghazal of Ali Khan dated 13th Zil Hajj 1180 AH is considered to be one of his early age. Because the pattern of his Ghazal of last period shows his devotion to religion. Then, it raises a question. Was there any other `pir' who was also a man of knowledge, and a poet, to whom he was so much devoted. Who was he and where was he living? Ali Khan has not given any hint to that, too.

     In the history of Pashto literature, Ali Khan belongs to the golden age, starting with Khushal Khan Khattak, and stands out in the front row of romanticists such as Hameed of Masho, Kamgar Khattak and Kazim Khan Shaida. The history of Pashto literature was, then, put on such a track that on every turn new inlets were opened. The spirit rejuvenated and enlightened by Khushal Khan Khattak and Rahman Baba was, in later ages, elated perpetually. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, in the ever green valley of Pashto literature blossomed so much fragrant flowers that their fresh smell is felt even today and will be felt in all times to come. The scholars of Pashto literature call it romantic period. 

     The kaleidoscopic poetry of the romantic period re-flected various colours, inspiring reader and listener. Let us have a look at the poetry of Ali Khan in this rosy pic­ture of the romantic age, and discuss it with analytical approach.

     According to Muqadema appended to Diwan‑i‑Ali Khan, written by Taqweemul Haq, the poetry of Ali Khan could be divided into three phases. First of his worldly love or Ishqi Majazi. He pays rich tributes to the beauty of his beloved. Long black hair, snowy forehead, eyelashes and eyebrows, attractive eyes, floral cheeks, rose‑petal lips, gem‑like teeth, all these similes used normally for worldly love, along‑with complaints of unfaithful‑ness, ridiculous behaviour of adviser and preacher, painful circumstances of hijr and excitement of wisal. All such feelings are clearly perceptible in Ali Khan's poetry. As a rule of love, as it happens in youth, the poet gives his beloved a place upper­most than anything else, and considers the love as the only and eternal bliss of this world.

     Ali Khan gets annoyed by those who want to exert force on him to cut off his rich fibre of link with beauty, when he says;

     That who advises me in riddles

     Is not aware of the secrets of love.

     But he does not remain patient with such bitterness, he becomes so scornful to condemn the adviser:

     Many are they who advise me in day light,

     Whom I see in the night at doorstep of the beloved.

In other words:

     Bowing head in meditation like a rosebud,

     Or, the saint was bewildered by your small mouth.

     Like any other poet, Ali Khan is also very much dis­gruntled by indifference of his beloved. This is a common character­istic of a lover's temperament. He wails in such a way:

     Those who fall in love like me,

     Would be sad even at the moment of happiness.

     What a sin of mine, sans the love,

     That the beauties flee from me.

     Not by willingness Ali Khan,

     Beloved has snatched my heart by force.

     But the knot of love is so tight that it could not be unfastened.

     That the love of beauties condemned me to exile,

     Yet the smear of love did not efface.

     And when he has realised that he was in real love, he addresses himself:

     The true lovers won't brag,

     Ali Khan brace your character rather than speech.

     For this purpose he does not hesitate even to sacrifice his blood.

     Let other beauties ask for colourful dresses,

     Your dress is red with Ali Khan's blood.

     If we scrutinise the flamboyant expression of Ali Khan's verse, we can easily establish the fact that Ali Khan was a metaphysical poet. He could be compared with the lead­ing English poet John Donne (1573‑1631). The history of English literature divulges that metaphysical school of thought emerged after Elizabethan age. In trends, the meta­physical school of poetry proved a revolt against the Eliza­bethan poetry. The metaphysical poets brought about revolu­tionary changes in the theme and technique of Elizabethan poetry. The conventional Elizabethan diction was trans‑sub-stantiated into analytical and logical.

     In Pashto, the situation was different. The poetical genius in Pashto literature had reached its Zenith before the age of Ali Khan. Khushal Khan Khattak and Rahman Baba had done exuberant and plausible experiments and the age of Ali Khan, which was subse‑  quent, was not a revolt but substantiation thereof. However, it can be safely said that romanticism was institutionalised in this age of Ali Khan, Hameed, Kamgar Khattak and Kazim Khan Shaida.

     Ali Khan was acquainted with  qualities and require­ments of metaphysical poetry. He was a man of excessive intellects and possessed great knowledge of religion. We may make a brief attempt to analyse his poetry for the pur­pose of his meta­physical verse. In comparison and con­trast, we would quote and explain the relevant verses of English meta-physical poets such as John Donne and Abraham Cowley.

     The subtle wreath of hair, which crown my arm,

     The mystery, the sign you must not touch,

     For it is my outward soul,

     Except she meant that I,

     By this should know my pain,

     As prisoners then are manacled,

     When they are condemned to death. (The funeral: John Donne)

Ali Khan says:

     The soul has returned to my body,

     Marked with the fire of your love.

     When entered my body it became selfish,

     Therefore, it has been tied by your hair.

     Both Donne and Ali Khan have used beloved's hair as a mark of punishment to the lover's soul.

     Metaphysical poets use figure of speech to a farthest stage, for example, Abraham Cowley, another leading meta­physical poet uses metaphor to which we can give the name of geographical metaphor. Read his verses:

     Hast thou not found each woman's breast,

     (The land where thou has travelled),

     Either by savage possesst,

     Or wild, and uninhibited?

     What joy could'st take, or what repose,

     In countries so civilised as those.

Listen to John Donne:

     Where can we find two better hemisphere,

     Without sharp north, without declining west?

     Love, so alike that none do slacken, none can die.

Ali Khan says:

My dark fate is like the black hair of Turks (Turkish                                               beauties),

     Will drive me ultimately to exile in India.

     If your black hair were spread over the white face,

     Rome will become Negroes‑land and India be Khurasan.

     Cowley has used the conceit of travelling in different countries, Donne has used north and west and Ali Khan has used Rome, Negro‑land, India and Khurasan for their geo‑phy-sical significance.

     Metaphysical poetry is broadly divided into two i.e. amorous and religious. Ali Khan being a metaphysical poet has tested his pen in love, religion and life. Apart from love and religion, he has also touched the broad canvass of practical life; ethics, social philosophy, fatalism and humanity. At some places he has superbly demonstrated logic and philosophy which in fact ascend him further to the apex of his poetical genius.

     So far his religious poetry is concerned which is, in fact, a stage where his thought and feeling, having been knotted with the golden thread of his metaphysics, culminat­ed into spirit and ultimately transplanted in the ethereal realm of divine poetry. In the closing stage of his transi­tory period he feels about worldly love in the following manner:

     It means, never is there,

     Any substance in worldly love.

     Ali Khan from mortal love,

     Pulled out himself.

     Now concentrate on religion,

     Give up others' love.

And when he crosses the threshold into religious feelings, he says;

     Ali Khan is a slave of Muhammad (PBUH),

     Who guarantees his salvation on Doomsday.

     Love is that object Ali Khan,

     Which was loved by the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

     Ali Khan hopes for Your mercy,

     O, Lord Forgiver of the sinners.

(courtesy: daily Frontier Post, Peshawar 07 November 1992)