Modern Poetry of Pakistan

by Iftikhar Arif

  Rani of Jhansi

  The Rani of Jhansi, Lakshmibai (1828–1858), neé Manikarnika, was the wife of Gangadhar Rao, Raja of the Maratha kingdom of Jhansi who died without a natural heir in 1853, opening up an opportunity for the British to annex the state on the basis of the East India Company’s Doctrine of Lapse. The Rani of Jhansi resisted their maneuvers and led her army, comprised of both male and female units, against the British in the 1857 war, variously known as the Indian Mutiny, the Sepoy Rebellion, and the Indian Uprising Against Imperial Rule, among other designations. She was greatly admired for her courage, even by her enemies, and has become one of the iconic figures of India’s struggle against British imperialism. She died fighting in the battle of Gwalior in 1858.

  Bahadur Shah

  Bahadur Shah Zafar (1775–1862), the last Mughal Emperor, was almost eighty years old at the time of the so-called 1857 Mutiny. The rebellion against British rule was carried out by diverse groups of Hindus and Muslims in his name, although he neither endorsed the rebellion nor could take part in any of the battles. After the fall of Delhi in 1858, the British sacked the city and exiled the old king with his wife to Rangoon in Burma, where he died in poverty a few years later.

  Tipu

  Sultan of Mysore (1782–1799). Tipu (or Tipoo) Sultan, also known as “The Tiger of Mysore,” was defeated by the British under Arthur Wellesley at the famous Battle of Seringapatam (1799), where he died fighting valiantly, though many of his commanders had been secretly bribed by the British. For many Indians, this marks the last stand against British expansion in India, and Tipu continues to be greatly revered as a patriotic and courageous ruler. Of course, the British portrayed him as a tyrant of the worst order.

  Emperor Zafar

  While he was held prisoner by the British following the 1857 uprising, the Emperor Zafar was presented with the heads of his sons in a covered dish.

  Mitya Burj

  Mitya Burj is the place in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), where the new court of the exiled Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was located.

  Qaisar Bagh

  Qaisar Bagh is the name of the palace complex, with gardens, mosque, and ladies’ apartments, that Nawab Wajid Ali Shah constructed in Lucknow.

  Ah, Akhtar!

  Refers to Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, last ruler of Avadh, who used “Akhtar” (literally, “star”) as his poetic Takhalus, or pen name. He was forced into exile in Kolkata after Avadh was annexed by the British.

  Jallianwala Bagh massacre

  Jallianwala Bagh, in Amritsar, was the site of the slaughter of hundreds of unarmed Indian men, women, and children, on the orders of Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer.

  Bhagat Singh

  Bhagat Singh was a freedom fighter from the Punjab who was hanged as a traitor by the British.

  Husain

  Husain was the nephew of the Prophet Muhammad. During the massacre at Karbala, he was a martyr to justice at the hands of Shimr, a general acting on the orders of Yazid (sometimes spelled “Yezid”), the second Caliph of the Umayyad Dynasty.

  Come to Salvation

  Pukhtun

  Or Pakhtun, Pashtun, Pushtun, or Pathan. A speaker of Pukhto or Pashto. But both “Pukhtun” and “Pukhto” are also used to refer to the code of Pukhtunwali—the Pukhtun way of life, which upholds fairness, justice, boldness, bravery, and honor. Pukhto also means Truth, and is used in that sense in the penultimate couplet.

  Takbir

  The cry of “Allah u Akbar” (“God is great”) is known as the Takbir.

  Majnun

  A reference to the legendary lover Majnun (his actual name was Qays ibn al-Mulawwah) from the classical Arabian story Layla-Majnun. Majnun means “one mad with love.”

  Salman, Abuzar, or Bilal

  All three were companions of the Prophet Muhammad. Salman was a Persian, popularly known as Salman al-Farsi, who converted to Islam in Medina and was one of the scribes of the Qur’anic revelations. Abuzar, also known as Abu Dhar al-Gaffari (his real name was Jandab ibn Junadah ibn Sakan) was an early convert to Islam and a stout supporter of the Prophet’s mission throughout his life. Bilal was an African slave who converted to Islam and was one of the dearest companions of the holy Prophet. He was celebrated for his adhan (or azan), the call for prayer.

  kills his cousin

  In Pukhtun tradition, the first cousin, or tarbur, is considered an enemy, chiefly because of potential disputes over the inheritance of property.

  Ghazal: None Has Such Bewitching Eyes

  Marghalaray

  Literally, a pearl.

  Kashmala

  Name of the girl addressed in the poem. Literally, “basil.”

  Ghazal: I Shall Always Go with the Brave Pukhtun

  jirgas

  Pashtun council of elders.

  tapa

  Village.

  Death of Israfil

  Israfil

  The angel who will blow the trumpet on the day of judgment. In Islamic tradition he is seen as a musician of exceptional sweetness who sings the praises of God in a thousand languages and is the inspiration for all melody and song in the heavens and on earth.

  Hassan the Potter

  An unpublished note on this poem by the author states that “Love is no doubt important to an artist; but his art and his means of livelihood are even more important. Even in its great intensity, love is meaningless in the end unless it turns into an élan vital for the artist and leads him to still greater creativity.”

  At the Sinai Valley

  garden of Iram

  A fabled garden, built by King Shaddad in Aden, mentioned in the Qur’an.

  He Knows Not What He Must Express

  The poem satirizes Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, founder of the Pakistan People’s Party, and his two ministers, Abdul Hafiz Peerzada and Maulana Kausar Niazi.

  Partition

  Daman read this poem at a mushaira with the Indian President Dr. Rajindar Prasad in the chair and Pandit Nehru, at whose invitation he was visiting India, in attendance.

  Brother, Are You from Kunjah?

  my brother

  In fact, he is her cousin. In Punjabi culture, it is normal to call one’s cousin “brother.”

  mammi

  The wife of the mother’s brother.

  My Words Are Odd

  Balnath’s disciple

  In the widely popular Punjabi romance Heer Ranjha by Warras Shah (1722–1798), Balnath is the chief of the Kanphatta yogis (yogis with pierced ears), whom Ranjha approaches for yog or enlightenment after his beloved Heer has been married off against her wishes to Saida Khera.

  Ranjha of fictional romances

  Ranjha is Heer’s lover in the story of Heer and Ranjha, which occurs in many variations. The best known are the Heer by Damodar and Heer Ranjha by Warras Shah. In the Punjab particularly, and the Indo-Pakistan cultural tradition generally, Heer is seen as the soul and Ranjha as the body, and their love represents the yearning of each for the other.

  Devadasi

  Devadasi

  Literally “slave of the gods.” Temple dancer. Among Hindus, devadasis were girls dedicated at the time of their birth (sometimes later) to the service of the gods by their parents, or else taken into such service because they had been abandoned or simply had no one to look after them. The poet provides the following note in which he somewhat romanticizes their position: “Devadasis are girls (most often attractive young virgins) who serve in Hindu temples, doing cleaning chores and performing dances of devotion to the stone statue of the idol. They are forbidden to marry, although they yearn for love. Hundreds of devotees come to the temple, where they kiss the idol, offer it fruits, and shower flowers upon it. Love rains on the idol, but it never spares a look for the poor virgin.”

  Layla, Shirin, Mansur, etc.

  Heroines of well-known folk romances.

  saqi

  Cupbearer or server of wine, often a beautiful adolescent boy. Symbol of the beloved in Perso-Indian poe
try.

  O Ghani! O You Ass, Ghani!

  Ghani

  The poet’s name, but ghani also means “generous,” “openhanded,” “munificent.”

  Kausar

  Referenced in the Qur’an, this is a lake situated on the shores of heaven. Its water is said to be milky white and sweet as honey. Those who are able to cross the straight and narrow bridge, no more than a hair’s breadth, into heaven will be able to drink from it, and its nectar will make them forget all their earthly unhappiness and sorrows.

  Question or Answer

  Mansur

  Mansur al-Hallaj, Persian Sufi, poet, and teacher, who lived from 858–922. He is known for his famous utterance “Innal Haq,” “I am Truth,” or “I am God,” during one of his trances, and was imprisoned and later crucified on the charge of heresy for making this statement. He is widely admired in the Muslim world for his martyrdom in the cause of truth.

  Yazid

  Second Caliph of the Umayyad Dynasty, who was responsible for the Massacre of Karbala in which Husain and a large part of his family, including women and children, were murdered. The event looms large in the imagination of Muslim poets and is repeatedly referenced in their works.

  Bahlol

  A mad fakir who lived during the time of the Caliph Haroun al Rashid. He was known for making statements that seemed profound and foolish at the same time. Considered a saint, or a dervish, by many in the Muslim world.

  Search

  rabab

  A stringed instrument played with a bow.

  Terminus

  Chhanni Khachi

  The poem is set in a dreamscape—surreal, of course, but nonetheless containing precise, realistic details, and encompassing the past, future, and the present simultaneously. “Chhanni Khachi” is the invented name of a mountain located in this world.

  jogan

  Hindu holy woman. A female yogi.

  Dialogue

  autaq

  A place where Sindhis host visitors. That someone has an autaq shows that he or she is a person of consequence.

  Farewell to the Earth

  thar

  Name of the desert that extends from Rajasthan in India to the eastern part of Sindh as well as the Punjab in Pakistan.

  Spinning Party

  Spinning Party

  Tarinjan, in the original Punjabi, is a longstanding tradition in the village culture of the Punjab: a gathering of young women, often unmarried, for spinning cotton, exchanging information, gossip, and socializing.

  Heer, Ranjha

  The lovers in the well-known Punjabi romance Heer Ranjha. Kaido, Heer’s maternal uncle, and the Khera family, her in-laws, are represented as villains in the story.

  doli

  A litter or palanquin in which the bride is conveyed to her husband’s home.

  Koël

  koël

  A singing blackbird. A member of the cuckoo family.

  A Gecko’s Mind

  Abu Lahab

  Literally “Father of Fire,” or “Father of Flame,” so called because his cheeks were said to be flaming red. His real name was Abd-al-Uzza ibn Abdul Muttalib, and he was a paternal uncle of the Prophet Muhammad, though he bore his nephew a fierce and bitter lifelong animosity. A Qur’anic verse condemns him and his wife, an equally fierce opponent of Islam, to the everlasting doom of hellfire.

  Political Advisor

  This poem was written in response to a boastful claim by a famous poet that he had become an unofficial advisor to the military dictator Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan, President of Pakistan from 1958–1969.

  Siege

  Qalandars

  Sometimes referred to as roving monks. Like “fakirs,” qalandars are holy men or women who have renounced their spouses, friends, and possessions. They are meant to have no worldly assets whatsoever.

  Ghazal: The Flower that Bloomed Beneath the Ground Is in My Heart

  Bilquis

  The Queen of Sheba in Muslim tradition. She is highly regarded in Islamic tradition as a woman who recognized the true religion when she visited Solomon in his palace.

  Ghazal: Who Gave the Jhoomar of Pale Leaves to Dust’s Forehead?

  jhoomar

  A bridal ornament worn on the forehead.

  Kaf

  The abode of the devs (giants), or gods, Kaf is a fabulous mountain range believed in certain Muslim folk traditions to surround the earth.

  Kashmir Is a Lion

  Pharons

  A pharon is a long, loose robe worn by Kashmiris.

  Our Heritage

  Zindabad

  “Prosper forever.”

  bismillah

  Literally, “In the name of Allah.” Muslims say “bismillah” before commencing any good activity, work, or project. It may be repeated a hundred times during the day, and is used here in its extended sense of being “a beginning,” i.e., this is just the beginning of the struggle.

  Romance of Imagination

  sarangi

  A popular stringed instrument, played with a bow, in the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent, widely used as an accompaniment in classical singing performances. It is said to most closely resemble the range of the human voice.

  The Road of Memory

  Shah Murid, Jam Durrak, et al.

  Shah Murid (also “Sheh Mureed”) was a fifteenth-century Baloch hero known for his skills in horsemanship and the martial arts. Jam Durrak was a mid-eighteenth-century Balochi poet, active at the court of Mir Muhammad Nasir Khan of Kalat. Mast Tawakli (also “Tawakali”) was a nineteenth-century Balochi Sufi poet. Hani was the beloved of Shah Murid, and Sammo the love of Mast Tawakali. The reference to “Sangeen” is unclear.

  dupattas

  Silk or muslin wraps or shawls of very light material that are thrown across the chest and shoulders or used for covering the head. Worn by women in Pakistan and India and seen to represent respect and honor for the wearer.

  You Are in Love with Me

  ajraks

  A colorful shawl from Sindh.

  Aqleema

  Aqleema

  Sister of Cain and Abel.

  It Could be Any Age

  Ranjhan

  An affectionate form of the name Ranjha.

  Kafi

  Kafi

  Classical form of Sufi poetry in Punjabi, Sindhi, and Seraiki.

  Sun, Moon, Star

  jaltarang

  A musical instrument comprising china or earthenware bowls filled with various quantities of water, producing different notes when struck with a pair of wooden sticks.

  Singer

  chunni

  Punjabi word for “dupatta.” (See “The Road of Memory,” above.)

  THE POETS

  AALI, JAMILUDDIN (1926– ): Aali is a respected Urdu poet who has also written a number of popular national songs and who has revived the traditional genre of doha, known for its candid informality. His newspaper column, which focuses on intellectual and literary activities, is widely read, and has been collected into several books. He has also written travelogues, and having once worked in banking, has compiled a dictionary of economic terms. In 1991, Aali received the Pride of Performance award from the government of Pakistan, followed by the Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) in 1998. The Pakistan Academy of Letters conferred the Kamal-i-Funn (Lifetime Achievement Award) on Aali in 2007. He lives in Karachi.

  ABBASI, TANVEER (1934–1994): Abbasi was a medical doctor by profession. His first collection of poetry, written in Sindhi, was published in 1958. By the time of his death he had four further volumes of verse to his credit, as well as several collections of critical essays and translations.

  AGHA, WAZIR (1922– ): Born in Sargodha, Agha is a prolific poet, prose writer, critic, and literary editor. After completing a master’s degree in economics, he received his PhD for a dissertation on the use of humor and satire in Urdu literature. In 1966, he launched the Urdu literary journal Auraq. Agha has published seventeen collections of Urdu poe
try, five collections of essays, and sixteen books of criticism. He lives in Lahore. The government of Pakistan awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) to Agha in 1995.

  AMJAD, AMJAD ISLAM (1944– ): Amjad is an Urdu poet and a distinguished playwright. He has published more than eighteen books and has twice been the recipient of the National Hijra Award for Urdu poetry. He has also received the Pakistani government’s Pride of Performance (1987) and Sitara-i-Imtiaz (1998) awards. A selection of his poems has been translated into English under the title Love Encompasses All.

  AMJAD, MAJEED (1914–1974): A native of Jhang, in what is today Pakistan’s Punjab province, Amjad is regarded as one of the most important Urdu poets of the twentieth century. He wrote with a distinctive poetic voice, its range and depth unique in modern poetry, and commanded a variety of themes and innovative forms. Before joining the civil service, he edited a literary magazine, Urooj, but was removed from this post for writing a poem against the British Raj. A recluse, Amjad published only one collection of his verse during his lifetime. A second volume and his collected works were published many years after his death.

  ARIF, IFTIKHAR (1943– ): Arif was born in Lucknow and emigrated to Pakistan in 1965. One of the leading Urdu poets, he has published five collections of his verse to date. An English translation of a selection of his poems, Written in the Season of Fear, has also appeared. He has been a recipient of the Writers Guild Award (1984), the Faiz International Award (1988), the Naqoosh Award (1994), the Wasiqa-i-Aitraf, presented by the Hamdard Foundation (1994), and the Maulvi Abdul Haq Award (1995). The Pakistani government awarded him the Pride of Performance award in 1998, the Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 1999, and the Hilal-i-Imtiaz in 2005. He has served as the head of the Urdu Markaz, London; the National Language Authority and the National Book Foundation; and is former Chairman of the Pakistan Academy of Letters. He lives in Islamabad.