Pashto Focus

[Bengal_Tiger]

** FOCUS ON PASHTO; THE LANGUAGE, THE LITERATURE AND ALL NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO IT **

Pashto: An official language of Afghanistan and also the main language in neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pashto may have as many as 60 million speakers thus more people speak Pashto than:

- Swedish
- Dutch
- Somali
- Kurdish and many other languages.

Considered as an Indo-Iranian language, it is facing a struggle for survival in Pakistan especially in its usage in written form.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Of forgotten poets: The elegist of Peshawar fights a lonely battle for his life

Fazal Subhan Abid, the composer of many Pashto anthems, is suffering from Hepatitis C and needs help.
By Hidayat Khan
Published: July 21, 2014






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The well-known poet and lyricist, who has composed some of the best beloved Pashto songs of our time, is suffering from Hepatitis C and other health complications. PHOTO: FILE

PESHAWAR: The writer of hundreds of Pukhtun anthems, Fazal Subhan Abid, is fighting for his life at a hospital in his hometown of Dargai, Malakand. The well-known poet and lyricist, who has composed some of the best beloved Pashto songs of our time, is suffering from Hepatitis C and other health complications.

The 58-year-old Abid Jan, as he is lovingly called by his fans, has spent the past 14 years in Dubai earning a living. He had to return home, however, as his health deteriorated. Due to a lack of proper treatment, Abid’s other organs have also been damaged.

To make matters worse, his ability to pay for his treatment has diminished as well. It has been a long and expensive trial over the last seven years and doctors have now advised operations which could set him back by about Rs8 million. Although the provincial culture minister has announced Rs100,000 for Abid, it is nowhere near the amount he really needs.
Abid’s all-time hits include anthems such as ‘Pekhawar kho Pekhawar day kana’ (Peshawar is Peshawar after all) first sung by Gulzar Alam in 1998 and ‘Pa Pekhawar ke parhar ma jorawai’ (Stop ripping Peshawar apart) sung by Hashmat Sahar. It is an irony that the songs are so well-known but their maker is largely forgotten. “My songs have given me recognition among Pukhtuns in Pakistan, Afghanistan and our diaspora around the world,” said the writer while speaking to The Express Tribune. “The importance of this music among the Pukhtuns is undeniable because of their love for their homeland.”

Some of Abid’s earlier works replaced long-standing favourites such as ‘Mung yu da Khyber zalmi’ (We are the youth of Khyber), which was performed by venerated Pashto ghazal singer Khyal Muhammad. His ‘Lewanai mausam’ (Seasons of madness) has been sung by artists such as Haroon Bacha, Kifayat Shah Bacha and Nazia Iqbal among others.
Others classics include ‘Da Karachai da ranragano khar ke wraka yara’ (Oh lover, you are lost to the lights of Karachi) and ‘Taswir de sanga jorh kram’ (How do I paint your picture), among hundreds of ghazals, which have been complied in a two-volume anthology titled ‘Lewanai mausam’. Another poetry collection is awaiting publication.
“I have always tried to write poetry according to the conditions of my province,” says Abid. “War and militancy have affected every fibre of society, and so, it was inevitable that our poetry and literature would eventually incorporate these elements.”
Abid says a major chunk of his work has focused on paying tribute to Peshawar. “It is a city for the common man,” he says. “It is the centre of all hope for the Pukhtuns and every one of us yearns for the day we will see peace spread in this city of flowers again.”
He believes that good art always leaves an impact on people. “They will hum these tunes for years to come and the words will continue to resound in their hearts long after I am gone,” Abid said from his bed. “It is unfortunate that the work is always remembered, but not the people who are responsible for creating it.”
Some of Abid Jan’s songs have never been performed. One of them carries more than just a message for Peshawar: ‘Sumra lawaris shway Pekhawara sok de nishta’ or ‘How abandoned you are Peshawar, with no one left to care for you’.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 21st, 2014.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/738554/o...-for-his-life/

[Bengal_Tiger]

A fable in a flash: Bringing Pashto folklore to life, one pixel at a time

Peshawar-based graphic designer plans animated series.
By Hidayat Khan / Creative: Talha Ahmed
Published: July 14, 2014






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Peshawar-based graphic designer plans animated series. DESIGN: TALHA AHMED

PESHAWAR: Abdul Rahman is a man on a mission: the creator of the first Pashto animated film Jalaat Khan and Mehbooba, Rahman is determined to bring the men and women of traditional folktales to life for Pakistani children today, one fable at a time.
“Our children’s heroes are all Western, characters from movies and cartoons that we have been making them watch,” he says. “My work is not just for children today but for the next generation as well, to help them learn about the history and importance of our stories and values.”

While the narrative is not particular to Pashtun culture, the story of Jalaat Khan and Mehbooba may have originated in Afghanistan, Rahman says. A love story, it is a fable about a king who, unable to
get a male heir to his throne, kills all his female children. One child, Mehbooba, is saved by her mother, who hides her from the king as she is so beautiful.
The little girl is kept in a secret place, but as she grows older, her beauty receives the attentions of locals. However, anyone who tries to reach her is killed. One man, Prince Jalaat Khan, is able to reach Mehbooba and takes her away, after which there is a bloody war between the king and the prince.
“We tell these stories in order to educate our children, to give them cultural values and to motivate them,” Rahman explains. “Children watching Western video games and animated films mimic the violent and aggressive tendencies they see here.”
A graphic designer, painter and photographer, Rahman is an associate professor at Peshawar’s College of Design. “I tried to make the story as entertaining as possible for children,” he says, explaining that the quality of the work – graphics and sound – was key to his short film.
The work paid off, as the animation won first prize at the Animation in All Pakistan Media festival, held at Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIKI) in Topi.
Former director of the Pashto Academy Dr Salma Shaheen explains that folktales such as Jalaat Khan and Mehbooba are a mix of traditional and oral narratives that include legends, proverbs, music and jokes from within Pakhtun culture. “There is always a history behind every folktale that is transferred from one generation to another,” she says. “However, with the assault of Western films, Pakhtun folktales have lost their importance among the public.” Other traditional stories from this genre include those of Yousuf Khan Sher Bano and Adam Khan Durkhanai, tales that endure due to the efforts of folk singers and storytellers or theatrical and television dramas. “There are no efforts by artists, musicians or graphic designers to keep these stories alive today,” Rahman feels.
Rahman is struggling to bring his work into the mainstream. He says that even months after the initial screening at the GIKI festival, there has been little interest in Jalaat Khan and Mehbooba.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 14th, 2014.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/735360/a...xel-at-a-time/

[Bengal_Tiger]

Of an unrequited love for Peshawar

By Sadia Qasim Shah
Published Aug 05, 2014 06:24am

‹ ›

PESHAWAR: “Pekhawar kho Pekhawar day kana” is a song, which speaks of a city bursting with life. Another song about Peshawar (pronounced as Pekhawar in Pashto), composed few years later, “Pa Pekhawar kay parhar ma jorhawa” speaks about the agony of a lover of Peshawar, who pleads that the bleeding city be spared when frequent terrorist attacks sucked life out of this city every other day.
Both these poems have been written by a sensitive soul, Fazle Subhan Abid.
Abid, only 46, is a soft spoken Pashto romantic poet. He writes about finer things in life like love and beauty but one topic which is recurrent in his poetry is Pekhawar. It is a symbol of a place for a Pukhtun, wherever he may be, to call his home.
Abid often speaks of love for Pakhtuns, their glorious past and Pakhtun luminaries in his poems but when he pens down his feelings about Pekhawar, he expresses his best. Abid hails from Dargai, Malakand yet the city of Peshawar is his beloved.
Romantic Pashto poet losing fight against hepatitis silently

Since Abid himself earned his living by working abroad, he also speaks for those labouring in Middle Eastern countries and other cities away from their homeland.
Da Karachai da ranrhagano khaar kay wraka yara,
Da khpalay kharhay kusay heray na khray …
Ka Karachai pa ta wadana vi, wadana de vi,
Zama da zrah Pekhawar ma herawa
In this poem, Abid speaks for the Pakhtuns hailing from the rural parts of the province who work in Karachi, the city of lights. Peshawar, the beloved, calls for those lost in the city of lights and reminds them the dusty streets of their villages, which wait for their return.
It is sad that the poet, who has written so much about life, is silently losing his fight against hepatitis C without complaining. “The peoples’ appreciation of my lyrics encourages me to live,” he says.
Abid has been suffering from hepatitis for the last six years. His resembles that of great English romantic poet John Keats, whose life was also cut short by a disease (tuberculosis) and worsened by poverty.
Abid feels that his poetry would survive him. He has stopped writing poetry because of ill-health. For the last seven months or so his condition has deteriorated.
The treatment would cost him about Rs8 million but he has nothing except his talent and self-esteem.
He could not get any medical help and quietly went through the agonies accompanied with this disease. His self-esteem is so high that he didn’t disclose his deteriorating condition and money problems even to his friends.
In his famous poem “Pa Pekhawar kay parhar ma jorhawa”, he expresses how he suffers when Peshawar is bombed and destroyed. Now it seems if it is a case of unrequited love affair with Peshawar. He is victim of a bigger disease -- the apathy of the people of Peshawar and the provincial government.
The provincial government is letting this flower whither away. It has done nothing so far to show that it values those, who become the voice of the city.
Os ka da khkulo adagaanay staye
Abida da ba loy tawan kaway
Sanga ba wayem chay Pakhtun Shaer ye
Chay day qalam raparedalay na day
Yet Abid feels the compulsion of writing about the plight of Pakhtuns. Amid turmoil, he feels he can write about nothing but what he sees around him.
He feels he owes it to the people of this land to write and tell the world the truth about Pakhtuns.
It is ironic and somewhat sad that there are advocates, who want the provincial government to save a shabby house of Dilip Kumar in Peshawar city at whatever the cost may be. The last demand as price of the house was Rs80 million. Sadly, there is no voice to compel the government to save this precious soul, which always sings songs about Peshawar.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2014

http://www.dawn.com/news/1123431/of-...e-for-peshawar

[Bengal_Tiger]

Poetry for peace: Khyber’s adabi jirga continues in Hamza Baba’s footsteps

Poets gather to recite work based on war, peace and development of the tribal belt.
By Abuzar Afridi / Hidayat Khan
Published: August 4, 2014






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At least 30 poets recited their work at the mushaira organised by the Khyber Pashto Adabi Jirga. PHOTO: INP

LANDI KOTAL: The Khyber Pashto Adabi Jirga held a ‘Peace Poetry Session’ mushaira in Landikotal on Sunday with at least 30 poets, of whom three were from Afghanistan and the rest from the agency.
Muntazir Shinwari and Afghan poet Sawab Khaksar presided over the session. Others who were in attendance include Shahid Intizar, Rehman Muntazir, Yar Husain Sahil, Abdur Rauf Ghafur Afridi, Islam Gharkab, and Nurul Wahab.
The poets recited ghazals and poems about peace and on-going wars. The body of work served as a collective call for the prosperity and development of Khyber Agency. The work of the poets also touched on the continuously evolving geo-political placement of the tribal belt.
Riaz Shah Afridi, the president of the adabi jirga, requested the government to construct an office for their society—one of the oldest in the region—so they can continue working towards the promotion of the literary arts. Their current office is located in Godown or Bhatai, Landikotal.
Khyber Agency has been home to a number of illustrious Pashto poets, including Hamza Khan Shinwari or Hamza Baba and Misri Khan Khatir, commonly known as Khatir Afridi. The agency has managed to maintain its tradition of mushairas, despite trying security conditions.

The Pashto Adabi Jirga is one of the oldest literary organisations in the agency. Its foundation was laid down by Hamza Baba in 1940 and still serves the Pashto poetry community with hundreds of writers associated with it.

A huge number of people were there to listen to the mushaira and showed their appreciation with their applause and requests for encores.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4th,2014.

[Badlun]

** FOCUS ON PASHTO; THE LANGUAGE, THE LITERATURE AND ALL NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO IT **

Pashto: An official language of Afghanistan and also the main language in neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pashto may have as many as 60 million speakers thus more people speak Pashto than:

- Swedish
- Dutch
- Somali
- Kurdish and many other languages.

Considered as an Indo-Iranian language, it is facing a struggle for survival in Pakistan especially in its usage in written form.

Very good effort. I will suggest that you may also focus on Pashto in FATA and Pashtun parts of Balochistan. FATA is 100% Pashtun while Balochistan is from 45 to 50% Pashtun.

Also this is interesting that in poetry Pashto(especially in Pakistan) is rich but not in prose. Again as a language (mainly writing) Pashto is stronger in Afghanistan but in literature it is stronger in Pakistan. Pashto has no official status in Pakistan but Pakistan do speak it with pride while writing or reading of Pashto in Pakistan is almost non existent.

[gadoonwal]

Many thanks Bengal TIGER

Fazli Subhan Abid is a great of poet of pashtunkhwa.
I hope and pray he get better health.

Pashtu is not the national language of any country.
In afghanistan it is just by name the media etc are 80% in parsi.
The main language of communication there is farsi.
Pashtu is spoken in pashtun dominated areas.
I hope the future afghan govt do more for pashtu.
In pashtunkhwa people speak pashtu but it is not recognise as a national language.It is a regional language.It is not recognise in the constitution.
All other language seriaki,Baluchi,sindi,punjabi etc face the same problem.
They imposed the language of Dehli and Laknaw/urdu in pakistan.
Similarly in afghanistan the language of iranian was imposed on pakhtun.

Pashtuns of both side needed to do something for their language or this great,rich and historical will disapeard.

Ethnic politicains in pakistan should asked the paki establishment to recognise all the languages .

[Bengal_Tiger]

Cultural revival: The resilient poets of Waziristan declare war of words

Waziristan Adabi Baheer was formed a year ago and continues to face an uphill battle for survival.
By Zulfiqar Ali / Creative: Jamal Khurshid
Published: August 23, 2014






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Waziristan Adabi Baheer was formed a year ago and continues to face an uphill battle for survival. ILLUSTRATION: JAMAL KHURSHID

DI KHAN: The ongoing decade-long war in the tribal belt of Pakistan may have brought much anguish to the region. However, where some see only darkness, literary aficionados see an opportunity for unprecedented growth. To many, the birth of the Waziristan Adabi Baheer is a breath of fresh air.
The word baheer, coming from the local Pashto dialect, means a bundle of firewood which Pukhtun women collect from far-off places and bring home on their heads. Even today, the tradition of baheer prevails among the evergreen trees of mountainous valleys near the Pak-Afghan border.

Formed almost a year ago on August 27, the society brings together dozens of local personalities, especially poets, to bring back Waziristan’s literary values from the brink of extinction. These patrons of culture have managed to publish a self-sponsored book named Sharik Burjal, which contains the poetry of over 40 local literatis in the form of poetry and ghazals.
The society regularly meets to hold mushairas in different areas of Waziristan, where interested people from both North and South Waziristan and adjacent districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa participate.
“In a short time, more than 700 copies of Sharik Burjal have been sold,” said the proud president of the society, Niaz Ali, who writes under the pen name Watan Jar – meaning lover of the soil. “The tribals are taking an interest in our activities; that is why they show up in large numbers for our gatherings.”
The poets of Waziristan Adabi Baheer say their poetry reflects their feelings as a tribal society. In their expressions, one can find an adoration for their land, history, culture, and a venom for their enemies.

Wana’s Mughal Khel village is home to one such young poet and folk singer, Shaukat Aziz Shaukat, who has recently authored a book called Nan Lewani Zrha Raata Dasay O Wayal – Today my mad heart spoke to me thus. An excerpt from this narrative of despair speaks of the current ordeal that his home has been subjected to, and goes like this:
Zamong da weer na adeeray starhi di – The graveyards grow weary of our cries
Pa jaragano mo sta khulay starhi di – Our lips grow weary of weeping
Darta ba hal da kali sa o wayam? – How do I tell you the situation of my land?
La janazo na mo ugay starhi di – Our shoulders grow weary of carrying coffins
Che warta zrha wayee bas hagha kawi – They do what their hearts tell them to do
Kani zamong war poray khulay starhi di – While our mouths grow weary of preventing them
Wana’s other veteran of words is white-bearded Nisar Ahmad Nisar, locally known as Nisar Lala. Once an ardent member of Bacha Khan’s Khudai Khidmatgar movement, Nisar later turned his attention towards Pashto poetry.
“The tribes of Waziristan have long defended their culture against external threats,” says Nisar Lala. “Although there has been no literary society of note and our people remain mostly illiterate, our traditions have persevered and the tribal love for poetry and literature remains alive.”
He writes in his book Manzal O Mahzal (The Destination and the Journey):
Bya tanrai pray ka bewaara lewanai sha – Then sever your chains and be an uncontained madman
Da watan da azadi ta spelanai sha – Become a sacrifice for the freedom of your nation
“The aim of the Waziristan Adabi Baheer is to work on the preservation of our language, literature and culture,” explained Ali. “This area has its own unique dialect which needs to be protected from outside influences. Our society is also keeping a written record of quotations, proverbs and folk songs which have been passed down for generations. If we do not do this now, the heritage of our ancestors will be lost to history.”
Ali added that the members of Waziristan Adabi Baheer have to dig deep into their own pockets in order to keep breathing life into their society. At the moment, there is no governmental or non-governmental organisation that is sponsoring us, he said. “It is just our own thirst and determination that keeps us going.”
Shaukat Aziz Shaukat says the tribals of Waziristan are a culture-loving people who have strong affections for literature.
“When it comes to gharanai sandaray – songs of the mountains – every tribal man and woman becomes a singer,” he says. “The main themes of such songs are war and love. Hence, they are sung at both occasions of joy and unrest.”
Gharanai sandaray are usually sung to a slow attan dance and drumbeat. When a tribal jirga orders a lashkar to fight, such gatherings are held to praise war heroes of forgotten days. “These are the remnants of culture that we need to salvage as a people, and the Waziristan Adabi Baheer does exactly that.”
Even today, when the rubab is still played, the attan still performed and gharanai sandaray still sung, the Waziristan Adabi Baheer is an embodiment of the resilient spirits of the tribal people. Despite the overwhelming obstacles that face such evolving societies, especially the spate of militancy in the region and the military operation that followed, the determined residents of Waziristan seem to find ways to keep their ancestral culture alive.

———————————————-

Zamong da weer na adeeray starhi di

Pa jaragano mo sta khulay starhi di

Darta ba hal da kali sa o wayam?

La janazo na mo ugay starhi di

Che warta zrha wayee bas hagha kawi

Kani zamong war poray khulay starhi di

———————————————-

The graveyards grow weary of our cries

Our lips grow weary of weeping

How do I tell you the situation of my land?

Our shoulders grow weary of carrying coffins

They do what their hearts tell them to do

While our mouths grow weary of preventing them


http://tribune.com.pk/story/752319/c...-war-of-words/


[MENTION=1028]Yousafzai Pakhtun[/MENTION]


[MENTION=1068]gadoonwal[/MENTION] Wrora, please make this thread a sticky thread on the south Asia news sub-forum, manana.

[Badlun]

Che warta zrha wayee bas hagha kawi
Kani zamong war poray khulay starhi di

True nature of Pashtuns beautifully explained in this verse. Pashtuns follow their hearts not their minds and do not heed to advices .

Also Baheer, the tradition of collecting wood is a proof that Pashtun women without Islamism are free to move and engage in economic activity but this is Islamism which stop them doing so and compel them to stay in the 4 walls of their houses like prisoners.

[Bengal_Tiger]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/contributors/contributions/sameena-ahmad/Preserving-our-language-in-a-foreign-land/articleshow/41176472.cms

Taxi drivers in Dubai, like their counterparts in other parts of the globe, love to strike a conversation. They can be annoying at times but mostly they are entertaining and, once in a while, they can be enlightening as well. A few years ago, I came across this rather talkative Pathan driver who proceeded to tell me the story of his life and struggles to reach Dubai from the mountains of Peshawar. He was surprised when I told him that there are many Pathans in India. "Pathans in India? No, that is not true," he insisted. I gave him examples of the Bollywood Khans. "Do they speak Pashto?" he asked me. When I replied in negative, he said, "Madam, there is a simple rule, if you don't speak Pashto, then you are not a Pathan."

The article is not about Pashto, so I have only quoted this part which is.

[Bengal_Tiger]

A different lens: The scientific roots of classical Pashto poetry

Dr Qazi Hanifullah Hanif explains how there is more to our lyrical verses than love and war.
By Hidayat Khan
Published: September 1, 2014






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Dr Qazi Hanifullah Hanif explains how there is more to our lyrical verses than love and war.


PESHAWAR: Pashto poetry is popularly known as relating to either love or war. Modern scholars, however, are starting to dig deeper to the ‘scientific core’ of Pukhtun verses.
“This region’s classical poetry contains many unnoticed scientific underpinnings,” Dr Qazi Hanifullah Hanif tells The Express Tribune. Hanif, 56, has recently completed his doctorate from the Pashto Academy at the University of Peshawar—with which he has been affiliated since 1986—on a previously-untouched topic: Scientific thoughts in Pashto poetry. His six years of research was supervised by senior Pashto academician Pervaiz Mahjoor and former chairman of the chemical science department at UoP, Imdadullah Khan.
Hanif tells us there might be a much deeper meaning to Pashto poetry than what meets the eye, but the poets have gotten little credit in this regard. Poetry has long been used as a voice for philosophical and scientific thought in many parts of the world. Amongst Pukhtuns, however, writing is usually categorised into love, war, or in certain cases, Sufi mysticism. Hanif claims in his thesis many brilliant thoughts have thus gone unobserved.
“There are still people who believe poetry is (only) about feelings and emotions, while science is about facts,” said Hanif. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”
He added the classical poetry of Mirza Khan Ansari, Kazim Khan Sheda, Rahman Baba, Khushal Khan Khattak and modern poets like Hamza Baba, Shamsul Qamar Shams and Dr Muhammad Azam, contain knowledge of physics, astronomy, chemistry, biology, mathematics, medicine and botany. These are also the seven fields into which the doctor’s thesis is divided.
The famous verse of Khushal Khan Khattak ‘Dur au gohar’ explains the creation of human beings. The verses of Kazim Khan Sheda discuss mercury and its use to measure temperature.
On the other hand, Hamza Baba and Rahman Baba talk about how everything in the universe has been created in pairs and use that to explain Creation—a notion many classical western intellectuals would agree with. A verse written by the great Sufi Rahman Baba:
Also in Hamza Baba’s poetry can be found a reflection on the creation of different metals and precious stones inside the earth.
“He speaks of the centuries of chemical reactions it takes for such rare minerals and stones to form,” said Hanif. “Whether our poets have reached these profound meditations consciously or unconsciously, their work is a tribute to the superiority of their thoughts.”
Mirza Khan Ansari, a famous classical Pashto poet, has discussed the reduction of oxygen and intensity of fires as one goes uphill.
Another verse of his talks of budding and grafting techniques – a process whereby tissues from two different plants are merged to create a new one. These horticultural techniques have now become a popular method of breeding new fruits and plants, especially roses.
The researcher said although he is proud of classical Pashto poets, he is not content with the quality of work produced by contemporary writers. Only a few of them are committed enough to lead our nation to a brighter future, he adds.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1st, 2014.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/756304/a...pashto-poetry/

[Bengal_Tiger]

Recognising greatness: Layaq to receive medal of excellence for services to Pashto

The author has written around 30 books over a career spanning nearly four decades.
By Hidayat Khan
Published: August 31, 2014






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The author has written around 30 books over a career spanning nearly four decades. PHOTO: FILE

PESHAWAR: Veteran Pashto scholar, poet and writer Layaq Zada Layaq is to receive the prestigious Tamgha-e-Imtiaz for his monumental services to Pashto literature over 39 prolific years.

Born in Maidan, Swat, 55-year-old Layaq is the author of some 30 books of short stories, fictional works, songs, ghazals, research, travelogues, and audio and video dramas, which have acted as a beacon of light for literature students over the years.
Currently working as a station director at Radio Pakistan, Abbottabad, Layaq believes it is his inner attachment to Pukhtun culture that led him to compose such an extensive body of work. While speaking to The Express Tribune, Layaq expressed his gratitude at being awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.
“A conducive environment for writing and equal opportunities must be provided to the Pukhtuns so their literary potential can be utilised,” said Layaq. “The people of this land are peaceful creatures.”
Layaq’s most recent publication is Bailaly Dao (The Lost Bet), which is a compilation of 120 short stories and is considered the first such effort in the history of Pashto literature. His other collection of short stories is Mata Aina (Broken Mirror), which was published in 2009, while its English version is under publication. Layaq published another collection of fictional work, Shlaydali Taruna (Torn Threads) in 2012.
The scholar’s six poetry books include Gilay (Complaint), Wikh Khobuna (Waking Dreams), Sta Pa Num (In Your Name), Mashkanai (Beads), Lewantob (Madness) and Ta Ba Ma Yadaway (You Will Remember Me). A book of songs, Lewanay Sandaray (Songs of Madness) and one of ghazals, Ma Herawolay Na Shay (You Cannot Forget Me) was also included in his publications. Layaq says he is currently working on a book of Urdu poetry titled, ‘Woh aik shakhs’ and two others in Pashto.
He is also the writer of many famous Pashto songs, such as Gul Jana by Fariha Pervez and Rahim Shah.
The poet is one of the few who has delved deep into the little-explored inner workings of Pukhtun culture and has come out with scathing criticism on inherent flaws in its social fabric.
A famous socio-political poem of Layaq’s was Faraib, which was sung by Fayaz Kheshgi. The words have remained on the lips of every Pukhtun for years and inspire people to stand against feudalism, social injustice and inequality in society.
“Besides a romantic approach to literature, his work also contains stark elements of realism,” writes Hamish Khalil in his book on Pukhtun writers, Pukhtana Lekwal. “Layaq has depicted both the individual and the collective in his writing with eloquent simplicity.”
It can be said that Layaq’s true greatness lies in his tackling of such a wide range of genres and subjects. His 2011 book on Pashto singers of the 20th century, Funkar Na Mri (An Artist Never Dies), is one that has made its place in the literature of the region. The second edition of the book about the history of Pashto music and instruments is currently under publication.
Awami National Party’s parliamentary leader Sardar Hussain Babak extended his congratulations to the writer and praised his services to Pashto literature.
“In contemporary times, Layaq has been our most prolific poet, philosopher and critic,” said Babak. “He has rendered great services to the Pukhtuns and is a precious asset to our nation.”
“With each piece of writing, Layaq continues to push class boundaries in society, and has secured a niche for himself in the world of modern literature,” said Professor Sajjad Ali Khan at Kohat University, while paying glowing tributes to the scholar.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31st, 2014.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/755893/r...ces-to-pashto/

[Bengal_Tiger]

Out of print, out of mind: A great Pashto poet slips through the pages

Khyber Afridi’s work remains unpublished due to lack of finances, official patronage.
By Hidayat Khan / Creative: Munira Abbas
Published: September 9, 2014






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Khyber Afridi’s work remains unpublished due to lack of finances, official patronage. DESIGN: MUNIRA ABBAS

PESHAWAR: He may be one of the most respected poets of his generation, but most of Khyber Afridi’s poetry remains unpublished. Enthusiasts would be hard pressed to find any printed works today as these are quite rare.

From Said to Khyber
The poet was born as Said Ahmed Jan in Jamrud in 1962, later taking Khyber as his pen name. He became one of the most renowned poets from Khyber Agency and was one of the contemporaries of rhymesters Lal Zada Nazir Shinwari, Ameer Hamza Khan Shinwari and Khatir Afridi.
A naturally gifted poet, Khyber Afridi sought the advice of peers such as Amir Zada Nazir and Hamza Baba when writing. It is said Afridi and Nazir would correspondent frequently through letters. Other renowned poets who influenced Khyber’s work were Murad Shinwari, Farooq and Saghir Afridi.
He would often write about social ills plaguing the agency for centuries. One of his famous ghazals, Da Torkham de, da Torkham de, delta har gadam nakaam de’ (This is Torkham, this is Torkham, where there is suffering at every step), was performed by a number of singers.
Erasure
As focus remains on just a handful of poets, many of the greats who contributed to Pashto literature are being forgotten.
“People are forgetting his poetry,” said Adil Reshtan, one of his sons. “The books on his work which were published in his lifetime are also rare and not available to the public.”
Reshtan said locals have shown much love and respect for Khyber, but officials such as the political agent have to ensure that his work is published for the benefit of the readers.
During his lifetime, Khyber published five books, including his prose Garzinda and poetry books Ranra, Pechomi and Drand.
Two works of prose Darugar and Pukhtana Nomuna remain unpublished along with one body of poetry Shaan.
Family love
His unpublished work has been meticulously gathered by his family but they lack the finances to get it printed. Reshtan claims the political agent has promised time and again to help put his father’s poetry into print, but has never delivered.
His son recalled Khyber had a tremendous sense of humour; audiences would be in stitches during his comedy show Jawab Rasan for Radio Pakistan in 1988. Reshtan remembered his father and Khatir Afridi would recite comic verses and each would try to outdo the other while Murad and Nazir Shinwari would egg them on.
Reshtan urged the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governor and the political agent to help publish the great poet’s work before it completely slips through the cracks of time.
Khyber was also the head of the Khyber Qaumi Pashto Adabi jirga and would moderate poetry sessions at the gathering.
Muqadar Shah Muqadar, a researcher who published a book on the poetry of Khyber Agency, said the poet held a prominent position among Pukhtun writers. He added although Khyber was influenced by classic Pashto literature, he also adopted modern techniques.
“Khyber fulfilled the role of a poet, of someone who guides society,” said Muqadar.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 9th, 2014.


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