The year 2003
was a fertile one for Pushto literature. It
introduced an array of young poets while the
old guards marked their presence by
sustaining command in their respective
fields.The market has still to respond to
this new band of writers, which is now
emerging. Overall there was keen interest in
the expansion of the literary horizons as
the writers and poets displayed great
dynamism, dedication and boldness in their
approach. A feather in the cap of the
publishing industry was the quality and
appearance of the publications as most books
appeared with beautiful title covers and
were printed on good quality paper.
One could compile a sort of bibliography of
the 91 books that I have seen published in
2003. The number of published works must
have exceeded 200 with there being more
books of verse.
A collection of panegyric poetry composed by
late Haji Shariat Khan - Da Hijaz Gul
(The flower of Hijaz) - was published
posthumously by his son Mohammad Rahman.
Da Almaab Guloona (The flowers of Almaab)
was another posthumous publication by late
Husn-ul-Maab Kaka Khel, which was published
courtesy his elder sister.
The Pushto Academy, Peshawar, produced the
Diwan of Ali Mohammad Mukhlis (more
than 800 pages) under the supervision of Dr
Mahjoor Khweshgi. Mukhlis is one of the
older poets known for his mystic and
spiritual ideas. He also enjoys a place in
classical literature.
Abdullah Bakhtanay Khidmatgar published some
elegies under the title Wee'rane
(Elegies) in memory of various figures.
Poets who wrote romantic poetry include
Abdul Ghafur Lewal, Abdul Nasir Qureshi,
Alamzeb Zahir Kansi Gamriyani, Asmat Bibi,
Babur Jadun, Fazal Hussain Fida, Fazal Shah
Weqar, Haidar Shah Hafi, Iqbal Shakir,
Naghma Khaperae, Nurin, Qaisar Afridi,
Saadullah Maiwand, Sahil Yousufzai, Sajid
Ali Armani, Shafiqul Alam Ma'zooryar,
Tasawur Maniwal and Zahir Shah Zahir.
Azharullah Azhar has given his haikus book
form, whereas Ali Mohammad Mangal refreshed
the trend of folklore in the form of a
ballad - Jalat Khan-Shamaela. Naghma
Khaperae is a charming and famous singer.
Her folklore style poetry rendered in a song
is most impressive. Ma'zooryar is visually
handicapped and his second voluminous
collection of poetry is captioned Skase
(soft speech).
Although these poets were not totally void
of realism and objectivity, those who gave
attention to progressive ideas also enmeshed
with nationalistic hues. These include Aamir
Gamriyani, Akhtar Hayat Qamar; Ashfaq Ahmad
Ashfaq Wazir; Daud Bakht Mando Khel; Dilawar
Mansoor; Hasina Gul; Kabir Storay; (late)
Muallim Mohammad Raheem Beena; Najiba Sara
Bayabani; Rahmat Shah Sayel; Saadullah Jan
Barq; Syed Sabir Shah Sabir; Shafiullah
Barzai and Dr Yasin Iqbal Yousufzai. Afzal
Shauq has expressed similar ideas in prose
poetry.
The contributions of Hasina Gul and Najiba
Sara Bayabani have been summed up by Afzal
Shauq as: "The striking virtuous aspect of
the poetry (of Bayabani) is that she is as
frank as Hasina Gul, and can be considered a
representative poet of the fair sex."
Another trend prevailing for over a decade
saw books containing notes on various poets
with their specimen verses. Such laudable
works are Abdullah Sadiq's Da Storo
Karwan (The galaxy of stars) that
introduces poets in Saudi Arabia; Feroz
Afridi's and Umat Bangash's, Jage Shamle
(High turban-flags); Sher Jan Saqi's
Khagh'lee (Misters; Respectable people);
Tagg (March), Katlang (Mardan); Mohib Ali's
Ghuncha (Bud); and Mahboob Gul
Yasir's Hashtnaghar Kuse Kuse (Nook
and corner of Hashtnaghar). This trend
discovered budding poets who could not
afford the cost of publishing their books.
Prose publications have covered a remarkable
variety of subjects. These included
Zbekhnak (Smouldering), a novel by Safia
Haleem, Abdul Shakoor Reshad's translated
novelette, Belaso Kheza (The Crippled
Woman) from Russian language; Saleh Mohammad
Saleh's Talanda (Lightning); and
Suleiman Khel's translation Da Rikhtine
Meene Rogh Lewanay (Mad for True Love)
from Persian. The story of Zbekhnak
depicts the miseries of a family headed by a
widow.
Tahir Afridi stands out in the field of
short stories with another contribution in
the name of Nor Khoboona Ne Weenam (I
Don't See Other Dreams). Naseerullah
Seemab's Banda Darwaza (Closed Door),
Azmat Homa's Insaan = Sifar (Mankind
= Zero) and Mian Israr Gul Papin Khel's
Siali (Competition) are well written books.
Gat (Rock) was written by Jamal Razi.
Izatullah Pezhand translated some satirical
stories from Persian titled Democracy Kha
Da (Democracy is better).
Zia-ud-Din Yousafzai symbolizes a
fish as a symbol in Mata Ghwag Shaee
(Listen to Me), exposing the greed and
excessiveness of mankind with particular
reference to the war on terrorism declared
by George Bush. Charaghuna Pa Tufan Kshe
(Lamps in Winds) by Pir Haidari (Ghulam
Haidar Seemsar) contains columns written for
local Pushto dailies, highlighting mostly
the critical situation in Afghanistan.
Adabi Funun (Figures of Speech) by
late Abdul Rauf Benawa; Pukhto Mataloona
(Pushto Proverbs) by late Mohammad Din Zhwak
and Zheb-Pohana (Philology) by late
Sidiqullah Rishtin were published in second
editions. Matiullah Rohyal, as editor,
published Da Allama Pohand Habibi Maqale
(Articles of Allama Professor Habibi) on
various literary subjects. Adab, Tanqeed
Au Fikr (Literature, Criticism and
Imagination) by Rab Nawaz Mayel contains 13
articles of academic and creative value. Dr
Raj Wali Shah Khattak published his articles
under the title Da Rahman Pa She'r
(On the verse of Rahman Baba), covering
various aspects of the poetry of Rahman
Baba. Ilmi Fikroona (Academic Ideas)
by Sher Shah Tarkhawi contains some of his
articles on various topics.
Majboor Surani compiled minutes of literary
meetings in Rana Lar (The Bright
Way). Muqaddar Shah Muqaddar's Abaseen
(The Indus), presents general knowledge
in a question-answer form.
Abdullah Bakhtanay Khidmatgar wrote
Shamsuddin Qala'taki: Da Milli Adab Aw
Zhornalism Yaw Her Sheway Khidmatgar (Shamsuddin
Qala'taki : A Forgotten Devotee of National
Literature and Journalism).
Anwar Shaheen Khan Khel translated from
Persian Da Imam Ali 'Alahissalam Zhwand
(Biography of Imam Ali [AS]); and some
articles of Allama Mohammad Ishtihardi,
Khwandawar Bahsoona (Interesting
Debate). He also compiled a book, Hamza
Baba Au Ahle Bait to highlight the
verses of Hamza Shinwari in praise of the
Ahle Bait.
Nur Ahmad Faheem translated some articles
from Persian on a variety of subjects. The
first one titled Kheza Da Sa'edi She'r Pa
Rana Kshe (Woman in the Light of the
Verses of Sa'di) by Dr Akram Jaudi Nemati
discusses the views expressed in verses by
Sheikh Musharraf-ud-Din Sa'edi (606-690 AHQ)
about a woman.
In Sahoo Adab (Classical literature),
Hamesh Khalil focuses on some significant
features in the poetry of different poets by
making selections from the verses of Mirza
Khan Ansari, Ashraf Khan Hijri, Hussain,
Abdul Qadir Khattak, Saeed Khattak, Kazim
Khan Shaida, Qambar Ali, Rahmat Dawi, Baidil
and Mazullah Khan Momand.Hanif Khalil
compiled articles in four languages - Pushto,
English, Urdu and Hindko - with comments and
opinions by a number of contemporary figures
on Saleem Raz: Fikr, Fan Au Shakhsiat
(Saleem Raz: Idea, Art and Personality).
Hazrat Zubair discussed some customs and
traditions of the Pakhtoons in Ulusi Rangzar
(Colourful traditions of people), such as
names, songs, elegies, godar (water
point), costumes, superstitions, social
institutions and traditions.
Professor Dr Hidayatullah Naeem compiled
short comments on a number of Pushto books
published in 2002 in Tabaseranama (An
account of book-reviews).
A remarkable achievement of the year is
Pukhto Waekhod (Pushto Dictionary)
compiled by Latif Jan Babay. It contains
nearly 6,000 Pushto words spread over 1,065
pages with their meaning and explanation in
Pushto, as well as their equivalent in
Persian. Mojawir Ahmad Ziar brought out the
second edition of Pukhto Pukhwaya (Pushto
Grammar). Dr Babri Gul (Gul Lala) published
Teacher - A Small Key for Pushto and
English Language Learners.
The second edition of Pukhtane (The
Pathans) by Dr Habibullah Tegay also saw the
light of day. It discusses analytically the
origin of the Pakhtoons.
Some medical books were also published.
These included Dr Sherzad Yaqubi's Da
Sadri Jarahae Asasat (Basic Principles
of Pectoral Surgery). Dr Ihsanullah Ihsan
prepared the translation of the physiology
of the respiratory system, under the title
Da Tanaffusee System Physiology, for
the syllabus of the Jalalabad Medical
College.
Da Afghanistan Television (The
Television of Afghanistan) is a book by Shah
Nawaz Tani which discusses TV technology and
introduces the television service of
Afghanistan.
Robert Sampson, a US citizen, joined the
galaxy of orientalists who have made
historical contributions to Pushto
literature. He has been working on the
translation of the whole Diwan of
Rahman Baba into English besides a
dictionary of spoken Pushto. In the
meantime, he, with co-author Momin Khan, has
brought out two pamphlets containing
selections of verses of Rahman Baba with an
English translation; Abdur Rahman Baba
and Kar Da Gulo Krha... (Sow
Flowers...).
This scribe also published his 23rd book -
The Mother Tongue in English and
Pushto, which highlights the significance of
the mother tongue. |
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