O my nation of
fools
Why do you think?
Of every gravestone
as a milestone?
Mubarak Ali Shaikh, popularly known by his pen name Shaikh
Ayaz was born on 2nd March 1923 in Shikarpur city. Lawyer by
profession, he was a writer by heart. He has written more than 75 books out of
which 50 are published. Those included poetry, prose and his autobiography. He
composed poetry based on the concepts of humanity, love, revolution, death and
patriotism. Partition of Sub-continent left a scar on his personality. He did
not believe in division on the basis of religion instead he supported the idea
of compassion and equality. During dictatorial regimes of Ayub and Zia he wrote
under the influence of leftist thinking which offended dictatorship rule. They
banned his books and sent him to jail thrice labeling him as a traitor. After
the dictatorship rule he served as the vice chancellor of Sindh University. Later
in his life during 90’s his poetry and prose took a realistic and spiritual
approach.
Ayaz went through intense personal sorrows and isolation
which ultimately helped him to learn what would be the utopia for
Sindhi/Pakistani society. His isolation
also bought him time to ponder on the combination of his idealistic nature with
practicality. Results were seen in his work that produced national sentiment
and national-self perception.
The poetry that I have selected to analyze in terms of it
having a relation with nationalism is selected from his book “Kee Jo Beejal Boliyo” which was
published in 1973. However he wrote this poem in 1971 during his confinement.
Truth,
A great offender,
Ever since genesis
Seized and chained,
Hunted out and
killed.
Condemned to drink
hemlock,
Hanged from gibbet,
Roasted alive in
cauldron of boiling oil,
Crushed in oil
expeller,
Thrown down from
mountain top
Despite all he
persists in his luckless custom.
These lines describe how truth through the creation of
mankind has remained suppressed. It has been brutally murdered whenever anyone
has tried to voice it and we have several examples in history like Socrates,
Mansoor al Hilaj, Makhdoom Bilawal and Tegh Bahadur. But the bequest of truth
continues nonetheless because truth is the force which helps bind the suffering
people as one nation. Truth sustains despite of all the dilemmas because
without it endurance crumbles.
Any heart that he
breaks into
Is always in
turmoil;
Today he’s thy
guest;
Have thee ever
paused to ponder
Whom thou hast
befriended,
The great offender,
Truth.
Here the poet says that truth is a disease which will always
keep you on your toes. He is saying that he has accepted the truth which
instead of pleasing has always affronted people.
For any nation to emerge it is important that their
realities and facts are acknowledged. Pakistan was only created when Muslims
were able to make British and Hindus realize the truth of their national
identity. Ayaz similarly is fighting for the identity of Sindh. He is talking
about the acceptance of national individuality of being a Sindhi and not
suppressing their rights. He is labeled
as a traitor when he talks about the rights of Sindhis.
I’m a sinner, I’ m
a sinner,
I’ve sinned many a
time.
The blue lotus in
this murky moss of reeds
Is too a sinner,
So is the
red-legged partridge
That flies in the
dark,
It isn’t a sin that
I’ve
Kneaded man’s clay
again;
In these verses he is talking about if something beautiful
dares to grow in an ugly surrounding or if anyone tries to be free is the
gloomiest times they in society are accused of committing a crime. The poet has
committed a sin of reshaping the mind frame of people. It is a crime for
someone to go against the norms of the society and to bring a better change, in
eyes of the authority. The leaders of the nation have to go through this hatred
in order to bring a change.
I’ m a sinner, I’ m
a sinner,
I’ve sinned many a
time.
It isn’t a sin that
I’ve
Built a temple to
the heart,
Thou has raised the
wall of hate,
I have uprooted its
foundation,
I’ve sung the song
of love;
I’ve redirected the
reins of motherland.
Instead of spreading hatred Ayaz accepts the sin of
distributing the message of humanity amongst the nation. He is saying to the
enemies of the nation by which he means the dictators and the people who caused
partition have tried their best to evoke revulsion and hierarchy in the hearts
of the people. He as poet through his songs and poems is readdressing the
nation the message of love and revolution. He wants to bring the nation under
the banner of humanity.
I’ m a sinner, I’ m
a sinner,
I’ve sinned many a
time.
The red beard of
Mullah,
This black tuft of
Pandav,
To me,
One is no different
from other,
Both are the fire
of burnt out ember,
Religion is their
ware
To replenish their
fare;
Ayaz in these lines is basically telling us about the
two-nation theory which separates the people of Sub-Continent on basis of
religion. He says that the stereotype religious clerics are similar because
they keep saying repeated lines what they hardly understand. These agendas only
benefit handful people.
Nations are not created for the benefit of few they are the
mutual thoughts and benefits of many. Instead of bringing religion as on
obstacle and exploiting it should be cherished and respected.
I’ m a sinner, I’ m
a sinner,
I’ve sinned many a
time.
When humans
scorched by hot winds
Come out on the
streets,
When workmen,
smutted by suffering,
Come out of
factories,
I strike my string,
N’ heart become
carefree;
The protests by troubled people of a nation have always been
neglected by the authority and have faced hardships. People who have supported
the unfortunate are dubbed as conspirators. Ayaz says that when his songs reach
the hearts of the troubled nation, they can relate to him because their miseries
are being addressed.
I’ m a sinner, I’ m
a sinner,
I’ve sinned many a
time.
I blew the trumpet
of liberty
N’ removed the
shackles of slavery,
Were these mere
songs or magic
The age-old chains
are broken,
All are picking my
tears as pearls
From my shirt-front.
Our nation is still trapped in the web of feudalism.
Millions still serve as slaves to people who hold power. They are miserable and
helpless. Ayaz says that his songs have worked as magic for those who are in
dire need. He accepts his crime of being the voice of the helpless. He further
says his sorrowful songs are admired as something valuable.
I’ m a sinner, I’ m
a sinner,
I’ve sinned many a
time.
I’ve come up with a
unique gift,
String is locked in
combat with swords,
When I collide my
songs with thy ramparts,
Thy strong towers
shake n’ shiver,
Thou art no
stronger with thy weaponry;
His poetry is an exclusive contribution which is better and
powerful than any other weapon because his message spreads stronger throughout
the nation rather than of the hateful message spread by the weapons. Although every nation requires fighting for
their rights to be built but that does not mean it has to be through weapons.
Words are most powerful weapon which strikes directly heart and changes the
thinking of the nation. Thought of a nation cannot be destroyed by weapons.
I’ m a sinner, I’ m
a sinner,
I’ve sinned many a
time.
Thou’ll hang me by
gallows?
No way,
I’ll never die by
thy hand,
I’m the spring of
that life,
Which’ll resound
even after I’m gone;
I’ll become another
minstrel,
N’ taking a
mandolin,
I’ll come back,
I’ll come back;
Are first denounced
as sinners, hence
I’ m a sinner, I’ m
a sinner,
I’ve sinned many a
time.
Death is not the ultimatum for the poet. Ayaz says physical
presence is a mere luxury his thoughts of a united and equal nation cannot be
silenced by keeping him in jail or killing him. His songs survive in the hearts
of millions who can relate with his work. Ayaz’s poetry could not be
interpreted during the time it was written, but as four decades have passed
today people of the nation are able to relate better to it as he predicted.
Ayaz at the time of one unit never accepted Sindh to be a
former province. He charged through his writing alone on the authority to
preserve the nationhood of Sindh. In his
this poem we can clearly see his struggle to bring the change within the
nation. He accepts the negative aspects of the society but is not ready to give
up. To build identity of a nation it is necessary for the people not to give up
their idea of individualism which makes them a community because if they fail
their identity will never be completed and they will never come up as a nation.
Ayaz in his poetry is urging the nation not to quit or stop believing in their
identity.
