KARACHI: The Frere Hall gardens were perfect place to host a discussion on the poetics of Shaikh Ayaz, one of the greatest voices to have originated from Sindh.

A gathering of an intimate group of artists, artisans and poetry lovers came together to hear the life and times of a revolutionary poet, whose romantic verses are as much appreciated, as narrated by his son, Moonis Shaikh Ayaz.

Held on a breezy Sunday evening, the organisers, the Karachi Art Anti-University, are an independent group of individuals who gather to “politicise art education and collectively explore new radical pedagogies and art practices”.

The group hosts meetings in different parts of the city to introduce a democratic platform to unearth the city and its multiple intersections of art and politics.

Shaikh Ayaz’s genius, though acknowledged, is not celebrated the way it deserves. It is not part of the curriculum as well as is neglected from forming part of the official national discourse when speaking on the Sindhi language as well as the historical evolution of the province.

With more than 50 books to his credit, Ayaz’s poetry is a product of the times he witnessed. According to Moonis Shaikh, “when he was born in Shikarpur in 1923, the atmosphere was very charged. There was a rise of anti-colonialism as well as tensions along the lines of communalism and religious divides. The first poem he wrote was at the age of 14.”

The poem went on to be published in a local magazine and explored how perturbed Ayaz was at the tensions present in the learned city. To counter it, he focused the theme of the poem on unity and overcoming individual differences.

The literary, historical and cultural fabric of Shikarpur was also discussed that played an important part in shaping Ayaz’s poetry. His various travels saw him move to Sukkur and Karachi where he further picked up influences that embedded his verses with a nationalism that inspired many.

Because of a secular, progressive and humanist flavour present in his verses, Ayaz was not popular with the establishment. Having lived through three martial laws, he was very much against it and his poetry reflects his loathing.

As a result, he was arrested and detained for months on various occasions, for writing verses that either criticised the establishment, or indulging in the poetics of resistance.

“Shaikh Ayaz was a progressive and an existential thinker. For him Marxism was the ideology closest to humanism and so he was in favour of it. He believed it could provide the peasants and the poor of Sindh the rights they deserved which other ideologies did not provide them,” said Moonis Shaikh.

Ayaz wrote on revolutions and revolutionaries. His subjects included Cuba, Castro and Che Guevara. But he was also a romantic poet as many of his verses exhibit. One of his verses epitomises this fact:

“Every poet, who writes of love, is a poet of revolution, but every poet of the revolution is not a poet of love.”

Ayaz’s love for the people of Sindh and the language is clearly visible in his poetry and has inspired the Sindhi youth to propel for change.

One such instance was the establishment of the One-Unit which many believed ushered dark times for the province. It was Sheikh Ayaz’s poetry that enflamed the youth to protest against it; his verses highlighted the socio-economic and political conditions of the people of Sindh and emphasised the role of nationalism.

“The history, politics, philosophy and mythology of Sindh are all engrained in Ayaz’s poetry,” said Moonis Shaikh.

Ayaz, he said, also considered ancient Sindh as the mother of all civilisations.

Ayaz’s oeuvre of verses spans both Urdu and Sindhi, with many also translated into English. A few of his poems were discussed at the gathering. One such was ‘To the Son of Doolah Darya Khan’, is dedicated to the son of Doolah Darya Khan, a famous general of the Samma Dynasty of Sindh, who laid down his life at the battle of Fatehpur and his valour celebrated.

Moonis Shaikh said his father was a born poet. “He wrote wherever he was, be it at the dinner table, while travelling or even while practising law as an advocate.”

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2015

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