PESHAWAR: Khushal Khan Khattak, the father of Pashto, is considered the pioneer of Marsiya writing in Pashto literature.

Two other classical Pashto poets born in early 18th century, Qasim Ali Khan Afridi and Qambar Ali Khan, both being from Shia community, had composed magnificent Marsiyas in Pashto.

The tragedy of Karbala will continue to motivate and inspire every conscious soul including poets and writers.

Critics say Pashto doesn’t enjoy a strong literary tradition of Marsiya writing on the pattern of Anis and Dabeer

Ashraf Ghamgeen, a senior poet, has published an anthology of Marsiyas written by different Pashto poets under the auspices of Khana-i- Farhang, Iran, Peshawar. Ameer Hamza Khan Shinwari has profusely written about the incident of Karbala, even his first-ever poetry collection ‘Da Zrha Awaz’ (voice of the heart) published in early 40s was based on Ahle Bait.

Marsiya is an elegiac poem written to commemorate the martyrdom and valour of Hazrat Imam Hussain and his comrades of the Karbala. Marsiyas are essentially religious. It does not have a particular form or structure and can be expressed in all poetic forms and also sometimes in prose.

Almost every single Pashto poet has composed Marsiya in one form or the other, commemorating the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain and his companions.

Prof Zubair Hussain, a senior research scholar, has recently brought out a book in Pashto titled Khushal Baba: Saandey ao Staiyney. Many classical Pashto poets including Rahman Baba have composed Marsiyas but not all are related to the tragic incident of Karbala.

According to critics, Pashto doesn’t enjoy a strong literary tradition of Marsiya writing on the pattern of celebrated Mir Babar Ali Anis and Mirza Salamat Ali Dabeer, the two master Marsiya writers in Urdu. However, Pashto poets and writers have drawn inspiration from the incident of Karbala.

Prof Zubair Hasrat said that both left and right wing poets and writers exploited the Karbala incidents to serve their own targets.

Ameer Hamza Khan Shinwari and Samandar Khan Samandar, the two stalwarts of Pashto literature, had written Marsiyas on different aspects of Karbala incident with minute details.

He said that Pashto poets hailing from Shia community in Kohat, Hangu, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Thaal and Parachinar had been composing Soz-o-Salam, poems in the form of Marsiyas. He said that those poets had rather an edge over their contemporary poets because they had Marsiya writing skill (Marsiya goyee) as well as Marsiya reciting (Marsiya khwani).

“The huge bulk of Soz-o-Salam could not become part of regular and mainstream Pashto literary treasure trove as most poets restricted their poems to their particular surrounding and flavour. The theme of Karbala cannot be ignored as it carries a great significance in the entire human history let alone Muslims,” said Mr Zubair. Mushtaq Majrooh, a senior writer, told this scribe that although the tradition of Marsiya writing occupied place in Pashto yet it could not take roots on the pattern of Anis and Dabeer.

He said that Pakhtun poets, right from Khushal Khan Khattak up to present day, composed Marsiyas to commemorate their mentors, literati, close relatives, bosom friends, war heroes, tribal chiefs, religious icons and political leaders while a few poets had versified the incident of Karbala, paying tributes to Hazrat Imam Hussain and his companions.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2016