HYDERABAD: The five-day ‘Shaikh Ayaz festival’ concluded at Khanabadosh Writers Cafe on Sunday evening with different literary sittings during the session, presided over by poet Karan Singh.

Discussing ‘Shaikh Ayaz’s works in different languages and translation’, Singh said that whatever was written in the Ayaz’s Sahiwal prison diary reflected his love with his motherland. He said Sindh always remained the centre of his love. Ayaz was a voracious reader, he said.

Poet Ahmed Saleem told the audience that Shaikh Ayaz’s poetry in the Sindhi language was quite comprehensive. He stated that the words used by him in his poetry were also used in other languages.

Karan Singh, Ahmed Saleem and Taj Joyo presented Ayaz’s poetry in other languages.

Taj Joyo, in the second session on ‘post-Ayaz Sindhi poetry’, said his poetry had deep influence on many of his contemporaries, including Ustad Bukhari. Even those who started poetry after Ayaz had such influence as well, he said, adding that Hassan Dars and others were among that breed. He expressed the hope that Sindh would produce more such brains and poets.

Ahmed Solangi said Ayaz had laid the foundation of modern Sindhi poetry and other poets could not avoid his strong influence.

He observed that Ayaz had in fact worked for the training of new generation poets. He said Sindh was rich in its asset of the poetry and this was something continuing for centuries here. This asset was transferred to Ayaz from Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai and it would continue, he added.

Bukhshan Mahranvi said Ayaz’s poetry was centre of attention. Shaikh Ayaz held special place among poets.

A third session, ‘Ayaznama’ was also held in which young poets Ali Okash, Zaib Sindhi, Aziz Gopang and Amir Mandhro talked about Ayaz’s poetry and his personality.

The concluding session also witnessed a musical evening where Baidal Masroor, Mazhar Hussian, Zulfikar Hussain, Rafiq Faqir, Nazakat Ali and others performed.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2016