Reminiscence: Literary society to bring Pashto poetry to mainstream

Foundations of tolana laid to keep poets’, writers’ work alive


Hidayat Khan August 21, 2016
Artists perform during the programme. PHOTO: EXPRESS

PESHAWAR: The foundation of a new literary society, called ‘Hamza Baba Pakhtu Adabi Tolana, Peshawar’, was laid down on Saturday night at Nishar Hall in the city amid splendid performances by some singers of the province. The tolana, a literary society, has been started in the memory of the legendary Pashto poet, Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari.

Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari is known as “Baba of Pashto ghazal”. He lived between 1907 and 1994 in Landikotal, Khyber Agency. He has contributed around 40 books to the language, but unfortunately very few were published. Those which were published have also vanished from bookstalls and need to the republished. The new tolana aims to publish his work and make it accessible to the new generation.

His work is not limited to poetry, but also includes travelogues, dramas, films   and compositions on Sufism.



“It is not just poetry or prose but a history of Pukhtun culture and civilisation,” Kaleem Shinwari, who has recently completed PhD on Hamza Baba said while addressing the gathering in which a large number of people, including poets, writers, academician, politicians and youth from the city and Khyber Agency, were present. Hamza Baba started composing poetry in Urdu and even participated in a poetry session held in India. However, later on, he gave more attention to writing in Pashto.

Remembering an era

Besides Hamza Baba, other poets from Khyber Agency, including Nazir Baba, Khatir Afridi, Khyber Afridi and others were also remembered on the occasion.  It was stressed that their work should be included in syllabi so that the new generation can have access to it.

“His work carries hope and that’s what the nation needs today,” Pakistan Women Writers’ Forum President Samina Qadir said. “But they don’t care for our heroes – they have presented them as villains in the course books of our schools.”

She was referring to Kalu Khan Baba who is mentioned as a villain in English textbooks.

The writers and poets, present on the occasion, were of the view that the new generation was totally unaware of teachings conveyed in these writings. They said the youth can neither read Pashto nor the work is available easily in the form of a book. They asked the government to make Pashto a compulsory language subject till grade 10.

The new tolana was launched by some young individuals and leading writers. They aim to publish work of Hamza Baba and other poets, hold literary and musical programmes for public awareness and make efforts to include the work of Hamza Baba in the syllabus.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22nd,  2016.

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