Jaun, Faiz explored on LLF day 2

Renowned poets, scholars, political leaders and students attend sessions

LAHORE: Jaun Elia is among the top five poets of Pakistan and he earned fame on the basis of his poetry, said scholars literary personalities while speaking at a session titled ‘Khud ko tabah kar liya aur malal bhi nahi’ on the second day of the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) at Alhamrah Hall on Saturday.

Another session titled ‘Hum bhi dekhen gey’ was held to discuss the legendary poetry of Faiz Ahmad Faiz. Pakistan People’s Party leader Aitzaz Ahsan, poet and writer Zehra Nigah and Lawyer Salman Akram Raja talked about Faiz’s poetry.  They maintained that today’s youth have been idealising both the poets and are eager to read their poetry.

Renowned drama writer Asghar Nadeem Sayed, poet and writer Amjad Islam Amjad, writer and scholar Nomanul Haq were the speakers and Shiba Alam was the moderator in the session. Besides students, civil society activists and people from different walks of life attended the session.

Speaking about the poetry of Jaun, Sayed said, “In my life I had an opportunity to spend time with Jaun Elia, and while reading his poetry the readers should understand his personality.”

Lahore Literary Festival kicks off at Alhamrah

He further said that it is not necessary that the personality of the poet and his poetry should be similar.  “It is a trend that we see the personality of the poet through his poetry, Jaun was not among them,” said Sayed.

He continued that there were many colours in his personality. “He had a mystic personality and besides this, there was also a stubborn child inside him,” said the drama writer. “He was always very close to his family and this can be seen in his poetry too,” he added.

Sayed highlighted that Jaun earned fame at a time when a number of prominent poets were present in Karachi and in the presence of those poets he proved himself. “He was a unique poet due to his style,” he said.

“I have seen two poets who devoted their life for poetry and they were Munir Niazi and Jaun Elia,” said Amjad.  “He told a lot about himself in his poetry and writings,” he added.

Amjad remarked, “Great minds always think great, and no doubt it was Jaun Elia who always talked about big things and imagination in his life.” He said Jaun is among the five top poets since the creation of Pakistan and he proved this in a very young age. “Poetry readers should understand his vision and personality,” said Amjad.

“Jaun Elia was brought up in a very traditional environment; this is the reason he discussed old age in his poetry,” said Haq.

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Speakers on this occasion also narrated poetry of Jaun and recounted a number of incidents from the poet’s life that entertained the audience on the occasion.

Speaking about Faiz’s poetry, Nigah said, “Faiz was a beautiful man who talked about every subject of life in his poetry but there were elements of pain and sensitivity in his personality which are present in his poetry.”

PPP leader Ahsan also highlighted that there is a variety of languages in Faiz’s poetry such as Persian, Arabic, Urdu and English. “Such a person who has a grip over languages when writing poetry has surely touched the souls of humans,” said Ahsan. He added that Faiz is among the leading poets of the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2020.