Classic, contemporary Hindko poetry published

PESHAWAR: The Gandhara Hindko Academy has published a book of poetry that has the work of both classic and contemporary Hindko language poets.

The 300 pages book is titled “Virsa” [heritage]. The author is Ali Awais Khayal, a young research assistant at the academy.

A senior poet, writer and researcher, Syd Saeed Gillani, has reviewed the work for refinement.

The work of 48 poets has been highlighted through their “Harfis” (couplets), a genre of the Hindko literature. Every couplet is accompanied by topic to facilitate the readers.

The writer has taken the start with Ustad Sahib-e-Haq, a classic poet who was born in the Walled City of Peshawar in the year 1740 and was equally conversant with the Persian language.

There are a total of 377 “Harfis” in the book. The introduction of the poets has been given along with the poetry composed by them.

All the couplets have been placed in an alphabetical order in a 40 pages index. Each “Harfi” is numbered and carries the name of the poet. The author has named the references as well which he used to accomplish the task.

Writers and poets have commented on the book. In the foreword, Syed Saeed Gilani says Ali Awais Khayal has done a commendable job by tracing out the Hindko language poetry whose age goes back to the 18th century.

Gandhara Hindko Academy Director Dr Zaffar Iqbal states that “Harfi” genre is different from other languages and admires the writer for selecting and highlighting this aspect of the Hindko language. He hopes “Virsa” will motivate others researchers to conduct further research on the topic.

Muhammad Ziauddin, a known Hindko writer, poet, research scholar and chief of the Executive Committee of the Gandhara Hindko Academy, says a late religious scholar, Maulvi Amir Shah Gillani, wanted the work of ancient Hindko literati published to introduce the poetry to the present generation and the posterity.

In the preface to the book, the author has acknowledged the sources he used to carry out the work and bring the publication into fine print. He laments that a lot of literary treasure of the Hindko language was lost because of lack of written record but adds that the oral traditions offered some help towards that end.