Balochi Literature
It is assumed that Baloch came to the notice of some of the earliest chroniclers who have mentioned the Baloch in their work are: Al Masudi, Ibn Haukal , Istakri (951 A.D), Al Muqdassi (985 A.D.), Al Yaquti (1218 A.D), Al Idrisi, and Minhaj-ud-Din Uthman bin Siraj-ud-Din, the author of Tabqat-i-Nasiri. But Baloch did not come to the discern of outside world until about 1830, when Leech, an English tourist, started research on the language and literature of this historic people and published his report in the journal of the Asiatic society of Bengal. This venture afterward drew the enthusiasm and attention of other English scholars who visited far-flung parts of Balochistan and boned up the language and the literature of its populace. Likewise, collection and compilation of Balochi classical poems and folks which otherwise would have succumbed to the time and torpor are the rendition of the great services of Longworth Dames, Hethu Ram, and Burton. Conspicuously, Mayer’s Balochi classics (London, 1900) Pierce’s A description of the Mekrani Balochi dialect (1877), Lord Bruce’s Manual and vocabulary of the Balochi language and Notes on the Balochi tribes of Derajat are particularly worthy of note.
It is said that the history of Balochi literature is perhaps conveniently divided into four periods: The Rind period (the classical age), The Khanate period, The British period, and Contemporary period.
As said by some writers the Rind period (the classical age) began in about 1430, on the contrary, some others believe the commencement of classical age was in 1450 when Chakar Rind became the ruler, of course, one has to come down on one side of the fence or other, since it remains a question mark: when it was started? Given that Chakar Rind fought the War of Delhi in 1555. Whatever the exact time was, but In the Balochi ballads of Rind period, we fall upon a factual mirror of their times, reflecting its passions of chivalry and avenge and admiration designed for the fearless swordsman; and bursting at the seams of wars and woes, memorable battles and romances of Baloch history. The thirty years’ war between the Rind and Lasharis, the bloody conflict between the Gorgezh and the Buledaies, under their respective leaders Balach and Bivragh, the tragic romance of Hani and Shay Murid, the love story of Amir Bivragh Phuz and the Arghun princess Granaz, and heartrending separation of Shahdad and Mahnaz are spectacularly portrayed in the Balochi poetry of the age. Also, the glimpses of the life of Baloch led during this period were nicely depicted in these classical ballads, particularly their social order, codes of honor, tribal warfare, ethical and aesthetic values. True, the events were not in written form but remain alive through expansion from generation to generation. The most famous poets of this classical and chivalrous age are Sardar Chakar Rind, Bivragh Phuz, Gowahram Lashari, Nodhbandgah, Shay Murid Kahuri, Shay Mubarak Kahuri, Mir Shahdad, Mir Hammal Rind, and Balach Gorgezh.
In Khanate period, commenced in 1600, the compositions of flowing verses in pure Balochi of a distinguished bard Khan Abdullah Khan were in particular. Among the rulers of Khanate line, Khan Khudadad Khan (1875-1893) was well-disposed towards literature. The well-known poets of this period are Jeehand Rind, Lalla, Jam Durrak Dumbki, Muhammad Khan Gishkori, Mitha Khan Rind, and some more.
The British period (1850-1946) which has also been considered as Khanate period, turned out to be the rendezvous of poets. Mullah Fazul, Mast Tawakkali, Mullah Qasim, Naseer Khan Nuri, Rahm Ali, Jawan Sal Bugti, Abdul Nabi Rind, Izzat Panjguri, Noor Mohammad Bampushti, Mullah Ibrahim Sarbazi, Ismail Pullabadi and many others are among the poets of extraordinary distinction of this era.
After independence from British which was the commencement of contemporary period, owing to political and other state of affairs, only some of the hopes for the rapid development were realized. But Baloch worked with vengeance and commitment to develop Balochi literature into modern lines. In the development of modern Balochi prose, the legend Sayed Zahoor Shah Hashimi, one may not be wrong to call him the founding father of contemporary Balochi literature, has made a major contribution. Syed was a man of immense courage and guts who came up with a broader vision to design the future of Balochi language and literature by arranging organizations such as Anjuman Ittihad-e-Balochan and Balochi Zuban-e-Sarchammag. Sayed also wrote poems (A selection of Sayed’s poetry has been published in several volumes) and more than 25 books unfortunately all of them were not published owing to financial troubles, but his work remain rich for Balochi literature as well as for the nation. True, the compilation of the first ever Balochi dictionary (Sayed Ganj) and first Balochi novel (Nazuk) which was published in 1950, speak volumes for the great efforts and contributions of Sayed to Balochi literature. Besides Sayed, other writers and poets also did their utmost to develop Balochi literature. At the outset in 1949, under the guiding spirits of Ghulam Mohammad Shahwani, Abdulllah Jamaluddini, Kamil-ul-Qadri, Zumurrad Hussain, and some others the Balochistan writers association was formally established, followed by Balochi Diwan, a literary society was organized in Karachi in 1951. And the monthly ‘Balochi’ was issued with the popular poet Azad Jamal-ud-dini as its editor in 1956 but after two years, due to economic quandary, it could not run further. Therefore, proper public support for the development of Balochi literature had to wait until fifties, when the Baloch academy was established in 1962. Since then the academy published several books which include: the collected poems of Jam Durrak, Durchen; Atta Shad and Ain Salam’s compilation and verse translation of Balochi folk songs; Sardar Khan’s edition of Mast Tawakkali’s poetry and biography; Mohammad Sardar Khan Gishkori’s The great Baloch, which is based on the life of Mir Chakar, the collected poetry of Fazul, entitled Shap Chiragh and the rest is history. Also, Mohammad Hussain Unqa, Atta Shad, Azad Jamaluddini, Murad Sahir, Gul Khan Naseer, Mir Mitha Khan Mari, and more, have contributed significantly to modern Balochi prose.
Contemporary Baloch poets have made a takeover bid for the style and spirit of the past Balochi poetry. In the age of the atom, modernism has thoroughly caught the imagination of the poets of this age notable among them Syed Zahoor Shah Hashimi (a selection of whose poetry has been published in several volumes), Atta Shad, Murad Sahir, Gul Khan Naseer, Malik Mohammad Taqi, Kareem Dashti, and some more. Furthermore, Saba Dashtiyari, Mubarak Qazi, Wahid Buzdar, Manzoor Bismil, Dr Haneef Sharif, and more are the renowned personalities who are fighting tooth and nail for the growth of Balochi language and literature in this day and age. Moreover, in the work and poetry of Baloch writers we find life and the love of life, odes to man, songs of the crowning glory of life. And, of course, modern Balochi literature is still alive and young; it reflects the struggles of a Baloch, and indeed of man.
In a nutshell, Baloch, apart from being a historical nation, encompass a maverick literature. Definitely, many books about Balochi language and literature provide food for thought; quite the opposite, they leave many questions unanswered. Therefore the matters of worries appear to be out of tune at present. What is unfortunate is that Baloch lack access in the field of linguistic. The dire demands of Balochi literature are linguists that Baloch lack research which is very pivotal, in view of the fact that Balochi ballads, folk songs, poetry and other events, have been written by many writers, were not in written form and mostly based on speculation. As an alternative what is needed more is an awareness of one’s own age-old literary heritage as well as respect and concern for it.
It is said that the history of Balochi literature is perhaps conveniently divided into four periods: The Rind period (the classical age), The Khanate period, The British period, and Contemporary period.
As said by some writers the Rind period (the classical age) began in about 1430, on the contrary, some others believe the commencement of classical age was in 1450 when Chakar Rind became the ruler, of course, one has to come down on one side of the fence or other, since it remains a question mark: when it was started? Given that Chakar Rind fought the War of Delhi in 1555. Whatever the exact time was, but In the Balochi ballads of Rind period, we fall upon a factual mirror of their times, reflecting its passions of chivalry and avenge and admiration designed for the fearless swordsman; and bursting at the seams of wars and woes, memorable battles and romances of Baloch history. The thirty years’ war between the Rind and Lasharis, the bloody conflict between the Gorgezh and the Buledaies, under their respective leaders Balach and Bivragh, the tragic romance of Hani and Shay Murid, the love story of Amir Bivragh Phuz and the Arghun princess Granaz, and heartrending separation of Shahdad and Mahnaz are spectacularly portrayed in the Balochi poetry of the age. Also, the glimpses of the life of Baloch led during this period were nicely depicted in these classical ballads, particularly their social order, codes of honor, tribal warfare, ethical and aesthetic values. True, the events were not in written form but remain alive through expansion from generation to generation. The most famous poets of this classical and chivalrous age are Sardar Chakar Rind, Bivragh Phuz, Gowahram Lashari, Nodhbandgah, Shay Murid Kahuri, Shay Mubarak Kahuri, Mir Shahdad, Mir Hammal Rind, and Balach Gorgezh.
In Khanate period, commenced in 1600, the compositions of flowing verses in pure Balochi of a distinguished bard Khan Abdullah Khan were in particular. Among the rulers of Khanate line, Khan Khudadad Khan (1875-1893) was well-disposed towards literature. The well-known poets of this period are Jeehand Rind, Lalla, Jam Durrak Dumbki, Muhammad Khan Gishkori, Mitha Khan Rind, and some more.
The British period (1850-1946) which has also been considered as Khanate period, turned out to be the rendezvous of poets. Mullah Fazul, Mast Tawakkali, Mullah Qasim, Naseer Khan Nuri, Rahm Ali, Jawan Sal Bugti, Abdul Nabi Rind, Izzat Panjguri, Noor Mohammad Bampushti, Mullah Ibrahim Sarbazi, Ismail Pullabadi and many others are among the poets of extraordinary distinction of this era.
After independence from British which was the commencement of contemporary period, owing to political and other state of affairs, only some of the hopes for the rapid development were realized. But Baloch worked with vengeance and commitment to develop Balochi literature into modern lines. In the development of modern Balochi prose, the legend Sayed Zahoor Shah Hashimi, one may not be wrong to call him the founding father of contemporary Balochi literature, has made a major contribution. Syed was a man of immense courage and guts who came up with a broader vision to design the future of Balochi language and literature by arranging organizations such as Anjuman Ittihad-e-Balochan and Balochi Zuban-e-Sarchammag. Sayed also wrote poems (A selection of Sayed’s poetry has been published in several volumes) and more than 25 books unfortunately all of them were not published owing to financial troubles, but his work remain rich for Balochi literature as well as for the nation. True, the compilation of the first ever Balochi dictionary (Sayed Ganj) and first Balochi novel (Nazuk) which was published in 1950, speak volumes for the great efforts and contributions of Sayed to Balochi literature. Besides Sayed, other writers and poets also did their utmost to develop Balochi literature. At the outset in 1949, under the guiding spirits of Ghulam Mohammad Shahwani, Abdulllah Jamaluddini, Kamil-ul-Qadri, Zumurrad Hussain, and some others the Balochistan writers association was formally established, followed by Balochi Diwan, a literary society was organized in Karachi in 1951. And the monthly ‘Balochi’ was issued with the popular poet Azad Jamal-ud-dini as its editor in 1956 but after two years, due to economic quandary, it could not run further. Therefore, proper public support for the development of Balochi literature had to wait until fifties, when the Baloch academy was established in 1962. Since then the academy published several books which include: the collected poems of Jam Durrak, Durchen; Atta Shad and Ain Salam’s compilation and verse translation of Balochi folk songs; Sardar Khan’s edition of Mast Tawakkali’s poetry and biography; Mohammad Sardar Khan Gishkori’s The great Baloch, which is based on the life of Mir Chakar, the collected poetry of Fazul, entitled Shap Chiragh and the rest is history. Also, Mohammad Hussain Unqa, Atta Shad, Azad Jamaluddini, Murad Sahir, Gul Khan Naseer, Mir Mitha Khan Mari, and more, have contributed significantly to modern Balochi prose.
Contemporary Baloch poets have made a takeover bid for the style and spirit of the past Balochi poetry. In the age of the atom, modernism has thoroughly caught the imagination of the poets of this age notable among them Syed Zahoor Shah Hashimi (a selection of whose poetry has been published in several volumes), Atta Shad, Murad Sahir, Gul Khan Naseer, Malik Mohammad Taqi, Kareem Dashti, and some more. Furthermore, Saba Dashtiyari, Mubarak Qazi, Wahid Buzdar, Manzoor Bismil, Dr Haneef Sharif, and more are the renowned personalities who are fighting tooth and nail for the growth of Balochi language and literature in this day and age. Moreover, in the work and poetry of Baloch writers we find life and the love of life, odes to man, songs of the crowning glory of life. And, of course, modern Balochi literature is still alive and young; it reflects the struggles of a Baloch, and indeed of man.
In a nutshell, Baloch, apart from being a historical nation, encompass a maverick literature. Definitely, many books about Balochi language and literature provide food for thought; quite the opposite, they leave many questions unanswered. Therefore the matters of worries appear to be out of tune at present. What is unfortunate is that Baloch lack access in the field of linguistic. The dire demands of Balochi literature are linguists that Baloch lack research which is very pivotal, in view of the fact that Balochi ballads, folk songs, poetry and other events, have been written by many writers, were not in written form and mostly based on speculation. As an alternative what is needed more is an awareness of one’s own age-old literary heritage as well as respect and concern for it.