Jaun Elia | |
---|---|
Elia in 1967 | |
Native name | جون ایلیا |
Born | Syed Hussain Sibt-e-Asghar Naqvi (1931-12-14)14 December 1931 Amroha, United Provinces, British India |
Died | 8 November 2002(2002-11-08) (aged 70) Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
Occupation | Poet |
Genre | Ghazal |
Notable works | Shayad, Yani, Lekin, Gumman, Goya, Farnood |
Notable awards | Pride of Performance |
Spouse |
Zahida Hina
(m. 1970; div. 1984) |
Syed Hussain Sibt-e-Asghar Naqvi, (Urdu: سید حسین سبطِ اصغر نقوی) commonly known by his pen-name Jaun Elia (Urdu: جون ایلیا, 14 December 1931 – 8 November 2002), was a Pakistani poet. One of the most prominent modern Urdu poets, popular for his unconventional ways, he "acquired knowledge of philosophy, logic, Islamic history, the Muslim Sufi tradition, Muslim religious sciences, Western literature, and Kabbala". He was fluent in Urdu, Arabic, Sindhi, English, Persian, Sanskrit and Hebrew.
Early life and family
Jaun Elia was born on 14 December 1931 in Amroha, India into an educated Shia family. His father, Shafiq Hasan Elia, was a scholar of literature and astronomy well-versed in the Arabic, English, Persian, Hebrew and Sanskrit languages, and who corresponded with leading intellectuals like Bertrand Russell. Jaun Elia was the youngest of his siblings. Rais Amrohvi was his elder brother. Indian film director Kamal Amrohi was his first cousin. Another relative in Pakistan is actor Munawar Saeed, famous for his roles as a villain.
Described as a child prodigy, Jaun was initially educated at the Syed-ul-Madaris in Amroha, a madrasa affiliated with the Darul Uloom Deoband.
He married writer Zahida Hina in the year 1970. They divorced in the year 1984.
Writing career
He began writing poetry when he was 8 but published his first collection, Shayad, when he was 60.
Political views
Partition and migration to Pakistan
Being a communist, Elia opposed the partition of India. However, he eventually migrated to Pakistan in 1957, and decided to live in Karachi.
Communism
In his poems, he supported communism in Pakistan. References to class consciousness are also seen in his poems. He also was described as "An anarchist, a nihilist, and a poet" by dunyanews.tv.
Legacy
Poet Pirzada Qasim said:
Jaun was very particular about language. While his diction is rooted in the classical tradition, he touches on new subjects. He remained in quest of an ideal all his life. Unable to find the ideal eventually, he became angry and frustrated. He felt, perhaps with reason, that he had squandered his talent.
In 2020, Punjabi rapper Kay Kap's album Rough Rhymes for Tough Times featured a song entitled Bulaava which had couplets from the poem Pehnaayi Ka Makaan written and recited by Jaun Elia.
In 2020, Pakistani rock-fusion band Nishtar Park released a single Purane Aur Naye Sawal which was based on Elia's ghazal Umr Guzaregi Imtihan Mein Kya.
In 2023, Urdu rapper Talha Anjum’s album Open Letter featured a song entitled Secrets which was strongly influenced by Jaun Elia’s poem Be-dilli Kya Yuhin Din Guzar Jaenge. Talha Anjum’s other works are also heavily influenced by Jaun Elia’s poetry.
Works
Poetry collections
- Sukhan Meri Udasee Hai
- Elia, Jaun. Zakham-e-Umeed (in Urdu). Karachi.
- Mubada
- Tumharey Aur Mere Darmiyan
- Daricha Haye Kheyal
- Qitaat
- Jaun Elia Ki Tamam Ghazlain (parts I-III)
- Inshaye aur Mazaameen
- Farnood
- Elia, Jaun (1991). Shayad (in Urdu) (2nd ed.). Karachi: Eliya Academy.
- firaaq
- Elia, Jaun (2010). Ansari, Khalid Ahmad (ed.). Lekin (in Urdu). Delhi: takhleeqkar Publishers. ISBN 978-93-80182-14-8.
- Elia, Jaun (2010). Goya (in Urdu). Delhi: Takhleeqkar Publishers.
- Elia, Jaun (2006). Ansari, Khalid Ahmad (ed.). Gumaan (in Urdu) (3rd ed.). Lahore: Al-Hamd Publications.
- Elia, Jaun (2016). Ansari, Khalid Ahmad (ed.). Ramooz (in Urdu). Lahore: Al-Hamd Publications.
Prose work (mainly translations)
Elia was not just a poet but was also an editor and a translator, especially of old Sufi, Mutazili and Ismaili treatises.
- Masih-i-Baghdad Hallaj,
- Jometria,
- Tawasin, usman
- Isaghoji,
- Rahaish-o-Kushaish,
- Hasan bin Sabah
- Farnod, Tajrid,
- Masail-i-Tajrid,
- Rasail Ikhwan al Safa
Above are some of his translations from Arabic and Persian. Not only did he translate these books but also introduced several new words in the Urdu language.
See also
References
- https://www.bbc.com/urdu/articles/c8dqgznqd1no?at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_link_id=DB72204A-B9C9-11EF-BC8F-C641EBFC933A&at_campaign_type=owned&at_link_type=web_link&at_medium=social&at_link_origin=BBC_URDU&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_format=link&at_ptr_name=facebook_page&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0MerFBIXL5nIgXsZGw_LSJsmp_H8m6XfInEp58ABMrqdhJmYVyTNsIrSk_aem_5ISmRO9uvicVOdzn-JSP8Q
- "Jaun Eliya - Profile & Biography". Rekhta. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ "Urdu poet Jaun Elia remembered on 10th death anniversary". The Express Tribune. 8 November 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- "In search of Jaun Elia". The Tribune. 26 August 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- Alam, Iftikhar (9 November 2016). "Jani! kya aaj meri barsi hai–Yani kya aaj mar gya tha main?". The Nation. Archived from the original on 26 October 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- Altaf, Salman (5 November 2017). "Essay: The Elia Paradox". Dawn. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- Kureshi, Manzoor (4 April 2014). "In the name of father". Dawn. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
- Suhayb, Muhammad (22 June 2021). "Good to be Bad: The Villains of Pakistani Cinema". Youlin Magazine. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
Related to famous poets like Raees Amrohvi and Jaun Elia, Munawwar Saeed often had trouble with the Punjabi language, and often reverted back to Urdu in his dialogue.
- "KARACHI: Jon knew how to enthral audience". Dawn News. 10 November 2002.
- "Zahida Hina - Profile & Biography". Rekhta. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- جون ایلیا: اپنے خیالوں میں گم مسافر جسے شاعروں کا شاعر کہا گیا (in Urdu). BBC. 10 November 2002. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- "Jaun Elia remembered". The Nation. 15 December 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- "Master of loneliness and frenzy | Pakistan Today". Pakistan Today. 5 November 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- "Life and politics in South Asia (Part 1)". Jamhoor. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- "All writings of Jaun Eliya". Rekhta. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- Salim, Saquib (29 June 2018). "Jaun Elia: A Communist Poet Who Found Religion and Marxism Compatible". The Wire. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- Samiuddin, Abida (2007). Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Urdu Literature (2 Vols. Set). Global Vision Publishing. p. 201. ISBN 9788182201910.
- Kay Kap (Ft. Jaun Elia) – Bulaava, retrieved 23 August 2022
- "Jaun Elia - An anarchist, a nihilist, and a poet - Pakistan". Dunya News. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
Bibliography
- Iqbal, Neha (2019). Jaun Eliya Hayat Aur Shayari (in Urdu). Amroha.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Syed, Naseem (2011). Jaun Eliya-khush Guzran Guzar Gaye (in Urdu). Karachi: Academy Bazyaft.
- Khan, Rahat Raees (25 August 2022). Qurbat-e-Tanhai, Unheard Jaun Elia. Noida: Bluerose Publishers.
- Sikandar, Irshad Khan (7 March 2023). Jaun Elia Ka Jin (in Hindi). Rajpal and Sons.
- Imam, Ameer (2023). Koi Rehta Hai Aasmaan Mein Kya (in Hindi). Delhi: Rekhta Publications.
- Firozabadi, Muntazir (2019). Jaun Elia: Ek Ajab-Ghazab Shayar (in Hindi) (3rd ed.). Noida: Hind Yugm. ISBN 9789384419998.
- Elia, Jaun (9 November 2021). Vishwas, Dr. Kumar (ed.). Lekin (in Hindi). Vani Prakashan. ISBN 978-93-90678-58-7.
External links
Categories:- 1931 births
- 2002 deaths
- Muhajir people
- Pakistani scholars
- Linguists of Urdu
- Linguists from Pakistan
- Pakistani literary critics
- Pakistani Shia Muslims
- Poets from Karachi
- Urdu-language theologians
- 20th-century Urdu-language writers
- Urdu-language poets from Pakistan
- 20th-century Pakistani poets
- Indian emigrants to Pakistan
- People from Amroha
- Members of the Pakistan Philosophical Congress
- 20th-century linguists
- 20th-century Pakistani philosophers
- Indian communist poets
- Pakistani communist poets
- Writers from Karachi
- Urdu-language writers from Pakistan