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Book Review: Dr. H.M Gurbaxani – His Life and Literary Works

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Book Review: Dr. H.M Gurbaxani – His Life and Literary Works

Dr. Gurbaxani’s scholarship, literary works, and achievements are much more than generally believed. 

Muhammad Habib Sanai

In the literary circles of Sindh, Dr. Hotchand Molchand Gurbaxani (1883-1947) is talked about only for his compilation of the poetry of Shah Latif using modern research methodology, whose only three volumes could be published and the last one is still shrouded in mystery, whether it was either compiled or not, or if it was compiled then who got it missed? It is unfair on part of literary historians to restrict his services and achievement to this compilation of Shah jo Risala and a few works. His scholarship, literary works, and achievements are much more than generally believed.

Mr. Mukhtiar Ahmed Mallah, an indefatigable young researcher and author of Sindh, has come up with a book entitled “Dr. H. M. Gurbaxani – His Life and Literary Works”, to present his true personage and scholarship. As explained by Mr. Mallah “We are even not aware how many books or articles were written by Dr. Gurbaxani. No one has prepared such a list. Even though we don’t know when and where his works were published, but I am sure he had written many articles, essays and speeches for different magazines, newspapers and Journals.” Here it would be appropriate to add that Mr. Mallah has previously contributed in the efforts for getting published in Sindh PhD thesis of Dr. Gurbaxanai entitled Mysticism in the Early Nineteenth Century Poetry of England in 2018.

The second part of the book is about literary works and achievements, his all books, essays, and articles, even his unpublished and missing books including 4th part of his Shah jo Risalo, which missed soon after his death in 1947.

Mr. Mallah’s book is divided into three parts. About the structure of book, he writes that: “In the first part, I have tried my level best to sum up personal life, family background – His Grandfather, his father and brothers and cousins, his birth and change of surname, and his children. This part also provides information about his educational institutions and his career in education sector and his administrative service. I have also given complete speech of his daughter, which she delivered in the function held by Sindhi Language Authority in 2018. The second part of the book is about literary works and achievements. I have tried my level best to give brief account his all books, essays, and articles, even his unpublished and missing books including 4th part of his Shah jo Risalo, which missed soon after his death in 1947. I have also given information about his prefaces, essays and articles published in different books and magazines. This part also contains his affiliation with literary and social organization. Many people will find new information about him and his books. The third portion is consisting on rare and untraceable material, which I have managed from different sources.”

I understand that Mr. Mallah is the first person, who has taken great pains to search and unearth a lot of his missing books and articles, especially educational books or guides, listed below, he wrote for students of BA for helping them in preparation of Persian subject.

  1. Al-Badaye of Saadi Odes (Published in 1913)
  2. Taiyyibat (1-75) (Union Steam Press, Karachi. 1918
  3. The Shah Nama, Union Steam Press, Karachi, 1912.
  4. Diwan i Hafiz, (Gay Arthur) 1913
  5. Anwar-I-Suhaili
  6. Sonorous delivery
  7. Masnavi Rumi
  8. Yusuf and Zulaikha: A Poem by Jami
  9. Rubayyat -i -Umar Khaiyamyyat -i -Umar Khaiyam

For the first time, we have come to know in great detail about these educational books or guides, which I presume have also immense literary value. Fortunately, literary labor undertaken by Dr. Gurbaxani is now being acknowledged and some excerpts from above mentioned publications are presented to us in the book under review, which also contains precious information about his other numerous writings, which were not known to most of us.  We hope that all his books and writings will be traced, retrieved and got published in one volume.

Years ago, Dr. Dur Mohammad Pathan had lamented in his essay about him that other roles of Dr. Gurbaxani have not been highlighted by the persons who write about him, such as he was a teacher par excellence and also the founder and first president of the Sindh Historical Society established in 1934. That organization played a very important role in the compilation of the history of Sindh. Every month it held a meeting, wherein one scholar used to present a paper. Besides, it has a membership of one hundred persons and each of them was an institution on his own.”

Mr. Mallah has discussed all stages of his life and literary and scholarly achievements, some of which unknown to us.  It is hoped that this book will inspire other young researchers and scholars to research and trace missing works of Dr. Gurbaxani and also literary institutes of the Sindh government to publish his works unearthed and documented by Mallah sahib in this book.

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Habib2The author is a freelance writer based in Hala town of Sindh. He can be reached at habibsanai@hotmail.com

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