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Seeing The Wounds, The Dew Wept On Flowers

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Seeing The Wounds, The Dew Wept On Flowers
Maqsood Gul

Maqsood Gul achieved a high position in literature as a poet and prose writer. He authored several books, 10 of which were published during his lifetime.

By Yasir Qazi

Maqsood Gul, a well-known poet and prose writer, scholar and intellectual, columnist and journalist, radio and television lyricist and scriptwriter, children’s writer and the translator of Mystic poet Hazrat Sachal Sarmast’s Persian poetry, left 7 years ago giving a treasure trove of his invaluable writings to the world of literature. He left for the eternal world on 14th February 2015. This gentleman and unique writer, adorned with high human qualities, shared his true love with his readers, audience and friends and left this world exactly on Valentine’s Day.

While individuals, movements and institutions are playing a role in shaping the history of different regions of the world, some rare families performing outstanding political and literary services are also leading the way in changing the style of history with their services. Literature is directly related to languages. Each of the languages spoken in this region has a different age and Sindhi is one of the most ancient languages of the expanse. Sindhi literature will be considered incomplete without mentioning the contribution of the Qazi family of Ratodero town, who has been residing there for centuries, rendering significant services in Sindhi language and literature.

Maqsood Gul and Comrade Sobho Gianchandani
Maqsood Gul and Comrade Sobho Gianchandani

The well-known poet and educator in this family, Qazi Abdul Hayee “Qaa’il” and his father, Qazi Abdul Haq “Abd”, who had been a prolific poet of Sindhi as well as Arabic and Persian, were some of the writers who are referred to this family.

Maqsood Gul was born on April 15, 1950, in his hometown of Ratodero to Qazi Abdul Hayee “Qaa’il” as his second son. In the style of his brother’s names, his family name was “Qazi Maqsood Hayat”, but after entering the realm of literature in 1975, he adopted the pseudonym of “Gul” (which means ‘the flower’) and made his name ‘Maqsood Gul’. Academically, he earned master’s degrees both in economics and Sindhi literature. In terms of employment, he was a phone clerk in the Irrigation Department from 1966 to 1969. From 1969 to 1974, he worked as a drawing teacher in various schools in Sita Road, Dadu and Larkana districts. He later joined the newly established Larkana Sugar Mill in 1974 as an “Apprentice Officer”. He was later promoted to ‘Assistant Manager’ of the store’s department and later ‘Deputy Manager’. He resigned from Larkana Sugar Mill in 1993 and served in an insurance company from 1993 to 1995. In 1995, he founded ‘Abdul Hayee Qazi Model School’ in Ratodero to continue his father’s educational legacy. Founded on April 10, 1995, the school continues to serve to this day, completing 27 years of service this year. Not only that, but several more campuses of this school have opened in Larkana, spreading the light of knowledge among numerous students.

Although, Maqsood Gul was accustomed to the academic and literary environment at home since his childhood, and had started reading and writing informally, he formally entered the world of literature in 1975. His first mentor in the arena of poetry was his father, Qazi “Qaa’il” himself and his friend Dr. Atta Muhammad “Haami” esteemed Sindhi poet and researcher; while he learnt to patch Urdu poetry, from Prof. Mahmood “Sharaf” Siddiqui.

Maqsood Gul and Ustad Bukhari in 1977
Maqsood Gul and Ustad Bukhari in 1977

Maqsood Gul achieved a high position in literature as a poet, prose writer, intellectual, columnist, children’s writer, and translator of Sachal Sarmast. He authored several books, 10 of which were published during his lifetime, and many more have been left unpublished. His first book, “Vikhriyal Moti” (the scattered pearls) was published in 1983, in which he compiled research papers by Dr. Atta Muhammad “Haami”, while his last book was in late 2014, titled “Akhriyoon Neel Kanwal”, published by Sindhi Adabi Board. His other published books include “Zindagi De Moat” (Translation of Krishan Chander’s Urdu short stories), “Kirna Kirna” (Poetry for children), “Ratt Bhina Rabail” (Revolutionary Sindhi poetry), “Andar Rooh Rahiyaam” (Compilation of essays about the personality and works of Dr. Atta Muhammad “Haami”), “Hatheeli Harni” (Children’s stories in Sindhi), “Ishq Samandar” (Urdu verse-to-verse translation of Sachal Sarmast’s Persian poetry), “Ratodero – Mukhtasir Taareekh’a” (a brief history of Ratodero Town, his hometown) and “Aey, Aahoo Chashm Kidhar!?” (Urdu translation of 2 poetry books by Shaikh Ayaz). His acclaimed work in the literary circles is the Urdu translation of Hazrat Sachal Sarmast’s Persian Masnaviat, which he has done from Persian to Urdu with such eloquence that it is hard to imagine that it is a translation, but as it is originally in Urdu. It feels natural.

Like Sindhi poetry, Maqsood Gul’s Urdu poetry is also exceptional in terms of artistic thought and approach.

Maqsood Gul’s prose was also magnificent. He wrote columns for various Sindhi dailies on current affairs and other topics. He also wrote a daily column for some dailies for almost a decade, including daily “Awami Awaz” and “Hilal-e-Pakistan” noted Sindhi dailies. His research papers are excellent examples of contemporary exploration on Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Hazrat Sachal Sarmast, other classical poets of Sindh and other subjects.

Many of Maqsood Gul’s songs were recorded, broadcast and released for Pakistan Television, Radio Pakistan and other media outlets and are generally sung in public gatherings. Maqsood Gul received several awards in recognition of his literary services, including the prestigious PTV Award, Lifetime Achievement Award from Pakistan Academy of Literatures, Sachal Sarmast Award from Sachal Yaadgar Committee, International Sufi Conference Award, Dr. Tanveer Abbasi Award, Haami Award, Mehran Award and Ustad Bukhari Award. He received numerous other national and international awards and accolades, but his true reward recognizes the love of countless folks and readers who used his poetry to illuminate the paths of consciousness and thought.

Maqsood Gul was married to Gulnar Badar on May 14, 1976. Their children include a daughter and four sons.

Maqsood Gul met his maker on February 14, 2015, in Karachi, due to cardiac arrest. He was buried the next day, on February 15, 2015 in his hometown, Ratodero.

Writers are always alive in the pages of history because of their penmanship. Likewise, Maqsood Gul and his father are also fortunate that their artistic and intellectual continuity will continue through their descendants. His physical departure was the end of his literary work, but it was the beginning of research into his literary work. In honor of his literary services in his life, a research monograph of M.A. in Literature was written about his literary offerings, in the Sindhi Department of Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur. Not only that, but within 40 days of his death, the launch of a huge 520-page book, titled: “Gul Chhino Girnaar Jo” in his memory and the establishment of Maqsood Gul Academy at the Sindh level was a major step to remember him. The purpose of instituting this academy is to broadcast Maqsood Gul’s scholarly and literary works. Another recent development in the recognition of his services is that his corner is established at the Museum of Institute of Sindhology Jamshoro, in which his belongings, pictures and books are displayed for the public since November 2021.

In some of his couplets, Maqsood Gul says:

As the lamp does not burn without the oil in it,

Like that I can’t live without you.

 

The injury of separation is deeper than the shaft,

Apparently no one dies for someone else.

 

The darkness is tiding its loop too hard,

The harsh cruelty is not frightened of.

 

Seeing the wounds, the dew wept on flowers,

The moment of autumn does not go away.

___________________________

Yasir Qazi - Sindh-Courier- 02The author is a freelance radio and TV broadcast and print journalist, poet, prose-writer, researcher, columnist, blogger, translator, media Expert, and author of 12 books in Sindhi. He writes regularly for esteemed English, Urdu and Sindhi papers and websites.