Jaun Elia

Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox writer Syed Hussain Sibt-e-Asghar NaqviTemplate:Efn (14 December 1931 – 8 November 2002), commonly known by his pen name Jaun Elia,Template:Efn was a Pakistani poet.<ref name=BBC>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

One of the most prominent modern Urdu poets of Template:Transliteration (amatory poems), popular for his unconventional ways, he "acquired knowledge of philosophy, logic, Islamic history, the Muslim Sufi tradition, Muslim religious sciences, Western literature, and Karbala".<ref name=":0" />

He was fluent in Urdu, Arabic, Sindhi, English, Persian, Sanskrit and Hebrew.<ref name=BBC/><ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Elia was also the younger brother of poet Rais Amrohvi.

Early life and family

Jaun Elia was born on 14 December 1931 in Amroha, UP, British India into an educated Shia family. He was the youngest child of Allama Shafiq Hassan Elia.<ref name=BBC/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=TheNation2>Template:Cite news</ref> His father 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Jaun Elia was the youngest of his siblings: his brother Rais Amrohvi was a poet and psychoanalyst while another brother, Syed Mohammed Taqi, was a philosopher and a translator who had translated Karl Marx's Das Kapital.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Indian film director Kamal Amrohi was his first cousin.<ref name="Dawn">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Another relative in Pakistan is actor Munawar Saeed, famous for his roles as a villain.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Described as a child prodigy, Jaun was initially educated at the Syed-ul-Madaris in Amroha, a madrasa affiliated with the Darul Uloom Deoband.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Marriage

He married writer Zahida Hina in the year 1970. He met her during the publication of an urdu language magazine Insha and ended up falling in love with her.<ref name=BBC/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They divorced in the year 1984 due to differences in their temperament.<ref name=BBC/>

Writing career

He began writing poetry when he was 8 but published his first collection, Shayad, when he was 60.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Political views

Partition and migration to Pakistan

Being a communist, Elia opposed the partition of India.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, he eventually migrated to Pakistan in 1956, and decided to live in Karachi.<ref name=BBC/>

Communism

In his poems, he supported communism in Pakistan.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> References to class consciousness are also seen in his poems. He also was described as "An anarchist, a nihilist, and a poet".<ref name=DunyaNews/>

Death, legacy and popular culture

Jaun Elia died on 8 November 2002 at age 70 in Karachi, Pakistan.<ref name=RadioPakistan/> Some people that knew him called him a difficult, temperamental and complicated person. He also drank alcohol excessively which then contributed to his health problems.<ref name=BBC/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>{{#if:|

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According to BBC News website:

Jaun Elia's friend Qamar Razi once said of him, "He was quick to criticize, but he was a true friend, a lost traveler in his thoughts".<ref name=BBC/>

Noted Indian poet Majrooh Sultanpuri called him "the poet of poets"...<ref name=BBC/>

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.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

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.

Commemorative postage stamp

On his death anniversary of 8 November 2013, Pakistan Post Office issued a commemorative postage stamp to honor him for his literary services in its 'Men of Letters' series.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Awards and recognition

• Pride of Performance award by the President of Pakistan for his literary services in 2000.<ref name=TheNation>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=RadioPakistan>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Works

Poetry collections

• Sukhan Meri Udasee Hai
• Zakham-e-Umeed
• Mubada
• Tumharey Aur Mere Darmiyan
• Daricha Haye Kheyal
• Qitaat
• Jaun Elia Ki Tamam Ghazlain (parts I-III)
• Inshaye aur Mazaameen
• Farnood<ref name=DunyaNews/>
• Shayad<ref name=DunyaNews/><ref name=RadioPakistan/>
• Firaaq
• Lekin<ref name=DunyaNews/><ref name=RadioPakistan/>
• Goya<ref name=RadioPakistan/>
• Gumaan<ref name=RadioPakistan/>
• Ramooz<ref name=RadioPakistan/>
• Ya'ni<ref name=RadioPakistan/>

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.<ref name=DunyaNews>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See also

• Rais Amrohvi
• Rahat Indori
• Munawwar Rana

Notes

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References

Bibliography

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External links

• Collection of writings on Jaun Elia Template:In lang
• Jaun Elia sher/ghazal/nazm collection
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