Jaun Elia Explained

Jaun Elia
Occupation:Poet
Genre:Ghazal
Notableworks:Shayad, Yani, Lekin, Gumman, Goya, Farnood
Awards:Pride of Performance
Birth Date:1931 12, df=yes
Birth Place:Amroha, United Provinces, British India
Death Place:Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Birth Name:Syed Hussain Sibt-e-Asghar Naqvi

Syed Hussain Sibt-e-Asghar Naqvi,[1] (ur|{{Nastaliq|سید حسین سبطِ اصغر نقوی) commonly known by his pen-name Jaun Elia (ur|{{Nastaliq|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.[2]

Early life and family

Jaun Elia was born on 14 December 1931 in Amroha, India into an educated Shia family.[3] [4] 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.[5] Jaun Elia was the youngest of his siblings. Rais Amrohvi was his elder brother. Indian film director Kamal Amrohi was his first cousin.[6] Another relative in Pakistan is actor Munawar Saeed, famous for his roles as a villain.[7]

Described as a child prodigy, Jaun was initially educated at the Syed-ul-Madaris in Amroha, a madrasa affiliated with the Darul Uloom Deoband.[8]

He married writer Zahida Hina in the year 1970.[9] They separated in the year 1992.[10]

Writing career

He began writing poetry when he was 8 but published his first collection, Shayad, when he was 60.[11]

Political views

Partition and migration to Pakistan

Being a communist, Elia opposed the partition of India.[12] [13] [14] However, he eventually migrated to Pakistan in 1957, and decided to live in Karachi.

Communism

In his poems, he supported communism in Pakistan.[15] 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:

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

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.

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.[16]

See also

References

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jaun Eliya - Profile & Biography . 2022-08-23 . . en.
  2. Web site: Urdu poet Jaun Elia remembered on 10th death anniversary. The Express Tribune. 2016-11-16. 8 November 2012.
  3. Web site: 26 August 2018 . In search of Jaun Elia . 2022-08-23 . . en.
  4. Web site: Alam . Iftikhar . 9 November 2016 . Jani! kya aaj meri barsi hai–Yani kya aaj mar gya tha main? . https://web.archive.org/web/20191026112829/https://nation.com.pk/09-Nov-2016/jani-kya-aaj-meri-barsi-hai-yani-kya-aaj-mar-gya-tha-main . 26 October 2019 . 2022-08-23 . The Nation.
  5. Web site: Altaf . Salman . 2017-11-05 . Essay: The Elia Paradox . 2022-08-23 . . en.
  6. Web site: Kureshi . Manzoor . 4 April 2014 . In the name of father . 26 March 2018 . Dawn.
  7. Web site: Suhayb . Muhammad . 22 June 2021 . Good to be Bad: The Villains of Pakistani Cinema . 25 March 2023 . Youlin Magazine . 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..
  8. Web site: 10 November 2002 . KARACHI: Jon knew how to enthral audience . Dawn News.
  9. Web site: Zahida Hina - Profile & Biography . 2022-08-23 . . en.
  10. Web site: 2002-11-10 . KARACHI: Jon knew how to enthral audience . 2022-08-23 . . en.
  11. Web site: 15 December 2018 . Jaun Elia remembered . 2022-08-23 . . en-US.
  12. Web site: 5 November 2011 . Master of loneliness and frenzy Pakistan Today . 2022-08-23 . . en-GB.
  13. Web site: Life and politics in South Asia (Part 1) . 2022-08-23 . Jamhoor . en-US.
  14. Web site: All writings of Jaun Eliya . 2022-08-23 . . en.
  15. Web site: Salim . Saquib . 2018-06-29 . Jaun Elia: A Communist Poet Who Found Religion and Marxism Compatible . 2021-05-26 . The Wire.
  16. Web site: 8 November 2015 . Jaun Elia - An anarchist, a nihilist, and a poet - Pakistan . 2022-08-23 . . en.

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