KARACHI CHRONICLE: Shaikh Ayaz: poet of Sindh

The people of Sindh are unanimous in recognising Shaikh Ayaz the greatest contemporary poet of the province. The Sindhi language is a treasure-trove of literature filled with folk tales, short stories, novels, plays and, above all poetry, the diamonds and emeralds in the valuable collection. It remains mostly hidden, unknown and unsung. What do you expect in a place rife with poverty, ignorance and illiteracy? But even the most ignorant know two names. The first is Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai's, the second Shaikh Ayaz's. Only officialdom does not think like the people of Sindh for it often ignores Ayaz.
All the speakers at the Jashan-i-Ayaz, held last weekend in Hyderabad, highlighted the lack of recognition to Ayaz by officialdom. Their failure to honour the great poet is in effect disregard of Sindhi culture and the people's pride and dignity. Officialdom seems mesmerised by the political greats of Sindh, the Bhuttos and Bhutto / Zardaris, to give a great to a 'mere' literary great figure.
There is a vast difference between the love and loyalty to political figures and admiration for a poet. Culture draws its richness from art and literature; it evolves with every passing age and becomes the ethos of the nation. Politics is, and always will be time-bound. Today's great persons will be history tomorrow, but the poets and artists never die, age or disappear. Unfortunately in Sindh today it is politics, which dictates the actions of those in power.
Ayaz should have been recognised as 'The' poet of 20th-century Sindh. Instead he is ignored. The tragedy is just how cruelly he is sidelined. It was most distressing to read even his house in Sukkur was demolished and his treasured books were being sold by vendors on the streets. It brought back to mind something as appalling I witnessed many years ago in Bhit shah. I and my two young Sindhi companions (a brother and sister) had gone to the Urs of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. Shaikh Ayaz who loved and was inspired by the Sufi saint's beautiful verses, had died a year before our visit. He was buried in Bhit shah on the hill where Shah Latif's tomb stands, but at a distance. After paying our respects to the saint we trekked towards Ayaz's grave to say a fateha there. We picked our way through piles of refuse, avoiding mounds of turds, both human and animal, our nostrils assailed by the putrid smells of rotting things and urine. There was no grave. There was a cemented platform, probably over which ultimately someone (if not officialdom) would build a proper tomb. The last resting place of the great poet was near a stinking pond which not only added to the shock and horror but evoked deep sadness at the site.
Officialdom would be coming and going for photo-ops and laying of chaddar at the tomb of the saint. Had there been a plan to pay homage to the dead poet the way to his last resting place would have been swept clean. Obviously there was no such programme. Ever since, whenever the name of Ayaz is mentioned I think of that desolate scene. I do not know what the place looks like today since it is decades since I last visited Bhit shah. Nevertheless, that desolate grave of the great poet has made a permanent change in my opinion of officialdom and politicians. I may admire some, including the dead Bhuttos, but I do not respect them.
At the Jashan-i-Ayaz last weekend in Hyderabad, speakers voiced at this cruel treatment of the poet. They said there should be research centre, an institute in the name of the poet. It is time officialdom recognised Ayaz. In defense, PPP senator, Sassui Palijo, who chaired the programme, said the cultural department had published 21 volumes of translation of Ayaz's poetry, and Madad Ali Sindhi had written the poet's memoirs. My, my. Are we supposed to applaud PPP for this? Maybe I would but where are the books displayed? In which hidden bookshop are they? Do they stand on the same shelf as books on Iqbal and Faiz? You will find Shah-jo-Risalo, the poetic compositions of Shah Abdul Latif in many bookshops, but hardly any have the works of Shaikh Ayaz who took his inspiration from the Sufi saint.