ISLAMABAD: February 13 marks the 16th death anniversary of prominent Baloch poet Atta Shad, best known as the architect of modern poetic sensibilities in Balochi literature.
When Atta emerged on the literary scene, Balochi literature was mainly divided between two schools of thoughts.
First was driven by the impact of the Progressive Movement with Mir Gul Khan Naseer and Aazad Jamaldini on the forefront. While the second one was purely an indigenous one.
Founded by Syed Zahoor Shah Hashmi, the forerunner of modern Balochi literature, this school of thought was deeply rooted in classical Balochi poetry. Mainly, emphasizing on the chasteness of language and simplicity of poetic thoughts, this school of poetry subsequently attracted a wide range of poets to its fold including late Murad Sahir, Ghulam Rasool Mulla (popularly known as G.R Mulla) and Ahmed Zaheer to mention a few here.
Atta chose to drift away from the oft-trodden path of the poetry and went on creating his own aura which made him stand out in the realm of modern Balochi poetry.
The enormity of his imagination rendered him to envision beyond his time.
Unlike his peers, he deeply observed the universe, contemplated its nature and deeply pondered upon human aspirations and produced the kind of poetry which is by and large still non existent in Balochi literature.
Atta bequeathed modern Balochi poetry a fresh poetic diction. His metaphoric and symbolic venture, which is a reflection of his modern sensibilities, also stand apart from the rest of the modern Balochi poets.
He has to his credit a few random but insightful articles on various aspects of Balochi literature which also gives credence to his potentials as a prose writer.
Atta Shad, passed away on 13, Feb, 1997 in Quetta.
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