Homage paid to three Sindhi literary figures

HYDERABAD: Writers, poets, intellectuals and civil society paid glowing tribute to three poets and writers including Tariq Alam Abro, Hassan Dars and Mansur Malik who passed away this month on different days.

The condolence reference was organized by Sindhi Language Authority at its premised here Thursday night.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion SLA's chairperson Dr Fehmida Hussain equated the three deceased poets with a constellation of stars which have been taken away from Sindh and its people.

"Their subsequent deaths this month were a huge shock for their readers who revelled reading their poetry and novels," she observed.

"Mansur Malik contributed 11 books to Sindhi literature, among them 5 are on poetry," she reminded the audience.

Dr Hussain said that late Tariq Alam Abro was a great writer and artist, adding that he had innate abilities of creating art.

"Besides his literary flair, Abro was an affable person whose personality and congeniality impressed all who met him," she recalled.

While paying homage to Hassan Dars, Dr Hussain said Dars possessed the peerless mastery over imbuing his poetry with striking ideas.

"He was a continuity of Shaikh Ayaz. A stature enviable for all Sindhi writers and poets," she emphasized.

In his death Sindh has lost a man whom the historians would have called the poet of the 21st century, she said and added that he was rightly referred to as 'the poet of young hearts' by late Shaikh Ayaz.

Jami Chandio, a scholar and social activist, opined that relations strengthened by ideologies and thought were stronger than those made by blood.

"These writers formed such a strong chord with their readers," he stressed.

Chandio said that Hassan Dars depicted all idyllic places of Sindh as well as different settings peculiar by their traditions from Thar deserts to mountains regions from Jamshoro to Jacobabad in his poetry.

"His words were so vivid that they would thrust the readers in reverie and made an image of the writing," he added.

Famous writer Rasool Bux Dars described the three poets as the best Sindh had in the present times.

"Its a colossal misfortune that all the three left us at one time. Their deaths will create a gap which will not be filled in the years to come," he added.

Director Radio Pakistan Naseer Mirza told that late Abro was his friend since their college days in 1978 and that he learned a lot from him.

"He was an art and literature connoisseur," Mirza said.

Hassan Dars was referred to as a poet of nature who was gifted with the wisdom to interpret the natures different hues, Mirza said.

Women right activist Amar Sindhu, Prof Inam Shaikh, writers Ruhal Dars, Arbab Naek Muhammad and Zulfiqar Qadri also spoke on the occasion

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011