History of swat

History of swat



Swat, “Switzerland of the East”, Udayana (the garden) of ancient Hindu tales, and
“Garden of Ashoka”, is a paradise on earth. Blessed with lush green valleys having snow clad
peaks in the background, crystalline waters of Swat River originating from Ushu Range,
beautiful murmuring brooks which trickle down from all directions, whispering pines as the
summer breeze pass through them, fruit laden orchards which fill the valleys with soft
aroma, SWAT is a poet’s dream, hiker’s delight, archeologist’s heaven, historian’s enigma
and tourist’s Shangri La. The valley is worth visiting throughout the year, may it be the
heavenly springs, cool summers, elegant falls or the snowy winters. The nature has unfurled
every colour in the seasons of Swat.

Swat is located in Malakand Division- a region in Khyber Pakhtun Khawa Province of
Pakistan, comprising Chitral, Dir Upper, Dir Lower, Swat, Buner, Shangla districts and
Malakand Agency. It is a broad fertile valley at the foothills of famous Hindukush Mountains
which stretch nearly 200km from the Malakand Pass to the high reaches of Swat Kohistan.
Located at a distance of 250 kms from Islamabad, it takes a journey of five to six hours along
historic Grand Trunk Road to reach Swat. The total area of Swat is 3798 sq. km with a
population of 170, 0000. Its altitude varies from 2500 ft. to 19400 ft. above sea level. The main towns of the Valley are Mingora, Saidu Sharif, Barikot, Khawazakhela and Matta. Mingora is the District Headquarters of Swat. Flanking Swat are equally beautiful
districts of Shangla and Buner. Geographically contiguous, these districts further galvanize
the rich culture and beauty of Swat region.

Swat has rich history which dates back to two thousand years. It was invaded by
Alexander the Great in 327 B.C. Various historical accounts suggest that, Alexander the
Great crossed River Swat and subdued the locals at places where today Barikot and Udigram
exist. It is also mentioned that, he married a local woman following a royal norm. The
Greek power and influence introduced new ethnic and cultural elements in the region. His
successors ceded Swat to the Mauryan Dynasty. By the middle of the 2nd century BC, the
Kushan dynasty began to gain dominance. In early 3rd century BC, Buddhism was
introduced into Gandhara (region comprising Peshawar Valley, Taxila and Swat Valley)
during the region of Ashoka. During 1st century AD, Gandhara become the second holy
land of Buddhism and experienced a unique economic and culture flowering, with a
flourshing trade with Rome and China. This interaction resulted in the birth of Gandhara
Culture. The historical signatures of these times are abundantly found in Swat in the form of
ruins, rock paintings archaeological sites. At an early stage, Swat was a centre of Hinayana
Buddhism and the Mahayana school that developed from it. The Kushan dynasty ruled for four centuries till it was over run by the White Huns in 5th century AD and the glory of the
Gandhara era came to an end.

In the beginning of the 11th century AD, Mahmud of Ghazni advanced through Dir
and invaded Swat, thus Muslim period of Swat began. At the end of 15th century the Valley
was invaded by the Afghan Yusufzais who migrated from Afghanistan due to Mughal
Emperor Babar’s advancing onslaught. When Mughal Dynasty was fading, Sikhs tried to
conquer this area but they could not consolidate due to annexation of Punjab by British in
1849. The region kept simmering under various tribal leaders who kept engaging British
whenever opportunity arose. Hostilities erupted into open war in 1897 with the Malakand
uprising and in the latest of series, British occupied Chitral, Malakand and Chakdara after
fierce battles. Sir Winston Churchill, as a young lieutenant, participated in these battles. A
piquet sited by him at Chakdara still exists and is famous as “Churchill Piquet”. Chakdara
was the furthest British garrison in Swat.

In 1915 the Swati tribes elected a central leader and Swat emerged as an independent
state. Abdul Jabar Shah was the first ruler of the State (1915-1917). He initiated the
administrative system of the State. This system was modified, developed and refined by his
successors at the seat of the State, Miangul Abdul Wadud 1917- 1949 [the grandson of the
Akhund of Swat], and Miangul Jahanzeb who ruled Swat from 1949 to 1969. In 1947, Swat joined Pakistan at the eve of independence. The Wali’s sovereignty was finally abolished in
1969 when Swat formally merged became part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The people of Swat are mainly Pakhtuns, Yusufzais, Kohistanis, Gujars and Awans.
The main language is Pushto whereas Kohistani and Torwali are spoken in the areas where
Kohistanis live. People of Swat are known for good manners, politeness and hospitality. The
mystery and romance surrounding these wonderful people has withstood the vicissitudes of
time.

Swat was a popular tourist resort before the Taliban’s brief hold. Tourism is again
picking up after successful clearing of area by Pakistan Army. A magnet for hippies in the
1970, it’s a still a big attraction for domestic tourists who flock here every summer for the
clean air and fine landscapes. Apart from its beauty, green Alps like mountains, fast flowing
rivers teeming with fish and natural scenery the area has rich flora and fauna.
The valley is famous for a wide variety of delicious fruits its produces. It is one of the
major fruit producing areas of Pakistan, where 70 per cent of alpine fruits are grown. It is
famous for its orchards of high quality apples, peaches, apricots, plums and persimmons.
Wild olives grow in abundance and experiments to graft these with European olives are
being successfully done. Agriculture and fruit orchards are the main sources of income for
the locals. The rich fauna of valley includes Markhurs, Himalayan ibexes, Urials, black and 
brown bears, leopards ,snow leopards, wolfs ,monkeys, chakors , trout and other varieties
of fish.

The local culture is pre dominantly Pushtoon and follows the traditional honour code
known as Pakhtunwali. The main tenets of 'Pakhto' or formally known as Pakhtunwali are:
Melmastiaya means Hospitality and asylum at any cost to all guests seeking help : Badal
means Justice or taking revenge which is invoked irrespective of time and cost
involved:Nang means honour and requires defense of 'Zan, Zar and Zameen'
(Women/Family, Treasury and Property). Pashtuns are independent minded and there is a
lot of internal competition. Most decisions in tribal life are made by a 'Jirga' or 'Senate' of
elected elders and wise men. However, Pashtun society is also marked by its matriarchal
tendencies. Folktales involving reverence for Pashtun mothers and matriarchs are common
and are passed down from parent to child through a rich oral tradition. Kohistani who are
the indigenous population of Swat are divided into many tribes. The population of both
Abasin Kohistan and Swat Kohistan has many offshoots. They inhabit mostly the northern
valleys of Swat. In addition, a sizeable segment of local society is called Gujar- in recognition
of profession. Gujars are of two types: Proper Gujars, who keep buffaloes and cows and
“Ajar”, who are also Gujar but keep sheep and goats. They are called Ajar, because they are
seasonal migrants. With the onset of winter scenes of Ajar Gujars moving with their large
herds and meager belongings towards down country for warmer places is a common sight.

Swat can be conveniently divided into four distinct zones each having its own
significance and attractions throughout the year. These zones include; the Malakand-Barikot
areas having sites of archeological and historical significance, the urban center of Swat –
Mingora, famous for its sprawling bazaars, Matta-Shaur-Piochar and Biha areas which house
fruit laden orchards, lush green mountains and breath taking scenes especially of fall and the
fourth zone is of the areas comprising Kalam-Madyan famous for their unspoiled beauty,
serene lakes and tranquil forests.

A trip to Swat starts by crossing over Malakand Pass at an altitude of 2700 ft. At the
top is a Pakistan Army Fort which guards the entrance to the valley. The fort gained its
name during the uprising of 1897 when a British Battalion of Sikh Infantry faced 10,000
tribal warriors. At the Malakand top one can see Swat canal in the valley below. The Canal
was built by British to channel water from Swat River through a tunnel under the Malakand
Pass to irrigate the plains around Mardan.

Next to fort is Historical Town of Chakdara. The famous Chakdara Bridge built by
British in 1896 was washed away by floods of 2010.The biggest attraction of Chakdara is
Churchill Piquet on the top of Damkot Hill, overlooking Chakdara fort and bridge. It has a
commanding view of river from Malakand Pass to Barikot. The other attractions include
Chakdara Museum, Chat Pat a Buddhist monastery site and Andan Dheri Stupa. On the way
to Mingora, one can visit Top Darra Bhuddist Stupa nestled into a secluded valley on the side of Haibatgaram Ridge. Haibatgram also offers an enormous Hindu Shahi fort. Further
towards Landakai there is a Nimogram Buddist Monestary and stupa site worth visiting.

At Barikot town the road from the Karakar Pass, Buner and Ambela Pass joins the
road from Malakand Pass. The most scenic route begins here. A large number of carvings
and stupas are found in this area. Shingerdar Stupa near Barikot, Gogdara rock engravings
near Udegram and Raja Gira’s Castles are few to mention.

As one nears Mingora, one can make out that he is transiting into another zone.
Mingora and Saidu Sharif are the main twin towns of this region located at 3250 ft.
Mingora is a historical city with old market and a big bazaar, government offices and
numerous hotels. It’s the geographical and political center of Swat. Mingora offers an
interesting “Swat Museum”, the Tomb of Akund of Swat and the archaeological remains of
the Butkara Buddhist Stupa. Its bustling bazaars filled with local handicrafts, semi precious
stones like Swat emeralds, beautiful tribal jewelery, dry fruit and a wide range of local
cuisine can mesmerize any tourist.

Marghazar and Islampur are two beautiful small villages at the top of Saidu
Valleys. Islampur is famous for handloom weaving and is an ideal place to buy hand woven
shawls and blankets.

Kabal is a nearby town across the River Swat which offers 18 holes golf course. As
one moves out of Mingora towards Khwazakhela, first town which comes is Manglaur
which is gateway to the Skiing resort of Malam Jabba. Though the facility was destroyed by
Taliban but now is being restored.

The Swat Valley imperceptibly transforms as one ascends towards north. Ahead of
Manglaur the area is generally called upper Swat. In mid-winters upper Swat is covered
with snow above Bahrain, but in summers one can drive up to and beyond Kalam and from
there trek north to either the Chitral Valley or the Gilgit Valley. This area is again different
from lower Swat zones. Kalam- Madyan zone is characterized by wild beauty. Enroute to
Kalam, just 30 kms from Mingora on the banks of River Swat, is located small town of
Khwazakhela. It is a bustling bazaar of upper Swat. The main bazaar street offers carved
woodwork, semi precious stone and embroided fabrics. From Khawazakhela a metalled
road leads to Shangla and further joins Karakoram Highway. Along this route one can
explore the beautiful and less travelled areas of Aloch, Puran and Shahpur Valleys.

As one continues the journey towards north from Khawazakhela on a detour from
main road is located Miandam. It is a small summer resort ten kilometers up a steep side
valley and 56 kilometers from Saidu Sharif. It is a good resort for walkers and hikers.

Madyan is a small town at 4500 ft and about 55 Km from Mingora, here the
mountains close in and the road snuggles with River Swat. At 4335 ft above sea level,
Madyan is a nice place to visit. Antiques, shawls, traditional embroidery, tribal jewellery,
carved wood and antique or reproduced coins are sold along the main street. The area north
of Madyan is known as Swat Kohistan.

Further north is Bahrain, again at 4500 ft height. Bahrainis are a mix of
Pashtuns and Kohistanis. It is another popular riverside tourist resort with bazaars worth
exploring for their handicrafts. Some of the houses have ancient carved wooden doors,
pillars and balconies. As one moves further north and gains an altitude of 6800 feet comes
Kalam Town. In 19th century Kalam was capital of an independent state, however later it
became part of Chitral and then Swat after independence. In Kalam the Ushu and Utror
rivers join to form the Swat River. From here one gets a breath-taking view of the snowcapped
Mount Falaksir (19,415 ft). Twenty five kilometers further from Kalam is the
Mahodand Valley. It has the famous Mahodhand Lake. The valleys of Ushu, Utror and
Gabral brown trout is found in abundance.

The upper Swat’s less explored areas lie on the western side of River Swat which
includes areas like Matta and Shaur Valley including Piochar, Biha and Roringar valleys. As
one crosses Khawazakhela Bridge over River Swat he enters into rapidly expanding town of
Matta which is famous for its beautiful plum orchards. Moving north from Matta at a distance of approx 9 kms is located Biakand Valley which again is full of orchards and pine
forests. Further north is the Shaur Valley which is worth seeing in fall. Its autumn colours
are spectacular. Piochar is a small village nestled in the mountains of Shaur Valley. Full of
thick vegetation and wild flowers in summers the Valley is ideal for nature lovers. Next on
the route is Gwalrai famous for apple orchards. It is located at the banks of narrow channel
having strong water current .From Gwalrai a track leads to Biha on the left and another one
leads to Qadir Banda which links Swat with Dir. A straight track from Gwalari leads to
Roringar in the north. Roringar is surrounded by high mountains. Ahead of Roringar a
track leads to beautiful lakes located in Dir Agency. This area is heaven for trekkers and
hikers.

Source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/pakistans-war/112025-swat-story.html#ixzz2h42Y7mzA

History of Peshawar

 History of Peshawar

The history of Peshawar, a region of modern-day Pakistan, covers thousands of years. The region was dominated by various tribal groups of Indo-Iranian origin and a variety of other groups, possibly of Elamo-Dravidian origin, maybe prior to invasion of Aryan tribes and their settlement. The region had links to the Harappan civilization of the Indus river valley and to ancient Afghanistan (before it was called Afghanistan or even Aryana), especially the Kabul valley. The border known as the Durand Line was fixed by the British in 1893 and divided ethnic Pakhtun territories into two parts. As a result, many Pakhtuns have agitated for a re-unification of Afghanistan or Pakhtunistan. The resulting "Pakhtunistan" issue has often adversely impacted relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, but the issue has largely become dormant since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the arrival and settlement of nearly 4 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

Contents  

1 Ancient history

2 Arrival of Islam

3 Maratha era

4 Sikh era

5 Post-independence history

6 See also

7 References

Ancient history

It has been argued that an ancient city named Pushkalwati, founded by Bharata's son Pushkal, from the Indian epic Ramayana, may have existed in this general area during early Indo-Iranian times before their invasion past the Indus into South Asia.[1] The city that would become Peshawar, called Purushapura, was actually founded by the Kushans, a Central Asian tribe of Tocharian origin, over 2,000 years ago. Prior to this period the region was affiliated with Gandhara and was annexed first by the Persian Achaemenid Empire and then the Hellenic empire of Alexander the Great. The city passed into the rule of Alexander's successor, Seleucus I Nicator who ceded it to Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Maurya Empire. Buddhism was introduced into the region at this time and claimed the majority of Peshawar's inhabitants before the coming of Islam.

The area that Peshawar occupies was then seized by the Greco-Bactrian king Eucratides I (c. 170 - c. 159 BCE), and was controlled by a series of Greco-Bactrian kings. It was later held for some time by several Parthian kings, another group of Iranian invaders from Central Asia, the most famous of whom, Gondophares, was still ruling c. 46 CE, and was briefly followed by two or three of his descendants before they were displaced by the first of the "Great Kushans", Kujula Kadphises, around the middle of the 1st century.

Peshawar formed the eastern capital of the empire of Gandhara under the Kushan emperor Kanishka I who reigned from at least 127 CE and, perhaps, for a few years prior to this. Peshawar also became a great centre of Buddhist learning.

Kanishka built what was probably the tallest building in the world at the time, a giant stupa, to house the Buddha's relics, just outside the Ganj Gate of the old city of Peshawar.

Kanishka's stupa was said to be an imposing structure as one travelled down from the mountains of Afghanistan onto the Gandharan plains. The earliest account of the famous building is by the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim monk, Faxian, who visited it in 400 and described it as being over 40 chang in height (probably about 120 m. or 394 ft.) and adorned "with all precious substances". "Of all the stûpas and temples seen by the travellers, none can compare with this for beauty of form and strength." It was destroyed by lightning and repaired several times. It was still in existence at the time of Xuanzang's visit in 634.

From the ruined base of this giant stupa there existed a jewelled casket containing relics of the Buddha, and an inscription identifying Kanishka as the donor, and was excavated from a chamber under the very centre of the stupa's base, by a team under Dr. D. B. Spooner in 1909. The stupa was roughly cruciform in shape with a diameter of 286 ft (87 m.) and heavily decorated around the sides with stucco scenes. The relics contained in the famous Kanishka casket, said to be those of the Buddha, were removed to Mandalay, Burma for safekeeping.

Sometime in the 1st millennium BCE (or perhaps much earlier), the group that now dominates Peshawar began to arrive from the Suleiman mountains to the south and southwest, the Pakhtuns. It is debatable as to whether or not the Pakhtuns existed in the region even earlier as evidence is difficult to attain. Some writers such as Sir Olaf Caroe write that a group that may have been the Pakhtuns existed in the area and were called the Paktye by Herodotus and the Greeks, which would place the Pakhtuns in the area of Peshawar much earlier along with other Indo-Iranian tribes. Regardless, over the centuries the Pakhtuns would come to dominate the region and Peshawar has emerged as an important center of Pakhtun culture along with Kandahar and Kabul as well as Quetta in more recent times. Muslim Arab and Turkic arrived and annexed the region before the beginning of the 2nd millennium. The Pakhtuns began to convert to Islam following early annexation by Arab empire from Khurasan (in what is today western Afghanistan and northeastern Iran).

Arrival of Islam

Peshawar د اسلام راتګ was taken by Turkic Muslims in 988 and was incorporated into the larger Pakhtun domains by the 16th century. The founder of the Mughul dynasty that would conquer South Asia, Babur who hailed from what is today Uzbekistan, came to Peshawar and found a city called Begram and rebuilt the fort there, in 1530. His grandson, Akbar, formally named the city Peshawar which means "The Place at the Frontier" in Persian and expanded the bazaars and fortifications. The Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and Sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and many settled in the Peshawar region. Earlier it had been known as the "City of Flowers" and the "City of Grain". In the days of the Kushan King it was called the "Lotus Land".

The Pakhtun conqueror Sher Shah Suri, turned Peshawar's renaissance into a boom when he ran his Delhi-to-Kabul Shahi Road, now called the Grand Trunk Road, through the Khyber Pass and Peshawar. Thus the Mughals turned Peshawar into a "City of Flowers" by planting trees and laying out gardens similar to those found to the west in Persia. The Mughals and Safavids of Iran would often contest the region as well. Khushal Khan Khattak, the Pakhtun/Afghan warrior poet, was born near Peshawar and his life was intimately tied to the city. He was also an implacable foe of the Mughal rulers, especially Aurangzeb. Khattak apparently was an early Pakhtun nationalist, who agitated for an independent Afghanistan including Peshawar. After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the city came under Persian control during the reign of Nadir Shah by the 18th century.

Peshawar would also join, (following a loya jirga) as a Pakhtun region, the Afghan/Pakhtun empire of Ahmad Shah Durrani by 1747. Pakhtuns from Peshawar took part in incursions of South Asia during the rule of Ahmad Shah Durrani and his successors.

Maratha era

Peshawar came under Maratha control after defeat of Afghan forces by Marathas on 8 May 1758 in the Battle of Peshawar. The city remained under Maratha control till year 1759 in which Abdali forces reconquered the fort.

Sikh era

The Sikhs invaded and conquered Peshawar in 1834 after wresting it from Afghanistan. The city was under Sikh control following the death of Ranjit Singh, before which Hari Singh Nalwa completely controlled the area. The British influenced and then ultimately ruled the region from 1849 to 1947, when it became part of the new nation of Pakistan.

Being amongst the most ancient cities of the region between Central, South, and West Asia, Peshawar has for centuries been a centre of trade between Afghanistan, the South Asia, and Central Asia as well as the Middle East. Its famed markets such as the Qisa Khwani bazaar (market of story tellers) are emblematic of this mixture of cultures.

Peshawar would emerge as a centre of Pakhtun intellectuals and culture. Some Pakhtuns still adhere to Pakhtunistan movement that sought either to merge western Pakistan with Afghanistan or to form a greater Pakhtun state to be known as Pukhtoonkwa and this movement gained some support before the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Nearly 2 million ethnic Afghan Pakhtuns refugees have permanently settled in Pakistan.

Post-independence history

After the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 1979 Peshawar served as a political centre for anti-Soviet Mujahideen, and was surrounded by huge camps of Afghan refugees. Many of the refugees remained there through the civil war which broke out after the Soviets were defeated in 1989, the rule of the Taliban, and the invasion by allied forces in late 2001. Peshawar would replace Kabul and Qandahar as the centre of Pakhtun cultural development during this tumultuous period. Additionally, Peshawar managed to assimilate many of the Pakhtun Afghan refugees with relative ease, while many other Afghan refugees remained in camps awaiting a possible return to Afghanistan.

Peshawar continues to be a city that links Pakistan to Afghanistan and has emerged as an important regional city in Pakistan and remains a focal point for Pakhtun culture.

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HISTORY OF HAMZA BABA

HISTORY OF HAMZA BABA

Insaan yem, da fitrat pa taqazo ke na raazam,                

Shaheen yem, da karghano pa panjo ke na raazam,

Yaw sind yem da sehba, da perzonay waham josh,
Laikin za da kam-zarfo pa kaaso ke na raazam” 

                                  — Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari.

(I am a human whom even the nature cannot restrain,

Like a falcon I am; the paws of crows cannot reach me,

I am an ocean of wine (of love and knowledge), in high tide of passion,

Of which, a drop cannot the goblets of these upstarts hold.)

Though in vain this time, the crows did try to desecrate the mausoleum of one of the finest Pashtuns that ever lived. Last week, terrorists carried out an attack — fourth in two years — on the final resting place of the greatest Pashto ghazal poet, Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari — known affectionately as Hamza Baba — in Landi Kotal, Khyber Agency. Hats off to the shrine’s caretaker Muhammad Ikram and the khasadar militiamen who refused to vacate the shrine and put up resistance, forcing the militants to flee.

Adherents of the ideology of pure hate have attacked an apostle of pure love yet again, as they have done at the shrines of Sufis like Haji Sahib Turangzai, Rehman Baba, Pir Baba, Baba Farid Ganj-e-Shakar, Abdullah Shah Ghazi and Data Ganj Bakhsh, all over Pakistan. However, there are many who still insist on a dialogue with the peddlers of absolute poison that al Qaeda and its local affiliates are. There is a lot to be said about this dialogue. But today I only wish to remember Hamza Baba for the poised, peaceful, passionate, Pashtun Sufi that he was.

I wondered how the Persians would respond if Hafiz Shirazi’s tomb was vandalised or how the Turks would react to sacrilege of Jalaluddin Rumi’s grave, while reading Hamza Baba’s verses — a work at par with the greats of Persian Sufi poetry. The Persian language, especially its ghazal (love sonnet) form and Sufism have a unique kinship but conceptualising the mystical worldview from a native perspective and formulating it in chaste Pashto had perhaps not been attempted before Hamza Baba.

Sufi orders and indeed Sufi poets like Mirza Khan Ansari of the Roshaniyya order, Kazim Khan Shaida and, of course, Rahman Baba had existed in Pashtun society long before Hamza Baba. In fact, Hamza Baba recognised Ansari and Rahman Baba as his poetic antecedents. However, as Professor Yar Muhammad Maghmoom, has noted in his monograph ‘Hamza’s ghazal and Pashtun mysticism’, Ansari and Shaida had heavy Persian influence on their work. Contrarily, Hamza Baba’s mystic motifs as well as his poetic devices and tools are rooted deeply, yet effortlessly, in the Pashtun lands and Pashtunwali (the Pashtun culture and code of conduct).

Hamza Baba had not made a conscious effort to de-Persianise his work but his thought and creative output are so indigenous that even the use of short poetic meter prevalent in Persian and an occasional Arabic or Persian phrase does not appear to be a transplant. Hamza Baba’s metaphor, allegory and diction are nuanced pointers towards his Pashtun nationalism. Just like his mysticism was not imported, his nationalism too has arisen from the mountains of Khyber and the plains of Peshawar. Unlike the progressive poetry of Pashtun nationalists like Ghani Khan and Ajmal Khattak, and even Allama Iqbal and Faiz, Hamza Baba’s verse is free of Marxist or other European influences. It is perhaps this originality of thought and language that puts him in the league of Hafiz, Saadi, Rumi and Jami.

Three intertwined key currents — or ‘Baheer’, as he has titled one of his books — stand out in Hamza Baba’s poetry, i.e. devotion to ghazal, Pashtunwali and mysticism. He developed his dialectic around the romanticism, figures, forms and norms of Pashtun society, which he deploys to resolve the dichotomy faced by a mystic in pursuit of wahdat-al-wajud (Unity of Being). He says:

“Ta ka kha Pashtun shuay no insan ba shay,

Biya ka kha insaan shuay, Musalman ba shay.”

(First be a good Pashtun and you shall become a good human being,

And only when you become a good human being, will you become a good Muslim.)

Interestingly, these currents flow from and merge back into the person of his Chishti Sufi master, Syed Sattar Shah, known in Peshawar as Badshah Jan. Syed Sattar Shah was the son of Syed Burhan Shah and had moved to Peshawar from Hazara and lived inside the Dabgari Gate of the old walled-city. Hamza Baba was born and raised in Lawargi (Landi Kotal) but his family owned a house in Mohallah Sakhi Shah-e-Mardan (named after a shrine dedicated to Hazrat Ali Murtaza RA) inside Barizqan (popularly but inaccurately called Bayriskay) Gate, a short walk away from Badshah Jan’s residence.

Hamza Baba used to write poetry in Urdu but Badshah Jan, who himself composed poetry under pen-name ‘bay-nawa’ (voiceless), instructed him to write his verse in Pashto and ordered another of his disciples, Rafiq Shinwari — a musician — to compose and sing this verse. Hamza Baba was not really happy with the marching orders but complied and there was no looking back for him. He came to be known as the father of the Pashto ghazal (baba-e-ghazal) a title in which he took great pride and his verses to this effect are well known. Perhaps less known is his humility as a Chishti who was devoted to his Sheikh and attributed this success to Badshah Jan. In a ghazal written at the shrine of his master, he says:

“Pardah-pokh wo cheh “Sattar” wo da aiboono,

Cheh da zarroono Badshah Jan wo, haghah da wo,

Da Hamza da gado-wado wainagano

Pa rishtia cheh qadardan wo, hagha da wo.”

(Sattar — he who covers up one’s lapses — was he,

If there was a Badshah (king) of hearts — it was he,

Who could understand my gibberish?

But one who appreciated it, was he.)

Hamza Baba was a polymath: a poet, writer, dramatist, humorist, lyricist, musician, film-writer, broadcaster, translator but above all a humanist. If Khushal Khan Khattak was the warrior poet (sahib-e-saif-o-qalam), Hamza Baba carried pen in one hand and the candle of love in the other, and that too in a manner befitting of an unassuming Chishti saint with prowess over both knowledge and modesty (sahib-e-ilm-o-hilm).

A column cannot begin to define even one facet of this multidimensional Pashtun prodigy and in Hamza Baba’s words:

“Maa Hamza neemah ke khabarah prekhwa,

Neema ba biya sta pa ratlah wayamah.”

HISTORY OF REHMAN BABA

HISTORY OF REHMAN BABA

In the high hills of the Afghan nation, in the provincial area of Mohmand, a child was born, by the name of Abdul Rahman. Abdul Rahman would become one of the greatest poet in the history of the Pashto literature. Abdul Rahman was a man of character and great charisma. As a child, he loved to study and always occupied himself in getting a good education, no matter what it took. He spent much time and effort trying to teach himself. At a young age, he started studying and reading poetry and became fond of it. He had a gift, poetry, which he would not realize, until later in his life. As he grew older, he started having doubts upon what he was doing, which was studying and writing poetry. He felt lost and not sure about what he was writing, why he was writing and to whom he was writing. Because of this, he entirely abandoned material needs of this world and gave himself to the mercy of God.

The spiritual aspect of God's presents upon him, made him understand that the true way of life was through his religion, Islam. Living a life in solitude, he did not want anyone bothering him when he prayed to God. He had a unique and creative way of praying to God through the gift he had, poetry. He had a deep passion for God, which resulted in writing numerous poems in His honor. Through the understanding of his religion, he wrote magnificent poems, which made him famous in a short period of time.

People admired his work, from Afghanistan to Central Asia to the Indian Subcontinent. Religious scholars found the real meaning of life in his poems. National and political leaders used his poetry for independent uprisings. Musicians used his poetry in their songs. Soon everyone wanted his books, be it for political, religious or other interests and desires. Due to his popularity, Afghans gave him an honorable name "Baba" (Grand father of the nation).

One of the great religious scholar of Suwat(A city in current Pakistan), Suwat Saheeb, said:

"If any other then, the book of God, waspermissible for prayer, I would have defiantly chosen Rahman's book."

Rahman Baba published two books from his collections of poetry, which weredistributed all over the Afghan nation. Soon his work became a model for newpoets, and as a result, many people started learning his way and his direction.A school of poetry was built in his honor and many people came to study in thisschools. The Founding Father of Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Baba, was one of thestudents of his school of poetry.

Shakespeare has mentioned that philosophers, poets and insane people are ofone nature. A person cannot become one of these just by trying, but they areborn that way and they have no choice other then to live by the nature of theirlife.

After looking through Rahman Baba's poetry, one comes to the conclusion thatthis great poet was born a poet and had brought the gift of poetry with him frometernal life. Readers will not understand his poetry unless they feel that whattheir reading is indeed their own thoughts. This might be hard to comprehendbut poetry was never meant to be easy. When one opens Rahman Baba's book, theyimmediately realize that their heart is speaking to them. A reader might wonderhow a book written more then four hundred years ago would have their feeling andthoughts of today. It seem as if Rahman Baba's books were written for today'sneed of literature and one can be sure, that is the case.

Rahman Baba has written difficult poetry in such a unique way that one canimmediately grasp the meaning. He has put comprehensive subject into a verylayman term. Rahman Baba wanted to teach Afghans and, through Afghans, thewhole world the real meaning of life through the love and magnificence of God.He fought against humans' greediness and mischief and promptly explains thisdevilish worship in most of his poems.

Louis Dupree, in his book "Afghanistan", pointed out to Rahman Baba'steaching: "Rahman Baba was a mystic then warrior. But his mysticism, born ofSufism, also touches the Pashtun cultural essence. Not so proud and fiercelymilitant as Khushal Khan Khatak1, Rahman Baba continually warned theambitious and proud of their base earthly origin."

Rahman Baba himself explain here:

Live not with thy head showing in theclouds,
Thou art by birth the offspring of this earth,
The stream that passed the sluice cannot again flow back,
Nor can again return the misspenttime that sped,
Consider well the deeds of the good and bad,
Whether inthis thy profit lieth or in that.

(Translated by Qazi Sarwar, Afghanistan, Louis Dupree)

Rahman Baba loved music and dancing. He specially loved to play the Rabab (anAfghan musical instrument similar to a guitar). By loving beauty of every kind,no matter if it was a human, an animal, or nature, he would describe the eternalbeauty of God as a final stage. Considering the beauty here on earth as merely small portion of the beauty to come, he always focused on eternalgreatness and beauty which to him was his love, God.

Dr. Abdul Hay Habibi PHD, a great scholar of Afghanistan, described RahmanBaba's poetic structure in these terms. He stated the following:

• In this structure a poet accepts eternal believes, which are completelydislodged with this world, and are speaking of a world, great and wonderful,with all its greatness.
• Poets are away from all the misery of this world and are speaking of peaceand humanity, and are usually away from all the troubles of this world.
• Feelings and presentation of this structure are pure and wonderful, and thewords chosen are simple and to the point.
• All types of poetry speaks of pure love and morals.
• Believe in the true love and avoid evil and use fantasy is a common theme.
• Poets believe in love being the center of human life, which depends onintellectual wisdom.

Rahman Baba's poetry is still a great value to Pashto literature and stillthere are numerous student of his structure today. His fans and students of hisschool come to his grave side in Peshawar( N.W.F.P) to remember him on his birthdate each year. Poets from all over come to honor him in this special occasionby reciting poems and speeches on his honor, and this will continue forages.

Source: www.Sabawoon.com

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history of Pashto literature

A brief history of Pashto literature 

The history of Pashto literature spreads over five thousands years having its roots in the oral tradition of tapa. However, the first recorded period begins with Bayazid Ansari (1526-74), who founded his own Sufi school of thoughts and began to preach his beliefs. He gave Pashto prose and poetry a new and powerful tone with a rich literary legacy. Khair-ul-Bayan, oft-quoted and bitterly criticized thesis, is most probably the first book on Sufism in Pashto literature. Among his disciples are some of the most distinguished poets, writers, scholars and sufis, like Arzani, Mukhlis, Mirza Khan Ansari, Daulat and Wasil, whose poetic works are well preserved. Akhund Darweza (1533- 1615), a popular religious leader and scholar gave a powerful counterblast to Bayazid's movement in the shape of Makhzanul Islam. He and his disciples have enriched the Pashto language and literature by writing several books of prose.

The second period is perhaps the most prolific and glorious one. Khushal Khan Khattak (1613-89), father of Pashto, is the central figure of this period. He introduced new forms and modern trends in Pashto literature. The Persian ghazal, rubai and masnavi influenced the Pashto poets and writers of this period. The Sufism of Hafiz Shirazi found an echo in Rahman Baba's works. Similarly Abdul Qadir Khattak, Ashraf Khan Hijri, Kazim Khan Shaida, Ma`azullah Khan, Ahmad Shah Abdali and many others have left valuable treasure of literature in Pashto. This period was dominated by poetry, but prose also held an important place. Romantic stories and versified fiction gained popularity towards the end of this period and continued with some modifications throughout the second period and even into the third which reached in the evolution of Pashto literature came to a close with the death of great warrior-king and poet, Ahmad Shah Abdali. Political rivalries were at their worst during this period. The decline of Mughal hegemony in India, on the one hand and the rise of Marhattas and Sikhs not to speak of the British machination in south-east India and Russian incursions greatly changed the outlook of people.

The fourth period begins with the dawn of the twentieth century. The Khilafat and Hijrat Movements gave rise to a type of poetry that called out to soldiers of freedom. This generation of Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari and Dost Mohammed of young poets enriched the poetry of the period with new idealism. Abdul Akbar Khan Akbar, Ghani Khan, Khadim Mohammad Akbar, Khaliq, Samandar Khan, Rahat Zakheli, Khan Mir Hilali, Makhfi, Sanober Hussain Kakajee, Khan Kamil played an important role in promoting the cause of Pashtoon's revivalism. The twentieth century proved very fertile, rich and flourishing for Pashto literature because it gave new genres and literary forms like Drama, Short Story, Novel, Takl, Character-Sketch, Travelogue, Reportage, Satire, Azad Nazam and Haiku. A large number of literary organizations also took birth in this century. Olasi Adabi Jirga that is considered as the first ever organized literary organization of Pashto was founded by Sanober Hussain Kakajee, Dost Mohammed Kamil and Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari in 1949.Olasi Adabi Jirga made remarkable contributions to Pashto literature. Literary criticism and research on scientific lines were the two major achievements of this organization. It also produced great men of letters like Qalandar Moomand, Murad Shinwari, Saif-u- Rahman Salim, Hamish Khalil and some others. Qlandar Moomand founded Da Sahu Leekunkew Adabi Maraka in 1962 and rendered invaluable services to Pashto since its inception. Qalandar Moomand compiled the first ever Pashto to Pashto dictionary (Daryab) while Hamish Khalil compiled a comprehensive directory of Pashto poets and writers (Da Qalam Khawandan) containing necessary information about more than three thousand men of letters.

The younger generation of poets carried forward the legacy of these early poets and writers with great enthusiasm. The contributions of Kabul Adabi Tolana and Pashto Academy are immense.

The Afghan scholars, researchers, linguists, historians, poets and writers namely Gul Bacha Ulfat, Adul Hai Habbibi, Adur-Rauf Benawa, Qayam -u- Din Khadim, Adul Shakoor Rashad, Sadiqullah Rashtin and many others have a major share in promoting Pashto language and literature. Aghan issue gave a much wider scope to the flourishing of Pahto literature. In the present day situation, Pashto literature is gaining popularity on foreign media due to the Afghan crisis. It is expected that with the resolution of the Afghan problem, Pashto literature will serve the Pakhtoon, s cause of cultural identity.