For him Marxism was the ideology closest to humanism and so he was in favour of it. “Shaikh Ayaz was a progressive and an existential thinker. Having lived through three martial laws, he was very much against it and his poetry reflects his loathing.Īs a result, he was arrested and detained for months on various occasions, for writing verses that either criticised the establishment, or indulging in the poetics of resistance. His various travels saw him move to Sukkur and Karachi where he further picked up influences that embedded his verses with a nationalism that inspired many.īecause of a secular, progressive and humanist flavour present in his verses, Ayaz was not popular with the establishment. The literary, historical and cultural fabric of Shikarpur was also discussed that played an important part in shaping Ayaz’s poetry. To counter it, he focused the theme of the poem on unity and overcoming individual differences. The poem went on to be published in a local magazine and explored how perturbed Ayaz was at the tensions present in the learned city. The first poem he wrote was at the age of 14.” There was a rise of anti-colonialism as well as tensions along the lines of communalism and religious divides. According to Moonis Shaikh, “when he was born in Shikarpur in 1923, the atmosphere was very charged. With more than 50 books to his credit, Ayaz’s poetry is a product of the times he witnessed. It is not part of the curriculum as well as is neglected from forming part of the official national discourse when speaking on the Sindhi language as well as the historical evolution of the province. Shaikh Ayaz’s genius, though acknowledged, is not celebrated the way it deserves. The group hosts meetings in different parts of the city to introduce a democratic platform to unearth the city and its multiple intersections of art and politics. Held on a breezy Sunday evening, the organisers, the Karachi Art Anti-University, are an independent group of individuals who gather to “politicise art education and collectively explore new radical pedagogies and art practices”. KARACHI: The Frere Hall gardens were perfect place to host a discussion on the poetics of Shaikh Ayaz, one of the greatest voices to have originated from Sindh.Ī gathering of an intimate group of artists, artisans and poetry lovers came together to hear the life and times of a revolutionary poet, whose romantic verses are as much appreciated, as narrated by his son, Moonis Shaikh Ayaz.
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