LAHORE – The 15th death anniversary of renowned poet, philosopher, and scholar Jaun Elia is being observed today (Wednesday).
Born in Amroha, Uttar Pardesh, British India in 1931, Elia migrated to Pakistan in 1957 and settled in Karachi. He wrote his first Urdu couplet when he was just 8. Jaun was, arguably the finest poet of Urdu of the latter half of the 20th century.
Although recognized as a highly skilled translator and a linguist, Jaun was only a poet. A poet whose every word described the state of despair he lived in. Elis’s poetry has this strange effect on the readers, there is hope and there is despair and there are sadistic feelings and you just want to cry and be strong at the same time.
Mein bhi bohat ajeeb hun, itna ajeeb hun k bus…
Khud ko Tabah kar liya aur malal bhi nahi…
Jaun was honest, he was brave, he was outspoken and he wrote what he wanted to write. it’s a relief that he died peacefully; otherwise, he would have been cold-bloodedly murdered for his honesty, his self-acknowledgment, and his not-so-traditional ideas.
Mein Chahta hun kay aik haseen larki…
Meray Ishq mein Khudkushi kar lay…
His famous poetry collections include Shayed, Ya’ni, Gumaan, Lekan, and Goya. Elia also had complete command over Arabic, Persian, and Hebrew. He was a highly skilled translator.
For his literary services, he received the Presidential Pride of Performance Award. Jaun died on November 8, 2002, after a protracted illness.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYgM9rVwrXs
