dumbfoundry

Khatir Afridi — the pride of Khyber

By Ghafar Ali

PESHAWAR: It is unfortunate that a great literary figure like Misri Khan Khatir Afridi has been forgotten. However the 36th death anniversary of the John Keats of Pashto passed uneventfully because no literary organisations bothered to organise recitals and functions to remember the life and works of the great poet.

It is ironic that the NWFP Cultural Department, the Pashto Academy of the Peshawar University, the Pashto Adabi Board, the Academy of Letters in Islamabad and over two hundred Pashto adabi jirgas did not arrange a single seminar to honour Khatir. No special pamphlets or supplements were published by any of these organisations to mark the genius of the internationally acclaimed poet. Even foreign radio channels such as the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Voice of America that often broadcast Pashto programmes, did not air any programmes on Khatir. [...]

Also, the Faroe Islands neglected to commemorated him with a set of new stamps. But I will blog about him.
From pashto.org:

There would be hardly a Pakhtoon who may not know a verse or two of Khatir Afridi and would be difficult to find a Pakhtoon singer who might not have sung him. But Khatir ironically is the most sung unsung poet. “At the age 17, Misree Khan Khatir Afridi was introduced to me by Hakim Shah Basir at his Qahwa Khana at Landikotal Bazaar; he read out a portion of his verses, I made correction here and there. I encouraged him a lot. Khatir was a natural poet. I made him learn writing Pashto script. He was my first student. I loved him very much. He was a true gentleman and used to be very obedient to poets. Khatir had a very sharp sense of humour. Khyber Afridi was his rival in poetry. The universal and mass popularity that Khatir gained after Rahman Baba could not be attained by any other Pashto poet. Allah had best upon him brilliant mind and mental capabilities. He was a very sensitive person. A fatal disease (T.B) attacked him and affected his health adversely, had he been alive a little longer, he would have contributed some more beautiful poetry. He would frequently visit the critical and mushaira sessions of Khyber Pakhto Adabi Jirga. Sometimes my advice to him to get proper treatment for his ailment would annoy him. Khatir met me a day before his death, when somebody conveyed the news of his untimely death to me the other day, I could not simply believe it because I had seen him a day before. His poetry has the kind of candour, which is not carried by other Pashto poet in his poetry.

‘Da Khatir rangeen ghazal ta hairanaigam, Pa dey kharr Khyber ke sa dee be la khhaorro, [...]

This entry was posted by eeksypeeksy on Thursday, August 26, 2004 at 9:40 AM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.