Ameer Hamza Shinwari
Encyclopedia
Ameer Hamza Shinwari born in Landi Kotal
in the year 1907 and died in February 1994, was a famous Pashtun
poet. He Belonged to the Shinwari
tribe of the ethnic Pashtuns. Ameer Hamza's work is considered a fusion between classic and modern poetry. He followed the traditional old classical poetry and blended it with the modern spirit, as well as introducing new ideas in Pashto Ghazals and took this genre of poetry to perfection. He is known as the father of Pashto Ghazals.
, earned him a pittance. But it was during a visit to Ajmer Sharif that he first came into contact with the world of mysticism. He adopted the Chishtia order of mysticism, following in the footsteps of Rahman Baba
, and blended it with the Pashtunwali
, the famous Pashtun code of conduct. The government of Pakistan also honoured him with a posthumous 'Presidential Pride of Performance
' award, and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province built the Hamza Baba Cultural Complex in Landi Kotal in homage to his great services to Pashtun culture.
Ameer Hamza Shinwari was also a critic and a playwright, he wrote 200 plays for Radio Pakistan, Peshawar
, a number of features, critical essays and research papers for different literary magazines and newspapers of Pakistan.
Ameer Hamza Shinwari died on February 18, 1994.
Landi Kotal
Landi Kotal or Landikotal is a town of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. It is located at 34°6'4N 71°8'44E and lies on the Khyber Pass in the Khyber Agency. At 1,072 metres above sea level it is the highest point on the Khyber Pass and is the route across the mountains to the...
in the year 1907 and died in February 1994, was a famous Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
poet. He Belonged to the Shinwari
Shinwari
The Shinwari are an ethnic Pashtun tribe of western Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan.In Pakistan, this tribe is active in trade, commerce, poetry, administrators and politicians within the Pakistani government; the majority are based in the Landi Kotal region of the Federally Administered Tribal...
tribe of the ethnic Pashtuns. Ameer Hamza's work is considered a fusion between classic and modern poetry. He followed the traditional old classical poetry and blended it with the modern spirit, as well as introducing new ideas in Pashto Ghazals and took this genre of poetry to perfection. He is known as the father of Pashto Ghazals.
Early career
At a young age, Ameer Hamza Shinwari dreamt of making a career in film, he wrote the story for the first ever Pashto language film, Laila Majnoon, in 1941. The film, which was released in Bombay before the independence of PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, earned him a pittance. But it was during a visit to Ajmer Sharif that he first came into contact with the world of mysticism. He adopted the Chishtia order of mysticism, following in the footsteps of Rahman Baba
Rahman Baba
Abdul Rahman Baba is popularly known as Rahman Baba , was a Pashtun Muslim poet from Peshawar in modern-day Pakistan who remains the most popular poet among the Pashtuns...
, and blended it with the Pashtunwali
Pashtunwali
Pashtunwali or Pakhtunwali is a non-written ethical code and traditional lifestyle which the indigenous Pashtun people from Afghanistan and Pakistan follow. Some in the Indian subcontinent refer to it as "Pathanwali". Its meaning may also be interpreted as "the way of the Pashtuns" or "the code of...
, the famous Pashtun code of conduct. The government of Pakistan also honoured him with a posthumous 'Presidential Pride of Performance
Pride of Performance
Pride of Performance , is one of the highest civil award given and conferred by the Pakistan Government to Pakistan's citizens in recognition of distinguished merit in the fields of Literature, Arts, Sports, Medicines, and Science for civilians in most particular cases.The announcement of civil...
' award, and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province built the Hamza Baba Cultural Complex in Landi Kotal in homage to his great services to Pashtun culture.
Ameer Hamza Shinwari was also a critic and a playwright, he wrote 200 plays for Radio Pakistan, Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, a number of features, critical essays and research papers for different literary magazines and newspapers of Pakistan.
Ameer Hamza Shinwari died on February 18, 1994.
External links
- Shinwari poem "ځم" at Chakdara.com