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Mir Tanha Yousafi
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Mir Tanha Yousafi, born Muhammad Saleh on January 1, 1955 in Sialkot Punjab Pakistan, is one of most well-known and popular contemporary Punjabi and Urdu writers. He is best known for his Punjabi literature. He has so far produced over ten books in Punjabi including short stories, novels and poetry. Beside his Punjabi works, he has produced literary works in Urdu.
e around 1986, he contributed poems, ghazals and short stories to Urdu and Punjabi literary magazines.
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Encyclopedia
Mir Tanha Yousafi, born Muhammad Saleh on January 1, 1955 in Sialkot Punjab Pakistan, is one of most well-known and popular contemporary Punjabi and Urdu writers. He is best known for his Punjabi literature. He has so far produced over ten books in Punjabi including short stories, novels and poetry. Beside his Punjabi works, he has produced literary works in Urdu.
Literary life
Since around 1986, he contributed poems, ghazals and short stories to Urdu and Punjabi literary magazines. The following are a few of his contributions: “Fanoon (Lahore)” edited by late Ahmed Nadeem Qasimi; “Takhleeq (Lahore)” edited by Azhar Javed; "Moaasir (Lahore)” edited by Ata-ul-Haq Qasimi; “Adabiyat (Pakistan Academy of Letters quarterly magazine, under the guidance of Iftikhar Arif); “Kitab (Literary magazine of Pakistan Book Foundation) under the guidance of Ahmed Faraaz); “Sver International” (Punjabi, Lahore) edited by Jamil Paul; “Rvel” and “Meeti” (Punjabi, Lahore) edited by Ilyas Ghumman, and; “Lehraan” (Punjabi, Lahore) edited by Akhter Hussain Akhter.
Urdu Work (Poems, Ghazals and Afsana [the short stories])
His first Urdu poetry collection “Luknat” ('Fumbling) was published in 1996. It contains modern as well as traditionally styled ghazals with a handful of poems (free versed as well as metered). The book was received with a critical acclaim and a fine appreciation from the contemporary men of letters. Second collection of Urdu poetry is ready to go to the press. The contents of the book are styled similar to the first poetry collection. A good portion of this book has already been contributed to various magazines. Although He has a good number of Urdu short stories; both in post modern and plain traditional style, yet the matter is not sufficient enough to be presented in the form of a book. He does believe in quantity, yet he feel that quality is of prime importance — it is a must for any creative piece of work.
Punjabi Work (Short Stories, Novels, Poems and Ghazals)
From Urdu poetry to Punjabi poetry was a natural transformation. This drove him to write Punjabi prose as well with consistency, which ended up with the publication of his first Punjabi short story collection “Sooraj Uggan Taa’en [Till the Sun Rises]” in 1996.
“Sooraj Uggan Taa’en” proved to be his introducer in Punjabi literary world. And here entered Ilyas Ghumman in my life. Mr. Ghumman, an electrical engineer by profession, is Lahore based renowned Punjabi writer, worker, and publisher and has world fame for organizing events and efforts regarding the development and progress of Punjabi literature and culture. He asked him to try his pen for writing down some novelette/novel. He drove Mir Tanha to produce his first Punjabi novel “Treh ” in 1998. Fluently written, clear in thoughts, rushing story lines and the purity of the language made this book a surprise for the Punjabi readers.
Seeing the response on “Treh”, Mir Tanha was asked for more. Thus his second novel “Ik Samandar Paar [Across One Sea]”, published in 2000, won the prestigious Punjabi literary award from “Masood Khaddar Posh Trust”. It is well known in Punjabi writers’ community what “Masood Khaddar Posh Trust Award” actually means. Some writers spent their life span to win it just for once! “Masood Khaddar Posh Trust Award” is regarded as the most respectable of all awards in Punjabi.
Taking further courage, he penned down his next novel “Khiddoo [The Cotton Ball]”; which won the award from “Masood Khaddar Posh Trust” for the second time, in the year 2002. His latest novel “Annha Khooh [Abandoned Well]” is in press. His Punjabi poetry is ready to be printed in the form of a book by the mid of next year.
Kaalaa Chaanan
During all these years of writing “Treh”, “Ik Samandar Paar” and “Khiddoo”, along with his continual activities in other Urdu and Punjabi writings (short stories and poetry etc), he had been thinking to write down something real big, a saga in Punjabi Language. A deep research work, knowledge of the history and geography of the backdrop locale of the novel, the study of the civilization, culture and anthropology of area was needed. And thus was written my Pakistan’s “National Literary Award, 2005” or “Syed Waris Shah Award, 2005” winner; Punjabi novel “Kaalaa Chaanan [Black Light]”; which spans over 728 pages and is declared as the thickest novel in Punjabi, ever published in Pakistan during last 60 years, since the independence. Before the National Literary Award was announced, “Masood Khaddar Posh Trust Award” was made public for the year 2005, and “Kaalaa Chaanan” was declared a winner. By this achievement, Mir Tanha Yousafi became a writer who had won “Masood Khaddar Posh Trust Award” three times in a row— a hat trick—a unique honour for him.
To cater the demand of Punjabi loving people, the short stories (written after “Sooraj Uggan Taen”); which had been published in various Punjabi magazines and kept making waves all these years due to style, language and intellect; were collected. The book was given the name of “Tae Faer [Then What?]”and was published in 2005. This book picked up “Razia Farrukh Kahani Award, 2005” as the Best Short Stories’ Book and "Pakistan Writers’ Guild, Punjab Award, 2005” as the Best Prose Book in Punjabi. Year 2005 will remain a milestone of Mir Tanha writing career and memorable year for him with 4 awards on two books.
Works
- Luknat ([Fumbling]), Urdu Poetry (1996)
- Sooraj Uggan Taa’en (Till the Sun Rises), Punjabi short story collection (1996)
- Treh (Thirst), Punjabi Novel (1998)
- Ik Samandar Paar (Across one sea), Punjabi Novel (2000)
- Lucknat, Urdu Poetry (2002)
- Khiddoo (The Cotton Ball), Punjabi Novel (2002)
- Tae Faer (Then What?), Punjabi Novel (2005)
- Kaalaa Chaanan (Black Light), Punjabi Novel (2006)
- Annha Khooh (Abandoned Well), Punjabi Novel (2008)
The Outcome
1: Transliteration of his Punjabi novels (which are published in Shahmukhi or Urdu Script in Pakistan) into Gurumukhi (the East Punjab Script of India) has already taken place. This, in a way, shows the popularity of his writings across the border.
2: He have been invited to visit India at literary gatherings, but could not afford to go due to his uncertain work schedule as Geologist in the field.
3: “Ik Samadar Paar” has been approved as “extra study book” for M.A. Punjabi Literature’s exams at Guru Nanak Dev University, Jullundhar, India.
4: Many of his short stories have been published in India without any information conveyed to him.
5: A good number of his short stories have been included in many “Best Short Stories of Punjabi” selections, both in Pakistan and India.
6: Some of his Punjabi short stories have been translated in Pakistan’s the national language, Urdu.
Awards
- “Ik Samadar Paar [Across One Sea]”, published in 2000, won the prestigious Punjabi literary award from “Masood Khaddar Posh Trust”.
- “Khiddoo [The Cotton Ball]” won the award from “Masood Khaddar Posh Trust” in the year 2002.
- "Kaalaa Chaanan (Black Light)” won the “Masood Khaddar Posh Award” in 2005.
- “Kaalaa Chaanan [Black Light won Pakistan’s “National Literary Award, 2005” .
- “Tae Faer [Then What?]” published in 2005, picked up “Razia Farrukh Kahani Award”, being the Best Short Stories’ Book of the year.
- “Tae Faer [Then What?]” got the renouned “Pakistan Writers’ Guild, Punjab" Award for 2005 as the Best Prose Book in Punjabi.
External links
- Programs & Activities / National Literary Awards "Reference Kala Chanan" http://www.academy.gov.pk/nationallit.php
- Read Mir Tanha Yousafi Punjabi Poetry http://www.apnaorg.com/poetry/tanha/
- Read Short Punjabi Novel by Mir Tanha Yousafi http://www.apnaorg.com/punjabimagazines/saver-3/
- An organization to promote Punjabi language, literature, culture and harmony among all Punjabis http://www.apnaorg.com/
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