Ustad Daman
Encyclopedia
Ustad Daman (September 1911 - December 3, 1984) was a Punjabi
poet and mystic
. He was the most celebrated Punjabi poet at the time of the Partition of British India in 1947. A severe critic of military dictators who ruled over Pakistan for many decades, his most quoted lines censure the state of affairs in his country:
He goes on:
He was introduced into politics by Mian Iftikharuddin
, originally as part of the struggle for independence. A tailor by profession, in 1930 he stitched a suit for Iftikharuddin, who was impressed by his verse. He invited him to recite his poem at a public meeting organised by the Indian National Congress
, where he became an instant hit; Pandit Nehru, who was present, dubbed him the ‘Poet of Freedom’. He first wrote under the pen name Humdam, which was later changed to Daman. The title ‘Ustad’ was bestowed on him by the people. After that he became a regular participant in these meetings. He believed that the unity of Hindu
s, Muslim
s and Sikh
s was essential, if the struggle for freedom was to be carried on successfully. An example of his poetry:
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
poet and mystic
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
. He was the most celebrated Punjabi poet at the time of the Partition of British India in 1947. A severe critic of military dictators who ruled over Pakistan for many decades, his most quoted lines censure the state of affairs in his country:
He goes on:
He was introduced into politics by Mian Iftikharuddin
Iftikharuddin
Mian Iftikharuddin was a Pakistani leftist leader.Iftikharuddin was born in an affluent Mian Arain family of Baghbanpura, Lahore District, Punjab....
, originally as part of the struggle for independence. A tailor by profession, in 1930 he stitched a suit for Iftikharuddin, who was impressed by his verse. He invited him to recite his poem at a public meeting organised by the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
, where he became an instant hit; Pandit Nehru, who was present, dubbed him the ‘Poet of Freedom’. He first wrote under the pen name Humdam, which was later changed to Daman. The title ‘Ustad’ was bestowed on him by the people. After that he became a regular participant in these meetings. He believed that the unity of Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s, Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s and Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
s was essential, if the struggle for freedom was to be carried on successfully. An example of his poetry:
‘In China the Chinese are grand,
In Russia they do as they have planned.
In Japan its people rule over its strand.
The British rule the land of England,
The French hold the land of France,
In Teheran the Persians make their stand.
The Afghans hold on to their highland,
Turkmenistan’s freedom bears the Turkmen’s brand,
How very strange is indeed this fact,
That freedom in India is a contraband.’