Ibrahim Joyo used to say Shaikh Ayaz's poetry was Charisma of Sindhi Language: Speakers

The final day of 4th Ayaz Melo organized by Khanabadosh Writers Cafe, Hyderabad from 21 Dec to 25 Dec started with a session Literary Defenders of Shaikh Ayaz. In which renowned writers including Jami Chandio, Taj Joyo and Ali Akash were speakers as the session was moderated by  Riazat Buriro.

On that occasion renowned writer Jami Chandio said that the decades 50s and 60s were the time when new sindh was getting a shape and Shaikh Ayaz was founder of that laid foundations of enlightened literature in Sindhi language.

He said that there was clash between two ideologies one that of blind faith and other that of progressiveness. The first ideology was owned by the state of Pakistan as Jamat-e-Islami was mother of that ideology. Shaikh Ayaz was never influenced by religion and in the end his ideology won.

Mr. Jami said that Sindh has never backed religious extremism and intolerance and Sindhi literature has always been progressive literature. Some poets carry on with one line through out their poetic career, but Ayaz was not like that he changed his track according to the need of the hour.
Mr. Chandio further said that even in his last days poetry of Ayaz was not at all religious, that was the false propaganda done against him by his enemies.

He said that Ayaz's greatest defender was Mohammad Ibrahim Joyo, Ayaz never sent any manuscript for publishing until and unless it was approved by Ibrahim Joyo. Once Ayaz said; if Ayaz was Rumi, Ibrahim Joyo was his Shams Tabreez.

Mr. Jami further said that renowned Sindhi politician Rasool Bux Palejo was also defender of Ayaz, though he also criticized his later work.

He said that Wajniyoon Wasan Ayaan was extraordinary work of Ayaz during One Unit, while he became lover of democracy during Zia regime.

 Famous writer and poet Taj Joyo said that  Shaikh Ayaz and Mohammad Ibrahim Joyo were pioneers of modern Sindhi literature and when Joyo became editor of Mehran, a magazine published by Sindhi Abadi Board in 1955, he published poetry of Shaikh Ayaz, and propaganda against both of them was started by the right wingers. However, Ayaz's poetry appealed the masses. Keeping that in view a book named Abad Ki Aar Mein in Urdu was published against Joyo and Ayaz, so that they could defuse their ideology. But Sindhi intellectuals like Gulham Mohammad Garmi, Mohammad Usman Deeplai and Rasool Bux Palejo came out to defend Ayaz, and books like Mushriqi Shairi Ja Qadri Ain Funi Rujhanat were written in defense of Ayaz's poetry. Ayaz was accused of using illicit expressions in his poetry. Garmi in his defense gave various examples of Arab poets and even Rumi, who had used more illicit expressions in their works.

Taj said that because of that blind faith and backward literature failed to get any space, while progressive literature flourished in Sindh.

 Meanwhile writer and poet Ali Akash said that books of Gulham Mohammad Garmi and Rasool Bux Palejo were not literary criticism, there were different parameters of literary criticism. Sindhi's were not hardcore religious and the other problem faced at that time was that of language.
He said that Pakistan was a unique example as probably it was the first state that was created without a proper nation or national language.

Ali commenting on Ibrahim Joyo and Shaikh Ayaz's relationship said that Ibrahim Joyo was an interpreter of Ayaz, and Ibrahim Joyo used to say that Ayaz's poetry was charisma of Sindhi language.

He further said that the progressiveness of Sindh was different from progressiveness of India, progressiveness of Sindh included the elements like nationalism, socialism, tolerance and equality.