Few contemporary Pakistani poets have made an indelible mark on Urdu literature and Pakistani culture. Jaun Elia, who died 22 years ago on November 8, was one of those poets. His distinct poetry, straightforwardness, progressive views and sublime observations made him one of the most prominent poets of Urdu from the subcontinent in the 20th Century.
Even though two decades have passed since Jaun Elia left us, his work continues to resonate and is cherished by tens of thousands across the subcontinent.
Jaun Elia was born Syed Sibt-e- Asghar Naqvi on December 14, 1931, in Amroha in what was then undivided India, a city known for producing eminent intellectual figures. He had two brothers, Syed Mohammed Taqi Mohammed Abbas and Raees Amrohi. Both had significant command over subjects such as history, literature, philosophy and poetry. Raees Amrohi remained a prominent name in the field of journalism in Pakistan till his last breath.
In the company of his brother, Jaun Elia was groomed as an eminent literary figure and a writer known for spontaneously creating poetry.
Jaun Elia was just 14 years old when he first wrote a poem and embarked on his literary journey. After the death of his parents, including his father, Allama Shfiq Hussain Elia, a prominent religious scholar of the Shia sect, and his mother, he migrated to Pakistan in 1956 along with his brothers.
He settled in Karachi's Kharadar area - the residential quarter which housed thousands of migrants who had arrived from India off boats in the years following the Partition.
While he left his native Amroha to live out his life in Karachi, Jaun Elia maintained a profound connection with his birth city, and he would always utter the lines: "My body is in Karachi while my soul is still roaming in Amroha".
Seeking employment and rebuilding a life in the newly created state of Pakistan, Jaun Elia was asked by his elder brother Raees Amrohi to start writing for the Urdu language weekly magazine, Insha.
His work for Insha magazine afforded him the opportunity to explore his abilities as a prose writer. Ultimately, he ended up editing the magazine for several years. During the mid-1960s, Elia started appearing and reading his poetry at symposiums and mushairas (readings) in Karachi. Soon, he and his poetry became a household name in the subcontinent. His distinctive style of aggressively running his fingers through his dishevelled hair would always keep his audience attentive.
As is common with many literary and artistic personalities with mentally stimulating work and magnetic personalities, Jaun Elia's house soon became a hub for Urdu literature and poetry. Prominent personalities of Urdu literature would frequent him and his brother, Raees Amrohi, to get their work verified. Jaun Elia, though, preferred a company of isolation. After his wife left him, Jaun Elia became somewhat of a recluse and would stay alone in his room, creating incredible verses of poetry.
Jaun Elia translated the book of Mansoor Al Halaj titled Altawaseen and the famous Akhfan-Al-Safa in Urdu. Besides that, he remained an active member of the Taraqi Urdu Board from 1968 to 1974 and played an instrumental role in compiling an Urdu dictionary. He also wrote a book on the life of Hassan Sabbah, clearing various myths associated with the life of the Persian warrior.
Among other books he translated included those on the Shia-Ismaili Muslim sub-sect from Persian to Urdu.
During the mid-1980s, his poetry was included in the syllabi for the Urdu language in different Pakistani universities, following which several students across the country wrote research theses on his poetic brilliance.
Jaun Elia's work was recognised within the country and across the border in India. Rahat Indori, Munawer Rana, Kaifi Azmi and Gulzar were among his noted adherents in India.
With the passage of time, his inner turmoil drove him to the bottle. His addiction contributed to his failing health. He ultimately passed away due to multiple health complications on November 8, 2002.
Jaun Elia's magnum opus emerged from this turmoil:
"Koi dekhey to mera hujra-i-zaat,
Yaan sabhi kuch wo tha, jo tha hi nahi"
("Behold within me / A battle rages between existence and nothingness").
He was bestowed with the Pride of Performance award by the government of Pakistan for his exceptional contributions to poetry and literature.
In 1970, Jaun Elia married Zahida Hina, a lady 15 years his junior. However, the differences emerging between them put his family life in turmoil, and eventually, they separated in 1985. But not before, Jaun Elia and Zahida Hina had three children, including son Ali Zeryoun and daughters Sohaina Elia and Fainaana Farnaam.
The progressive romantic
Jaun Elia's poetry revolved around the topics of love, romance, betrayal and other aspects of human and social behaviour.
"His selection of words and phrases for poetry attracted the masses," said columnist and researcher Uzair Abid, adding, "Jaun Elia emerged in the era of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ahmed Faraz, Nasir Kazmi, Mohsin Naqvi, Masroor Anwer and Parveen Shakir but none of them overshadowed his charm and aura as a poet."
He asserted that Jaun Elia left a lasting impact on Urdu literature through his poetry.
Dr Samina Waheed and Gul Bibi Shah,, two known poets of Sindh, consider Jaun Elia one of the most impactful poets in modern Urdu who continues to rule the hearts of masses over two decades after his death.
Another noted poet of Sindh, Ayaz Ammar Sheikh, shared his insights about the great poet and said that Elia's melancholic disposition and sceptical outlook mirrored the imperfections of his world and society.
He said that Jaun Elia's inner turmoil fuelled his poetry, offering readers catharsis rather than despair, contrary to the misconceptions of some critics. "In his preface to Shayad, Elia attributed his scepticism to influential thinkers: 'Berkeley's demolition of matter and Hume's dismantling of mind and spirit left me consumed by eternal doubt'."
Sheikh said, "In search of solace, Elia retreated into uncertainty, where his creative genius flourished."
Inspiring the next generation
Though Jaun Elia may have passed over two decades ago, he is inspiring some youngsters today.
One such youngster is 21-year-old Shahzaib Ali from Sujawal, who greatly admires Jaun Elia's work.
"Jaun Elia had promised his father that he would get his works published, but due to financial constraints, he could not do that. And for that purpose, he shied away from getting his work published," said Shahzaib, who studies media sciences at the university.
Shahzaib said that the trials and tribulations of Jaun Elia's life burnished his skills as a poet, and he went on to establish his distinct stature in the field of Urdu literature and poetry. He added that Jaun Elia's inimitable style of reading poetry and talking to the audience during his recitations added to his poetry.
The young student, who has attempted to model his life on Jaun Elia, said the prominent poet was ultimately convinced by his close friend Saleem Jaffry to get his work published and also played a vital role in keeping Jaun Elia socially active when his marriage was crumbling.
The only anthology of his poetry published during his lifetime was "Shayad" (Perhaps), while all of his other books of poetry, including Guman, Goya, Firaaq, Fargod and Lakin were published after his death and became very famous among poetry buffs.
The young reader, who somewhat imitates Jaun Elia's appearance and hairstyle, proposed making a biopic on the great poet's tragic life.
An annoyed, rebellious, melancholic Jaun Elia will always be remembered for his poetic masterpieces that he created in desolation.