Karakoram International University Gilgit-Baltistan

BY

Syed Ishraq Hussain

2014-KIU-0050

BS (Hons)-Modern languages

Submitted To:

Sir Sohbat Ali

Subject:

American literature

Topic:

Literary contribution of a local literary person

(Imtiaz Hussain Shehky the Shina poet, Artist and singer of shina Literature)

Group:

UG: 12

Semester: 6th

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Contents Page no.

1. Biography…………………………………………….03

2. His Works…………………………………………….03

3. His Name “SHEHKY”……………………………….03

4. His definition of Beauty……………………………...045. His definition of Nature……………………………...04

6. His contribution for Shina Literature……..…….…….04

7. Initiative of his poetry………………...............………05

8. His Poetry(Ode on God)……………………………..05

9. English translation and Analysis…………………….0

Imtiaz Hussain Shehky with Syed Ishraq Hussain during interview.

Imtiaz Hussain Shehky the Shina poet, Artist and singer of shina Literature

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BiographyImtiaz Hussain Shehky is a famous shina poet, singer and musician of Gilgit-Baltistan. He hails

from Shikiyote valley District Gilgit but migrated to Sharote valley after the attacks of 1988.He

was born on 05/01/1973 and still alive. His father’s name is Fida Hussain, who is also a shina

poet, singer and musician.

Imtiaz Hussain Shehky has two sons and one daughter. He is a Government servant at Post

Office Gilgit-Baltistan as a Public Relation officer (PRO).He is famously known in the Gilgit-

Baltistan and has been equally popular among different age groups and races.

He has a great literary contribution in shina literature as the president of GB Arts council from

2000 to present.

WORKS

He has released three albums which are:

1. Dard (i) in 1995

2. Dard (ii) in 1997

3. Dard (iii) in 2000

After 2000 he left to release albums because of some domestic problems and now writes his

poetry, which are now sung by different singers of Gilgit-Baltistan just like the famous singer

and musician Jabir Khan Jabir sung a song titled “Tu ada ban a nikha sartanai tati sunri ba” in

2013 and other famous poet Ayub Mutasir also singed this song in 2013, which is one of a

famous songs of these two singers.

He is a Natural and also romantic poet. His poetry is referred to God only and the name of his

album “Dard” depicts sadness. He discusses the relationship with his beloved God in his poetry.

His name “SHEHKY”Imtiaz Hussain Shehky used the name of a Punjabi romantic poet “Muhammad Ali Shehky”.He

is inspired from his poetry and literary works.

The word “SHEHKY” is derived from the residence of “Muhammad Ali Shehky”, which is the

“Shehka” a city of Islamic Republic of Iran.

His definition of Beauty:

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According to Imtiaz Hussain Shehky, “Everything is beauty, which is created by God Almighty.

His definition of Nature:According to Imtiaz Hussain Shehky nature is actually the God himself who have created us, the

universe, beauty, environment and the manager of this huge system is known as natural beauty.

His contribution for Shina Literature:Imtiaz Hussain Shehky is president of Gilgit Arts council from 16 years from 2000 to till now

and he is very ambitious and talented person that’s why he is selected five times as president of

Gilgit Arts council. He and his colleagues are trying to preserve the endangered culture of Gilgit-

Baltistan by performing at different stage acts like “payalo culture and raks”, “cultural dance”

and “shina songs”. They performed these elements at China, Tashkurgan Arts council two times

and Al Humra Arts council Lahore for one time. A mega musical and cultural show of Gilgit-

Baltistan was held in Lok Virsa Islamabad in which a great number of singers, artists and

dancers of Arts council Gilgit-Baltistan participated in this event.

Senior singers like Baba Hareep and Jan Ali janan, Imtiaz Hussain Shehki, Gilgitai Mayoon

Ghulam Nabi Hamraaz. Ayoub Mutasir, Sher Khan Nagri presented their Shina songs while

the Balti poet Ali Khan Kashif sang a song in Balti language and Ali Sher Janisaar presented his

song in Chilasi language. The artist of Ghizer arts council Fida Hussain performed

sword dance and the artists of Yasin Writers Forum Qamar Zaman and his team performed

traditional dance. On the other hand, Ramzan from Nagir presented traditional dance.

This Gilgit-Baltistan Mega Musical & Cultural show was hosted by the Gilgit-Baltistan Arts &

Cultural Council and also cooperated by Gilgit Arts Council, Ghizer Arts Council, Nagir Arts

Council, and Diamer Arts Council & Baltistan Arts Council.

Imtiaz Hussain Shehky and his colleagues have visited china to show the cultural and traditional

arts of Gilgit-Baltistan through first cultural exchange program of CPEC (China Pakistan

Economic Corridor) in 2016.

He has also developed the relationships with Tashkurgan Arts council and the artist, singers and

the poets of Tashkurgan Arts council also visited Gilgit-Baltistan in 2000.

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As the president of Gilgit Arts council, he and his colleges have taken an initiative to preserve

the traditional music of Gilgit-Baltistan by inaugurating a Traditional Music Tanning School at

Gilgit city.

Initiative of his poetry:Poetry has many types according to Imtiaz Hussain Shehky that he writes poetry when he is

inspired from anything. His poetry is Inspirational from Natural beauty and he is inspired from

green color of meadows and always writes his poetry at Jungle. One of his best poetry is in the

green meadows of Sharote jungle known as “Kaan-dar” is the poem “Ik Shikari”.He has no any

beloved except God Almighty because he is heir of his father’s field. Imtiaz Hussain Shehky’s

father Fida Hussain is also a great poet, musician and singer who trained his son.

Imtiaz Hussain Shehky released his first album in 1995, which is named as “Dard”.The word

means the pain of grim realities of the world, sadness is his personal life and also his domestic

problems were discussed in his poetry.

His PoetryOde on GOD

Here is a glimpse of Imtiaz Hussain Shehky’s natural poetry:

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English Translation:O’My Beloved! You shouldn’t come out like a dawn of hot summer

I, like an autumn’s snow, melt down so earlier

You’re like a lamp, turned off owing to the blowing

I, like the fire of my country, lit in the hurricane

O’My Beloved! You shouldn’t come out like a dawn of hot summer

AnalysisThis song is sung by different singers of Gilgit-Baltistan just like the famous singer and musician

Jabir Khan Jabir sung a song titled “Tu ada ban a nikha sartanai tati suni ba” in 2013 and other

famous poet Ayub Mutasir also singed this song in 2013.

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In this couplet the poet refers to his beloved God Almighty that you shouldn’t come out like a

sun of dawn of hot summer because I am so weak like snow to melt. This depicts his relationship

with God.

English Translation:To see the hurricane, wonderful swimmers dare not to face it, too

I swim alongside a load of cotton, across the river

Without growing more happiness, I myself ponder on him

Like a younger lad, I am impressed very earlier

O’My Beloved! You shouldn’t come out like a dawn of hot summer

AnalysisIn this couplet the poet wants to tell us that he can do any daring work to see his beloved. The

cotton is very heavy to carry in water but if you carry salt in water then it will be light by mixing

in water.

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I can swim and cross the river with the load of cotton for you which are a herculean task I can

find you without any light and I myself ponder on you like a baby. O’My beloved you shouldn’t

come out like a dawn of hot summer.

.....THE END…..

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