The great scholars among them who had earned towering esteem and honour even in the Muslim centres of Mecca and Medina were: Makhdoom Abdul Hasan, Makhdoom Ziauddin, Makhdoom Muhammad Hashim Thattavi and Makhdoom Muhammad Muin Thattavi (the one from Thatta). Many centres of studying and instructing (Madrasas in Thatta, a historic town of 22,000 inhabitants in the Sindh province of Pakistan) had prospered during the tenth to fifteenth centuries, where illustrious and eminent scholars of Sindh used to impart teachings on religion, philosophy and rhetoric. He indeed had tailored the old script of Sindhi language, which was universally employed by the luhana caste of Hindus of Sindh, who had espoused Islam under his teaching and were referred to by him as Khuwajas or Khojas.īhagu Bhan, Sumang Charan, Shah Abdul Karim, Shah Inayat and other poets galore from this period have enriched Sindhi literature with their priceless mystic, romantic and epic poetical collections. Pir Sadruddin had contributed to framing the "ginans" in Punjabi, Seraiki, Hindi and Gujarati languages. He had composed his verses (also known as ginans) in Lari and Katchi dialects of Sindhi. Pir Sadruddin (1290-1409 A.D.), was a magnanimous and revered poet, saint and Sufi of his era. In fact, a few verses composed by Baba Farid Ganj Shakar, in Sindhi language can also be evidenced from those ancient times. His verses are, therefore, nearly saturated with mysticism and religious isms.Īfter Pir Nooruddin, Pir Shams Sabzwari Multani, Pir Shahabuddin and Pir Sadruddin have been gratefully acknowledged as poets of Sindhi literature. Pir Nooruddin was at one single point of time, a Sufi and a preacher of Islam, serving passionately to Sindhi literature. His poetry serves as a fascinating record of the language, which was spoken in an all-encompassing during that time. Pir Nooruddin had arrived to Sindh during the year 1079 A.D. His verses, acknowledged as ginans, are generally accepted as the specimens of early Sindhi poetry. Shortly after, Pir Nooruddin, an Ismaili Missionary, began to pen Sufi poetry in Sindhi language. It has also been chronicled that treatises were penned in Sindhi on intelligent subjects like astronomy, medicine and history, during the eighth and ninth centuries. Evidence also exists of Sindhi poets reciting their verses in front of the Muslim Khalifahs (Caliphs) in Baghdad. It has been evidenced that Sindhi was the first and the earliest language of East, wherein the Quran was rendered a fresh interpretation in the eighth or ninth century A.D. The most olden reference to Sindhi literature is incorporated in the writings of Arab historians. Sindhi literature is always considered rich and also generally looked at as one of the world's oldest.
Its writers have contributed exhaustively to umpteen forms of literature, both in poetry and prose. Sindhi language is thus both ancient and enriched in literature. Yet, the limit of these wonders and unknown identities, not restricted to any domain is still retained within the brilliant Sindhi literature that is presently produced both from India and Pakistan. In previous years, eminent poets such as Alli Sardar Zafri, Kedar Nath Singh, Ayyapa Panikar, Shakti Chottopadhyaya, K Sachidanandan, Dillip Chitre, Jayanta Mohapatra, Gulzar, Nabakanta Barua, Prof A M K Shahryar, Nirupama Kaur, Binda Karandikar, Haraprasad Dash, Ramakant Rath, Surjit Patar, Rajendra Kishore Panda and Balraj Komal have received the award for their excellence in the field of poetry.The prehistoric province of Sindh, which is still considered the epitome of mysterious religious practices, the land of Arabia, their exotic dresses, their culinary geniuses, the unified existence of both the Hindus and Muslims, were however shattered to pieces of shard glasses, after the 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan. Among others, Vice-Chancellor of Sambalpur University BC Barik, Registrar S Das and Chairman of PG Council Prof PK Tripathy also spoke on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, Jamir said Sambalpur University served as a beacon of light to disseminate knowledge in Western Odisha, which is backward in terms of human development index but rich in art and culture.
The responsibility to preserve the sanctity of award and keep the prestige of the inspiring person, on whose name the award has been instituted,” the Sindhi poet said. “Every award brings responsibility with it.
Mohi emerged as a modernist with his highly acclaimed anthology of poems Tazaad (Contradictions).
Born on March 2, 1944, in Pakistan, Mohi was an English teacher by profession, but poetry remained his vocation. Stating that he was moved by the idea of naming the award after the name of the illustrious poet Gangadhar Meher, Mohi said Meher lit a lamp not for the people of Odisha but for the whole world.