SANA MAHMOOD
KARACHI: Poet, philosopher, biographer and scholar Jaun Elia was born on 14th December 1931 in Amroha (Uttar Pradesh) and migrated to Pakistan in 1957.
Despite his schooling at Deoband school of Islamic Jurisprudence he did not identify himself with any sect and called himself an agnostic. Politically he was inclined towards Marxism.
Jaun Elia wrote his first couplet at the age of eight but his first collection SHAYAD (MAY BE) was published when he was sixty. His second collection of poetry YA’ANI (MEANS) was published after his death in 2003 and GUMAAN (ILLUSION) the next year.
Former Vice Chancellor University of Karachi Dr. Pirzada Qasim while commenting on his parlance said though his diction was rooted in classical tradition he endeavored to touch new themes.
Prominent critic of Urdu literature Dr. Muhammad Ali Siddiqui reckons him as one of the three most eminent ghazal (verses typically on the theme of love), poets of Urdu language that lived in the second half of 20th century.
Juan Elia died today (November 8) fourteen years ago (in 2002), after prolonged illness, at Allama Ali Karar’s house in Federal B Area, Karachi.
