Ustad Daman

Ustad Daman (writer)
Born	Chiragh Deen September 1911
Died	3 Dec 1984 Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Occupation	Punjabi poet, Mystic
Nationality	Pakistani

Ustad Daman (real name Chiragh Deen) (September 1911 – December 3, 1984) was a Punjabi poet, writer and a mystic. He was the most celebrated Punjabi language poet at the time of the Partition of British India in 1947. "Eh Duniya Mandi Paise Di, Har Cheej Vikendi Bhaa Sajjna, Ethe Ronde Chehre Vikde Nahi,Hasne Di Aadat Paa Sajjna"... A severe critic of military dictators who ruled over Pakistan for many decades, his most quoted lines censure the state of affairs in his country:

Pakistan diyaan mujaan hee maujaan chaarey passay faujaan hee faujan.

— (Pakistan is great joy and more joys wherever you look there are sepoys and more sepoys.)

He goes on:

Jidhar vekho sigrat paan

zindabad mera Pakistan

Jidhar vekho kulchey naan

zindabad mera Pakistan!

(Wherever you look its shops selling cigarettes and paan

Long live Pakistan!

Wherever you look its shops selling bread and naan

Long live my Pakistan!)

He was introduced into politics by Mian Iftikharuddin, a known left-leaning politician, a member of Pakistan Movement and owner of Pakistan Times - a major newspaper in Lahore,Pakistan.Ustad Daman was introduced originally as part of the struggle for independence from British rule. A tailor by profession, in 1930 he stitched a suit for Iftikharuddin, who got impressed by his inspiring poetry verse, when the two met each other at his shop. He invited Ustad Daman to recite his poem at a public meeting organised by the Indian National Congress, where Ustad Daman became an instant hit. Pandit Nehru, who was present at that public meeting, dubbed him the ‘Poet of Freedom’ after listening to his revolutionary anti-imperialist poetry. At the time of 1947 Partition of British India, his shop and house were burned down by rioting mobs and his wife and young daughter were killed. However, Ustad Daman decided to stay in Lahore and the newly created country of Pakistan. He remained, throughout his life, a fierce opponent of dictatorship, civilian or military, and all corruption and hypocrisy. His work and poetry were published as 'Daman dey Moti' after his death by his devoted followers and admirers. The poems he wrote are still widely quoted in the Punjab as well as in other regions of Pakistan. He first wrote under the pen name 'Humdam', which was later changed to 'Daman'. The title ‘Ustad’ (meaning teacher or expert) was bestowed on him by the local people. After that he became a regular participant in these political public meetings. He believed that the unity of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs was essential, if the struggle for freedom from the British, was to be carried on successfully. An example of his poetry:

‘In China the Chinese are grand,

In Russia they do as they have planned. In Japan its people rule over its strand. The British rule the land of England, The French hold the land of France, In Tehran the Persians make their stand. The Afghans hold on to their highland, Turkmenistan’s freedom bears the Turkmen’s brand, How very strange is indeed this fact,

That freedom in India is a contraband.’

Super-hit film songs

The following poems of Ustad Daman were used in Pakistani films

• "Bach jaa mundia maurr taun, mein sadqey teri tore taun" Sung by Noor Jehan, lyrics by Ustad Daman and music by Feroz Nizami, film Chan Wey (1951)
• "Changa banaya aee sahnun khidona" Sung by Noor Jehan, lyrics by Ustad Daman, music by Feroz Nizami, film Chan Wey (1951)

See also

• Habib Jalib
• Faiz Ahmed Faiz

External links

• The People's Poet, Retrieved 21 Jan 2016