Amin Ur Rehman Chughtai – A Khowar Poet

Amin Ur Rehman Chughtai, a famous Khowar poet from Chitral, dedicated his life to enriching Khowar Literature, especially poetry.

Name: Amin Ur Rehman Chughtai

Literary name: Amin

Date of birth: 1943

Birthplace: Drosh

Metric: 1943 Drosh

FA: Islamia College Peshawar

BA: Government College Peshawar

Early Life and Education of Amin Ur Rehman Chughtai

Amin Ur Rehman Chughtai, or Amin, was born in 1943 in Drosh town, which is famous for its rich literary and cultural heritage in the Chitral region. Amin received his early education in Drosh, and then, further on, he received his FA from Islamia College Peshawar. He then earned a BA degree from Government College Peshawar. His early introduction to literature and poetry played a career-defining role in his literary life.

Professional Career

Following the achievement of his BA, Amin Ur Rehman pursued a professional life as an educationist. He began his career as a CT teacher and instructor in Chitral, and later he was trained as a specialized teacher by the Chitral state government in Peshawar. The position of District Assistant Inspector of Schools was given to him in 1982 because of his devotion and vast experience. During his professional life, he worked as the principal, and teacher of some of the leading educational institutions, like Damel School and Jandul School. Where he influenced many students positively and made tremendous contributions to the local education system. He retired in 2006, and his retirement was the end of his professional life, leaving a great legacy behind in the education sector.

Poetic Journey of Amin Ur Rehman Chughtai

Amin Ur Rehman Chughtai himself was a poet since his childhood. He began writing poetry in Urdu first, being a huge admirer of the prominent Urdu poet Ahmad Faraz, with whom he had numerous literary interactions. However, after settling in Chitral, he directed his creative forces toward writing Khowar poetry, paying respect to the language’s deep richness and expression potential. His contributions to the literary world have had a deep impact on the literary world, including some of the following works:

Khowar Composition: “Thaknathaki” is the collection of  Khowar poems by Amin Ur Rehman. This book contains the early write ups of sir Amin. Some verses in Khowar language are as follow;

اے عشق بے شعور کی ہردی ݯوکک بیرئے

کھسپو لوڑاک بیرائے نہ ذاتو پوشک بیرائے

در مکتب حیات. نوشتہ بہ تختِ در

تقدیر ہر کمال کی پستی پوشک بیرائے

در طفلگی کی ہائے ریکو دوہ اشٹوراک اوشوئے

ظالم ہنون بہ جنبشِ لب روئے مرک بیرائے 

You will also find some Persian words in his poems like “ در مکتب حیات. نوشتہ بہ تختِ در” .

Urdu Composition: as we discussed before that Amin Ur Rehman started contributing to Urdu Literature. The proof of his dedication to Urdu poetry is his composition of poems “Khakstar” a collection of  Urdu poems.

Contributions to Khowar Language and Literature

Amin Ur Rehman Chughtai is an iconic personality in Chitral’s literary world. With the ability to learn Khowar and Khowar poetry, he was an inspirational force for most of the new-age poets. Poets like Munawar Zareef, Abdullah Shahab, Wasi Hussain Ilhan, Saifullah Humraaz, and many others. It was this art of refinement of poetic lines and their corrections that made his fellow poets like and admire him during his times. Scholars and poets used to consult him on how to perfect their work. Poets like Zakir Muhammad Zakhmi, and Allauddin Urfi are deeply impressed by his poetry in Khowar.

Dr. Inayatullah Faizi, a well-known researcher and columnist of  Dad Be Daad, attributes Amin Ur Rehman with invaluable contributions to Khowar poetry. He feels that language develops and grows immensely through poetry, and no one has promoted Khowar poetry to the forefront more than Amin Ur Rehman Chughtai. His contribution made the language stay alive and keep on breathing with his support and thus he’s a pillar in Khowar literature.

Legacy and Recognition

Amin Ur Rehman Chughtai is not a poet only, as he has also contributed to his literature. His search to develop the language and advance in poetry has made him a precious gem for the literature world. His work remains an inspiration to generations of researchers and poets trying to keep alive the Khowar language. Romantic poets like Azhar Ali Azhar and Saif Ullah Humraaz use his Indigenous Khowar vocabulary in their poems. 

A Lasting Tribute to Amin Ur Rehman Chughtai

A treasure to the Khowar nation, he devoted all of his potential to the Khowar language and literature. His devotion to the preservation of culture is remarkable, especially to Khowar. Indebted through relentless dedication to this literary achievement and talent left such a prominent mark on Chitrali cultural heritage, no one may be able to efface Amin Ur Rehman’s service from people’s memories as his influence upon literary circles may forever mold literary history.

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