Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)

Vol-2, Issue-9, 2016

ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Pakistaniness in Taufiq Rafat’s Selected Poems

Hazrat Hayat
Department of English, International Islamic University, Islamabad
Abstract : Pakistani literature, since the writing of British English writers, reflects
Independence, has come a long way from its early in the writing of these Indian English writers
roots in post-independence English writings in the and it continued till 1947. After the partition,
subcontinent. Over some 50 years or so, it has Indian writers felt the need to pay attention to
evolved from its imitative, slavish cast into an the Indian culture, tradition, symbolism and
original and rather dynamic mode. Today it has a imagery in order to make their own identity in
distinctive ‘Pakistani’ color, or flavor, different literary world. They developed a new type of
from that of other English literatures being poetry which is an epitome of their culture,
written in other former colonies where English tradition, identity and what else they had in
was introduced initially by the colonizers but was their society. The well-known and recognized
soon adapted into “native” or “local” cultural writers who became the pioneers of this new
ethos. Pakistani English literature claims to have type of English poetry include: Nissim Ezekiel,
its own idiom reflecting Pakistani culture, KekinDaruwal, P. Lal, Dom Moraes, Kamala
society, and mannerism (Dr: Munawwar Iqbal, Das, Gieve Patel and others.
Dr: Safeer Awan, Kashmir journal of language
research, 2011). The English literature written in Unlike India, in Pakistan, Poetic writing in
this part of the Sub-continent tends to achieve English started later for English education
its own color from 1970’s; different from that reached this part of the Sub-Continent later
written in other parts of the world. Pakistani than that of India where in 1827, they started
English literature just like Indian English writing poetry in English with the establishment
literature realized very later that the main of English education centers and missionary
objective of the literature is to depict what one schools. After the partition, in Pakistan, when
encounters throughout one’s life and that it is English became the language of instructions
not something like building castles in the air or a and official use along with Urdu, writers like
shot in the dark. This idea emerged with Taufiq Ahmed Ali, Shahid Hossain, Zulfikar Ghose
Rafat who created a distinctive idiom for who were later joined by Maki Kureshi, Kaleem
Pakistani poets; later it became the standard. Omar, Salman Tarik Kureshi, and Daud Kamal,
In this paper, the poems (“Arrival of the started composing poetry in English language.
Monsoon” and “Kitchens”) under discussion In the early stages they also followed the
i n d i c a t e that the images employed by Taufiq British English writers like Indian writers d i d
Rafat are culture-specific and different from that and took time to understand that they also had
of Western images. These images could not be a distinct culture, tradition, and colors to fill
applied to other parts of the world for they their pictures with. This idea emerged with
are found only in Pakistani society. Taufiq Rafat in 1960s but became popular in
1970s. Taufiq Rafat introduced a distinctive
Introduction idiom known as ‘Pakistani Idiom’ which became
The English literature that has been developed a standard for Pakistani poets to compose poetry
and evolved in Pakistan by Pakistani or in, that can reflect Pakistani society, culture,
Pakistani diaspora writers is known as tradition and ideology. “According to Taufiq
‘Pakistani Literature in English’ (Google Rafat, poetry emanates from the very land in
Wikipedia). Before the partition of the Sub- which it is written. The cultural substratum
continent (1947), a number of English that gives anchorage to its roots remains a
educated Indians were writing in English, for variable source from which it gains
instance, Kashi Prasad Ghose, Michael nourishment and defines the self of the
Madhusudan Dutt, Rabindranath Tagore, poet.”(Asma Mansoor IIUI, Pakistaniat, A
Manmohan Ghose, Sri Aurobindo, Sarojini journal of Pakistan studies, vol 4, 2012). The
Naidu, Harindranath Chattopadhyaya, and landscape, the seasons, the smells, the
Shahid Suhrawardi. Though, they depicted characters, these are all local and give the
Indian Society, in style they followed British very essence of Pakistani society and culture
English writers. The mode of feelings, (Sarwat Ali: ‘Our Best English poet’, 2009).
emotions, and expressions they had found in “Pakistani literature claims to have its own
idiom reflecting Pakistani culture, society and

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 1638

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-2, Issue-9, 2016
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

mannerism. It also has its own symbols, has pattern for composing poetry that is being
emerged more visibly in Pakistani poetry followed after him. There are many critics who
than fiction, and no other Pakistani poet has have worked on different aspects of his poetry,
contributed more, in shaping a distinct but unfortunately those works are not easily
Pakistani idiom, than, Taufiq Rafat” accessible. However, their comments are
(Munawwar Iqbal and Safeer Awan ‘IIUI’ helpful to understand what they have found
2011; Ksahmir Journal of language in his poetry. Some of them are, Sajjad
research).The imagery of Taufiq Rafat reflects Hussain, Tariq Rahman, Alamgir Hashmi,
Pakistani society. His poetic style, imagery Athar Tahir, Zia Mohyeddin, Kaleem Omar,
and symbolism are exactly related to the Imran Aslam, Khalid Ahmed, and Sarwat Ali.
context of Pakistan. He has not sacrificed Dr. Munawwar Iqbal, Dr. Safeer Awan and
his idea for the sake of rhyme scheme. For Asma Mansoor(IIUI), have also written some
him content is more important than form. He has articles about Taufiq Rafat.
depicted the true picture of Pakistani society by
using natural imagery like animals, flowers, Zia Mohyeddin appreciated Taufiq for the
grass, birds, insects, and seasons (Tariq language he uses in poetry. He also said that the
Rahman). TaufiqRafat’s distinctive idiom can be words he chooses are up to the mark. Renowned
observed in his collection of poems “Arrival of writer Kaleem Omar said that Taufiq Rafat was
the Moonsoon” comprising of 116 poems. The a poet of the language who had a complete
images of kites, pigeons, gliding, rainy water, control over the description of his thoughts and
mud, clouds, all represent Pakistani culture. feelings. A renowned critic Khalid Ahmed
Many Pakistani poets follow his style and commented that Rafat could not be judged so
distinctive idiom. The most famous of his easily merely by his poetry as he always
poems are: Soil, The People, Raindrops, avoided the awkward display of images.
Rain, Seasons, Pigeons, Lights, Eid, Ramadan, M.Tahir Athar, a well-known writer and a
Mango Trees, Grass, Loneliness, Family, Aunts disciple of Taufiq is of the opinion that he was a
Uncles and Cousins. Regarding his distinctive creative writer and a real carpenter of nature.
style and language that show Pakistani culture, Almgir Hashmi and Muneeza Shamsi also
language, society, traditions and religion, he appreciated Taufiq Rafat for his distinctiveness
has been rightly called the Ezra Pound of and being the representative of his own culture,
Pakistan by Imran Aslam, one of his disciples. tradition, religion and society. Sarwat Ali in his
essay writes that everything in Taufiq Rafat’s
There is no such article or book available poetry was local and within the context of
regarding the work of Taufiq Rafat and any Pakistani culture.
other Pakistani poet, that can help the students of
Pakistani English literature except some general So much work has been done on different
review-articles by Scholars like Dr: Safeer Awan aspects of Taufiq Rafat’s poetry like language,
(IIUI), Dr: Munawwar Iqbal (IIUI), Asma themes, symbolism etc. Our Respected
Mansoor (IIUI), Dr: Tariq Rahman, and some teachers Dr: Munawwar Iqbal and Dr: Safeer
chapters from the pen of Alamgir Hashmi. These Awan have written an article “Eastern
works are indeed valuable, but it is very difficult Symbolism and the recovery of the selfhood in
to get access to these and a lot more works by Taufiq Rafat’s Arrival of the Moonsoon” but
prominent scholars. So, this paper will be a my study will be limited to two poems of
humble attempt to describe the imagery Taufiq Rafat with the objective to find how
employed by Taufiq Rafat in ‘Two’ of his and what imagery is specific to our culture in
famous poems—“Arrival of the Monsoon” and Taufiq Rafat’s poetry, and how he has
“Kitchens”. Although this study does not cover established a different style from that of native
the whole range and variety of the poet’s English writers.
imagery, yet I hope some students who are
interested in Pakistani English poetry; they will Hypothesis
find it a ray of hope as only a few review-articles
are available on Internet, which hardly help the
The imagery employed by Taufiq Rafat is
students, and they, most of the times, get in
Culture-specific and reflects Pakistani culture
trouble to find relevant work to their field.
and society.
Literature Review
Taufiq Rafat is a distinguished poet among
Research Questions
Pakistani poets. He has won a name for his
great work in poetry. He has established a new

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 1639

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-2, Issue-9, 2016
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

• What culture-specific imagery has These images collected from the poems are
been employed by Taufiq Rafat in to be analyzed in order to see how Rafat has
his selected poems? used them to depict Pakistani culture. The poem
‘Arrival of the Monsoon’ has an image of
• How that imagery is culture-specific? 'coniferous lands' that refers to the context of
South Asia in general and to that of Pakistan in
particular. In the time of Monsoon the wind
• Is the imagery employed by Taufiq
blows from south to north according to the
Rafat reflects Pakistaniness?
Meteorologists. The trees of conifers are in a
SIGNIFICANCE great number in the northern parts (Himalaya) of
Pakistan. In this case the image of blowing
wind towards the coniferous lands appropriately
This research focuses on the significance of reflects Pakistaniness.
Taufiq Rafat’s poetry in Pakistani English “Before the thrust of this liberating wind
literature, as he represents the culture of whatever is not fixed, has a place to go,
Pakistan. This research will facilitate the strains northwards to the coniferous lands.”
future researchers who are interested to
The image of the clothes on the washing
trace the real essence of Pakistani English
line raised above themselves is quite
poetry. It is significant because Pakistani
understandable when it comes to the context
English poetry has still to establish itself on
of Pakistan during the Monsoon. Because of
the national scale. This study is an endeavor
this wind the clothes which are hung in the sun
to show its richness and distinctiveness to
to dry up, raise up in a special way. This
Pakistani readers. This research will also prove
imagery can be understood by examining dust
to be an asset for those students who would go
particles turning round and round in a circle that
for further studies in Pakistani English literature.
indicates the wind of Monsoon. Same thing
happens with the clothes rising above
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY themselves, and when we observe this, we say
this is the start of Monsoon. The imagery of
‘flapping sheet’ along with ‘everything’
This research will be handled through dragged to the corner of the roof making it a
qualitative method. All the data will be battlement' reflects to our eyes as if they were
analyzed through Historical Approach and will fighting with each other, and we observe this
be discussed in explanatory way. All the during the Moonsoon.
meanings and explanations occur in a “And, drunk with motion, clothes on the
particular perspective or context; hence washing-line
Historical Approach will explain the idea in a are raised above themselves; a flapping sheet
very clear way. turns a roof corner into a battlement.”

Data Analysis: The next imagery is brought so skillfully that

with a flash we recognize something special in
the poetry of Taufiq Rafat; that is of bird
Poetry is a powerful tool of expression in gliding, and again the end of the gliding days
literature. Imagery is one of the most important reflects Pakistaniness as with the arrival of the
elements of poetry. A poet always puts great Monsoon the birds, especially pigeons,
efforts to create images from his/her own postpone their gliding. In Pakistan 'Pigeon
society, because images have a very powerful Gliding' has got a remarkable concept and it is a
impact on the reader’s mind. These images cultural norm across the country. Throughout
which the poet takes from the society depict the the year people enjoy pigeon gliding but
culture of that society. Taufiq Rafat, in particular when Monsoon comes, the wind does not
leaves no stone unturned to represent these allow them to glide and we say gliding days are
images with great skills. The representation of over.
these images is one of the greatest achievements “Gliding days are over. The birds are tossed
of Taufiq Rafat. That is why he is called—The sideways and back, and lifted against their
Ezra Pound of Pakistan by Imran Aslam, one will.
of his disciples. I would like to come to those They must struggle to achieve direction.”
images which are under discussion: Another image that might wonder the readers
because 'darkness' in literature is always an

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 1640

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-2, Issue-9, 2016
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

image of something unpleasant but here Rafat They become very hot in summer resulting in
says: low voltage. When Monsoon rain comes they
become cool, get energy, voltage increases and
“A welcome they swing as if they were dancing in joy.
darkness descends. These wires are so happy that the poet says
Harsh contours they seem crazy. It looks like a miracle has made
everything woken up from a deep slumber.
dissolve, lose their “Alive, alive, everything is alive again.
prosaic condition. Savour the rain’s coolness on lips and eyes.
All the sounds we have loved are restored.” How madly the electric wire is swinging!”
Before the rain there is dust in the air, when
This 'darkness' is used here in a special context; rain falls; these particles mix with the rain a n d
that is, Pakistani context during the Monsoon. t u r n into brown water and when the
The wind brings very deep clouds which in turn branches of the trees shake themselves as a
bring darkness that provides an environment of response to the rain, the brown water drops
enjoyment. People call it romantic weather and a down. The rain results in the winding up of the
charming sight. The sun goes behind it. The air harsh summer in a very pleasant manner.
becomes cool and we feel comfortable. This is “From brown waters eddying round their
why Rafat has used ‘welcome darkness’, which hooves
in most of the countries might not be welcomed the drenched trees rise and shake themselve,
but we do, because it provides us a comfortable and summer ends in a flurry of drops.”
shelter from the scorching weather for some “The phenomenon of water buffaloes coming out
time. The images of lovely sounds add to the of water holes and shaking themselves (drops of
list, which also bring the reader close to the water flurrying around them) and the old trees
culture of Pakistan. In Monsoon, the sounds shaking themselves like ponderous water beasts
of clouds, chirping of birds, and the hissing of are tropes of the revivifying powers of much-
insects are observed more than other days of awaited monsoons in the fullest sense.”
the year. These sounds add enchantment to the (Munawwar Iqbal, Safeer Awan; Eastern
attractiveness of the Monsoon weather that is symbolism and recovery of the selfhood in
why, we love these sounds and here Rafat TaufiqRafat’s Arrival of the Monsoon)
connects these sounds with loveliness keeping in
mind the notion of Pakistaniness. The second poem which I am going to analyze is
the “Kitchens”. Though, according to some, it is
The next stanza is full of images that can a comparison of the life we had in past and
easily be associated with Pakistani culture. what we have now. To others, it might be a
The sullen wind brings clouds which pour rain nostalgia for the past traditions. One other
in squalls. It sweeps the streets and compels the prominent thought is that it is a comparison
boys to come out to enjoy it. These features are between urban and rural ways of life, however, it
specific to Monsoon rain otherwise normal is a poem which gives us certain images that
rain does not catch the attention of the boys are unique. So let us see what sort of culture
as compared to that of Monsoon; neither pours these images reflect. The tense used in the poem
in squalls nor sweeps the streets. is of course, 'simple past,' but it is even today we
“And now the rain! In sudden squalls feel the same situation in most parts of Pakistan.
it sweeps the street, and equally sudden In the very first lines we are introduced to a
specific kind of kitchen where we grew up. It
are the naked boys paddling in the ditches.” might be shocking to Westerners. What kind of
kitchen that would be, where people grow! But
Summer is the hottest season in Pakistan. Not when it comes to Pakistani culture, we realize
only animals and plants but also human that, 'yes,' it is being said about the kitchens we
beings become sluggish as if they were dead. have even these days. This image of kitchen
So, with the arrival of the Monsoon the becomes particular rather than general term used
weather altogether changes and everything rises everywhere, and the theme related to it makes it
and shines. It seems as if new souls have been so. In Pakistani villages where 70 % of our
instilled in everything. The hotness of the population live, there we have kitchens, where
weather calms down with the arrival of the we not only prepare meals but also dine. It
Monsoon. Everything regardless of its nature has enough space to serve as a dining room too
begins to taste the cool water of the rain. In in that sense. It has got such a strong cultural
Pakistan electric wires are exposed in open air. color that we are attracted by the taste it

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 1641

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-2, Issue-9, 2016
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

provides. We don’t care how much spicy and ladling, ladling. Noise
smoky the environment over there is, and we was warmth”.
like to sit in it.
“Kitchens were places
We grew up in The second part of the poem reflects the city
High-roofed, spacious, life, which the poet condemns and that is why
they attracted us we realize that the first part of the poem is
with the pungency dependent upon the second part to prove the
of smoke and spices.” depiction of Pakistani culture. In this part, the
We see in the poem that after getting up from poet reveals that the society imported from
the beds in December, we at once rush into the somewhere else has not brought us closer
kitchen to seek fire, and the kettle which is rather it has contributed in our farness from
depicted as black and the curry of the previous each other. The society depicted in the first
night in the breakfast. These are all very part was the very essence of our national and
common to the context of Pakistan. The bowls cultural heritage, and it was better for us to
for tea are also particular, because throughout maintain that societal standard, but unfortunately
the world cups are used, although, we also we have adopted the western way of life and
use cups nowadays but once we were that’s why we are unable to share our
familiar only with bowls, and still in most happiness and grieves with each other. This was
parts of the country they are used to take tea. possible in the old kitchens, where we would
The image of the last night’s curry is also come to “savor our triumphs or unburden our
something not familiar to Westerners because grief.” The traditional slats have been replaced
in critical situations it might be possible for them by chair which are insular, and the texture has
but in normal situations they will take it as been replaced by chromium and Formica which
something not desirable, but in Pakistan, in are not familiar to us nor can immerse into our
normal situations we have last night’s curry culture. All images in the second part of the
in breakfast and we consider it something poem are found in West. Even the poem
desirable, even we offer it to guests sometimes if condemns the clock which has replaced the
it is a special dish. picture of Grand-father once used to hang
“From December beds on the wall.
we hurried to the cheer “The surrealistic clock, where once the
of wood-fire, above eloquent grandfather swung.”
which sang black kettles. Once there, we The last four lines come in a clear contrast with
dawdled over last night’s curry the kitchen of the first part of the poem, where
and fresh bread dripping from the saucepan, we would take our breakfast along with previous
eggs, and everlasting bowls of tea.” night’s curry sitting together in the presence of
To discuss the minor activities like death of mother making bread for us, and now we are
someone, marriages, births, and the new crop of having electric toasts instead of fresh bread
the season, these things are very common in and we are in such a hurry that we while
villages but in cities it is very hard to find such taking the last gulps rush out of the dining hall.
stuff. Mother takes the position of presidency “We are differential to the snap pleasure of
and we act as sub-ordinates. She takes on a electric toast, and take our last gulps standing
certain topic and we start talking over it. up.”
Later mother confines to serve us and leaves the By taking into consideration the images
topic to us. It is the exact depiction of Pakistani employed in the poem, one can easily trace
society, but it is by this point that the poem Pakistani culture, either in first or second part
takes a turn where we can say, the poem is only of the poem. In first part we come across such
about the rural versus urban life. On the other imagery which we mark as typical Pakistani
hand, according to the statement that over 70% imagery, while in the later part of the poem, we
of the total population come from the rural come across such images which on their own
areas, we might claim that it is clear depiction claim to be Western rather than Pakistani, and
of Pakistani society. In other words, people come for this reason the poet condemns it, and again
to city under compulsion, and the major part of for this reason, we say that the poem in broader
their families lies behind in the rural areas. sense reflects Pakistani society. On the other
“Discussion centered on primaries: hand in restricted sense, one can interpret it as
births, deaths, marriages, the reflection of Pakistani village life versus
crops. Mother presided, Pakistani city life. Pakistani city life is not the
contributing only life led by its inhabitants, and therefore, we say
her presence, busy it has been imported from the West.

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 1642

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-2, Issue-9, 2016
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Conclusions Awan IIUI, Kashmir Journal of

Language Research, June, 2011

The two poems when analyzed, I have got • A History of Pakistani Literature in
that the imagery that comes from the themes English, By Dr: Tariq Rahman
employed by Taufiq Rafat, is particular to the published by Vanguard Books, 1991
context of Pakistan. In the first poem “Arrival
• A Journal of Pakistan Studies,
of the Monsoon” the season depicted is general
Pakistaniat, vol 4, #1, 2012, Asma
to the context of South Asia but specific to that
Mansoor IIUI,
of Pakistan for being Pakistani we have
observed it here. Other may relate the poem • An Essay “Our Best English Poet”
to their own cultures. Moreover, “Coniferous by Sarwat Ali published by rafat.org
Lands,” “Northern Areas,” and “Gliding Days,”
give us an edge and make the poem distinctive
• An article by M.M Rahman (Sargodha
in its real representation. The poet has also
University) about the English Poetry in
observed Monsoon here in Pakistan, so our
Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.
claim to the representation of Monsoon with
special reference to Pakistani culture is • www.taufiqrafat.org
justifiable.

In the second poem “Kitchens” by comparing • www.google.com Google

the two different types of kitchens the poet Wikipedia/encyclopedia
reveals upon us our own culture. He sheds light
on the two ways of life— Pakistani and
Western and by comparing the two, he gives
us the opportunity to select the one which is
the very essence of our tradition and culture
and the only thread that can bind us together.
Apart from what the message is, by focusing on
the images, we come in contact with a society
which is our own. We realize that there is some
difference between the writers of the West and
Taufiq Rafat. The aim of this research was just
to focus on the imageries employed by Taufiq
Rafat in order to justify the claim that “The
writing of Taufiq Rafat is the reflection of
our culture—Pakistani culture. This point might
be sought out through stylistic analysis of the
poems, but it needs a further research and the
present research paper might play a key-role
for those researchers who are interested to
study Pakistani English literature, especially
Taufiq Rafat.

References:

• A Selection of TaufiqRafat’s Poetry by

M.Athar Tahir, Oxford University
Press, 1997

• Eastern symbolism and the recovery of

the selfhood in TaufiqRafat’s Arrival
of the Monsoon, An Article by Dr:
Munawwar Iqbal and Dr: Saffer

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 1643