Jatraan, a Poetic Reflection on the Fate of Daman, Post- 9/11 Appraisal

By
Altaf Ahmad Shah, PhD Scholar, Qurtuba University, DIKhan
shahaltafhashmi1@gmail.com
&
Hamna Hashmi MSc Psychology, Quaid e Azam University,Islamabad

Abstract
The impact of 9/11, in the form of extremism, could be observed in Saraiki region of
Khyber Pashtoon Khaw (KPK), Pakistan and according to statistics the deaths toll, in
suicide attacks and other incidents, during 2007, 2008 and 2009 were 63, 95 and 93
respectively. It severely crumbled the social and economic life of the region. Besides, the
wave of terrorism strangulated the literary activities of the district Dera Ismail Khan
(DIK) also. The suffocated environment deeply influenced the poetic wing of the area.
People were hopeless and had no way to protect their lives and to end their miseries. The
book ‘Jatraan’ is the picture of that state of affair and its very title reflects the
supernatural remedy for that leviathan, which has remained the permanent practice of the
neglected people of the area Daman to seek refuge in paranormal activities. The very
book and in depth interviews are the primary data, in qualitative research, and for
secondary data literature review has been employed to collect data. In this context,
archival materials, relevant research papers and websites are utilized for data collection.
All the acquired data has been analyzed by descriptive analysis.
Keywords; Extremism, Daman, Jatraan, 9/11,

Introduction

The immediate impact of 9/11 was the attack of United State on Afghanistan and its
trans-boarder repercussions were severely observed in its adjacent areas of Pakistan,
particularly in tribal belt and generally all over the country. South Waziristan was the
more focused area; therefore, the next adjacent district after Tank was DIK, the gate way
to settle area of the motherland.

“….Post 9/11 scenario was not only critical but also difficult for Daman, the deeper
thread of the book, particularly, depicts mourns of that very period of the area and in
general of the whole nation, like one the poem has been dedicated to Benazir Bhuto. The
book is the reflection and representation of all pains, wherever they take place. Our
deprivations are firmly attached with our soil and are the suffering of all of us. Dhawnry
(to take bath in river Indus in the form of groups) is no more due to the prevailing
circumstances. The book narrates all the worries of the area and also the important events
and places to illustrate the past and present state of affairs… (Sherazi, 2020).

The commentary of a renowned poet and writer, Mr. Saeed Akhtar Siyal, begins with the
quotation of a prominent icon Mr. Asho Lal and then leaps forward towards ground
realities of the whole universe, which are prevailing in our vicinity also. Collectivism and
get together are now a days a dream and people are confined to their caves with strong
locks on doors due to wave of fear and uncertainty. We can strengthen our bond of life
and soul together if we live together with dream of love, respect, dignity, sacrifice and
self-sufficiency (Jatraan, 2010).

Jatraan is the second last poetic contribution of Mr. Tahir Sherazi, a young renowned
poet from the agriculturally barren land of Daman ; a vast landscape stretched from
famous Sulaiman range of mountains up to Mighty Indus, land of a famous archeological
site Rahman Dheri ( older than Mohenjo-daro) and that of kafir kot; which is famous for
fertile human brains also.

Daman is famous for flat arid alluvial plain, which builds almost more than eighty
percent of the area, where fast-moving water from mountains in the plain provides
xerophytes and aquatic flora and related wild fauna (Mussarat et al, 2014).

The writer tries to cover all the attributes of cultural heritage, nature of the local likes and
dislikes, way of thinking and also the expectations and the pipe dreams of the local
community in his book. Daman is used as a symbol of barren land with scarcity of rain
and water in local poetry. The title of the book has also physiological strings, which
reflects the backwardness of the area, where we all believe in supernatural remedies for
our deprivation, miseries and grieves.

2. RESEARCH METHOD

Qualitative research is opted and the book in hand is the primary data along with
interviews. For secondary data literature and available sources are utilized. The book, in
depth interviews, media, websites and internet are the main sources of data collection.
Descriptive and qualitative methods have been used to analyze the collected data.

3. LITERATURE REVIEW

“…. Jatraan means catharsis and it is derived from Jatar. The people of the vicinity
usually go to Bilot for Jatar (mystic performance on drum with certain lyrics), it is not
necessary that they will be under the influence of any ghost, but they go to express their
deprivation. Especially women are not allowed to express grieves or to tell mourns to
anyone, therefore, they use to go to express them in a symbolic way. The event provides
a chance of manifestation to those women, who are bounded in the boundaries of houses
and are under the harsh engulfment of customs and traditions (Sherazi, 2020).
The term catharsis is derived from Greek word katharsis which means purification or
cleansing. The very origin of the world is not clear, therefore, there is no acceptable
entomology of the world. Aristotle, in Politics, used to refers this term for purification in
literal and metaphorical meaning, ranging from washing oneself to ritual cleansing after
sacrilege or for example morally not permissible at a sacred area (Thomas, 2009) .

“….. Jatraan relates to Bilot and is associated with the sufferings and pains of our soil; it
has poems, which represent culture, thirst, important places and events of Daman. In the
closed room of Jatar an ordinary man or woman can’t stay for a short while due to
abnormal fragrance rather smell. The majority of the Jatar’s participants are women. It is
only for those who are under the shadow of some ghost or benevolent spirits. The title of
the book is symbolizing that our land is under the influence of some ghost.
The poet is also of the view that we, the Saraiki, people have the same destination, pains
and have the bound of brotherhood. It is supposed that there are Hindu ghost also and the
successor of Muslim saints refer them to Keval Ram to perform Jatar at that place,
situated in the same vicinity. People of Hindu minority come to the temple of Satti Keval
Ram, Bilot, from all over Pakistan and India in the months of March and April to ease
their suffering and participate in the rituals according to their faith (Malik, 2020).
Keval Ram’s Samadhi of Bilot is situated at the foot of a mountain and even today
appeals to devotees from Balochistan and Sindh on Baisakhi. According to one of the
devotee Khurm, Hindu community visits it year round and also by Muslim. He is of the
view that Ram associates to all, no one go back without fruit. On the eve of Baisakhi, the
devotees are served with free food, drink and medical treatment (Ahmad, 2018).
The fate of our vicinity and of the woman is the same; no one is ready to listen to it or to
redress it. The hardships of the area are like the hardship of our woman, no one take care
or take any step for its restoration. The poetry of the book is the manifestation of the
deprivation of all that mourns, which are attached to our land (Sherazi, 2020).

“….. In the land of Shah Isa (RA), Jatar has been arranged at different places at the tombs
of saints in closed rooms of mud. It is a mixed gathering of men and women, who are
supposed to be under the influence of some ghost, a drum beater with certain specified
lyrics performs for them and they move their heads in certain direction. It is assumed that
after that they get rid from the shadow of the ghost” (Malik, 2020).
In one of Radio Program, broadcast from Radio DIK, the man under the influence of
ghost, during the state of Jatar was recorded. The in-charge, deputed by the living
successor of the saint, asked harshly from the ghost, “Why you are teasing him, the ghost
(the man under its shadow) replied “he pissed on my kids”. The in-charge caught him
from his hairs and said “release him”. The ghost replied “not at all”. On what condition
you would release him? The In-charged asked. “He would visit the land of Shah Isa
(RA) next year also” the ghost replied. In the same report the views of an advocate were
broadcast and he said “it’s all due to illiteracy, all the Jatar participants are illiterate with
majority of women” (Radio Pakistan, 2010).
In one of his poem, a renowned poet, Makhmoor kalandri is of the view that DIK was a
living city; people used to go around late nights and took breakfast in front of Bas Stop
with friends. He added that there was no fear and we followed our own will. The sun rose
daily with the idea of peace, the vocalists sung melodious songs and everyone had a
smiling face. But the wave of extremism grabbed everything from the inhabitants of DIK.
Now people go to bed in terror, every eye has anxiety, lullabies have been replaced with
explosions and there is bloodshed in every nook and corner. We are in siege, if we remain
in houses, starvation kills us and if we go out bullet is waiting for us (Qalandari, 2019).

The wave of terrorism is tantamount to harass, destroy the infrastructures, bombing to kill
innocent people and suicide attacks without any solid reasons. It breaks the social
framework of the society (Khan, 2013). The religious extremism is against rational
thinking and also rejects aesthetics, fine arts and imposes ban on all types of cultural
activities (Javaid, 2011). The year 2007 was the worst year in the history of extremism.
Bomb blasts, suicide attacks and killing of innocent people was the routine factor or the
every other day. The direction of extremists diverted towards security forces, because
they were trying to safeguard masses. The situation is alarming and sweeping in full
swing from tribal to settled areas and even to the capital Islamabad. The efforts of
government’s ability to curb the extremism have given a gloomy hope to the masses, as it
is increasing day by day (Razia, 2008).

According to Malik Ali Asif Siyal, the poetry of Sherazi reflects the beauty of Saraiki
civilization and his name will be remembered in better words. The book really portrays
the overall present scenario of land, habits, and way of thinking and superstitions of the
local community. The comment of Malik Ali Asif and the subject matter of the book can
be summarized in the word of American Historian Barbara W Tuchman, “Books are the
carriers of civilization, without book, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled,
thought and speculation at a standstill” (Tuchman, 1980).

There are two opinions about the very title of the book, because majority of literary
people are of the view that they never listen to the plural of Jatr, but it can be Jatraan.
Besides, according to the book on page No. 14, in bracket, the word is used in singular
form for about four times. So far as its meaning is concerned, Jatr is played at tomb of
Shah Isa (RA) in closed doors by those male and female who are supposed to be under
the influence of some ghost.
It is very common saying that gun is not important, but man behind the gun is important.
The poet gives it another angle and floats the idea that if the man who controls the
serpent is ours than it means that really serpent is ours. In one of his poem he says that
thirst is so powerful that in front of it the mighty river is looked like a straw.

“Bhegaar” like many, is one of the principal symbolic poems of the poet. In which he
depicts the inner feelings of the local inhabitants of the vicinity and their fears, worries,
panics, and apprehensions while on the other hand he also shows the dangerous, unsafe,
hazardous and precarious attitude of the opponents. In this poem he uses a very powerful
idiom and allusion of 10th of Haar, means 10th of Muharram on the very day of Karbala at
61 AH, which represents the peak of violence at earth.

Aay bha wartwan aa gay hin

Asan dahwen har ich aa gay hin

Loneliness and darkness are interrelated to him. He says that we are going to brush aside
our all mourns and hopes, and by creating a strong bound with slumber we are closing the
door and put off the candle to be dead to the world.

Aij taq wala k samda hayn

Devay misma k samdayn hayn

The dilemma of the Kafir Kot and of the poet has the same fat, as the land of Saraiki
Wasaib has been targeted, time and again, with the wave of extremism, generally in the
past and particularly after 9/11. According to the author of the book the magnificent
ruins are indicating their impressive past. They are constructed on the top of the hill and
the architect had made another hill on the peak of the mount. It is ours heritage and we
should not indicate it neither Hindu nor Muslim remains. If we don’t preserve it and the
ancient artifacts collapse, even then, the ruins would be above us as the Kafir Kot is
situated on the peak of the mount (Sherazi, 2020).

The poet uses new symbols in a unique way, he says.

Toon tay main taan Kafir Kot

ojray war o war
Kafir Kot is just like a place of the part of magical world and to gaze it one can feel that
one is living in the land of fairytales. The wonderful attractive landscape, debris of
splendid towers and remains of magnificent buildings can provide a scene of
mysterious terra firma. The silence of the place has unique feeling and dignity of the
ruin land. The height of the fort of Kafir Kot is a best place to have an eye on the
movement of the enemies and also to protect the population from their abrupt attacks. It
is located at the top of the hill with strong boundary wall and is also protected on its
southern side by mighty Indus (Awan, 2020).
The poetry, in mother tongue, is rotted from the core of the land and has the essence
and fragrance of the motherland. It is associated with the sufferings of the land and I
tried my best to narrate the miseries of the inhabitants and also of the region (Sherazi,
2020). According to Atta ul Akbar, DIK is the birth place of Saraiki (Baloch, 2018) and
due to its sweetness, softness and richness it has adopted the repute of lingua franca in
the region (Shah, 2019).
It has its own distinguished race, culture, population, area, folklore, folk tale and
traditions evolved in particular land. Saraiki has adopted the status of lingua franca in the
area of DIkhan and its surroundings due to its richness, sweetness, softness and
accommodative characteristics
In one of his poems he uses a word “Sona” (gold) for water of canal in our area and
symbolizes it with self-sufficiency. He is also aware of the fact that water is life and
civilization while food especially wheat is the basic need of our land and is also basic
requirement for the survival of any state, because after the dismemberment of USSR,
food security has acquired a vital role in international scenario.

About international financial crunch the poet says:

Chawn passon bukh da dhol waja

Piae ghurbat shaher do aande hay

To give a pictorial view of the poor deprived girl, he artistically depicts the tragic
scene with economy of words in three lines and narrates that she is (physically) crying
and putting her feet with force on the earth and demanding bangles for herself from
mother. Here the reader feels himself at that very spot and involves in empathy not only
with that very poverty-stricken girl but also with the whole family.

Hik nenger bhon niki jain

Jehri ma’n toon wanga mangdey hey
Khari waray day wich dangdee hay

Mr. Sherazi dedicated one of his poetic efforts to Daman and gave her the advice of
courage, bravery, openness, truthfulness, endeavor, self sufficiency and self reliance to
reach the destination in a venerable and decorous manner.

4. DISCUSSION
It is evident that Islam has inclusive package of laws and regulation with flexible
approach and promote original ideas (Ahsan, 2002, 8). Extremism, as an ideology, leads
to terrorism which has created threats to national security of many countries along with
Pakistan (Javiad, 2011). “…There was a constant fear, lawlessness and uncertainty in the
city. The vicinity of Daman was notorious for suicide, target killing and other attacks
during the post 9/11 period, particularly in the year from 2007 to 2009 and the death toll
during these years was 251 in Saraiki region of DIK ...”(Zafar, 2019).

Fears, atrocities, anxieties, apprehensions and worries become the chief thematic strand
of Jatraan, which represent the overall scenario of the land and particularly of Daman. In
one of his thought he says that we are neither live nor dead in the prevailing
circumstances and people of our vicinity are targeted like those who have no legal heir or
successor behind. It means that we are living in a lawless society, where there is no rule
of law and justice. This state of affair is dangerous and has very devastating effects. That
is why one of the great thinkers of social sciences Aristotle is of the view that injustice is
one of the basic factor of revolution (Jatraan,2010).

The major concern of Pakistani society is radicalization (Rana, 2010). Ironically the
Military Mullah Alliance was further expanded during Musharraf era under the umbrella
of enlightened moderation. The extremism of religious nature played its dangerous game
to express and also to suppress the anti imperialistic outlook in the motherland.
“…In the beginning, as the extremists were based in tribal region, the anti state activities
were limited to that very area of tribal belts. But with the passage of time and after
military operation it proliferated into the adjacent settled areas of Pakistan. DIK was the
soft and easy target because it has trade, educational, social and cultural ties with
Waziristan” (Zafar, 2019). In this context, Pakistan is under constant security threat and
the situation is highly inflammable. Besides, due to this unfavorable phase, our weak
economy, sectarian violence, immoral governance, intolerant and fragmented society
along with corruption and fragile democratic system are increasing the issues of general
masses (Javaid, 2011).

Pakistan is the front line ally of United States to combat terrorism since 9/11. In the war
on terror about 35,000 innocent citizens and more than 3,500 personnel of security forces
have been martyred. It is estimated that $67.93 billion has been lost in the field of
economic activities directly (Khan, 2013). In his own comment the poet says that, we are
suffering a lot from feelings of frustration, uncertainty and insecurity, therefore like
many, I also put my efforts in the form of Jatraan to give a safe side to my land
(Jatraan,2010).

The surge of extremists and their ridged and violent actions have brought the cultural and
creative activities of the poets and painters in a siege (Rana, 2010). “…The poetic
contributions of that very time represent the barbaric environment of DIK, when life was
short, brutal and fearful, like the life of state of nature in the past in the eyes of western
philosophers. In this backdrop, the impact of 9/11 came to the surface, sometime in the
poetic collection of Jatraan of Tahir Sherazi and sometime in the famous poem of
Makhmoor Kalandi ‘Dera Pholan da Sehra’…(Zafar, 2019).

5. CONCLUSION

The area of Daman is still in a dilemma and grieves and miseries of the inhabitants are
multiplied with the passage of time. The presence of widows, orphans and physically
crippled persons, in all the area, are the living effects of post 9/11, on the social structure
of DIK. It is crumbling the society even after almost twenty years of the incident. The
poetry of the region smells the repercussions in the form of Jatraan to narrate that the fate
of Kafir Kot and of the Daman has the same past, because both had been ruined time and
again and no one was there to bother for both. Therefore, it is the need of the hour to
initiate a program to encourage indigenous narrative to construct a moderate behavior of
peace building with the help of dedicated voices. The authorities, with the support of
United States, should take tangible steps for the encouragement of indigenous culture
along with poetry to give an alternate narrative to the Pakistani society, as global issues,
like extremism, can be addressed with global support. It is obvious that cultural activities
play a decisive role during the suffocative environment of violence and extremism.

References
Research papers and books

 Ahmad. R. (2018). Samadhi of Satti Keval Ram: A reminder of Dera’s not too
distant diverse, the Express Tribune

 Ahsan, M. (2002). Muslim Heritage and the 21st Century. London: TaHa
Publishers Ltd.

 Awan, T. S. (2020) .The magnificent and ancient Kafir Kot, The Express Tribune,
February 17, 2020
  Javaid, U. (2011). Genesis and Effects of Religious Extremism in Pakistan
International Journal of Business and Social Science Vol. 2 No. 7; [Special Issue
–April 2011]

 Khan, T. (2013). The Social, Political and Economic Effects of the War on
Terror: Pakistan 2009 To 2011, ISSRA Papers 2013

 Mussarat, S & Naseer, M. (2014). Use of Ethnomedicinal Plants by the People

Living around Indus River, Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014; 2014:
212634, Published online 2014 Mar 20. doi: 10.1155/2014/212634

 Qalandari, M. (2019). Dera Phulan Da Sehra Chupal Adabi o Saqafati Forum,

Karor Lal Eesan, Laya
 Rana, M. A. (2010). Litterateurs’ Response to Extremism in Pakistan, Pak
Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)

 Razia, S. (2008). A Study of Talibanization in Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of

History & Culture. XXIX (2):121.

 Report (2010). Maila Bilot Sharif ke Tarekhi oar Saqafti Ahmiat, Radio Peport.
(1st April, 2010) Radio Pakistan Dera Ismail Khan

 Shah, A.A & Hashmi, H. (2020). Zbanein, Saraiki Zban Aor Adab, a critical
appraisal, Nigaal, Research Journal. Vol 1. Issue 1, Saraiki Area Study Centre,
Multan

 Thomas, P.D. (2009). Catharsis, Historical-Critical Dictionary of Marxism,

Historical Materialism, Research in Critical Marxism Theory, 17 (2009)

 Tuchman. B.W. (1980), Bulletin of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences,
Academy of Arts and Sciences Vol. 34, No. 2 (Nov. 1980), pp. 16-32]” Published
by: American Academy of Arts & Sciences, DOI: 10.2307/3824051
https://www.jstor.org/stable/3824051

 Sherazi, T. (2010). Jatraan, Kaaf Publication DIKhan

Interviews &
Interviewee Profile
 Abbas, (Octuber 11, 2019)
Zafar Abbas, PhD Research Scholar and Lecturer in Political Science, Government
College DIK, KP
  Baloch (March 5, 2019)
Attaul Akbar Baloch, Ex Station Director Radio Pakistan DIKhan and Peshawer and the
author of the Book Zbanien, Saraiki zban oar Adab, Kaaf Publications DIKhan

 Malik, (April 27, 2020)

Jamshaid Malik, PhD Scholar, Qurtuba University DIK, KP
 Sherazi (April 26,2020)
Tahir Sherazi, Poet and Author of the Book Jatraan, Kaaf Publications DIKhan