Tajik poets form the basis of their country's national literature. Among them are all authors who write in Tajik and Persian, regardless of their citizenship, nationality and place of residence.
Rudaki
In 859, the Tajik poet Rudaki was born in the village of Panjrud. He was also a scientist, who is considered the founder of Tajik literature, one of the most famous Persian poets.
His biography contains many references to the fact that Rudaki was blind from birth. At the same time, his biographer of the XII-XIII centuries Muhammad Aufi claimed that he was so susceptible as a child that by the age of eight he knew the whole Quran by heart and began to write poetry.
Modern scholars question this fact, noting that there are so many colors in his poems that, most likely, if he lost his sight, then this happened already in adulthood. This version is confirmed by the fact that many of the descriptions in his works are too realistic.
The anthropologist Mikhail Gerasimov, who restored his sculpture from the remains, claims that the poet's eyes were burned out already in adulthood. According to the analysis of the skeleton, he concluded that he was blinded with a piece of hot iron. Most likely, not earlier than 60 years.
According to the most common version of his biography, the famous Tajik poet Rudaki from his native village, located on the territory of modern Tajikistan, went to Samarkand. He entered the service of the court of the Samanids. However, no details on how this happened are unknown.
Creative heritage
At an early age he already became famous as a musician and singer. It is reliably known that Rudaki knew the Koran well, the Arabic language, had a scholastic education.
According to one version, he was blinded after a rebellion broke out against the Ismailis in 940. Rudaki was blinded on the advice of the vizier, who hated him, and his property was also confiscated. Ruler Amir Nasr then regretted it very much, ordered the execution of the vizier, and gave Rudaki a generous gift. But he refused, having died in his native village as a beggar in 941.
Researchers note that Rudaki was a prolific author. It is believed that he wrote about 130 thousand of his couplets. These are poems of gazelles, rubyes and other genres of Persian literature, the founder of which he himself is considered to be. About a thousand couplets have survived to this day. The Qasida under the name "Mother of Wine" is fully preserved. Here is an excerpt from it.
We need to betray the mother of wine first with torment,
Then subject the child herself to imprisonment.
It is impossible to take away a child, as long as the mother is alive, -
So crush it and trample it first!
Also translated into Russian are his autobiographical case "Complaint of old age", several dozen ruby.
Researchers of his work note that along with laudatory verses, there are lines that affirm the call for knowledge, faith in the power of the human mind. Rudaki, mainly, uses simple poetic means, achieving vivid and spectacular images.
Firdousi
One of the most famous Tajik poets is well known to us under the name Firdousi. He was born in Iran in the year 935. Almost nothing is known about his early years, but, apparently, he received an excellent education.
His youth fell on a significant period in the history of Iran, when the feudal aristocracy, after many years of Arab rule, managed to free themselves from the yoke of the conquerors, taking power into their own hands.
Firdousi himself initially served with the Sultan Mahmud of Hansevid, to whom he dedicated his most famous poem, “Shahnameh”. This is a famous monument of Persian literature, which describes the whole history of Iran from ancient times to the 7th century, when Islam entered its territory. Many researchers note the main idea of this work, which is that only heirs are entitled to power. This was not liked by Mahmoud, who recognized the right of power, not kinship.
Shahnameh
According to legend, the Sultan did not pay the Persian-Tajik poet Firdousi for the poem. This angered him so much that he wrote a satire in which he rebuked the ruler of his descendants from a slave. Because of this, he had to flee the country and wander in poverty until the end of his life. He died in the hometown of Tus in 1020.
He said goodbye to the throne with a clear look,
Three sons' heads were next to him.
When Manuchihr ascended the throne, a knight came to the young king
Himself, the owner of Sistan, and said:
My eye is entrusted to the king of power,
You - to judge, to me - to approve the right court.
Another close king was the hero Karan, the son of a blacksmith of Cava.
So the Tajik poet Firdousi talks about power in the "Tale of the Blacksmith of Kava", which is included in the "Shahnam."
The events in the poem are divided into mythical and historical time.
Omar Khayyam
The name of this poet is known even to those who have not heard anything more about either Tajik or Persian literature. This is a famous poet, philosopher, astronomer and mathematician.
He was born in 1048 in the city of Nishapur in Iran. His father was a tenter who paid much attention to the education of his son. From the age of 8 he began to comprehend the basics of astronomy and philosophy, was engaged in mathematics. At age 12 he entered a madrasah in Nishapur. After he studied in Samarkand, Balkh and Bukhara. He deeply studied medicine, receiving the qualification of a doctor, Muslim law.
His childhood fell on the period of the Seljuk conquest of regions in Central Asia, when many people were killed, including most of the major scientists.
At the age of 16, the Tajik poet Omar Khayyam lost his parents. They died during an epidemic. Then he sells all the property and goes to the scientific and cultural center of Samarkand recognized in the East at that time. In disputes, he so impresses everyone with his scholarship that he soon becomes an influential and respected mentor.
Like many other scientists of that time, he did not stay long in one city; in Bukhara he works in a book depository. Since 1074, he became the spiritual mentor of Sultan Melik Shah I, leads one of the world's largest observatories. He works and makes many significant discoveries until 1092, when the Sultan and his vizier Nizam al-Mulka die. After this, Khayyam is accused of freethinking and godlessness, he has to leave the Seljuk capital.
They say that when he felt death was approaching, he was 83 years old, he stopped reading a book on metaphysics, made a will, said goodbye to relatives, friends and students. After that, no longer taking any food, he prayed before going to bed and died.
Rubai Khayyama
The great Tajik poet Khayyam left a large number of famous works. Moreover, during his lifetime he was known only as a scientist, his ruby became popular much later. In them, he formulates the most secret thoughts about man, life, knowledge, love.
At the moment, about four thousand quatrains are attributed to him. At the same time, researchers believe that he could not compose some rubyes; later authors attributed them to him, fearing accusations of blasphemy and free-thinking. It’s no longer possible to establish exactly what works Khayyam wrote. Most likely, from 300 to 500 rubyes belong to his pen.
The real popularity came to Omar Khayyam when the notebook with his poems was in the hands of the English poet Edward Fitzgerald, who began to translate the ruby into English and Latin. At the beginning of the 20th century, as Fitzgerald freely presented, they were one of the most popular works in Victorian England. Here are just a few examples of his works translated into Russian.
Where did we come from? Where do we turn our way?
What is the meaning of our life? He is incomprehensible to us.
How many pure souls under the azure wheel
Burns to ashes, to dust, and where, tell me, is the smoke?
I look at the ground - and I see a dream of those embraced;
I look deep into the earth - I see the land of those taken;
In your non-existence, the desert staring, -
I see those who have already left, and those who are not conceived.
Mysterious potter sculpting skulls
A special gift to this art was shown:
On the tablecloth of being, he overturned the cup
And in it a blazing fire ignited passions.
Do not worry! Your path is traced - yesterday
Passion is allowed to play with you - yesterday.
What are you going to trouble about? Without your consent
The days of your future days are laden with a system - yesterday.
Here again the day disappeared, like a light moan of wind,
From our lives, friend, he fell forever.
But I, while alive, will not worry
About the day that departed, and the day that is not born.
All over the world today, Khayyam is known as a preacher of hedonism, which denies the possibility of posthumous retribution.
Nadira
Among the famous Tajik poets and writers there are very few women, but they still exist. The poetess Nadira was born in 1792 in the ancient Uzbek city of Andijan. On this basis, she is also considered an Uzbek poetess, but many works by her are written in Persian-Tajik languages.
Becoming the wife of the ruler of the Kokand Khanate, she spent most of her life in the court, often participated in poetry with her husband, who died in 1822, when she was only 30 years old.
After that, her 12-year-old son ascended the throne, Nadira became his guardian. The Kokand khanate in those days reached its peak, occupying the largest area.
The sources of that time preserved information that Nadira took an active part in the cultural and public life of the state, being an influential patron of the arts. She participated in the construction of the madrasah, helped poets and scientists. Her life and work are imbued with themes of sympathy for oppressed people and concern for enlightening everyone.
Her life ended tragically. In 1842, due to political intrigues, religious fanatics accused her of debauchery. Together with his sons, Nadir was brutally murdered.
The works of the poetess
In her works, Nadir, like many poets of her time, relied on the humanistic legacy of Alisher Navoi, who was considered a classic of Uzbek literature. Moreover, she wrote many poems in Tajik.
Nadira worked in different genres. These were Muhammans, gazelles, Muslims, Tarjibands. Her poetic sofa is considered a hymn of fidelity, love and honesty. In her works she always urged to notice in a woman not only beauty, but also feelings, intelligence and dignity.
Languishing and wandering for you, I wander in a deserted lane,
Soaring my ashes to heaven, I whirl in a wild field in a tornado.
You will barely leave - I have overcome the soul of the flour of passion!
My heart and soul are with you, and I - at my troubles in captivity,
I give you the heart, and you - the Lord's will.
Nadira has always sung love as a symbol of humanity and the basis of morality.
Loic Sherali
The famous contemporary author who wrote in Tajik, Tajik poet Loik Sherali. He was born in 1941 in the village of Mazori Sharif in the Panjakent district.
A significant impact on his work had the works that he read in childhood, as well as national identity, which determined his authority and personality.
He headed the International Fund for Tajik-Persian Language, and died in 2000 at the age of 59.
Best poems
Sherali himself entitled the cycle of his best poems, "Inspiration." The Tajik poet wrote poetry for ordinary people, so they do not meet complex turns and vague philosophical thoughts.
Friends are everywhere, but homeland is in one place,
Each stone of the Motherland is like a beautiful monument.
The universe is sweet everywhere, but for me
Mother alone, Tajikistan alone.
The pain, impressions and feelings that are present in his verses cannot leave anyone indifferent. This is the most famous and successful Tajik poet of our time. He was engaged in creativity for more than forty years, leaving behind a rich heritage.