Khushal Khan Khattak

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Khushal Khan Khattak bigraphy, stories - Pashtun poet

Khushal Khan Khattak : biography

1613 – 25 February 1689

Khushāl Khān Khattak (1613 – 25 February 1689; ), also called Khushāl Bābā (), was a Pashtun poet, warrior and scholar, and chief of the Khattak tribe of the Pashtuns. Khushal preached the union of all Pashtuns, and encouraged revolt against the Mughal Empire promoting Pashtun nationalism through poetry. Khushal is the first Afghan mentor who presents his theories for the unity of the Afghan tribes against foreign forces and the creation of a nation-state. Khushal wrote many works in Pashto but also a few in Persian. Khushal is considered the "father of Pashto literature" and the national poet of Afghanistan.

Khushal’s life was spent in struggling against the oppressive Mughal Empire who had fluctuating relations with the Afghans of modern-day Afghanistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. In order to restore Afghan freedom, Khushal challenged powers of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and defeated the Mughal troops in many engagements. He was a renowned military fighter who became known as an "Afghan warrior-poet". The stand and fight attitude of Khushal was an important stance in Afghan history, and his opinions and ideas form a new stage in the ideological and intellectual development of the Afghans. Besides poetry and prose works, Khushal also wrote various translations from Persian and Arabic into Pashto.Stefan Sperl.

Death and tribute

Khushal continued to resist the Mughals on war fronts. These wars according to historians shook the foundations of the Mughal Empire. Khushal gave a romantic touch to his nationalist ideology, he visited the far flung areas, met with Pashtun tribal chiefs, particularly the Yousafzais, negotiated with them to bring about unity in Pashtun ranks against Mughals but failed in his efforts and returned broken hearted. After failing to unite the pashtoon tribes Khushal retired as a warrior and used his pen to point to weaknesses of his society, he was not only a great warrior but had keen sense wordplay. Khushal had written many poems mostly patriotic about his roots, about his tribe, about his nation and triumphs over invaders. Upon his retirement, his 57 sons began fighting for leadership. Meanwhile the Mughals had bribed his son Behram Khan to arrest or to kill Khushal. About this state, Khushal says, "my one demerit devours all my merits that I am Behram’s father and Behram is my son".Behram then sent his men to arrest his father as well. Upon the new of the army’s advance, Khushal at the age of 77 suited up in his armored suit, along with his only two brave sons, Nusrat Khan and Gohar Khan(only those two sons accompanied him till his death) and drew his sword and called out; "Whoever are men amongst you, come to the sword if you dare" The men returned to Bahram in shame. Bahram joined forces with Moghols set to capture his father, and before he could do so, Khushal Khan fled into Afridi territory in Tirah assisted by his two sons Nusrat Khan and Gohar Khan. Khushal passed away at the age of 78 on Friday, the 20th February 1689 at Dambara, after attempting for so many years to unite the various Pashtun tribes together. People searched for him and found his dead body a number of days later with his sword and the carcass of his horse (known as "Silai" in Pashto, which means Wind). His death symbolises his courage and his love for his Afghan (Pashtun) motherland.

The art of chieftainship thou hast not learned, bahram in your time you have dishonored the chieftainship from now on don’t count yourself amongst my sons that is the last prayer breathed by Khushal the Khattak

He desired before his death that he should be buried in a place where "the dust of Mughal horses’ hoofs may not fall on his grave." His whishes were carried out by his friend and his remains were laid at‘Esoori’ village in the Akora Khattak in Khattaks hills, where many Pashtuns continue to pay tribute and visit his tomb. His grave carries the inscription: "Da Afghan Pa nang mai watarala toora, nangyalai da zamanai Khushal Khattak Yam" (trans.: "I have taken up the sword to defend the pride of the Afghan, I am Khushal Khattak, the honorable man of the age.")http://www.afghanan.net/biographies/khoshalbaba.htm