Sara Shagufta

Sara Shagufta was a Pakistani poet who wrote experimental, confessional, and political verse in Urdu and Punjabi. She was born in 1954 in the Punjabi city of Gujranwala, lived most of her life in Karachi, and after a series of hospitalizations and suicide attempts, was killed by a train in Drigh Colony, Karachi, in 1984. She belonged to a poor and uneducated family, and faced many hardships and struggles in her life. She was married four times, but none of her marriages were successful. She suffered from mental illness and depression, and felt alienated and rejected by society. She wrote poetry as a way of expressing her pain and anger, and challenged the norms and conventions of her time. She wrote in a bold and unconventional style, using imagery and metaphors that reflected her inner turmoil and despair. She also wrote about the political and social issues of her country, such as the oppression of women, the violence of the state, and the exploitation of the poor. She published two collections of poetry, Aankhein and Neend Ka Rang, which were edited by her lover Saeed Ahmed. Her poetry was also translated into English by Asad Alvi and published as The Colour of Sleep and Other Poems. She was influenced by and befriended by Indian author Amrita Pritam, who wrote two books based on her life and works, Ek Thi Sara and Life and Poetry of Sara Shagufta. She was also the subject of two plays, Main Sara by Shahid Anwar and Sara Ka Sara Aasman by Danish Iqbal. She was widely admired and respected by her fellow poets and writers, who praised her courage, originality, and talent. She was also a source of inspiration and empowerment for many women and marginalized people, who related to her voice and vision.