Qadir Yaar
Birth
Qadir Yaar was a renowned Sufi qissakar (romantic ballad poet) of the era of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. By composing the Qissa "Puran Bhagat," he rendered this legendary tale immortal. Verses from this qissa are still remembered orally by the people today. Through this narrative, Qadir Yaar portrayed the human being as a mere puppet in the hands of fate.
Qadiryar was a leading qissa (narrative poem) writer of the 19th century. Scholars believe his real name was Qadir Bakhsh, and Qadiryar was his pen name (takhallus). There is considerable disagreement among thinkers about the exact birthplace and date of birth of Qadiryar. Based on his own writings, it is believed that he was born in the village Machhike, in the district of Gujranwala, which is now in Pakistan:
“Mauzah Machhike pind hai jagah meri,
Sandhu zaat hai aakh sunaya main”
(Machhike is the name of my village; I am from the Sandhu clan, that I declare.)
No precise or confirmed information is available regarding his exact date of birth, but according to the book History of Punjabi Qissa Poetry, the year of his birth is stated to be around 1800 CE. Apart from this, many scholars consider his lifespan to be from 1802 CE to 1892 CE.
In Punjabi literature, Qadiryar’s main compositions include:
Mehrjanama
Rozanama
Qissa Puran Bhagat
Qissa Sohni-Mahiwal
Seeharfi Hari Singh Nalwa
Var Puran Bhagat
Var Rani Kokilan / Raja Rasalu, etc.
Among all these works, it was Qissa Puran Bhagat that elevated Qadiryar’s literary stature the most. This qissa became so popular during that time that a king rewarded the poet with a well (khuuh) as a prize.
Qadiryar’s compositions reflect his poetic strength, life experiences, realistic expression, and use of folk idioms. His language is simple, filled with local sayings, and his style of expression is sharp yet free of exaggeration.
Although a Muslim poet, Qadiryar presented Indian traditions, history, and mythology through his works with great grace and balance.