Ali Miya

Lok Kavi
Ali Miya
Lok Kavi Ali Miya
अलि मियाँ
	Ali Miya in 1988
Born	26 February 1919; Pokhara, Nepal
Died	4 August 2006 (aged 87); Kaski, Nepal
Nationality	Nepalese
Occupation	Folk poet
Awards	Jagadamba Shree Puraskar, 2060 BS

Ali Miya (Nepali: अलि मियाँ; 26 February 1919 – 4 August 2006) was a Nepalese folk poet.^[1] He was popularly known as "Lok Kavi".^[2]

Early life

Miya was born on 26 February 1919 in Pokhara, Nepal to father Din Mohammad and mother Jahuran Miya.^[3] He was one of the two surviving children of his parents who had thirteen children. He lost his mother when he was 18 months of age and his father at the age of two. He was raised by his brother and sister in law.^[4]

He joined the British army during the second world war at the age of 18. After five years in army, he returned home.

He only became literate at the age of 21.

Works

Biraktalahari (1949)
Nepali Jhyaure Geet Sangraha (1954)
Nyauni ko Pukara
Pahad ko Suskera
Seti ko Suskera (1972)
Ujyalo Bhaisakyo (1982)
Samjhana ko Diyo (1994)^[5]
Ali Miyan ko Awaz (2001)

Awards

The awards won by Ali Miyan are:

Indra Rajya Laxmi Pragya Puraskar (1991)
Shiromani Puraskar (1994)
Kumudini Kala Tatha Sahitya Puraskar (1995)
Narayan Gopal Sangeet Puraskar (2001)
Jagadamba Shree Puraskar (2003)^[6]^[7]

Personal life

He was married four times. He met Kulu, his first wife during a Dohori competition at Bhirkot. They separated. He then married Nooran Nisha with whom he had a son named Hanif Miya. Nooran died at the age of 18. He then married Umadh Nisha, Nooran's sister who also died at the age of 21. He then married Nani from Baglung whom he meet during a Dohori competition too.^[8]

Miya adhered to Islam but was respectful of all different religions.^[2]^[9] He even used to receive tika during Dashain form Hindu people and knew the shlokas of Ramayana and Mahabharata by heart. He had seven children. He died on 4 August 2006 and he was buried in Jayakot, Kaski, Nepal.^[6]

Ali Miya Lok Bangmaya Samman Puraskar

In the honor of the poet, every year a award named Ali Miya Lok Bangmaya Samman Puraskar (Ali Mian Folk Literature Honor Award) is given to individuals who have made notable contributions to folklore in Nepal, including folk music and folk literature by Ali Miya Lok Wangmaya Pratisthan (Ali Miya Folklore Academy ).^[10]

References

^ "Poet Ali Miya remembered". The Kathmandu Post. Archived from the original on 13 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
^ ^a ^b Dastider, Mollica (2007). Understanding Nepal: Muslims in a Plural Society. Har-Anand Publications. p. 97. ISBN 978-81-241-1271-7. Archived from the original on 13 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
^ "लोककविज्यू, आकाशमा बादलु डम्मै छ !". eKantipur (in Nepali). Archived from the original on 13 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
^ "स्रष्टा अली मियाँः द्रष्टा कलममा". साहित्यपोस्ट. 27 February 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
^ Adhikari, Jagannath; Seddon, David (2002). Pokhara: Biography of a Town. Mandala Book Point. p. 183. ISBN 978-99933-1-014-3. Archived from the original on 13 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
^ ^a ^b Singh, Rishi (5 August 2006). "Lok Kabi Ali Miyan laid to rest in Jayakot". The Himalayan Times. Archived from the original on 31 October 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
^ "अलि मियाँ". Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya (in Nepali). Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
^ "राजाकै विरोधमा गीत सुनाए, पुरस्कार लत्याइदिए". ekagaj. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
^ "लोककवि अली मियाँ स्मृति फुटबल प्रतियोगिता हुने". Setopati (in Nepali). Archived from the original on 13 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
^ "Kantipur-अमेरिकी आनालाई अलि मियाँ - कान्तिपुर समाचार". ekantipur.com. Retrieved 17 November 2021.