Career
He was the most celebrated Punjabi language poet at the time of the Partition of British India in 1947. "Eh Duniya Mandi Paise Di, Har Cheej Vikendi Bhaa Sajjna, Ethe Ronde Chehre Vikde Nahi,Hasne Di Aadat Paa Sajjna". A severe critic of military dictators who ruled over Pakistan for many decades, his most quoted lines censure the state of affairs in his country:
Pakistan diyaan mujaan hee maujaan chaarey passay faujaan hee faujan.
He goes on:
Jidhar vekho sigrat paan
zindabad mera Pakistan
Jidhar vekho kulchey naan
zindabad mera Pakistan! (Wherever you look its shops selling cigarettes and paan
Long live Pakistan! Wherever you look its shops selling bread and naan
Long live my Pakistan!)
A tailor by profession, in 1930 he stitched a suit for Iftikharuddin, who got impressed by his inspiring poetry verse, when the two met each other at his shop.
He invited Ustad Daman to recite his poem at a public meeting organised by the Indian National Congress, where Ustad Daman became an instant hit. Pandit Nehru, who was present at that public meeting, dubbed him the ‘Poet of Freedom’ after listening to his revolutionary anti-imperialist poetry.
However, Ustad Daman decided to stay in Lahore and the newly created country of Pakistan. He remained, throughout his life, a fierce opponent of dictatorship, civilian or military, and all corruption and hypocrisy.
His work and poetry were published as "Daman dey Moti" after his death by his devoted followers and admirers.
The poems he wrote are still widely quoted in the Punjab as well as in other regions of Pakistan. He first wrote under the pen name "Humdam", which was later changed to "Daman". The title ‘Ustad’ (meaning teacher or expert) was bestowed on him by the local people.
After that he became a regular participant in these political public meetings
An example of his poetry:
‘In China the Chinese are grand,
In Russia they do as they have planned. In Japan its people rule over its strand.
The British rule the land of England, The French hold the land of France, In Tehran the Persians make their stand. The Afghans hold on to their highland, Turkmenistan’s freedom bears the Turkmen’s brand, How very strange is indeed this fact,
That freedom in India is a contraband.’
The following poems of Ustad Daman were used in Pakistani films
"Bach jaa mundia maurr taun, mein sadqey teri tore taun" Sung by Noor Jehan, lyrics by Ustad Daman and music by Feroz Nizami, film Chan Wey (1951)
"Changa banaya aee sahnun khidona" Sung by Noor Jehan, lyrics by Ustad Daman, music by Feroz Nizami, film Chan Wey (1951).
