Mrs. Allama Kazi who was called by all as "Mother Elsa Kazi", was a remarkable woman indeed. She was German by birth, but a Sindhi by spirit and God had bestowed upon her the grace of being one of the greatest poets of her time. She was not only a poet of very high caliber, but painter of great distinction, besides she was a writer of repute, she wrote one-act plays, short stories, plays, novels and history. She was a composer and a musician of considerable attainments. Indeed, there was hardly any conspicuous branch of Fine Arts that she did not practice to perfection. Although she did not know Sindhi language directly but still she managed to produce translation in English verse of the selected verses of Shah Abdul Latif after the pith and substance of the meanings of those verses were explained to her by Allama I. I. Kazi. She has successfully couched the substance of those verses in a remarkable poetical setting which, in musical terms, reflects the echo of the original Sindhi metrical structure and expression in which Latif had cast them. Her's remains the best translation so far in English of Shah Abdul Latif's poetry. Elsa Kazi (Elsa Gertrude Loesch) was born in Rudel Stadt (a small village in Germany) on 3rd October, 1884, in the house of a great musician, who ultimately migrated to Dulwich London. She was a daughter of prosperous German Eldermn. He had property in London which was destroyed in World War-II. After war, compensation was paid to her respect of such property. Her paintings are often seen in many distinguished family homes. She also painted the famous courtesan queen of Khairpur Mirs, "Bali". It was in London that she met Allama I. I. Kazi, just by a sheer chance. It so happened, that once Allama Kazi, having arrived at a railway station, just in time, while the train had already started moving. He was however able to board in, in the last compartment which was empty, excepting a solitary young lady occupying a corner quarter. Reared in a traditional family background of saints & sages, Mr Kazi felt very much embarrassed and kept standing near the door with his back to the lady. Elsa was amazed, astonished and amused to meet a man, who would not take seat, despite repeated offers and would only repeat apologies. For a man who was so innocent chaste and interesting, she sought his address and thus developed a life long association. The couple was married in Germany in 1910 A.D. The fate had so ordained that a Sindhi scholar should get joined in wedlock with a German poetess, to make a versatile couple of scholarly eminence. The couple lived in London from 1911 to 1919, and occasionally came on short visit to Sindh. Altogether, the couple spent 30 years of life in England, during which they remained engaged in research, tracing the evolution of religion through the ages up to the advent of Islam. Both of them contributed numerous essays, articles and addresses in various vital branches of modern knowledge, besides preaching Islam under the aegis of Jamiatul Muslimeen. In the year 1919, the couple returned to Sindh, and Kazi Sahib first entered Government Judiciary Service, but subsequently joined Khairpur State Service on deputation. After two years stay, because of some differences with His Highness Mir Ali Nawaz of Khairpur, he resigned and the couple left for London. The couple continued propagation of Islam in London till April 1951, when Allama was offered the post of Vice Chancellorship of University of Sindh. After 8 years, Allama Sahib, resigned from the post and couple lived a retired life at Hyderabad Sindh. In the year 1967, Mother Elsa Kazi was suddenly and seriously taken ill, with Ureoma, and breathed her last, at the ripe age of 83. She now lies buried along with her life-long companion Allama Kazi, at the New Campus of Sindh University Jamshoro, Hyderabad. (Source: Ali Ahmed K Brohi) Sindhi refers to an ethnic group of people originating in Sindh which is part of present day Pakistan. ... Fine art is a term used to refer to fields traditionally considered to be artistic. ... Sindhi (سنڌي، سندھی ØŒ सिन्धी sindhÄ«) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia, which is now a province of Pakistan. ... Shah Abdul Latif, a great scholar, saint and spiritual poet, was born in Hala Haveli near the Khatiyan village of Hyderabad District, Sindh in 1689. ... Sindhi refers to an ethnic group of people originating in Sindh which is part of present day Pakistan. ... Bali is an Indonesian island located at , , one of the Lesser Sunda Islands. ... Sindh (Sind) (Sindhi: سنڌ ;Urdu: سندھ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and is home to the Sindhis, Muhajirs and various other groups. ... For other uses, including people named Islam, see Islam (disambiguation). ... The University of Sindh is the second-oldest university in Pakistan. ...

External Links

• Poetry of Shah Abdul Latif, translated by: Elsa Kazi.