Erkin Vohidov

Erkin Vohidov (Uzbek: Erkin Vohidov, Эркин Воҳидов) (born December 28, 1936) is an Uzbek poet, playwright, and literary translator. In addition to writing his own poetry, Vohidov has translated the works of many famous foreign poets, such as Aleksandr Tvardovsky, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Muhammad Iqbal, Rasul Gamzatov, and Sergey Yesenin into the Uzbek language.^[1] In 1987, Vohidov became a National Poet of the Uzbek SSR. In 1999, he was awarded the title Hero of Uzbekistan, the highest honorary title that can be bestowed on a citizen by Uzbekistan.^[2]

Life

Erkin Vohidov was born on 28 December 1936 in Oltiariq, Fergana, then the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. His father Chuyanboy Vohidov fought in the Soviet-German war against Nazi Germany and its allies and died in Tashkent after his return from the war. Later Erkin Vohidov's mother Roziyahon Vohidova also died. His uncle Karimboy Sohiboyev took care of him after both of his parents died.

In 1945, Vohidov moved to Tashkent and completed secondary school there. After graduating from Tashkent State University with a degree in philology in 1960, he started working at various publishing houses.

Work

Erkin Vohidov worked as an editor at Yosh Gvardiya (which was the Uzbek branch of Molodaya Gvardiya) from 1960 to 1963. He also worked as editor-in-chief at the same publishing house from 1975 to 1982. Vohidov served as editor-in-chief (1963-1970) and director (1985-1987) of another publishing house, Gʻafur Gʻulom. From 1982 until 1985, Vohidov worked as the head of the monthly periodical Yoshlik (Childhood).^[3]

Vohidov started writing poetry during his student years. His first poem was published when he was fourteen years old. His first collection of poems, Tong nafasi (The Breath of Morning), was published in 1961.

Literary works

The following is a list of Vohidov's books of poetry:

• Tong nafasi (The Breath of Morning) (1961)
• Qoʻshiqlarim sizga (My Songs are for You) (1962)
• Yurak va aql (The Heart and the Mind) (1963)
• Mening yulduzim (My Star) (1964)
• Nido (The Appeal) (1965)
• Lirika (Lyricism) (1965)
• Palatkada yozilgan doston (The Poem Written in a Tent) (1967)
• Yoshlik devoni (The Diwan of Youth) (1969)
• Charogʻbon (1970)
• Quyosh maskani (The Land of the Sun) (1972)
• Dostonlar (Poems) (1973)
• Tirik sayyoralar (The Living Planets) (1978)
• Sharqiy qirgʻoq (The East Coast) (1981)
• Kelajakka maktub (A Letter to the Future) (1983)
• Muhabbat (Love) (1984)
• Horzirgi yoshlar (The Current Youth) (1986)
• Iztirob (The Sorrow) (1991)
• Yaxshidir achchiq haqiqat (The Bitter Truth is Good) (1992)
• Saylanma (Selected Works)
  • Birinchi jild: Ishq savdosi (Volume I: The Quest of Love) (2000)
  • Ikkinchi jild: Shʼer dunyosi (Volume II: The World of Poetry) (2000)
  • Uchinchi jild: Umrim daryosi (Volume III: The River of My Life) (2000)

Erkin Vohidov has also written three plays: Oltin Devor (The Godden Wall), Istambul fojeasi (The Tragedy of Istanbul), and Ikkinchi tumor (The Second Talisman). Many of Vohidov's poems became the lyrics of famous songs. Some of his most famous poems that became songs are "Inson qasidasi" ("The Ode to Man") and "Oʻzbegim" ("My Uzbek People"), both sung by Sherali Joʻrayev.

Literary translations

Erkin Vohidov has translated the works of many famous foreign poets, such as Alexander Blok, Aleksandr Tvardovsky, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Mikhail Arkadyevich Svetlov, Muhammad Iqbal, Rasul Gamzatov, Sergey Yesenin, and Silva Kaputikyan into the Uzbek language. He translated Goethe's Faust into Uzbek in 1974. Especially noteworthy are his translations of Yesenin's works into Uzbek. Below is Vohidov's translation of Yesenin's farewell poem "Goodbye, my friend, goodbye" (1925):

Erkin Vohidov's own works in Uzbek have been translated into Russian and many other languages. The Soviet poet Robert Rozhdestvensky thought very highly of Vohidov's work.

References

External links

• Works of Erkin Vohidov (Uzbek)
• A website dedicated to Erkin Vohidov's life and work (Uzbek)