Malalai of Maiwand

Malalai of Maiwand
A drawing of Malalai holding Ayub Khan's flag at the battlefield of Maiwand in July 1880 A drawing of Malalai holding Ayub Khan's flag at the battlefield of Maiwand in July 1880
Born	1861 Khig, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan
Died	July 1880 (aged 18–19) Maiwand, Kandahar province, Afghanistan
Nationality	Afghan
Other names	Malalai Nia, Malala and Malalai of Maiwand
Ethnicity	Pashtun
Known for	Battle of Maiwand

Malalai of Maiwand (Pashto language: د ميوند ملالۍ), also known as Malala (Pashto language: ملاله), or Malalai Anaa (Pashto language: ملالۍ انا, meaning Malalai the "Grandmother") is a national folk hero of Afghanistan who rallied local Pashtun fighters against the British troops at the 1880 Battle of Maiwand. She fought alongside Ayub Khan and was responsible for the Afghan victory at the Battle of Maiwand on 27 July 1880, during the Second Anglo-Afghan War. She is also known as "The Afghan Jeanne D'Arc" and as "The Afghan Molly Pitcher" to the Western world. There are many schools, hospitals, and other institutions named after her in Afghanistan. Her story is told in the Afghan school text books. The young women's-rights activist Pakistani Malala Yousefzai is said to be named after Malalai of Maiwand.

Early life

Malalai was born in 1861 at a small village called "Khig", about 3 miles southwest of Maiwand in the southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan. During the late 1880s, for the second time, Afghanistan was occupied by British-Indian forces attempting to colonise the area and annex it with what was then British India (now Pakistan and India). The main garrison of the British was located in Kandahar, which is the closest city to the town of Maiwand. The military of Afghanistan was represented by commander Ayub Khan, son of Afghan Emir Sher Ali Khan. Malalai's father, who was a shepherd, and her fiancé joined with Ayub Khan's army in the large attack on the British-Indian forces in July 1880. Like many Afghan women, Malalai was there to help tend to the wounded and provide water and spare weapons. According to local sources, this was also supposed to be her wedding day.

Legacy and early death

File:Malalai of Maiwand.jpg

The famous shouting of Malalai of Maiwand; "Young love!, If you don't fall in the battle of Maiwand, By God, someone is saving you as a symbol of shame!"

Afghan military commanders on 2 September 1880, about a month after their victory at the Battle of Maiwand.

When the Afghan army was losing morale, despite their superior numbers, Malalai took the Afghan flag and shouted:

“

Young love! If you do not fall in the battle of Maiwand, By God, someone is saving you as a symbol of shame!

”

This inspired the Afghan fighters to redouble their efforts. When a leading flag-bearer was killed, Malalai went forward and held up the flag (some versions say she used her veil as a flag), singing a landai:

“

With a drop of my sweetheart's blood, Shed in defense of the Motherland, Will I put a beauty spot on my forehead, Such as would put to shame the rose in the garden!

”

But then Malalai was herself struck down and killed. However, her words had spurred on her countrymen to victory. After the battle, Malalai was honored for her efforts and buried in her native village of Khig, where her grave remains today. She was between 17-19 at her death. The Pashtun poet Ajmal Khattak wrote the following lines about Malalai:^{[citation needed]}

“

My Malalai is living, and they praise others' beauty. Though they have eyes, they are blind.

”

Burial

“When the maiwand was conquered in the result of huge casualties and sacrifices, and Afghan Conquerors were going to bury their Martyrs, Ghazi Sardar Muhammad Ayub Khan asked: who is this girl, which caused Afghan Army emotional and courageous in such a sensitive and tender situation by her Landays?, some one replied: she is “Malala”, the daughter of a shepherd, the resident of Maiwand. Another replied: she is very brave, so she should be buried along with Martyrs. Ayub Khan replied: well said. All the Imaams and National soldiers of the holy war prayed, asking her Forgiveness from Almighty Allah. And then submitted her to soil."

"Her grave lies east of the village of Karez, and locals view it as a shrine."

Poem

Maiwand Malalai's poem when from that Afghans make their fight effort dubble.

“

Ka Pah Maiwand Kay Shaheed Na Sh'way kh'day'go La'Lia Bay-Nangay ta daye sA-teena

”

“

Pashto: که په میوند کی شهید نشوی خدایږو لالیه بی ننګی ته دی ساتینه

”

See also

• Women's rights in Afghanistan
• Malala Yousefzai
• Malalai Joya
• Nazo Tokhi
• Afghan Girl

External links

• Afghan heroine Malalai
• Malalai of Maiwand
• Afghan Women's History