Avaz O‘tar o‘g‘li

Avaz O‘tar o‘g‘li was born on 25 August 1884 in Khiva in a craftsman’s family. His father Polvonniyoz O‘tar was a barber known as “usta O‘tar”; poets such as Ogahiy and Komil Xorazmiy often gathered at his home, which caused the young Avaz’s early interest in poetry. At eight he was sent to school, then studied at a madrasa and learned the works of Hofiz, Nizomiy, Jomiy, Navoiy and Fuzuliy. He began writing at about fourteen, became a renowned poet at eighteen and was invited to the khan’s court. But envious people slandered him to the khan: he was given 200 lashes, and later under Isfandiyorxon another 50. The poet died at 35 in 1919. He wrote in the genres ghazal, muxammas, masnaviy, mustazod, ruboiy and qit’a and collected his poems in the divan “Saodat ul-iqbol”. Enlightenment was the main theme of his work.