Pizhman Bakhtiyari

Pazhman Bakhtiyari, Husan (1918-1974), son of ‘Ali Murad Amir Panja Bakhtiyari. He was a translator, lyricist, poet, with the nom de plume Pazhman. He was born in Tehran to ‘Alamtaj, an educated and well-read woman supporting women’s rights in Iran, who composed ghazals in this respect with the nom de plume Zhalih, and ‘Ali Murad Khan, a strict and cruel general from the Bakhtiyari tribe disfavoring his wife and son. His parents separated when he was one year ole and he was in the hands of his cruel step-mother and step-brother. He lost his father at the age of nine and General As’ad Bakhtiyari assumed his custody. He had an unhappy childhood in the tribe and natural environments and his poetry is profoundly influenced by his surroundings. Having received his formal education in Tehran and after graduation, he studied French at Saint Louis School in Tehran, where he was a classmate and friend of Nima Yushij. Having graduated from Saint Louis, he took up the study of classical sciences, studying with Adib Nayshaburi and Badi’ al-Zaman Furuzanfar. He served as the editor-in-chief of the Fikr-i Azad newspaper (1924-1925), directed by Ahmad Bahmanyar. Acquainted with the French language, he entered in 1925 the Radio School of the Military Administration affiliated with the War Ministry and graduated after completing a two year program. Having entered the School, he found employment at the Ministry of Post and Telegraph. He spent five months in Paris in 1947 as a supervisor of the students sent by the Ministry. He retired from administrative responsibilities in 1958. He worked for Radio Iran for a while cooperating in the production of the Gulha programs and was on the board of the Council of Poetry and Lyrics (Shura-yi Shi’r va Taranih). His cooperation with the Gulha programs led to his further renown. He began composing poetry at the age of 18 and was more interested in composing mathnavis. He also attended to the moral and emotional needs of the society, though he also composed lyrical ghazals in which he reminisces his good, childhood memories. He contributed to different newspapers and journals. He is a modernist poet of poetical vigor whose works reflect delicacy and fluency of speech and meaning. His works include the compositions Siyah-ruz; Zan-i Bicharih; Muhakimih-yi Sha’ir; Khashak. His translations include Vafa-yi Zan; Benjamin Constant; Pishih; Apaulet; Duzd-i Atfal; Mawahil-i Don; Qumar;Hoffman; Gurbih-yi Siyah (Black Cat) by Edgar Allen Poe. 

Asar-afarinan (2/ 121-122); Az Bahar ta Shiraz (384-389); Chahar Sad Sha’ir-i Barguzida-yi Parsi Saray (164-167).