Later artistic depiction of Nazo Tokhi, not an authenticated historical likeness.
Later artistic depiction of Nazo Tokhi, not an authenticated historical likeness. Afghan government · Public domain · Image source ↗ (opens in a new window)

Classical · Attributed verse

Nazo Tokhi

نازو توخۍ

A historical Afghan woman to whom Pashto poetry is attributed in later literary tradition, though attribution requires serious textual caution.

Life and work

Introduction

Nazo Tokhi, also known as Nazo Ana, was a historical figure associated with seventeenth-century Kandahar and the mother of Mirwais Hotak. Later literary tradition remembers her as an educated woman and poet.

The verse attributed to her depends chiefly on the Pata Khazana tradition. Because that work's authenticity is disputed, the archive will not present the attributed text as unquestionably authentic without independent manuscript evidence.

Important in Pashto literary memory as an early woman poet, but with textual attribution still under review.

Sources

Biographical references

Recorded works

Poems

Books and editions

Bibliography