From Matsuo Bashō to Faisal Rehan: A Comparative Study of the Versatility of Haiku

Abstract

This study investigates the cross-cultural adaptation of haiku by comparing the classical Japanese haiku of Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694) with the contemporary Pakistani haiku of Faisal Rehan. Rehan explores Pakistani experiences, cultural symbols and social realities in Takht-e- Suleman Par (On the Thorne of Solomon). The findings reveal that while both poets maintain haiku's core characteristics—brevity, imagery, and suggestiveness—significant differences emerge in thematic emphasis and cultural expression. Bashō's haiku are rooted in Japanese aesthetics, Zen philosophy, and seasonal awareness, while Rehan’s haiku reflects contemporary Pakistani experiences, cultural symbols, and social realities. The study demonstrates haiku's remarkable versatility as a literary form capable of transcending geographical, linguistic, and cultural boundaries while retaining its distinctive poetic identity. This research contributes to comparative literature and cross-cultural poetics, highlighting how literary genres adapt to new cultural contexts.