| LITERATURE |
|
Shah
Abdul Latif Bhitai:
Shah
Abdul Latif Bhitai is known to the rustic as well as to the intellectuals
of Sindh. He is the only poet who is equally popular among his
people. No can other poet of any language is read and recited
among his people as our great poet is. He is torch bearer of Sindh.
Shah is synonymous with Sindh. He is the very fountain head of
Sindhi culture and language, and his message is as fresh as it
was in his times. Sindhi people find solace and comfort in Shah’s
poetry as well as enjoy and happiness. This is the socio-cultural
truth of Shah’s poetry that spells the very breath of his people.
It is the spiritual message of his poetry, couched in the most
touching words, harmonized with a musical settings, that makes
a direct appeal to the hearts of the readers and listeners in
every walk of life. Whenever a man recites or hears this sublime
poetry that uplifts his very soul. The feelings of Sindhi people
are so attuned to this poetry, that listening to its harmonious
and ecstatic tunes and its spiritual message conveyed in the most
impressive words, their eyes are often filled with tears. Such
is the familiarity with the versus of great poet that the verses
an often quoted at appropriate moments in the daily life by men
and women, elite and rustic and Muslims alike. It
is not the Sindhis who are enthralled by this ecstatic musical
thoughts but even the foreigners like H.T Sorely, Ernest Trump
and Dr. Annemarie Sohinnel and many more others have come under
its impact and spell. In 1919 we see H.T Sorely taken aback when
he happened read Shah Abdul Latif’s following verse and felt rebellious
attitude of the great poet. Heads of those in front on
cutting block, While
reading this verse he felt rebellious attitude of the people of
Sindh land and ordered to register the criminal case against him.
The editor of the magazine was brought in the court where H.T
Sorely was himself a magistrate. He made queries and came to know
that the verse belonged to Shah Latif and ordered to arrest the
poet but he was informed by the editor that the poet had passed
away a century and half period before. When H.T Sorely learnt
the facts he was moved deeply and enclaimed in anger, “what a
great and rebellious the poet is although he passed away a long
befer yet his message is danger for our rules!” then he started
counseling the scholars and was assured that impacts of such referents,
on the whole Shah Latif is a poet of peace and prosperity. From
this juncture of time H.T. Sorely starts his scholarly work.
He learnt Sindhi language and was able to read and understand
the great poet and finally in 1940 he rendered selection from
the poetry in English verse and included them in his book entitled,
“Shah Abdul Latif of Bhitt: His poetry, life and Times.” Which
was published by the Oxford University Press. It is a remarkable
work of research about Shah and Sindh. In his book H.T Sorely
writes, “The collection of mystical poems known as the Risalo
of Shah Abdul Latif of Bhitt is the only classic which the language
of Sindh land has yet produced in the realm of deeply imaginative
literature.” He further writes, “He
has successfully interpreted the most intimate thoughts
and the sincerest feelings of people. He was actually expressing
in his own language ideas that were the current thought of his
time… he is the real jewel of Kalhora time.” Shah
Abdul Latif’s poetry contains a good member of references to the
current socio-political events which he had witnessed. To explain,
by reference to the historical and social environment of the age
in which the poems were composed, something of the message and
meaning they convey, let us have a brief account of the period
of great poet. The
Mughal power in its decline felt more than any other part of the
sub-continent, in the care of Sindh and local Kalhoras were gaining
power. In 1707 A.D Aurangzeb died and at that time our great poet
was that of 17 years young and ardent man. In 1701 Yar Muhammad
Kalhora become the independent under of North part of Sindh and
in 1718 A.D he accompanied and helped the Mughal army waging war
against Shah Inayat in Jhoke. In this fight, Shah Inayat was martyred.
This event left grave impact on our great poet become the former
ws his ideal friend and inted him frequently at this term our
great poet is that of 28 years. In 1719 A.D Yar Muhammad died
and Noor Muhammad Kalhora occupied the save seats and during his
time another great religious figure named Abdul Rehman lining
in Khuhara was martyred by the Kalhora forces in 1733. at this
time Shah Latif’s age is 43 years. In 1736 A.D Noor Muhammad Kalhora
became the ruler of whole Sindh and Mughal rule ended here with
full freedome of Sindh soil. At this time our poet is 46 years
old. In 1740 just after the four years of tits independence, Nadir
Shah attacked Sindh and Sindh was forced to pay varying amounts
of tribute to the suzerains from time to time. And then in 1748
Ahmed Shah Abdali attacked Sindh and again the Kalhora rulers
paid tributes to save their so-called kingship. With such a historical
and socio-political background and crucial happenings, the entire
Sindhi Society was in topsy-turvy state. It is exceedingly unfortunate
that the period Shah Abdul Latif is totally of peace and prosperity.
So there was a need to rebuild the society and for rebuilding
the society Shah Abdul Latif emphasized on the character building
of individual as well as collective. To bring revolution this
people on great poet comes out with revolutionary ideas and feels
strong urge to change the society and thus becomes the representative
poet of Sindh. In
quest of delivering eternal truth and lasting values for rebuilding
his nation. Shah has a message in his poetry. The underlying theme
of all the chapters is, there is man to cultivate those goodly
attributes in himself which will facilitate him in his efforts
towards a higher evolution in the society. Shah’s poetry reflects
the process involved by which man’s relation with his creator,
with society and with individual. It includes waging constant
war against evil, temptation, ignorance, sloth and moral relapses
that bring serious courageous; aberrations that lead to man’s
fall from grace to be redeemed by repentance; inability of sacrifice
and the difficulty of living in this world. Shah Latif wants to
teach these truths and that cannot be directly communicated, they
are transmitted through allegory, symbols and images. The
perusal of Shah Latif’s poetry makes one realize what is to be
an “integrated man” and how to become such a man. Shah’s musical
themes reveals to us how a esthetic emotional experience can develop
human personality. Shah Latif is ever conscious of the plight
of the poor and peasants. It is his concern for this class of
people of Sindh and his love for Sindh, that he has selected the
incidents and episodes from the folk love and history but the
significance of Shah’s character is that he puts his youth character
in its most crucial events that again reveals the fact that Shah
expects his youth to play the vital role in society. Here lies
the significance of youth in Shah’s poetry that deals with the
higher evolution of youth. Youth is loving one and beloved in
his poetry, the youth of every strata of society. Shah is spokesman
of the longings and love, aspiration and ideals of youth. Shah
presents all that in musical thoughts fused with deep emotions
that touch the very core of their heart. Here is power, beauty
and appeal of his youth characters. It
is fact that all the characters of Shah Latif’s poetry, heroes
and heroines are quite young when he puts them in practice of
social life. Through his young characters he gives us the principles
of noble life, concept of civilized life, he encourages them to
unite and struggle. Peace is essential in life that paves way
for prosperity. Peace comes to the sacker after repenting for
the wrong doings done and controlling the bare passions and adopting
piety. Shah Latif mainly refers to the moral uplift of man which
leads ultimately to the revelation of eternal truths, it can be
applied to any one who pursues an ideal and struggles for its
achievement. Man too is confronted with many hardships and has
to sacrifice much in various ways. Shah says if man is selfless,
sincere in the pursuit of his goal, is not dismayed by the many
obstacles and hurdles that came in his way, then undoubtedly the
will succeed in achieving his ideal. This is fact is the undercurrent
of nearly all the stories of Shah Abdul Latif. “Let your head be an anvil,
then ask for smith’s abode, Shah
Abdul Latif teaches us to control one’s mind and make it so conscious
that it finds peace. He guides man as a spiritual journey have
to control the own self and have to subdue his passions. Once
who is able to control his anger, is patient and dels with every
one in a kind and humble way. Shah’s following verses contain
golden advice to what makes a rightness life and have to live
it which chiefly consists in following the path of self control
so as to bring peace, through humility, kindness, courtesy, patience
and forbearance. 1. Be humble and gentle, anger
brings sorrow and confusion, 2. Be patient, patient ones
win, anger brings suffering, 3. Peace resides in patient
ones’ abade, wranglers lose, 4. Retaliate not harsh talk, 5. Wroth gains naught, none
profits by its, 6. Offend not those who offend
you not, Shah
Latif advices the man to seek the company of those who give comfort
to he disturessed and not of those who cause more suffering to
the already distress and one. |
