Mir Abdul Hussain ‘Sangi’
(1851-1924)

Dr. Badruddin Ujan, a noted scholar & former civil servant has started contributing a series of research based articles on well known politico-religious figures of bye gone era. This being the fifth part of the series of high class writeups.

Mir Abdul Hussain was born in 1651 A. D. in Calcutta, where his parents passing their days in exile. It is said Talpurs were the last rulers of Sindh, when Britishers conquered Sindh. All the Talpur male members of ruling family were held captives. They were shifted to Calcutta. Mir Abbas Ali Khan s/o Mir Naseer Khan married with an English lady, while he was in exile. Thus the birth of our poet took place in 1851 A. D. Mir Abdul Hussain became an orphan because his mother and then his father breathed the it last. Now Sangi was looked after by his uncle, Mir Hassan Ali Khan, who cared him very much and arrangement was made for his early education which he got in Persian, Arabic and Urdu.

Fortunately, the banishment of princes came to an end and they were brought to Hyderabad. Sangi was still in his teens, when he met his grandmother. Here young Sangi was taught Sindhi by Akhund Ahmed of Hala.

Now Mir Abdul Hussain passed his time in touring and hunting in the far flung areas around Hyderabad. Once it thus happened that he became the victim of Cupid’s dart and thus he fell in love with a lass. As long as dart pierced into his heart his wound became wider and he lost his peace of mind. When he knew this, he being an influential person, within no time brought that damsel and made her Sangi s life partner.

It is said that Man proposes God dispose. In the light of this saying, the damsel now Sangi s wife, left him for ever, never to return again.

Melancholy and moroseness, grief and despondency entered into partnership of Sangi. He received more than the fair-share of blows from misfortune. He passed his days in gloom and seclusion. His uncle could not bear this. He arranged for his second marriage with Miss Wright daughter of Dr. Wright. Now Sangi entered into second phase of his life. He became serious and sober. Thus he was appointed as a magistrate, which he very reluctantly accepted. He was very kind in giving decisions. By now, he was about to complete for four scores of his age, quite worn-out and fatigued. Thus the president of Immortals ended his sport with Sangi on 12th June, 1924.

Mir Abdul Hussain Sangi, has achieved good name and fame in the field of poetry. His specialty was Ghazal. At that time Ghazal was more popular, though it originated from the days of Kalhora period. Noor Muhammad Khasto and Hafiz Asli were the popular poets of that era. We find glimpses of this branch of poetry in Sachal, Bedil and Misri Shah. Ghazal was at the zenith during the reign of Mirs. It was deeply affected by Persian, being an official language. ’Ghazal stood high in comparison to other branches of poetry. That is why we find a symmetry of poets of Ghazal. It starts from Sachal and Bedil and reaches Gut’, ’Qasim and ’Fazul’ and down it comes upto Qaleech, Hameed, ’Balbul , Gada’, ’Ajiz , ’Khadim and Was if . This galaxy of writers were the popular poets of Ghazal. Mir Abdul Hussain Sangi was a contemporary of there all and he stood high illuminating like pole star. Syed Ghulam Mohammad Shah Gada , was his Ustad , in poetry.

When we analyse the poetry of Sangi , we find him as a poet of multifarious qualities and capabilities. In his poetry, we get sparks of love and beauty, Tasuf and moral nicety, flow and simplicity. The reason that he ranks high among his contemporaries is that, he has chosen the topic from his homeland and has depicted the characteristics of his folk-people. He has felt deeply the pangs of love and boldly declares that:

I have become addict of love and thought am bare headed, without any Crown, yet my hair are my Crown. 

On another occasion, he solemnly declares his love for Deity, by saying that from years I am search of you, I cannot chew any thing except your sweet names. 

In one of his poems he show his will power and stands firm at his choice of beloved, he says, he is my choice, I) love him from the core of my heart, I damn care for the choice of others. 

Sangi is a religious minded man, his faith is firm. He admits the Omnipresence of Almighty and expresses the He has come for my rescue, whenever, whenever I have remembered Him. 

Our poet, is of the view that morality is a jewel. One should behave respectfully with every one though young or old, good or bad. 

If we want to see simplicity and devotion of Sangi, we can remember his lives in which he says that, I am a chronic patient of love, who soever cocneforward to cure me, he is no less than a fool. 

Sangi, has depicted the folk-tales in a simple and lucid style, Marvi, tales Umar , that Oh, King I cannot be lured by your pomp and dignity and wealth. I cannot forget my kith and kin and my husband. 

Again, Marvi boldly tells Umar, that though you are powerful, even then I never fear from you, no doubt I am weak and helpless even then I shall give you proper punishment. 

Yet, another _Iuality of purity of mind, Sangi has told us and says that I do not understand the language of deceit. Whatever be the behavioutof my relatives with me I shall continee to be loyal to them. 

We find flight of thought and sensuousness in Sangi in his following poems. He describes the plight of Candle, which was restless from dusk to dawn, while looking at my deplorable plight. 

The poet beautif ally describes that, when I was sucking the honey from the lips of my beloved with utmost zeal, the candle could not tolerate it and just it started trickling down tears and was dwindling.

Last, but not the least, the poet describes the natural beauty -)f the eyes of his beloved, though they are without antimony, even then, they possess such power that I always remain spell-bound under the gazing looks of your eyes. 

Sangi was a pictorial poet, his conscience was alive, he was well aware of the changing patterns of life and thus he says that social conditions are subject to change. Impossibilities are being trumpeted upon unnecessarily, whatever it was invinsible, is said to be visible, and what was inaudible and is to be made audible. 

These were the illustrations from Sangi. Thus we can say that Mir Abdul Hussain Sangi was a poet of many qualities. He was born poet. His language is worth chewable which can easily be digested by any person irrespective of his educational status. Volumes are insufficient to portray his poetry and his thought.

(Dr. Badar Ujan is a noted Sindhi intellectual & a retired Civil servant).