Bulleh Shah

A good reminder.

The generations of Punjabi children after the partition have missed out on the spirit of Bulleh Shah and other Sufis of Punjab. While they can speak Punjabi, they neither read nor write. This almost criminal neglect of the mother tongue needs to be reveresed. I read recently that they are thinking of making Punjabi an optional language in small classess. Not too sure?

Only a strong cultural base (language & literature) can effectively fight the demon of extremism. Bulleh Shah should not be admired only as a part of history but should be a part of our everyday life. Omair. Thanks.

NHK

Thanks for the article and wonderful translation. Are there any works of Bulleh Shah translated into English, preferably alongside Punjabi text?

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thank you for this wonderful article. loved Bulleh`s poetry.

romair, thanks for bringing this up....and keep up the good work.

Nazarhayat and Romair:

Pakistan is currenly facing a water shortage. It is already freaked out in trying to make sure India only uses the Chenab water in run of river mode and not store any of it.

Water is the life-line of Pakistan. Keeping the current water crisis in view, Pakistan would never want to be in a state where it has to negotiate a water treaty BOTH with India AND an Independent Kashmir. This by itself would indicate that an independent Kashmir is not an option Pakistan realistically entertains. If anything, it would be frightened by it. Legitimate desires of Kashmiris wanting to be free notwithstanding.

Do you not think, that from Pakistan`s perspective, an independent Kashmir is out of the question particularly in this regard (aside from all the other reasons)?

Though this is a Bulleh Shah board, you guys can also tell me what Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah would do versus what will probably end up happening. Thanks.

Cheers!

Romair, good article.Poets like Bulleshah inspire people to learn the language they write in.
Is he taught in schools colleges? And how much of research is done published on him and other sufi poets?
On another note,I think Kabir is the fountainhead of all the Sufi poetry in the subcontinent. It would be interesting to know how much Kabir has influenced other Sufi poets.Perhaps someone can enlighten.
And I think it is a moot point to even mention the religion of such people and those who appreciate them,coz they have developed their ethical frameworks and sensibilities independent of exclusivist religion,and religion to them is an accident of birth.

Thank you, romair, for this wonderful article. Bulleh Shah was indeed a great man and a great poet revered by Punjabis of all faiths. These days Khawja Ghulam Farid is considered by most West Punjabis to be the greatest of all Punjabi poets. His style is much more lyrical than that of Bulleh Shah and his tone somewhat more melancholy. I hope you can find the time to write an article about Ghulam Farid too.

well, it is unfair and unnecessary to assign the title of greatest Punjabi poet to any one without first establishing the criteria and setting the parameters. Usually, as in Urdu poetry, it is the common agreement among contemporay literati in the field of poetry to distinguish one above the rest for various reasons. If popularity is the criterion than Waris Shah should beat hands down and by a wide margin all others for the title of the greatest Punjabi poet since he wrote the bible of Punjabi culture, which is popular all across Punjab like nothing else. If celebrations of poets is the criterion than Shah Hussein with famous mela charaghaN and Baba Farid for his annula urs at Pakpattan would come out on the top, although this fame has little to do wih poetry in the case of Baba Farid Shakargang.

Among Punjabi Sufi poets, the spiritual and metaphysical subjects in poetry decrease in order from Sultan Bahu, Baba Farid, Bulley Shah, Shah Hussein, Mian Mohammed, Khawaja Ghulam Farid and Waris Shah. One one end is purely endorphin inspired poetry of Sultan Bahu and on the other testosterone inspired wordly subjects entering into poetry although such can be metaphorically read as metaphysical.

Bulley Shah and Shah Hussein poetry is written in oral traditions although Shah Hussein showed interest in the collection of his poetry. Poetry in oral traditions starts without following strict rules of poetry and flexibility lets lyrical and parameters enter slowly over time by the readers and scribes but the credit remains with the original creator. Poetry in oral traditions uses more vernacular and less vocabulary otherwise its purpose fails.

Lyrical qualities are also partially added by the singers using various ragas to fit the poetry which may not look lyrical to common people. Southern Punjab traditions of singing Sufi poetry by folk artists and Khwaja Ghulam Farid using temporal love or worldly metaphors has helped him become more popular than others.

Bulley Shah is very popular in the current atmosphere because of his history of conflict with mullahs of his time. He is a great poet and his stand for his local environment and over unilateral self-assigned caste superiority of Syeds (which was very common among Syeds of Uch GilaniaN) is greatly appreciated.

a bida parveen: Ikk nuktay vich..
click on streaming real media.

Bulleh-shah Kalaam.

Can someone please elaborate these lines ( I think 4th stanza)`` ali binaa eemaan naee labdaa,
paavaiN vichay dafn madina ho``

Also! the first three lines before this also need a bit reflection : Any real personalities of the times ( or otherwise) being hinted at?

This is the first contribution of any merit by Umair Raja. Well done.

Hope we will read more about historical figures who had the love of local people in their heart.

If my memory serves me right, I heard somewhere that of the 16 or so individuals (including the 9 gurus) who form the teachings of the sikh holy book, Guru Garant Sahib, one of them is Baba Buleh Shah.

Umair, the verse that you quoted:

Masjid dha de, mandir dha de, dha de jo kucch dainda
Par kisi da dil na dhain, Rab dilan vich rehnda..

actually goes like this:

Masjid Dha Day, Mandir Dha Day
Dha Day Jo Kujh Disda
Par Kissay Da Dil Na Dhawee(n)
Rub Dilaa(n) Wich Wasda

Here is another beautiful one:

Chal Way Bullehya Chal O`thay Chaliyay
Jithay Saaray Annay
Na Koi Saadee Zaat PichHanay
Tay Na Koi Saanu Mannay

O` Bulleh Shah let`s go there
Where everyone is blind
Where no one recognizes our caste (or race, or family name)
And where no one believes in us

and here is perhaps in (my opinion) the most melodius, the most intoxicated piece of one of his kafi. Alas, an english translation will not do much justice. Only Abida Parveen could have sung it so well:

Tere ishak ne dera mere andar keeta,
Bhar ke zehar pyaala maen aape peeta.
Jhhabdey aaveen ve tabeeba nahi te maen mar gaiya
Tere ishak nachaaya kar thaiya thaiya.

Ais ishak di jhangi vich mor bulenda,
Sahnu kaaba te kibala pyaara yaar dasenda.
Sahnu ghaayal karke pher khabar na laiya.
Tere ishak nachaaya kar thaiya thaiya.

Article is good informative. good effort.

Shahid Nadeem and Madeeha Ghauhr has produced a long stage play on life of Bullah Shah. The story line, the theme and presentation is wonderful. It brings what I call - the Mullah and Bullah conflict - to light on stage in a very captivating manner. Bullah has said somethings that Mullahs would have liked to hang him then or even now. Bullah is antothesis of Mullah...it is funy when some Mullahs praise Bullah..because they really don`t know what he wrote.

NHK #1: Omair. Thanks.``

My pleasure. Glad you liked it...

``Bulleh Shah should not be admired only as a part of history but should be a part of our everyday life. ``

How true. Of all the, ``thinkers`` I have read, from various parts of the world, Bulleh Shah is the most appealing. Those who have spent their lives reading only Western thinkers should seriously take the time to read the Sufi poets.

`` read recently that they are thinking of making Punjabi an optional language in small classess. Not too sure?``

Punjabi is only a spoken language in Pakistan. I think if Pakistan`s literacy rate advances, Punjabi will disappear as a language. It will die in the contest of survival of the fittest. For Pakistan, as a country that may actually be a good thing. Though for those of us, who admire Bulleh Shah, it will be tragic. The only hope of the survival of Punjabi, in my opinion, is that it is the religious language of Sikhs.

Jamalrana #2: ``Thanks for the article and wonderful translation. Are there any works of Bulleh Shah translated into English, preferably alongside Punjabi text?``

You are welcome.

There are some writings of Bulleh Shah, including books. But very very limited, in comparison, to say, Ghalib. Primarily due to the death of Punjabi in Pakistan. His poetry has been translated into English, but once again, in a limited fashion. Check out www.apnaorg.com for a long list of his translations with Punjabi text. If I can ever get a year off, I seriously would like to translate whatever I can.

faisaluno #5: ``thanks for bringing this up....and keep up the good work.``

You are welcome....

rahul_capri #6: ``good article.Poets like Bulleshah inspire people to learn the language they write in........Is he taught in schools colleges? And how much of research is done published on him and other sufi poets?``

Thanks. Unfortunately, there is very little research on Bulleh Shah. Had it not been for Abida Parveen, NFAK, Junoon etc., Bulleh Shah would have disappeared from the mainstream. However, now it is, ``cool`` to quote Bulleh Shah again.

Punjabi is not taught in Pakistan, other than in college. And that too almost non-existent. I have met one person in my whole life who had a degree in Punjabi. So she may have studied Bulleh Shah academically. Punjabi in Pakistan, is generally considered the language of uneducated common folk.....The only areas where it has had a lot of success is in movies and music, where it dominates Urdu and English....

dionysus #8: ``Thank you, romair, for this wonderful article. Bulleh Shah was indeed a great man and a great poet revered by Punjabis of all faiths.....

You are welcome. Bulleh Shah is, no doubt, a philosopher par excellence.

echoboom #9: Will comment on it in a later reply.

sameerJB #10: ``well, it is unfair and unnecessary to assign the title of greatest Punjabi poet to any one without first establishing the criteria and setting the parameters.``

The exact term used was, ``arguably the greatest.`` These are, as you stated, very subjective opinions. Each person will have his own ideas. There is no right nor wrong. Some say Ghalib wrote the best ghazals, some say Mir did. But I don`t think it is an unnecessary attempt, though it can be unfair at times.

``Bulley Shah is very popular in the current atmosphere because of his history of conflict with mullahs of his time.``

I would put Bulleh Shah in the philosopher category. I don`t think Bulleh Shah`s popularity springs only from his conflict of mullahs. There is a lot more to him that that. That part of his poetry appeals to one class of his readers, who already dislike mullahs. Bulleh Shah obviously hated mullahs. But he hated mullahs of all relgions. And mentions Hindu, ``mullahs`` regularly also. And he disliked a lot of other groups also.

In addition, he seems to have had a lot of knowledge of Islam, and uses its concepts as the central basis of his poetry, i.e. the Islamic defintion of God. At the same time, he is very sensitive to all religions. I have not read anything in his poetry, which, in any way, humiliates Islam, Hinduism, Sikh faiths, as religions. While many people currently, who hate mullahs, humiliate Islam as a religion, also.

But most of all, Bulleh Shah disliked anyone who tried to proclaim authority over ideas. He criticizes qazis (jurists) and intellectuals and anyone who tries to make life too complicated and is elitist. He would probably be quite uncomfortable on Chowk and would have probably ridiculed all of us here as as being elitist self-proclaimed know-it-alls, with nothing in common with the common Punjabi peasant.

To me, the biggest achievement of Bulleh Shah is his popularity amongst the common man of all three religions of Punjab - Islam, Hinduism and Sikh. And amongst religious and secular and even athiest folks, alilke. Not too many people can lay claim to that. He was a true humanist.

malik99 #12: ``Umair, the verse that you quoted:

Masjid dha de, mandir dha de, dha de jo kucch dainda
Par kisi da dil na dhain, Rab dilan vich rehnda..``

This is one of the best lines, ever written by anyone, in any language. As is, ``Bulleh! kee janna mein kaun.`` These are up there with, ``To be or not to be,`` ``Liberty, Equality, Fraternity,`` ``I think, therefore, I am`` etc.

Bulleh Shah`s poetry is actually read, sung and written in different ways by different people. Each twists and turns and changes the verses, keeping the general meaning the same. I spent about three hours, doing research on this verse on the Internet. Some places actually attributed it to Muhammad Baksh. So many people have translated it. The above was the most quoted version of this verse that I found. Though it is possible, it is incorrect..........

This was great. Thanks!

Umair
Thanks for writing such a good piece about Baba Bulleh Shah. It is unfortunate that some of us treat punjabi or the punjabi speaking third class, english the first, and urdu as second class. Ironically, we have such a beautiful punjbi poetry, which put humans at the center of life. The sufi poetry teaches that love of humans is true love of God. I have read Baba Bulley Shah, and Hazrat Sultan Bahu. It simply remove many of prejudices from your mind, and make you humble. It seems that they are not preaching you, yet you feel strong hunger to learn from them. It would be very nice if we add these poetry in our text book, so that we know our rich cultural heritage, and learn true humanity. Their messages are universal, and teaches the welfare of whole mankind. Those sufis believes on union, and not on partition. I am writind some verses of Hazrat Sulatn Bahu for our readers. Hopefully, they will enjoy it.

Shariat deh darwazey uchey, rah fikr da mori hu
Alam fazal langhan na dhaindey, jo langda(pass thru) soo chori hu
pat pat ittan(bricks) wattey maran, dard mandan deh khorie hu
raz(secret) mahi(loved-one) da ashiq janan Bahu, keh janan loak(people) athuri hu

Regards.