Poet’s funeral echoes with his songs

The funeral of one the most iconic Sindhi contemporary poets echoed with tunes of traditional music and his friends sang his verses as they carried him to his final abode.

The homeless wanderer - Darbadar ­ was the pen name of Mama Juman which depicted his roaming across the province as a political activist striving for social awareness among the village people.

The wanderer finally came to rest in peace as his friends, comrades, and community members entered him to his earthen abode in his native village Ruhel Wai near Umerkot.

Mama Juman Darbadar died of a cardiac arrest at a ripe age 80 leaving behind grandchildren and thousands of fans.

As the news of his demise spread, thousands of political and social workers from different parts of the province reached his village and attended his funeral.

Well-known Sufi singer, Manjhi Faqeer, and other Sufi singers sung Juman's poetry 'Wathi Her Her Janam Warbo'. They also sang other songs of Darbadar before he was laid to rest.

"He was a poet, singer, performing artist and a political worker," commented Khalid Kumbhar, the writer. "Mama Juman was a gem of a person, a real political activist and a thorough gentleman," he added.

Referring his autobiography, Kumbhar said that Juman was one of the main characters of 1980s political movements and nationalist politics in Sindh.

Juman had joined Jeay Sindh Tehreek of Sain GM Syed with a vision to secure the rights of the downtrodden people of Sindh. "He was a common and poor man but joined the politics and visited every village of the province," he said.

"Mama was a secular and humble person. He used to sing tapping on a match box and got attention of the crowds," he narrated.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2022.