Among the countless bards and muses, many become mere versifiers and are consigned to oblivion. Few are praised in their life time and then are forgotten. Still fewer are immortalised through their poetry. One tends to believe, people only talk about those who talk about people.
This was the crux of speeches made by writers and intellectuals at a session here on Tuesday to pay tribute to Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, one of the greatests Sufi poets of Sindh in connection with the 270th annual urs of the great saint, said a press release. The session was organised by the Pakistan Intellectual Forum (PIF).
“One has only to read the ‘Sur Marui’ to know what love Bhittai bore to Sindh,” said researcher and writer Khadim Hussain Soomro.
His poetry is about the toiling masses-potters, blacksmiths, peasants, weavers and fishermen. He had no feudal notions and no affinity with barons and bigoted priests of his time.”
He further said that he in his verse recreated the Sindh he loved immortalizing its deserts and river and giving permanence to its folklore and legends.
PIF Chairman Hashim Abro said, “Poetry cannot survive without a message and artistic charm. The artistic charm in Shah’s poetry is unparalleled.”
Quoting from a famous book “History of Sindhi Literature” by LH Ajwani, he said “Shah Latif did for Sindhi language, literature and the people what Hafiz did for the Persian lyric, Dante for the ‘illustrious vernacular’ of Italy, and Tulsidas for Hindi language and literature.”
Muslims and Hindus alike in Sindh, treasure his “Risalo” as their most precious literary treasure. Wherever Sindhis are, Shah Latif rules their hearts, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2013.
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