LAHORE: For the first time Ajoka sold tickets for their play to be able to meet increasing expenses. Despite this, Bullha received thundering applause from a packed audience.
The four-day festival aims at introducing the public to those historical characters who have not been given their due status. Madeeha Gauhar, Creative Director of Ajoka said, “We are cut off from our inheritance. This festival and the plays in it aim to bring people in contact with forgotten history and heritage. The history-based plays of this festival will introduce people to those who stood up against society’s incorrect values.”
“This particular play gives a message of peace and shows that tolerance has been a long standing tradition in our history. We didn’t import this concept from the west; rather it was our own Sufi poets and spiritual leaders who practiced it. The plays of this festival will explore different phases of history that have not been discovered. We want the audience to enjoy these performances but more importantly we want to make them think.”
Bullha highlights the struggle of the great Punjabi mystic Bulleh Shah against the religious orthodoxy of his time and his plea for peace and tolerance.
The play starts with the death of Bulleh Shah and shows clerics arguing that the mystic was not a true Muslim and thus, the chief cleric, Qaziul Qaza, should not offer funeral prayers for him.
The focus then shifts onto two devotees of Shah who begin to tell the story of the legendary poet. The play portrays Bulleh Shah’s struggle and shows how he had to leave his home in Kasur and move to Lahore where he became a disciple of Shah Inayat. Through the guidance of his Murshad (spiritual teacher), Shah discovers various paths of mysticism and writes poetry which is revered by many.
However, Shah’s Murshad becomes angry with him and Bulleh Shah moves out but is determined to win back the pleasure of his mentor and reconcile with him. He succeeds in this task and continues to learn from his teacher who eventually asks him to return to Kasur and serve those living there.
Shah does this till the end of his life but is met with trials and tribulations at every step. He passes away in exile and his devotees are left to bring his funeral bed into the city to be buried. But it is ruled that he cannot be buried in a Muslim graveyard and funeral prayers cannot be offered for him.
The poet’s body is buried outside the city but the play goes onto show that today his shrine is in the middle of the city and followers consider it an honour to be buried at his feet.
Asim Bokhari and Sarfraz Ansari who played Shah Inayat and Bulleh Shah respectively, must be commended for their acting. Additionally Bulleh Shah’s poetry in the play was met with cheers and applause from the audience.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2010.
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