Bulleh Shah
Syed Abdullah Shah Qadri[1] (Punjabi/Urdu: سید عبداللہ شاہ قادری) (Shahmukhi); 1680–1757) famously known as Bulleh Shah (بلھے شاہ), was a Mughal-era Punjabi Islamic philosopher and Sufi poet. His first spiritual teacher was Shah Inayat Qadiri, a Sufi mentor of Lahore. He was a Sayyid/Syed, a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.
| File:BullehShah.jpg | |
| Title | Bulleh Shah |
| Personal | |
| Born | Syed Abdullah Shah Qadri 1680 |
| Died | 1757 (aged 77) |
| Religion | Islam |
| School | Sunni Islam |
| Movement | Sufism |
| Main interest(s) | Mysticism, Sufi metaphysics, Poetry |
| Senior posting | |
| Literary works | |
Life
Early life
He was born in 1680 in the city of Uch, during the Mughal Empire (present day Pakistan). After his early education, he went to Lahore where he met Inayat Arian, and became his student.
Later years and death
He died in 1757, at the age of 77. He was buried in Kasur, and a shrine was built over his grave. His funeral prayer was led by Qazi Hafiz Syed Zahid Hamdani a great religious personality of Kasur.[2]
Shrine
He was buried in Kasur when he died in 1757. There is a clean and very huge veranda which leads to the Tomb of Baba Bulleh Shah as you enter the shrine. The ceiling of shrine is decorated with the verses of Bulleh Shah in elegant calligraphy.
Poetry
Amongst Urdu poets, Bulleh Shah lived 400 miles away from Mir Taqi Mir (1723–1810) of Agra.[source?] Bulleh Shah practised the Sufi tradition of Punjabi poetry .[source?]
The verse form Bulleh Shah which is mainly involved is the Kafi, popular in Western Punjabi and Sindhi poetry.[source?] Many people have put his Kafis to music, from humble street-singers to renowned Sufi singers like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Pathanay Khan, Abida Parveen, the Waddali Brothers and Sain Zahoor, from the synthesised techno qawwali remixes of UK-based Asian artists to the Pakistani rock band Junoon.[source?]
Modern renderings
Bands and albums
In the 1990s, Junoon, a rock band from Pakistan, furnished his poems "Bullah Ki Jaana" and "Aleph" ("Ilmon Bas Kareen O Yaar"). In 2004, Indian musician Rabbi Shergill turned the abstruse metaphysical poem "Bullah Ki Jaana" into a rock/fusion song in his debut album Rabbi; the song was a chart-topper in 2005, helping the album to eventually sell over 10,000 copies and became immensely popular in India and Pakistan.[3][4] The Wadali Bandhu, a Punjabi Sufi group from India, have also released a version of "Bullah Ki Jaana" in their album Aa Mil Yaar... Call of the Beloved.
Also in 2016, a collaboration between two EDM artists (Headhunterz and Skytech) named "Kundalini" used words created by Bulleh Shah, as well as having the words Bulleh Shah in the lyrics.[5] Bulleh Shah's verses have been an inspiration to painters as well, as in the two series of paintings (Jogia Dhoop and Shah Shabad) by an Indian painter Geeta Vadhera inspired by the poetry of Bulleh Shah and other Sufi poets and saints. In 2017, British Pakistani singer Yasir Akhtar used Bulleh Shah's poetry in his song "Araam Naal Kar – Take it Easy".[6][7] In 2019, Sona Mohapatra used a Kalam of Bulleh Shah in her song "R.A.T Mashup".[8]
Coke Studio
In 2009, the season 2 of Coke Studio featured "Aik Alif" performed by Sain Zahoor and Noori. Ali Zafar also used some of Bulleh Shah and Shah Hussain's verses in his "Dastan-e-Ishq".[9] In 2010, the season 3 featured "Na Raindee Hai" and "Makke Gayaan Gal Mukdi Nahi" performed by Arieb Azhar. In 2012, Shah's poetry was featured with Hadiqa Kiani performing "Kamlee".[10][11] In 2016, Ahmed Jahanzeb and Umair Jaswal performed "Khaki Banda";[12] and Rizwan Butt and Sara Haider performed "Meri Meri",[13] In third episode of season 11 Fareed Ayaz, Abu Muhammad Qawal & Brothers performed a Qawwali based on Kalam by Bulleh Shah.[14] In season 12 Hadiqa Kiani used verses of Shah in song "Daachi Waaleya".[15]
Bulleh Shah Media
Bulleh Shah's shrine Kasur, Punjab.
This is a photo of a monument in Pakistan identified as the
Bulleh Shah's grave in Kasur
This is a photo of a monument in Pakistan identified as the
This is a photo of a monument in Pakistan identified as the
Related pages
References
- ↑ The Life of Bulleh Shah
- ↑ Zia, Sidra (11 May 2017). "My visit to Bulleh Shah's tomb made me feel an otherworldly sense of peace". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
- ↑ Zeeshan Jawed (4 June 2005). Soundscape for the soul. Calcutta: The Telegraph. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050604/asp/calcutta/story_4806895.asp. Retrieved 23 April 2008.
- ↑ Bageshree S. (26 March 2005). "Urban balladeer". The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/04/11/stories/2005041100540100.htm. Retrieved 23 April 2008.
- ↑ "Headhunterz & Skytech - Kundalini (Official Music Video)". YouTube. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- ↑ "Yasir Akhtar | Araam Naal Kar – Take it Easy ft.Martay M'Kenzy (Official Video)". Yasir Akhtar. 3 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Yasir Akhtar, the singing sensation, is back with 'Aram Nal Kar'". Tanveer Khatana. 11 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017 – via Geo News.
- ↑ "Sona Mohapatra pays EDM-style tribute to India's diversity with her new track R.A.T Mashup". Republic World. 21 December 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- ↑ "Dastaan-e-ishq, Ali Zafar – BTS, Coke Studio Pakistan, Season 2". Rohail Hyatt. 23 June 2009 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Kamlee-HD-Hadiqa-Kiani-Coke-Studio-Season-5 by jm_qasim | Jm Qasim | Free Listening on SoundCloud". Archived from the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
- ↑ Ata ur Rehman (12 May 2012). "Hadiqa Kiani Kamlee, Coke Studio Season 5 Episode 1". Pakium.com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- ↑ "Watch Coke Studio 9 Episode 3 promo | The News Teller". Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
- ↑ "Watch Coke Studio 9 Episode 6 | The News Teller". Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
- ↑ "Coke Studio releases third episode of Season 11". Nation.com.pk. 25 August 2018. Archived from the original on 25 August 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- ↑ "Coke Studio brings love ballads and Sufi poetry from top stars | Pakistani Cinema – Gulf News". Gulfnews.com. 25 November 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
Further reading
- Shah, Bullhe (1995). Bulleh Shah: The Love-intoxicated Iconoclast. Radha Soami Satsang Beas. ISBN 978-81-8256-003-1.
- Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab, by R. M. Chopra, Iran Society, Kolkata, 1999.
Other websites
- "Short biography of Bulleh Shah". Archived from the original on 15 September 2008.
- English Writing}
- "Littérateurs of the Punjabi language". Archived from the original on 15 September 2008.
- Complete poetry of Bulleh Shah in Shahmukhi[dead link]
- Punjabi Poetry of Bulleh Shah
- Kulliyat e Bulleh Shah Archived 27 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine