KARACHI: Urs celebrations of renowned Sufi saint and multilingual poet Sachal Sarmast which were not likely to be held this year were taken online by a group of Sachal’s followers and social activists on Saturday amid the coronavirus lockdown.
Individuals from Pakistan, England, Hungary, Canada, Bahrain, Oman, Sweden, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Finland and other countries of the world participated wholeheartedly in the online celebrations.
On Friday, an online lecture was simultaneously organised on the Zoom app and social media site Facebook, in which noted scholar and writer Jami Chandio delivered his talk on the life and poetry work of Sachal Sarmast, who was a great Sufi of the sub-continent and a resistance poet of Sindhi and Siraiki languages.
Jami said Sachal also recited poetry in Persian and Urdu languages. “It is incorrect to say that Sachal had recited his poetry in seven languages,” Chandio revealed.
In his keynote address, scholar Jami Chandio it is said that Sachal himself destroyed all his poetry during his lifetime and whatever poetry is available with us was in fact that poetry of Sachal, which was remembered by his followers. Two collections of Sachal’s Sindhi and Seraiki poetry in the book forms are printed by Sindhi Adabi Board. But a lot of poetry in Persian and Urdu languages is still unpublished but available with his followers. To a question, Chandio said the translation of Persian poetry of Sachal is also available.
Jami Chandio said like other poets of Sindh, Sachal Sarmast also gave a message of religious harmony and social cohesion. Sachal condemned the clerics, who were spreading religious hatred in society. “His poetry is full of the message of Wahdatul Wujood (oneness of being or unity of existence) initiated by Mansour Al-Hallaj.
Chandio expressed his disappointment that there is little research on the poetry of Sachal Sarmast available. “Even in Urdu literature and poetry circles, there is no mention of his poetry,” he remarked.
He said whatever intellectual and research work on Sachal is available, is in fact, an effort by individual scholars. A little research work has been done by official Sachal Chair at Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai University Khairpure. It is publishing a Journal annually, but currently, it is not doing any worth-mentioning research on Sachal.
He admitted that he himself had not written any book on Sachal’s poetry either as his books on the poetry of Shah Abdul Latif are available, however, he said he has written research papers on various aspects of Sachal’s poetry which the public can read.
The participants, who exceeded 150 also asked Chandio various questions regarding the poet on the occasion.
Similarly, on Saturday, live coverage of the recital of poetry by traditional singers’ groups at the tomb of Sachal Sarmast was live telecasted on social media. An online mushaira hosted by Ramesh Raja and Manzoor Ujjan was also held in the evening.
