KARACHI, July 9: Speakers at a meeting on Saturday urged the masses to read Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai’s poetry which contains his message of love and peace for universal brotherhood which is more relevant in today’s troubled times although it was written over a couple of centuries back. They were speaking at the Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai International Conference, organized by the Sindh Culture Department. The conference was the part of a three-day programme organized by the department to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Cultural Centre at Bhit Shah.
Sindh governor Dr Ishratul Ibad said though Bhitai’s poetry has been translated in different languages, efforts be made to translate it in more languages so that more and more people could understand his message and know that human rights, pluralism, tolerance that the Western world was propagating now had been spoken of and preached by this great poet from Sindh centuries back.
He said by propagating Shah’s poetry containing his messages of love, peace and tolerance, we will be able to present the true image of our country, which in the recent times was being portrayed in a negative way.
He advised the culture department to prepare a programme to promote and introduce the rich heritage and culture of Sindh in the country, region as well as around the globe by organizing road shows, etc. He also announced Rs 0.5 million as a seed money for the project. More would be given, he assured.
Sindh education minister Dr Hamida Khuhro, Sindh Culture Minister Shabbir Qaimkhani, Mahtab A. Rashdi, Dr Nabi Bakhsh Baloch, Dr Ghulam Ali Allana, Hero Thakur (from Delhi, India), Raj Wali Shah Khattak (NWFP), Dr Tahir Taunsvi (Punjab), Dr Abdul Razzaq Tahir (Balochistan), Dr Ali Nawaz Shauq, Rahimdino Mahar, Inayat Baloch, Saleem Memon, Nand Chhugani(Mumbai, India), Hari Motwani (Mumbai, India), and others paid tributes to Shah Abdul Latif in their thought-provoking and well researched speeches that were punctuated with Bhitai’s beautiful poetry.
They said Shah had highlighted the issues being faced by the people and it is why his poetry after a passage of centuries is still relevant and is popular with the masses.
They said the Western countries have stressed on women’s rights only recently whereas in a majority of the folk stories highlighted in Shah’s poetry, the central and main characters were that of women -– Sassui, Marvi, Mumal, etc.
They said that Shah lived in an era when exploiters and opportunists were rewarded and people speaking the truth were victimized and he through his unfathomable ocean of poetry had tried to expose the exploiters before the ignorant and poor victimized masses, as he stressed long and untiring struggle for truth, love, peace and universal brotherhood.
Three books “Risala Owasia” (translated by Niaz Himayuni); “Latifi Fikr: Suran Ji Sanjanh (Mohammad Hussain Kashif) and Desi Sajan Kajan (compiled by Taj Joyo) were also launched on the occasion.
They said earlier Bhitai’s prorgammes usually used to be organized at Bhit Shah, but this time the government decided to hold the programmes at Bhit Shah, Hyderabad and Karachi so that more people could participate.
On the first day (Thursday) of the three-day celebrations, programmes began with the laying a wreath on the Mazar of Shah Abdul Latif at Bhit Shah.
A mushaira in which besides the local poets Indian poets / delegates also participated was organized. A musical function, comprising Shah Jo Raag was held in the night. A music school where students would be taught how to sing Shah Jo Raag was also inaugurated at Bhit Shah.
On the second day (Friday) programmes were held at Hyderabad and seminar was held in the morning, which was followed by “Sughran Ji Kutchery”, a drama on “Mumal Rano” was staged at Hyderabad Museum, and a musical function was organized at the Sports Ground. A music academy was also inaugurated at Hyderabad.
On the last day (Saturday) besides the day-long international conference, an award distribution ceremony was held in the evening in which awards were given to various people who have worked on Shah’ poetry or have rendered services toward the Bhitai Cultural Centre Bhit Shah.
KARACHI, July 9: Speakers at a meeting on Saturday urged the masses to read Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai’s poetry which contains his message of love and peace for universal brotherhood which is more relevant in today’s troubled times although it was written over a couple of centuries back. They were speaking at the Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai International Conference, organized by the Sindh Culture Department. The conference was the part of a three-day programme organized by the department to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Cultural Centre at Bhit Shah.
