BHIT SHAH, Dec 29: Speakers at the second international literary conference held as part of the 269th Urs celebrations of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai on Saturday shed light on the great Sufi saint’s poetry and said it was more relevant today than ever before as it encouraged people to resist injustices and struggle for their rights.

The conference held in the Excellence Centre was chaired by G. A. Allana, the nominated chairman of the proposed Bhitai Research Institute.

The scholars who spoke at the conference included Dr Fahmida Hussain, chairperson of the Sindhi Language Authority, Agha Saleem, Pritam Pyasi, Prof Abdullah Mallah, Prof Bashir Shad, Prof Saleem Bangash, Dr Ghulam Nabi Sadayo, Prof Raheem Bux and others, besides Dr Mohammad Hussain Tasbihi from Iran, Hero Thakur and Jetho Lalwani from India and Sindh Culture Minister Sassui Palijo and secretary Abdul Aziz Uqaily.

Dr Fahmida Hussain discussed the synonyms and antonyms used by Bhitai and said there could be multiple dimensions and interpretations of his poetry. She said that the Sufi saint did not represent any particular class of people nor did he propagate any particular thought as he belonged to mankind and his works were for the humanity.

“Although he is considered to be a mystic figure (Sufi) and poet, he doesn’t belong to any particular sect, school of thought or branch of religion, cult, etc.”

Dr Manzoor Ejaz, who came from the Unites States to present his paper, said that mystic poets discussed divine manifestations in their poetry, focusing oneness of the Almighty Allah. According to him, despite a consensus among his contemporaries on the assertion, his poetry is distinct in the sense that he picks the thread from where the other poets end their point. “For instance, he started the tragedy in the Sohni story from the point where it was left by others,” Dr Ejaz said.

Zahida Hina said that Bhitai had made women of Sindh a symbol of courage and resistance. “His poetry is beauty of Sindh. He introduced courageous and bold women of Sindh in international literature and made them symbol of the freedom struggle.”

She said the late G. M. Syed who in his writings extensively discussed the saint’s poetry, clearly mentioning that Bhitai’s poetry preached resistance against dictatorship and tyranny and stood for nationalism and socialism. According to the veteran Sindhi nationalist leader, Bhitai actually worked for a social revolution in society, which in his time was based on injustices.

Ms Hina observed that G. M. Syed had discussed Bhitai’s poetry in the context of the conditions prevailing in society during his own time. Bhitai’s presented the character of Marvi as a symbol of resistance, she noted.

Abid Meer from Balochistan said that Bhitai was more relevant today in the context of the situation prevailing in Balochistan, arguing that the Sufi saint stood for a revolution to rid the people of tyrant rulers. Bhitai focused on love in different folklores but actually it was one’s commitment and resolve that he encouraged in his works. “For us Bhitai is a hero of the Baloch nation,” Meer said, adding that the Baloch people wished to hold Bhitai’s Urs at the place in Balochistan where Sassui and Punno had their graves.

Aseer Mengal, a playwright and critic from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, discussed ‘Shah Jo Risalo — Sindhi saqafat ki jiti jagti tasweer’ and observed that it was an irony of fact that the people of Pakistan would read a poet only when he was recognised by the world or discovered by some foreigner.

He said that Rehman Baba could be Bhitai’s counterpart in the other language, adding that Bhitai loved humanity and coated is poetry with mysticism.

Dr Nawaz Ali Shauq said that while many aspects of Bhitai had been discussed but the historical perspective was yet to be explored. He said that Bhitai had given different hints relating to the history but these remain undiscovered. He said that Bhitai’s was a golden era as far as literature is concerned. The great Sufi poet was saddened by the death of Sufi Shah Inayat, murdered at that time.

Books launched A total of 16 books were launched at the conference on Saturday. They were ‘Moonh mein toon maujud’ compiled by Mohammad Ali; ‘Introduction of poetry and mystic thought of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai’ by Agha Saleem; ‘Shah Jo Risalo’ by Dr Nabi Bux Baloch; ‘Shah Jo Risalay jo Mutalo’ by Maulana Deen Mohammad Wafai; ‘Lataaif Latif’ by Mir Abdul Hussain Sangi; ‘Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai maqala aaeyn mazmoon’ compiled by Dr Mohammad Ali Manjhi; ‘Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai paigham jo maujuda halat tey itelaq’ by Prof Mohammad Saleem Memon; ‘The Risalo of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai (translated in verse) by Amina Khamisani; ‘Selection from the Risalo’ by G. Allana; ‘Shah Jo Risaolo’ by Hotchand Maulchand Gurbakshani; ‘Latifi sauur’ by Bherumal Maharchand Aadwani; ‘Shah Abdul Laif Bhitai jay daur mein tasawwuf ja silsila’ by Dr Abid Mazhar; ‘Lutf al-Lateef’ by Maulana Deen Mohammad Wafai; ‘Latifi Laat’ by Mumtaz Mirza; ‘Ahwal Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai’ by Mirza Qaleech Baig and ‘Fikr-i-Latif ‘(Urdu) by Mumtaz Mirza.