HYDERABAD: Three-day Sindh Sufi Melo organised by Sindh Auqaf department concluded at Hyderabad Club on Sunday with a literary session on Luari jo Lal and a book launch of translation of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar’s Persian poetry into Urdu, Sindhi and English.

Munawar Ali Mahesar, who had compiled the translations into the form titled Me Raqsam Faiz-e-Qalandar, said that society must implement Sufis’ teachings to disseminate peace and tolerance for a real change.

Ameer Mandhro said that when people forgot everything else and remembered only love of God toward mankind they attained to the stage which was beyond time and space.

Prof Sain Bux Qaboolai said that Bhitai once went to Khawaja Mohammad Zaman, Naqshbandi Pir of Luwari in Badin, and wanted to be his Mureed (follower) but he asked Bhitai to leave playing musical instruments like Tamboora etc. Since then, Bhitai did not play it and only listened to it being played. Bhitai wrote Khahori sur in praise of his spiritual guide, he said.

Dr Sharafuddin Talpur said that mysticism awakened people from within and purified souls, filing them with spirituality. People must study teachings and philosophy of saints so that they could learn to tolerate each other, he said.

Masood Ahmed Lohar said that Sultan ul Auliya Khawaja Muhammad Zaman was least famous and that was why, his mystic poetic works and services were highlighted through this literary sitting. He said that he was a great saint of Sindh and known internationally. Maulana Yousuf Bhambhro and Altaf Aseem also spoke.

A drama Mokhi matara was staged in the club’s garden where local artists kept giving performances.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2018