A tribute to a visionary

Baba Bulleh Shah, Sufi Poet was born Abdullah Shah in the 17th century in modern day Pakistan. His ancestors had migrated from Bukhara in modern Uzbekistan, in 1680. He was a Punjabi Sufi poet and a humanist. 'Sufi', directly translated means Purity. For those who'd like to learn more about the concept of Sufism, click here. To sum it up, the Great Sufi Poet as well as teacher of Baba Bulleh Shah, Hazrat Inayat Shah summed up the characteristics that makes someone a Sufi.
And this is what we read about Sufism today.

What is a Sufi?
One who does not separate himself from others by opinion or dogma;
and who realizes the heart as the Shrine of God.

What does the Sufi desire?
To remove the false self and discover God within.

What does the Sufi teach?
Happiness.

What does the Sufi seek?
Illumination.

What does the Sufi see?
Harmony.

What does the Sufi give?
Love to all created things.

What does the Sufi get?
A greater power of love.

What does the Sufi find?
GOD.

And lose?
self

Hazrat Inayat Khan

Like many scholars of his time, mystery shrouds the life and times of Bulleh Shah as well as the timelines concerning his life.

By now, everyone is wondering what makes Baba Bulleh Shah someone that I'd pay tribute to. He was a poet that envisioned peace and harmony among religions back in the 17th century. He wasn't a prophet, nor a religious scholar, but one who loved man and women of different castes and creeds alike. He arises from the generation of great poets such as the legendary Punjabi poet Waris Shah , who wrote the epic love story Heer Ranjha fame, and the famous Sindhi Sufi poet Abdul Wahad (1739 – 1829), better known by his pen-name, Sachal Sarmast (“truth seeking leader of the intoxicated ones”). Amongst Urdu poets, Bulleh Shah lived a mere 400 miles from Mir Taqi Mir (1723 – 1810) of Agra.

Recently my rock background crossed paths with the work of Baba Bulleh Shah, as Junoon, ( a Sufi Rock pioneering band) released a song entitled Bulleya based on a poem he had written more than 300 years back.

I have included translations - by myself sadly so if they aren't accurate I do apologize:)

Bulleya ki jaana main kaun
Bulleya, who knows who I am?

Na mei moman vich masetan
Neither I am a believer (who stays) in a mosque
Na main vich kufar di reetan
Nor do I indulge in actions of paganism
Na main pakan vich paleetan
Nor am I the pure one amongst the impure

Na main andar bed kitaban
Neither I exist in books of Vedh
Na main rehnda phaang sharaban
Nor do I stay drunk (intoxicated by Bhang... the original Ecstasy:))
Na main rehnda mast kharaban
Nor do I remain stoned/rotting/aimless

Na main shadi na ghamnaki
Neither I am happy nor sad
Na mei vich paletan pakeen
Nor am I in the (argument of) Purity and Impurity
Na main aaabi na main khaki
Neither I am (made) of water nor of earth

Na main aatish na main paun
Nor am I fire nor air

Na main arabi na lahori
Neither am I Arab nor Lahori(man from Lahore, the part of Punjab in Pakistan)
Na main hindi shehar Nagaori
Nor am I (resident of) the Indian City Nagaori
Na hindu na turk pashauri
Nor Hindu nor Turk Peshaweri

Na main bhet mazhab de paya
Neither I found the secret of religion
Na main aadam hawwa jaya
Nor am I like Adam and Eve
Na koi apna naam dharaya
Nor did I create a name for myself

Avval aakhar aap nu jana
From beginning to end, I tried to understand myself
Na koi dooja hor pacchana
I did not come to know of anyone else (or I could not recognize anyone else)
Mai ton na koi hor syana
I am not just another wise one (or conversely is there is none as wise as me)

Bulle shah kharha hai kaun
Bulle Shah, who is this standing?

Na main moosa na firaun
Neither I am Moses nor Pharoah
Na main jagan na vich saun
Neither I am awake nor asleep
Na main aatish na main paun
Neither I am fire nor Air
Na main rahnda vich Nadaun
Nor do I live among fools
Na main baitthan na vich bhaun
Neither I am sitting nor am I in a tornado (neither comfortable nor in trouble)


Now what the poem meant to me when I first heard it was about someone who is totally lost in the contexts of worldly matters. In many ways I personally find myself stuck in his shoes questioining my existence as a mere mortal on this vast planet that has had some of the greatest thinkers of our time. In a small way, the realization that for me to be anything, I had to know myself first, and that nobody else was supposed to know me better than myself, was amazingly empowering. It was no declaration of independence of a confused teenager, but it did sound a call of freedom for me. It was an internalization of the belief that I was a citizen of the world; that I did not deserve to be judged or judge anyone else with lenses that are often too simplistic, or more often than not prejudiced. I've reached a point in life where I seek not alliances but rather acceptence for who I am is not a mere mortal with the capabilities to think, but also one who feels. I recall an incident here in Edinburgh, when someone (not mentioning whom) an aspiring medical student with a distinct aptitude and enthusiasm that is quite remarkable. Book smart he is, I kid you not. While taking a pulse of a frail old lady, he is unable to find it and says it aloud. Now, he attempts to search for her pulse again and in his zeal, he leaves 3 nail impressions on her brittle skin. Now this sweet old lady just smiles. I stop by to apologize to her after the zealous attempt of my peer, and she smiles saying it is all forgiven. But it begs me to question the actions of my fellow peer. Have we been so out of touch with humanity that patients serve as mere tools for us to practice our limited knowledge on? I'd fear for a frail old lady with a weak carotid pulse and asthma if this guy was to examine her for obvious reasons.

But who am I to say anything:) after all I am neither Moses nor a Pharoah:)

Baba Bulleh Shah's Next masterpiece is adapted from a Pakistani Movie, Khuda Ke Liye, dare i mention probably the greatest Pakistani movie to date. . Bulleh Shah studied Arabic, Persian and the Quran under traditional teachers. Armed with basic knowledge of religion, he seeked a 'higher' plane of understanding his teachings. Ultimately he found his murshid, in the form of Inayat Shah Qadri. Inayat Shah Qadri (or Shah Inayat, as he is referred to in Bulleh Shah’s poetry) was a Sufi of the Qadri order, who authored many Persian books on mysticism. He was from the Arian cast and grew vegetables to earn a living, whereas Bulleh Shah was of the much higher Syed caste - Descendent of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
Yet, in defiance of tradition, Bulleh Shah accepted Shah Inayat as his spiritual master, and subordinated his life to his lower-caste murshid. Much of Bulleh Shah’s verses about love are addressed directly to his spiritual guide, Shah Inayat.

Bullay Noun Samjhawan Ayaan
Bhenaan Tay Bherjaayaan
(Bullay’s sisters and sisters-in-law came to advise him)
Man Lay Bullaya Sada Kaina
Chad Day Pala Araiyaan
(“Listen to us and stop associating yourself with this man of the
Araain community”)- in reference to Inayat Shah
Aal Nabi Ulad Nabi Noun
Tu Kyoun Leeka Layaan
(“Why do you insult our tribe the descendants of the Prophet Mohammed”)
Jera Saanoun Syed Saday
Dozakh Milay Sazaiyaan
(Bullay replies: Those that call me a Syed (the tribe of the descendants of the Prophet) will be punished in Hell)
Indicating that he’d rather denounce his tribe than denounce the his spiritual guide

Bandeya ho, Bandeya
(oh mankind - in a pleading manner)

Araain Saain Sabi Thaain
(People of Araain and Saain clans are everywhere)
Rab Deeyaan Bay Perwaayaan
(God doesn’t care (about placing them together in this world))
Soniya Paray Hatayaan tay
Khoojiyaan Nay Gal Layaan
(Those that are beautiful (in heart and soul) do not find such differences (in castes), only ugly people do)

Jay Tu Looray Baagh Baharaan

Chakar Ho Ja Araiyaan
(If you desire paradise in the afterlife, become a servant of the Araiyan) -Indicating ‘serve the poor and downtrodden, if you seek heaven’)

Bullay Shah De Zaat Ke Puchni
Shakar Ho ya Razayaan
(Instead ask not what caste Bullay Shah comes from)

Bandeya ho, Bandeya

Intellectual nourishment?
adapted from
nothinginaminor.blogspot.com/2008/07/bandeya-ho.html

Despite being very critical of religion, Bulleh Shah does not denounce religion as a whole but rather can be called a critic of all persons in authority - including intellectuals, academicians and jurists - who create obstacles and needless complexities for common people in discovering love, and through love, discovering God.

Bulleh Shah preaches a uncomplicated conception of humanity, as the common connection through which persons of all faiths, creeds and opinions can attain a superior and more pure existence, eventually coming closer to God, as preached by his Sufi teacher, Inayat Shah.

Bulleh Shah’s writings represent him as a humanist, someone providing solutions to the sociological problems of the world around him as he lives through it, describing the turbulence his motherland of Punjab is passing through, while concurrently searching for God. His poetry highlights his mystical spiritual voyage through the four stages of Sufism:

Shariat (Path)

Tariqat (Observance)

Haqiqat (Truth)

Marfat (Union)

The simplicity with which Bulleh Shah has been able to address the complex fundamental issues of life and humanity is a large part of his appeal.

Bulleh Shah’s popularity stretches uniformly across Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims, to the point that much of the written material about this Muslim thinker is from Hindu and Sikh authors.

One particular song that does use some verses from Baba Bulleh Shah's Poetry is Chaiya Chaiya. I recall singing this song as the dance troupe that I recently joined were about to perform and were getting nervy in the room. If only they knew the beauty that hid behind the lyrics written by one of the greatest visionaries of his time.

Jin Ke Sar ho Ishq ki chann (He whose head is in the shadow of love)

Pao ke niche jannat hogi (Heaven will arise beneath his feet)

Jin Ke Sar ho Ishq ki chann

Chal Chaiyya ( Walk in this shadow)

Pao Jannat chale chal chaiyan (walk in heaven, in this shadow)

Woh yaar hai jo kushboo ki tarah (That friend of mine who smells so fragrant)

Jis ki Zubaan Urdu Ki tarah (Whose tongue is like Urdu) - implying whose words are poetic (*Urdu is a very poetic language)

Meri sham raat meri kyanaat (who is my dusk and night, my existence)

Woh yaar mera saiya saiyaa (That friend is my beloved)

Gulphosh Kabhi Itraain kahii ( sometimes (my beloved) teases me (flirts) like a flower)

Mehkay to nazar aa jaye kahi (so fragrantly that you can visualise her scent)

Taawiz banake pahanun oose (having made it into a 'Taawiz'(charm), I shall wear it)

Aayat ki tarah mil jaye kahin (I shall receive her as i would a miracle)

Mera Nagma woh hi, Mera Kalma woh hi (she is my song, she is my Kalma (Muslim declaration of faith)

Woh yaar Hai jo Imam ki tarah (my friend who resembles a priest)

Mera nagma nagma, mera kalma kalma (my song my song, my declaration of faith x2)

Yaar Misaleh os chale (she moves like dew drops

Pao ki talle firdaus chale (she walks with the garden of heaven beneath her feet)

Kabhi daal dall, Kabhi paat paat (Sometimes thru the branches sometimes the leaves)

Main hawa pe dhoon dhoon us ke nishaan (I shall search the air/wind for her symbol/trail)

Main Uske Roop ka Saudaari ( I am a trader of her beauty)

Woh Dhoop chann hon sahar jayee ( She effortlessly flits from sunlight to shadows)

Woh Shokh rang badalta hai ( She changes her ever so bright colours)

Main rang roop ka saudari ( I am a trader in colours as well as beauty)

I end my blog post here today, by paying tribute to Baba Bulleh Shah, the true Sufi.