Poetry is one of the pillars of the humanities. It is an artistic creation that displays the human mind. Poetry follows the paths of emotion, imagination, and sensitivity. The poem transmits knowledge and human values in words of poetry. Poetry shows the human being, body and soul. Sindhi poetry also has a profound history.
An introduction to Sindhi Poetry
Every poet describes his/her poetry in different ways. Most poets link their poetry to expressions of love for God or human beings. But for Sindhi poets, their love for the land comes first.
For the people of Sindh, their land is like their mothers. A mother who feeds them with her rich agricultural resources. Also, provides them with water in the form of the Indus River. So, Sindhi poetry is also incomplete in connecting it to the motherland.
From poets like Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai and Sachal Sarmast and even today, this love for the land can’t be denied. This love has always been prevalent.
Sindh has a history of colonialism and its poetry and literature also reflect this conflict. The struggle to preserve language and culture can be seen in Sindhi poetry. Moreover, the fight for the land converted to the form of poetry and music which gave rise to the poetry of resistance in Sindh.
To challenge power, oppression as well as suppression, Sindhi poets used poetry and music.
Furthermore, various issues have been discussed and raised through poetry in Sindh.
History of Sindhi poetry
Sindhi literature was used primarily in Pakistan and India. The beginning of Sindhi literature can be traced back to the 11th century.
If we talk about poetry, we can see a fusion of classical and modern poetry in Sindh, and Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai is its prime example. He introduced great poetry in his era.
The earliest record of the Sindhi language can be found in the era of Shah Abdul Karim (1538 – 1625). However, the masterwork of Sindhi literature was Shah Abdul Latif‘s Shah-jo-Risalo which was produced in the 18th century. In addition, Sachal and Sami were two great poets of that era.
The Pioneer of Sindhi poetry
Khalifa Gul Mohammad (1809-1856) was the pioneer of Sindhi poetry. Further, his Diwan-e-Gul consisted of 175 Ghazals on the Persian patterns.
Famous poets of Sindh
Many Sindhi poets emerged in different eras. They presented their work on the pattern of Persian poetry. One of them is Kishin Chand (1885 – 1947). Moreover, he was the renowned poet of his time. Also, he was famous for his traditional style. He covered many ghazals, dohas, songs, and kafis. Some of his best poems are Shirin Chair (1929), Samundi Sipun, and Ganga Jun Lahrun.
One more famous poet of Sindh is Dayaram Gidumal (1857 – 1927). He was best known for his metaphysical poems. Lastly, his book Manaja-Chahbuk has been considered a landmark in Sindhi literature.
If we talk about patriotism in poetry, Lalchand Amardinomal and Hinduraj Lilaram were famous patriotic poets in Sindh.
Other well-known writers in Sindhi literature are Fateh Mohammad Sewhani, Bherunal Mahirchand, Lalchand Amardinomal, Jethmal Parsram, Acharya Gidwani, N R Malkani, and Dr. H M Gurbuxani.
They all are famous for their unique style of poetry and biography.