Sufi poet saints5

Born by the name of Abdul Wahab in the village of Daraza [ about 52 miles from Khairpur in upper Sindh. His adopted name Sachal means one living in truth . Sarmast a popular name was added because his poetry is filled with abandonment and joy. Sar- mast means a leader of the "intoxicated" - the intoxication is one of search for truth. Sachal's poetry was an ocean of wonder.

Although the British conquest of Sindh was decades away, Sachal saw the havoc they would play. He wrote that Hindus and Muslims should unite to prevent such a situation.

note :Charles Napier who was to conquer Sind in 1843 by defeating the ruling Mirs at Miyani sent a coded telegram to the British GHQ with the Latin code word "peccavi" meaning " I have sinned" /Sindh].

Sachal was a Persian - Arabic scholar who wrote poetry and preached:

- " Guru and Govind are the same " ,

- "Sachu is a pujari of Porbandar" ,

-" I am neither a mullah nor a Brahmin;
nor even a page of the Koran .
not for me the scripture of Gita ,
I am neither east nor west, neither earth nor sky .
I am a Jogi [ Yogi ]

Sachal's imposing shrine
Photo credit: Nadeem Jamali
www.ajrak.org

His imposing mausoleum is built with Sindi Kashi blue tiles and his walking stick and tamboora [ the Sindhi musical instrument ] are still preserved there. It is said that he lived simply, on meals consisting of daal [lentils] and dahi [yoghurt], slept on a bare wooden divan [bed] . He is remembered as a humble man with long hair, and a melancholy appearance. It is said that he was a great lover of music and his kafis [verses] and kalam [sayings ] were inscribed by his followers and fellow fakirs [holy men] after he had said them aloud.

Sachal’s poetry:

1. Searching in the streets, sights cast,

the path of joy may someone behold,

the path of joy may someone behold,

Do I hide my nature, and show myself as another ?

Sinful it is to know others, all form is God .

2.we are , what are we?

we do not know what we are,

sometimes we are blessed,

sometimes we are accursed,

sometimes we fast and pray,

sometimes we become light hearted,

sometimes we say only I exist,

sometimes we say we do not exist,

sometimes our hearts are calm,

sometimes we weep,

sometimes we say we are realized,

sometimes we say who are we,

"Sachoo" we are that eternally ,

what other contract can we make .

3.The kalima did not make me a muslim,

nor did the faith come from Arabia,

"Sachoo" is the Truth , though I am but a human for other humans.

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