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the-south-asian.com April 2001 |
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Page 3 of 5
Sufis - Wisdom against
Violence by Salman Saeed The Grand Master - Baba Farid Shakar Ganj of Pak Pattan [AD 1173-1266] Najam Hosain Syed (ex- Head, Punjab University Punjabi Department, Lahore
writer & poet of "Takhte Lahore " a play performed in India),
writing in his excellent book "Recurrent Patterns in Punjabi
Poetry", refers to Baba Farid as standing at the far end of Punjabi
poetic tradition in eminent isolation. Nearly three centuries pass before
another figure of any status relieves the curious blank." Najam
comments on the uncompromising "austere rhythms of Farid " and the
use of the "Dohras" as a rhymed couplet, reflecting a poise,
serenity, grim yet confident, volatile, meaningful use as the following
verses show. Note the old Italian saying and caveat about translations - " The
Translator is a Dohra - Baba Farid. " Farid Kaaley maindey kaprey, kaala mainda
wais, Gunahan Bharehan main pheraan, Lok kahain dervish
" " Laden with my load of misdeeds, I move
about in the garb of black garments. And the people see me and call me a dervish." To quote from Najam Hosain’s brilliant essay - .... " The
passivity induced by the evenness of rhythm is suddenly shattered when the
last part of the second line - " and people call me a dervish"
clinches the meaning, putting the rest of the verse in an intense blend of
irony and pathos. Black clothes worn by pious men as a sign of humility
become associated in the minds of men with an undefined piety. But for the
poet, black symbolizes his erring self ... there is a quality of haunting
mockery in Farid’s repetitive insistence on the word
"black"..." The reader may know that the Holy Prophet Mohammed [ PBUH] is also
referred in qawwalis as " Kali kambli waley " [the one with
the black cloak ]. challaan tey bhijjay kambli, rahan ta jaaey
neouney." My promise with my love, a long way to go and a
muddy lane ahead If I move I spoil my cloak; if I stay I break my
word. " Jai millaan tahaan sajnaa tate nahin neounay" Drenched and smirched be the cloak; let God’s
cloud pour all the waters: Najam goes on to show how the poet resolves this young woman’s nagging
hesitant situation of her inner self and the prudent cautioning of
reputation. The above example is one of the uses of the two lines for a volatile
purpose. Najam then gives another example of the use of the two line couplet
[dohra] as depicting a "veiled gravity" in that as long as a
person does not attain inner maturity, there is always a need to be mindful
and watchful as the Buddha used to say [Better to conquer yourself than to
conquer others]. Here is a dohra using the peasant and farming metaphors. " Kook Farid Kook, Tu jivain Rakha Jawar Jab lag tanda na, Giray tab lag Kook pukar." Shout, Farid, shout like the watchful man in the corn-field; As long as the bushel does not mature and fall, shout on" There is
no ornamental use of words, there is a veiled gravity in the tone of Farid
and the imagery is drawn from sweat of the common peasant farmers. Baba Farid's Life Baba Farid was born on the on the first day of the month of
Ramzaan in 1173 in the city of Kothiwal, near Dipalpur in Punjab. It is now
called Pak Pattan; the ancient name has been recorded as Ajodhan. The city
existed when Alexander invaded in 326 BC. It was an important metropolis on
the Multan-Delhi route. The city is on the banks of the river Sutlej. People
going across would usually wash [clean = pak] themselves at the ferry
[pattan]. Hence the name Pak Pattan .The story goes that, the day Baba Farid
was born, a holy man was consulted about the breaking of a fast. He advised
that a great soul had been born in the house of Jamal-ud-din Suleiman and
that the community could break the fast only when the infant suckled. It is
said that the infant Baba Farid was fasting. Baba Farid’s ancestors were from a town called Aush, south
of Fergana [Babur’s hometown] south east of Andijan. Farid’s grandfather
[Qadi Shuaib] left Kabul and took refuge in Lahore under the Ghaznavid
Sultan in 1125. However the gay atmosphere of Lahore did not appeal to his
nature and he moved to Kasur above 34 miles southeast of Lahore where the
Sultan entrusted him to the Qadi [Kazi- a semi-religious administrator]
position. Eventually he left and settled in Kothiwal leaving Kasur. Farid’s father Jamal-ud-din Suleiman married the daughter
of Sheikh Wajih-ud-din Khojendi called Qarsum Bibi [some say her name was
Mariam]. Qarsum was a lady of great piety. According to legend it was she
who influenced Farid to pray by placing small cubes of Shakar [brown sugar]
under Farid’s prayer mat. One day it is said that although she did not
place the Shakar, nevertheless there was a piece of Shakar under Farid’s
mat. Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki was Baba Farid’s "Guru". He
was influenced by the Hallaji and Wujjud doctrines, which are essentially
spiritual in nature. Kaki met Moinuddin Chishti at Baghdad and being
impressed by the man became his disciple. Chishti migrated to Delhi and Kaki
followed him, staying for a while in Multan. Because of rivalry and jealousy
between some other Sheikhs in Delhi, Moin-ud-din Chishti left for Ajmer. The King at Delhi Balban welcomed Farid in Delhi and
introduced him to his family; Balban’s daughter was married to Farid and
the gifts for the marriage were distributed among the poor and needy
[fakirs]. There is a town called Faridkot in Indian Punjab. Farid is truly
the father of Punjabi literature. He died on the 5th of Moharram 1266. Baba
Farid’s poetry was later to influence the Sikh religion and especially
their Holy Book "Sri Guru Granth Sahib" by the founder Guru Nanak.
Such was the universality of Baba Farid, the Sufi poet laureate from Punjab. " Koi Bole Ram Ram koi Khudaee, Koi sevay Gosainyan koi Allah " Some call him Ram, some Khuda Some say Gosain, some Allah. (Guru Arjun Dev - Sri Guru Granth Sahib)
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