Sayyid Abdullāh Shāh Qādrī (; ), popularly known as Baba Bulleh Shah and vocatively as Bulleya, was a

Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabis, Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a ...

revolutionary

philosopher Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

, reformer and

Chishti Sufi The Chishti order () is a Sufi order of Sunni Islam named after the town of Chisht, Afghanistan where it was initiated by Abu Ishaq Shami. The order was brought to Herat and later spread across South Asia by Mu'in al-Din Chishti in the city o ...

poet, regarded the 'Father of Punjabi Enlightenment'; and one of the greatest

poets A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...

of the

Punjabi language Punjabi, sometimes spelled Panjabi, is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language native to the Punjab region of Pakistan and India. It is one of the most widely spoken native languages in the world, with approximately 150 million native sp ...

. He criticised powerful

religious Religion is a range of social- cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural ...

political Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with decision-making, making decisions in social group, groups, or other forms of power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of Social sta ...

, and

social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives fro ...

institution An institution is a humanly devised structure of rules and norms that shape and constrain social behavior. All definitions of institutions generally entail that there is a level of persistence and continuity. Laws, rules, social conventions and ...

s; and is revered as the 'Poet of the People' amongst Punjabis. Born in

Uch Uch (; ), frequently referred to as Uch Sharīf (; ; ''"Noble Uch"''), is a historic city in the Pakistan's Punjab province. Uch may have been founded as Alexandria on the Indus, a town founded by Alexander the Great during his invasion of t ...

Subah of Multan The Subah of Multan (; ) was one of the three ''subahs'' (provinces) of the Mughal Empire in the Punjab region, alongside Lahore and Delhi subahs. It was also amongst the original twelve Mughal provinces, encompassing southern parts of Punjab, ...

, Bulleh Shah belonged to a family of religious scholars. In his juvenile years, his family moved to

Malakwal Malakwal () is a city in Mandi Bahauddin District, Punjab, Pakistan. History In 997 CE, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi took over the Ghaznavid dynasty empire established by his father, Sultan Sebuktegin. In 1005, he conquered the Shahis in Kabul, an ...

, and later Pandoke, in the

Subah of Lahore The Subah of Lahore (; ) was one of the three ''subahs'' (provinces) of the Mughal Empire in the Punjab, Punjab region, alongside Subah of Multan, Multan and Delhi subahs, encompassing the northern, central and eastern Punjab. It was created as ...

; where he got his early education from his father, while working as a

herder A herder is a pastoralism, pastoral worker responsible for the care and management of a herd or flock of domestic animals, usually on extensive management, open pasture. It is particularly associated with nomadic pastoralism, nomadic or transhuma ...

, in the village. He received his higher religious education at

Kasur Kasur (Punjabi language, Punjabi / ; ; also Romanization, romanized as Qasūr; from pluralized Arabic word ''Qasr'' meaning "palaces" or "forts") is a city to the south of Lahore, in the Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. The city s ...

from

Hafiz Ghulam Murtaza Hafiz Ghulam Murtaza was a 17th-century Sufi saint and scholar of the Qadiri-Chishti Sufi order, living in Kasur, Punjab. He was also the teacher of the poets Bulleh Shah and Waris Shah. He was the Imam (main spiritual head) of the city of Kasur ...

; and later studied in

Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...

under

Shah Inayat Qadiri Shah Inayat Qadri (; – 1728) was a Punjabi Muslim Sufi scholar, saint and philosopher of the Qadri Shattari ''silsila'' (lineage). He mostly wrote his philosophical works in Persian. Shah Inayat Qadiri is famous as the spiritual guide ...

. Bulleh Shah’s poetry resonated with a wide audience due to the use of

colloquial language Colloquialism (also called ''colloquial language'', ''colloquial speech'', ''everyday language'', or ''general parlance'') is the linguistic style used for casual and informal communication. It is the most common form of speech in conversation amo ...

; employing

metaphors A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide, or obscure, clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are usually meant to cr ...

and

imagery Imagery is visual symbolism, or figurative language that evokes a mental image or other kinds of sense impressions, especially in a literary work, but also in other activities such as. Imagery in literature can also be instrumental in conveying ...

to convey complex spiritual ideas to those outside formal religious circles. He became known for his mystic poetry, which blended his

philosophy Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

oneness of god ''Tawhid'' () is the concept of monotheism in Islam, it is the religion's central and single most important concept upon which a Muslim's entire religious adherence rests. It unequivocally holds that God is indivisibly one (''ahad'') and si ...

divine love Love of God can mean either love for God or love by God. Love for God (''philotheia'') is associated with the concepts of worship, and devotions towards God. The Greek term ''theophilia'' means the love or favour of God, and ''theophilos'' me ...

humanism Humanism is a philosophy, philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and Agency (philosophy), agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The me ...

social equality Social equality is a state of affairs in which all individuals within society have equal rights, liberties, and status, possibly including civil rights, freedom of expression, autonomy, and equal access to certain public goods and social servi ...

and tolerance; and critiqued social norms and institutions for exploiting the ordinary people. His poetry caused the spread of reformist ideas throughout the Punjab, which included calls for social, religious and political reforms. Bulleh Shah's works also left an impact on the Punjabi language, marking a new era of

Punjabi literature Punjabi literature, specifically literary works written in the Punjabi language, is characteristic of the historical Punjab of present-day Pakistan and India and the Punjabi diaspora. The Punjabi language is written in several scripts, of which th ...

which helped propagate a literary variety of Punjabi, based on colloquial speech, employing nuances from various local forms of the language. He spent most of his life in Kasur, where he died at the age of 77. He is revered as the '

Sheikh Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...

of Both Worlds' amongst Punjabi Muslims. His poetry has been ingrained in Punjabi proverbs, '' qisse'', and

folk traditions Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk horror ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Fo ...

; and has been recited at many cultural events, particularly his '' kafis'', including one organized by

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

. It has also brought fourth many modern renditions, particularly in the form of ''

qawwali Qawwali is a form of Sufi Islamic devotional singing originating in the Indian subcontinent. Originally performed at Sufi shrines throughout the Indian subcontinent, it is famous throughout Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan and has ...

''.

Biography

Early life and education

Bulleh Shah was born around 1680 in

(present-day

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

, Pakistan) in Mughal Punjab, into a

Sayyid ''Sayyid'' is an honorific title of Hasanid and Husaynid lineage, recognized as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and Ali's sons Hasan ibn Ali, Hasan and Husayn ibn Ali, Husayn. The title may also refer ...

family. Bulleh Shah's father, Shah Muhammad Darwaish, was well-versed in

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

, and the

Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...

. For unknown reasons, in his early life, his family moved to

, a village near

Sahiwal Sahiwal ( Punjabi / ; ; ), formerly known as Montgomery, is a city in central Punjab, Pakistan. It is the administrative capital of both Sahiwal District and Sahiwal Division. It is the 19th largest city of Pakistan by population accordin ...

. Bulleh Shah had at least one sister who was also

Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...

. Both siblings never married. According to another account, he had two sisters and none of them ever married. Later, when Bulleh Shah was six years old, his family moved to Pandoke, which is 50 miles southeast of

. Bulleh Shah was schooled by his father along with the other children of the village. Most sources confirm that Bulleh Shah had to work, as a child and adolescent, as a

in the village. It is confirmed that he received his higher education in Kasur. Some historians claim that Bulleh Shah received his education at a highly reputed madrassa run by

, where he taught for some time after his graduation. After his early education, he went to

where he studied with

, a

murshid ''Murshid'' () is Arabic for "guide" or "teacher", derived from the root ''r-sh-d'', with the basic meaning of having integrity, being sensible, mature. Particularly in Sufism it refers to a Spiritual director, spiritual guide. The term is freque ...

of Lahore. Bulleh Shah later became an eminent scholar of

and

. By

social stratum Social stratification refers to a society's categorization of its people into groups based on socioeconomic factors like wealth, income, race, education, ethnicity, gender, occupation, social status, or derived power (social and political). It ...

, Bulleh Shah was a

peasant A peasant is a pre-industrial agricultural laborer or a farmer with limited land-ownership, especially one living in the Middle Ages under feudalism and paying rent, tax, fees, or services to a landlord. In Europe, three classes of peasan ...

Persecution

There is a fort-like

Gurdwara A gurdwara or gurudwara () is a place of assembly and place of worship, worship in Sikhism, but its normal meaning is "place of guru" or "home of guru". Sikhism, Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths and rel ...

in Daftuh that was built in the 18th century by the Sikh Chieftainess

Bibi Bibi is a given name, nickname and surname. People with the nickname or stage name * Bibi Andersson (1935–2019), Swedish actress * Bibi (artist) (born 1964), French visual artist Fabrice Cahoreau * Bibi Baskin (born 1952), Irish former TV an ...

Isher Kaur, who donated 80 squares of land for its construction. Bulleh Shah took refuge in this Gurdwara after a group of Islamic fundamentalists started threatening his life. In his bad times, when even his family looked down upon him (for accepting a lower-caste

as a teacher), his sister loved him and stood with him. During his lifetime, he was outcast as

kafir ''Kāfir'' (; , , or ; ; or ) is an Arabic-language term used by Muslims to refer to a non-Muslim, more specifically referring to someone who disbelieves in the Islamic God, denies his authority, and rejects the message of Islam as ...

(non-believer) by some Muslim clerics.

Death

He died in 1757, at the age of 77. He was buried in Kasur, where he had spent most of his life. As he was declared a

(a non-believer), religious fundamentalists of Kasur claimed it was prohibited to offer the prayer at his funeral. He was then buried on the outskirts of Kasur and his funeral prayer was led by Syed Zahid Hamdani, a renowned religious personality of Kasur.

Tomb

dargah A Sufi shrine or dargah ( ''dargâh'' or ''dargah'', Turkish: ''dergâh'', Hindustani: ''dargāh'' दरगाह درگاہ, ''dôrgah'') is a shrine or tomb built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint or dervi ...

was built over his tomb in the following decades. It is now, officially, a protected monument under regulation of the Punjab government. File:Bulleh Shah's Shrine.JPG File:Grave of Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah.jpg File:Bulleh Shah's grave.JPG File:Bullay Shah ibsisayndija2.jpg File:Shrine Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah.jpg

Poetry

Bulleh Shah lived after the Punjabi Sufi poet and saint

Fariduddin Ganjshakar Farīduddīn Masūd Ganjshakar ( – 16 Oct 1265), commonly known as Bābā Farīd or Sheikh Farīd (also in Anglicised spelling Fareed, Fareed ud-Deen, Masood, etc.), was a 13th-century Punjabi Muslim mystic, poet and preacher. Revered by ...

(1179–1266), and lived in the same period as other Punjabi Sufi poet

Sultan Bahu Sultan Bahu (also spelled as Sultan Bahoo; ; 17 January 1630 – 1 March 1691), was a Punjabi Muslim poet, Sufi, scholar, and historian of the 17th century. Renowned for his mystical poetry, he was active during the reigns of Mughal emperors ...

(1629–1691). His lifespan also overlapped with the Punjabi poet

Waris Shah Pir Waris Shah ( ; 1722 1798) was an 18th-century Punjabi Muslims, Punjabi Muslim Sufi poet of the Chishti order, known popularly for his contribution to Punjabi literature. He is primarily known as the author of the ''Heer Ranjha'' love ...

(1722–1799), who is famous for ''

Heer Ranjha '' Ranjha'' () is a classical Punjabi folk tragedy with many historic poetic narrations; with the first one penned by Damodar Gulati in 1600s, on the preexisting oral legend; and the most famous one, ''Heer'', written by Waris Shah in 17 ...

'', the Sindhi Sufi poet

Sachal Sarmast Sachal Sarmast or Sacho Sarmast (; – 1827), was an 18th and 19th century Sindhi Sufi poet, mystic and philosopher from Daraza (present-day Sindh, Pakistan), regarded as an important figure in the Sindhi-language literature. He is revered ...

(1739–1829), and the Pashtun poet

Khushal Khattak Khushal Khan Khattak (Pashto: خوشال خان خټک; ; 1613 – 20 February 1689), also known as Khushal Baba (), was a 17th-century Afghan Pashtun poet, chief, and warrior. Khushal Khan served the Mughal Empire protecting them from Pa ...

(1613–1689). Amongst

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

poets, Bulleh Shah lived 400 miles away from

Mir Taqi Mir Mir Muhammad Taqi (February 1723 – 20 September 1810), known as Mir Taqi Mir (also spelled Meer Taqi Meer), was an Urdu poetry, Urdu poet of the 18th century Mughal Empire, Mughal India and one of the pioneers who gave shape to the Urdu ...

(1723–1810) of

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...

. Bulleh Shah practised the Sufi tradition of Punjabi poetry established by poets like

Shah Hussain Shah Hussain (; 1538 – 1599), also known as Mādhū Lāl Hussain, was a Punjabis, Punjabi Sufi poet, who is regarded as a pioneer of the ''Kafi'' form in Punjabi poetry; and the first major History of Punjab#Early Modern period (1526 AD – ...

(1538–1599),

(1629–1691), and

Shah Sharaf Shah Sharaf (1640–1724) was a Punjabi Sufi poet who wrote his work in Kafi style. He also wrote Dohras and Shuturnama. Among the people whom his poetry influenced, Bulleh Shah is the most popular. See also * Baba Bulleh Shah * Punjabi langua ...

(1640–1724). The verse form Bulleh Shah primarily employed is the

Kafi Kafi is a classical form of Sufi music in the Punjabi and Sindhi languages that originated from the Punjab and Sindh regions of South Asia. Some well-known Kafi poets are Baba Farid, Bulleh Shah, Shah Hussain, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Sa ...

, popular in

and Sindhi poetry. His poetry is a mixture of traditional mystic thought and intellectualism. Many people have put his

s to music, from humble street-singers to renowned Sufi singers like

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (, ; born Pervez Fateh Ali Khan; 13 October 1948 – 16 August 1997), also known by his initials NFAK, was a Pakistani singer, songwriter, and music director. Khan was primarily a singer of qawwali, a form of Sufi devot ...

Fareed Ayaz Ghulam Fariduddin Ayaz Al-Hussaini Qawwal (born in Hyderabad, India) is a Pakistani Sufi devotional singer. He belongs to the Qawwal Bacchon gharana of Delhi. He and his relatives are the flag-bearers of that school of music (gharana), which ...

Pathanay Khan Ghulam Mohammad , known popularly as Pathanay Khan (; 1926 – 9 March 2000), was a Pakistani folk singer from Kot Addu, Punjab. He was associated with the folk music of Punjab and mostly sang ''kafis'' and ''ghazals'', usually drawing on ...

Abida Parveen Abida Parveen (; ; born 20 February 1954) is a Pakistani singer, composer, musician of Sufi music, painter and an entrepreneur. Parveen is one of the highest-paid singers in Pakistan. Her singing and music have earned her many accolades, and s ...

, the Waddali Brothers and

Sain Zahoor Saieen Zahoor Ahmed or Ali Saain Shafiu (Punjabi: سائیں ظہور, born 1936) is a leading Punjabi Sufi musician from Pakistan. He has spent most of his life singing in Sufi shrines, and didn't produce a record until 2006, when he was nomin ...

, from the synthesised techno

remixes of UK-based Asian artists to the Pakistani rock band Junoon. Among the most distinguished persons to be influenced by Bulleh Shah's poetry had been

Muhammad Iqbal Muhammad Iqbal (9 November 187721 April 1938) was a South Asian Islamic philosopher, poet and politician. Quote: "In Persian, ... he published six volumes of mainly long poems between 1915 and 1936, ... more or less complete works on philoso ...

. It is maintained that Iqbal took his last breath while listening to his kafi. He is the "most famous and celebrated" Punjabi poet and is widely recognized as "poet par excellence". A sample of his poetic work is presented below: Verse 1: "''The

mullah Mullah () is an honorific title for Islam, Muslim clergy and mosque Imam, leaders. The term is widely used in Iran and Afghanistan and is also used for a person who has higher education in Islamic theology and Sharia, sharia law. The title h ...

and the torch-bearer'' ''Hail from the same stock;'' ''They give light to others,'' ''And themselves are in the dark.''" Verse 2: "''Let anyone who calls me

be punished'' ''with the tortures of hell;'' ''And let him revel in the pleasures of heaven,'' ''who labels me an

Arain Arain (also known as Raeen) are a large Punjabi Muslim agricultural community with a strong political identity and level of organisation. At the beginning of the last century, they numbered around 1 million and were mainly rural cultivator ...

''."

Philosophy and views

Bulleh Shah's non-orthodox views and simple language played important role in popularization of his poetry. It has been noted in literature that "one reason for his all-time popularity is his relatively modern vocabulary." Among the core tenets of his philosophy includes humanism, equality, tolerance, rejection of double standards, and defiance to the authority of

Ulama In Islam, the ''ulama'' ( ; also spelled ''ulema''; ; singular ; feminine singular , plural ) are scholars of Islamic doctrine and law. They are considered the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious knowledge in Islam. "Ulama ...

and blind faith in their authority. For his criticism of replication of beliefs (blind faith and following), the "Oxford Textbook of Spirituality in Healthcare" compared Bulleh Shah with

Percy Bysshe Shelley Percy Bysshe Shelley ( ; 4 August 1792 – 8 July 1822) was an English writer who is considered one of the major English Romantic poets. A radical in his poetry as well as in his political and social views, Shelley did not achieve fame durin ...

. For his "ruthless nalysis ofhuman society" and an "unending quest" to change it, he is often compared with

Karl Marx Karl Marx (; 5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883) was a German philosopher, political theorist, economist, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. He is best-known for the 1848 pamphlet '' The Communist Manifesto'' (written with Friedrich Engels) ...

. Among major taboos in his philosophy was reciting words without comprehending them. He was a reformer with very much conscious of the contemporary religious, political and social situations. In Bulleh Shah's poetry,

Sufism Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...

can be seen as an indigenous philosophy of political activism and class struggle and resistance to powerful institutions like religion and imperialism. Through his poems he spoke against "religious, political and social patriarchal high handedness" of his time. This side of his poetry is evident from his defying of the imperial ban on dancing and singing, and support for

Sikhs Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Sikh'' ...

, in general, and

Guru Tegh Bahadur Guru Tegh Bahadur ( Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਤੇਗ਼ ਬਹਾਦਰ (Gurmukhi); ; 1 April 1621 – 11 November 1675) was the ninth of ten gurus who founded the Sikh religion and was the leader of Sikhs from 1665 until his beheading in ...

and Guru Gobind Singh, in particular, in their struggle against the imperialist Mughal Empire. Thus, his version of Sufism is usually considered opposite to that of Ali al-Hujwiri, Ali Hajweri and other 'more spiritual' sufis who were confined to their libraries and schools and rarely participated in public discourse. Bulleh Shah was a "revolutionary" and "rebel" poet who spoke against powerful religious, political and social institutions of his time and, thus, his influence can be seen on many noted socialists, progressives and workers and women rights activists like Jam Saqi, Taimur Rahman, Bhagat Singh, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Madeeha Gauhar, and Major Ishaque Muhammad. Humanism is the key attribute of the life and works of Bulleh Shah.

Modern renderings

Bands and albums

In the 1990s, Junoon, a rock band from Pakistan, rendered his poems "Bullah Ki Jaana" and "Aleph" ("Ilmon Bas Kareen O Yaar"). In 2004, Indian musician Rabbi Shergill turned the classical poem "Bullah Ki Jaana" into a rock/fusion song in his debut album ''Rabbi (album), Rabbi''; the song was a chart-topper in 2005, helping the album to eventually sell over 10,000 copies and became immensely popular in India and Pakistan. The Wadali brothers, Wadali Bandhu, a Punjabi Sufi group from India, have also released a version of "Bullah Ki Jaana" in their album ''Aa Mil Yaar... Call of the Beloved''. They also worked with British-Punjabi music composer, Mukhtar Sahota, to create their own rendition of a famous Folk music of Punjab, Punjabi folk song, "Charkha" which was released in May 2007. Another version was performed by Lakhwinder Wadali and entitled "Bullah". Dama Dam Mast Qalandar, a qawwali composed in honour of Shahbaz Qalandar, has been one of Bulleh Shah's most popular poems and has been frequently rendered by many Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi singers including Noor Jehan, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan,

, Sabri Brothers, Wadali brothers, Reshman and Runa Laila. Other qawwali songs by Bulleh Shah, include "Sade Vehre Aya Kar" and "Mera Piya Ghar Aaya". In 2008, a version of Bulleh Shah's famous verse, ''Aao Saiyo Ral Deyo Ni Wadhai'', was sung by Shafqat Amanat Ali, Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, for his debut solo album, ''Tabeer (album), Tabeer''. Ali named the song "Bulleh Shah" in honor of the poet. In 2016, a collaboration between two EDM artists (Headhunterz and Skytech) named "Kundalini" used words created by Bulleh Shah, as well as having the words Bulleh Shah in the lyrics. Bulleh Shah's verses have been an inspiration to painters as well, as in the two series of paintings (''Jogia Dhoop'' and ''Shah Shabad'') by an Indian painter Geeta Vadhera inspired by the poetry of Bulleh Shah and other Sufi poets and saints. In 2017, British-Pakistani singer Yasir Akhtar used Bulleh Shah's poetry in his song "Araam Naal Kar – Take it Easy". In 2019, Sona Mohapatra used a verse of Bulleh Shah in her song "R.A.T. Mashup".

Films

The 1973 movie Bobby (1973 film), Bobby song by Narendra Chanchal starts with the verse ''Beshaq mandir masjid todo, Bulleh Shah ye kahta''. Some of Bulleh Shah's verses, including "Tere Ishq Nachaya", have been adapted and used in Bollywood film songs including "Chaiyya Chaiyya" and "Thayya Thayya" in the 1998 film ''Dil Se..'', "Tere Ishq Nachaya" in the 2002 film ''Shaheed-E-Azam'' and "Ranjha Ranjha" in the 2010 film ''Raavan (2010 Hindi film), Raavan''. The 2007 Pakistani movie ''Khuda Kay Liye'' includes Bulleh Shah's poetry in the song "Bandeya Ho". The 2008 Bollywood film, ''A Wednesday!, A Wednesday'', included a song titled "Bulle Shah, O Yaar Mere". In 2014, Ali Zafar sung some of his verses as "Chal Bulleya, Chal Buleya" for Bollywood soundtrack album ''Total Siyapaa'', and the song was reprised by Zafar same year in ''Pakistan Idol''. The 2016 Bollywood films ''Sultan (2016 film), Sultan'' and ''Ae Dil Hai Mushkil'' feature the song "Bulleya", sung by Papon and Amit Mishra respectively, which is short for Bulleh Shah. Poetry of Bulleh Shah was also used in 2015 film ''Wedding Pullav'' composed by Salim–Sulaiman. A song "Hun Kis Theen" based on his poetry was also featured in Punjabi animated film ''Chaar Sahibzaade: Rise of Banda Singh Bahadur''. In the 1998 Bollywood film Dil Se one of the more popular songs Chaiyya Chaiyya, chal chaiya chaiya is actually a rendition of the popular Bulleh Shah kalam Tere ishq Nachaya, Tera ishq nachaya bol thaiyya thaiyya.

Coke Studio (Pakistan)

In 2009, the Coke Studio (Pakistani season 2), season 2 of ''Coke Studio (Pakistani TV program), Coke Studio'' featured "Aik Alif" performed by

and Noori. Ali Zafar also used some of Bulleh Shah and

's verses in his "Dastan-e-Ishq". In 2010, the Coke Studio (Pakistani season 3), season 3 featured "Na Raindee Hai" and "Makke Gayaan Gal Mukdi Nahi" performed by Arieb Azhar. In 2012, Shah's poetry was featured with Hadiqa Kiani performing "Kamlee". In 2016, Ahmed Jahanzeb and Umair Jaswal performed "Khaki Banda"; In third episode of Coke Studio (Pakistani season 11), season 11 Fareed Ayaz, Abu Muhammad Qawal & Brothers performed a Qawwali based on Kalam by Bulleh Shah. In Coke Studio (Pakistani season 12), season 12 Hadiqa Kiani used verses of Bulleh Shah in the song "Daachi Waaleya".

Legacy

Academic and literary circles The journalist Najam Sethi attempted to translate the verses of Bulleh Shah into English. However, his friend Taufiq Rafat published the finest translation of Bulleh Shah's selected poems. The work of Bulleh Shah influenced and inspired many other poets and artists, such as

, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Ali Arshad Mir, and Mian Muhammad Bakhsh. Socio-economics In 2012, the Government of Punjab, Pakistan, government of Punjab, most populous province of Pakistan, renamed an important road in the provincial capital Lahore to "Bulleh Shah Road". In 2021, the government of Pakistan also approved his name for a road in the country. Pakistan's "largest renewable packaging facility" is also named after him. There is a housing community in Kasur called "Bulleh Shah Colony." Also, a road in Kasur is called "Baba Bulleh Shah Road." A roadway junction on Lahore Ring Road is called "Bulleh Shah Interchange." In 2023, a public hospital in Kasur was renamed to "Baba Bulleh Shah Hospital." An educational institute called "Bulleh Shah Institute" is operating in Badhni Kalan, India, since 2003. Another educational institute called "Bulleh Shah Law College" (affiliated with University of the Punjab) operates in Kasur. In 2007, Pakistani senator Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed raised the proposal for establishment of Bulleh Shah University in Kasur. In 2023, the National Assembly of Pakistan passed a bill, proposed by Asiya Azeem, for the establishment of "Bulleh Shah International University" in

. The renowned Pakistani businessman Syed Babar Ali mentioned Bulleh Shah in his autobiography, and the role played by his team in publishing his works. Politics In the 1960s and 1970s, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto exploited the rising popularity of the ideas of Bulleh Shah, and the slogan of "Roti Kapra aur Makan" (that inspired the film Roti Kapda Aur Makaan) among the common masses and emerged as a populist leader who eventually became the ninth Prime Minister of Pakistan. Bhutto used the term “Dama Dam Mast Qalandar” (a song adapted by Bulleh Shah) in 1973 to predict the political turmoil ahead. In February 2006 then Chief Minister of Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi addressed a conference at the University of the Punjab, in which he said, Bulleh Shah and other Sufi's "were not only preachers, but also historians of social history." In March 2013, Hamza Shahbaz (on the behalf of Punjab's chief minister Shehbaz Sharif) inaugurated "Yadgar-e-Baba Bulleh Shah" (a memorial to Bulleh Shah) in Kasur. In 2015, in his address the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recited a verse of Bulleh Shah. In 2015, the cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan (former Prime Minister) called Bulleh Shah "the great Sufi inspirational heritage of our region." In August 2023, the caretaker chief minister of Punjab Mohsin Raza Naqvi laid the foundation stone of the extension project of the

of Bulleh Shah. He said, the teachings of Bulleh Shah are "an enlightening as well as an illuminating chapter for us." Among the attendees were Nayyar Ali Dada. Aseff Ahmad Daula, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, was an admirer of Bulleh Shah. In one of his essays, he equated "

" with the language of Bulleh Shah. Another Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri praised Bulleh Shah for "always projecting truth in his verses."

Works

Bulleh Shah never published his works. However, a significant part of his work has been preserved and published formally in India, Pakistan and abroad. The following is a list of books and book chapters containing his poetic works (or its translation). Works in English language, English: * ''Sufi Lyrics: Selections from a World Classic'' (Publisher: Harvard University Press), 2021. English Translation by: Christopher Shackle. * ''Bulleh Shah: A Selection'' (Publisher: Oxford University Press), 2016. English Translation by: Taufiq Rafat. * Baba Bulleh Shah (in ''Islamic Mystical Poetry: Sufi Verse from the Mystics to Rumi)'' (Publisher: Penguin Books), 2009. Author: Mahmood Jamal''.'' * ''Bulhe Shah: Volume 141'' (Publisher: Sahitya Akademi), 1987 (reprinted in 1990). Author: Surindar Singh Kohli. * ''Bulleh Shah: The Love-intoxicated Iconoclast'' (Publisher: Radha Soami Satsang Beas), 1986. Authors: J. R. Puri and T. R. Shangari Works in Gurmukhi (Punjabi): * ''Bulleh Shah Jeevan Te Rachna'' [The Life and Career of Bulleh Shah] (Publisher: Punjabi University, Patiala, India), 2010. Editor: Jeet Singh Sital. * ''Kalam Bulle Shah'' [The Verses of Bulleh Shah], 2009. Editor: Gurdev Singh. * ''Bulleh Shah: A Sufi Poet'' [Collection of Verses], Oxford University Press, 2010. Edited by Shabnam Virmani. Works in Shahmukhi (Punjabi): * ''Kalam Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah'' [The Verses of Saint Bulleh Shah] (Publisher: Karmanwala Book Shop), 2009. Editor: Sami Ullah Barkat. * ''Bulleh Shah Kehende Nain'' [Bulleh Shah says], 1987. Editor: Maqbool Anwar Dawoodi. Works in

: * ''Sayin Bulleh Shah'' [Master Bulleh Shah] (Publisher: Radha Soami Satsang Beas), 2000. Authors: T. R. Shangari and J.R. Puri. * Bulleh Shah (Publisher: Sahitya Akademi), 1992. Author: Surinder Singh Kolhi. Translator: Kamil Qureshi. * ''Tazkara'' [Discussion], 1984. Author: Mian Akhlaq Ahmad. * ''Kulliyat Bulleh Shah'' (Publisher: Zahid Basheer Printers, Lahore). Editor: Faqir Muhammad Faqir. * ''Ramooz e Irfan: Kafyan Hazrat Bulleh Shah'' [Secrets of Sainthood: The

s of Saint Bulleh Shah] (Publisher: Kashmir Research Institute, Srinagar). Translator: Fiza Jokalwai. Work in Sindhi: * Bulleh Shah Joon Kafiyoon [The

s of Bulleh Shah], 1983. Editor: Noor Haider. Works in Hindi: * ''Sai Bulle Shah Radha Swami Satsang Vyas'' (Publisher: Radha Soami Satsang Beas), 1995. * ''Kafian Baba Bulleh Shah'' [The

s of Bulleh Shah] (Publisher: Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary/ Namdhari eLibrary). Other works: "Dama Dam Mast Qalandar" is one of the most famous Sufi songs in India and Pakistan. It was originally written by Amir Khusrau, and was modified by Bulleh Shah. The version composed by Bulleh Shah was sung by

, Laal (band) and numerous other singers from India and Pakistan. "Tere ishq Nachaya," a popular poem by Bulleh Shah, has been sung numerous times both in public and film industry, e.g., the popular song Chaiyya Chaiyya is derived from its lyrics. "Bullah Ki Jaana," one of the most popular poems by Bulleh Shah, has been sung by numerous singers in India and Pakistan. A brief biographical sketches of him are found in "Encyclopaedia of Untouchables : Ancient Medieval and Modern" (2008) and "Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature" (1987).

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bulleh Shah 1680s births 1757 deaths Poets from the Mughal Empire Mughal Empire Sufis People from Kasur District Punjabi-language poets Punjabi Sufi saints Sufi mystics Sufi poets Sufism in Pakistan Sufi shrines in Pakistan 18th-century Mughal Empire people