Waris Shah
Waris Shah | |
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 Depiction of Waris Shah, Lahore, ca.1859 | |
| Native name | وارث شاہ |
| Born | 23 January 1722[1] Jandiala Sher Khan, Subah of Lahore, Punjab, Mughal Empire[2] (present-day, Sheikhupura District, Punjab, Pakistan) |
| Died | 24 June 1799 (aged 77)[2] Jandiala Sher Khan, Punjab, Durrani Empire[2] (present-day Sheikhupura District, Punjab, Pakistan) |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Genre | Sufi poetry |
| Notable works | Heer Ranjha- by Waris Shah - A Classic Book on their love story[2] |
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Syed Muhammad Waris Shah (23 January 1722 – 24 June 1798), known popularly as Baba Waris Shah,[a] was an 18th-century Punjabi playwright and Sufi poet of the Chishti order, known popularly for his contribution to Punjabi literature.[2] He is primarily known as the author of Heer Ranjha, one of the most popular tragic romances of the Punjab.[3] He was born and buried in Jandiala Sher Khan (present-day Punjab, Pakistan), where he spent most of his life.
He is regarded as one of the greatest Punjabi poets of the early modern era and often referred to as the "Punjabi Shakespeare."[4]
Life and background
Syed Mohammad Waris Shah was born in Jandiala Sher Khan, Punjab, present-day Pakistan into a reputed Sayyid family and was a descendant of Sayyid Muhammad Al-Makki through his son Sayyid Badruddin.[5] His father's name was Gulsher Shah and mother's name was Kamal Banu. Waris's parents are said to have died when he was young.
He spent years in search of the perfect spiritual guide and acknowledged himself to be a disciple of an ustad from Kasur, namely Hafiz Ghulam Murtaza from whom he received his education. After completing his education, Waris moved to Malka Hans, a village twelve kilometres north of Pakpattan. Here he resided in a small room (Hujra), adjacent to a historic mosque now called Masjid Waris Shah, until his death.[2]
Waris Shah was also an eyewitness of the Afghan invasions of Punjab under the Durrani Empire.[6] He witnessed the Battle of Lahore between the Afghan and Mughal forces under Shah Nawaz which resulted in an Afghan victory and occupation of Lahore, during January 1748. Waris Shah condemned the Mughal general Shah Nawaz's actions during the battle, which resulted in the defeat, and even referred to him as a coward.[6] He also spoke out against the Afghan occupation and plundering of Punjab.[6]
His most important work is Qissa Waris Shah (lit. 'Waris Shah Fable') and it is suspected that other poets later added their own verses in Qissa Waris Shah throughout the history. It is estimated that there are 11069 forged verses in the commonly available Qissa Waris Shah.[7] One of the oldest and most accurate copy of Qissa Waris Shah published by Kripa Ram in 1916 is available in the Punjab Public Library in Lahore.[8]
Works
Examples
Many verses of Waris Shah are widely used in Punjab in a moral context, for instance:[9]
- Naa adataan jaandiyan ne, Bhavein katiye poriyan poriyan ji
- نہ عادتاں جاندیاں نے، بھاویں کٹئے پوریاں پوریاں جے
- (A man never abandons his habits, even if he is hacked to pieces)
- Waris rann, faqir, talwar, ghora; Chare thok eh kisse de yar nahin (Waris says that woman, beggar, sword and horse, these four are never anyone's friends)
- Waris Shah faqir di aqal kithe; eh pattian ishq padhiyan hun
- وارث شاہ فقیر دی عقل کتھے، ایہ پٹیاں عشق پڑھیاں ھن
- (It is beyond the wisdom of faqeer Waris Shah (to write this verse), (But) these lessons are taught by Love)
- Eh rooh qalboot da zikr sara nal aqal de mel bulaya ee (This entire reference is about Soul meeting with the Divine, Beloved which has been contrived with great wisdom)
The renowned Punjabi writer and poet Amrita Pritam is best remembered for her famous work Ajj Aakhaan Waris Shah Nu (lit: "Today I Invoke Waris Shah") about the horrors of the partition of the Punjab during the Partition of India.[10]
- Ajj Akan Waris shah nu, k tu Qabran vichon bol
- اج آکھاں وارث شاہ نوں، کتھوں قبراں وچوں بول
- (Today, I call upon Waris Shah, to rise from the grave and speak)
- Te Ajj kitaab e ishq da, koi Agla warka phol
- تے اج کتابِ عشق دا کوئی اگلا ورقہ پَھول
- (And plead with him to open another page in the book of love)
Portrayal in media
Waris Shah's life has been fictionalised in Punjabi-language films. A 1964 Pakistani film titled Waris Shah featured Inayat Hussain Bhatti in the title role. Another film on the life of Shah, Sayyed Waris Shah, was released in India in 1980; followed by Waris Shah: Ishq Daa Waaris in 2006 which had Gurdas Maan in the role of Waris Shah.[11]
See also
References
- ^ "Shakespeare of undivided Punjab, Waris Shah forgotten on his 300th birth anniversary". Hindustan Times. 22 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f eBook in Shahmukhi Punjabi language on Academy of the Punjab in North America website Retrieved 29 May 2018
- ^ Chopra, R M (1999). Great Sufi Poets of the Punjab. Calcutta: Iran Society.
- ^ Naqvi, Sayyid Maqsood, ed. (1991). Riaz Al-Ansab. Izhar Sons Printer. p. 684.
- ^ Naqvi, Sayyid Maqsood, ed. (1991). Riaz Al-Ansab. Izhar Sons Printer. p. 684.
- ^ a b c Gupta, Hari (1944). Studies In Later Mughal History Of The Punjab 1707 To 1793. Lahore: The Minerva Book Shop. pp. 162–163.
- ^ Forgery Forgery in Heer Waris Shah
- ^ Where is actual copy of Heer Waris Shah
- ^ From the book Heer Waris Shah (Chatur Singh Jeevan Singh) in Gurmukhi Punjabi language
- ^ Jalal, Ayesha (4 January 2002). Self and Sovereignty: Individual and Community in South Asian Islam Since 1850. Routledge. p. 562. ISBN 978-1-134-59938-7.
- ^ 2006 film Waris Shah: Ishq Daa Waaris on IMDb website Retrieved 29 May 2018
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