Bulle Shah
A couple of days ago I was listening to this song by Rabi Shergil "Bulla ki jana main kaun" and the lyrics really touched my heart. Though the lyrics was in Punjabi I was able to understand the most of it as english translation was provided in video.
It ws immidiately clear that these lyrics was written by someone named 'Bulle Shah". So I tried searching for some material or some context of this personality and here is what I found:
Belleh Shah lived between 1680-1757. His real name was Abdullah Shah. He was born in the village of Uch Gilaniyan in Bahawalpur (now in Pakistan). He was a punjabi poet. He practiced the sufi tradition of Punjabi poetry. The style used by him popularly known as Kafi mean refrain, which was used by many contemporary poets like punjabi sufis and sikh gurus.
His poetry was filled with an arrogant critique of religious orthodoxy and more so often of Islam. for example consider this:
Mulla tay mashaalchi dohaan ikko chit
Loukan karday chananan, aap anhairae vich
Mullah and the torch-bearer, both from the same flock
Guiding others; themselves in the dark
He was the advocate of simple concept of humanity. I remember one verse from him which even inspired one of the song in bollywood blockbuster BOBBY. Here it goes:
Masjid dha de, mandir dha de, dha de jo kucch dainda
Par kisi da dil na dhain, Rab dilan vich rehnda..
Tear down the mosque and the temple; break everything in sight
But do not break a person’s heart, it is there that God resides
Bulle Shah's poetry has been more popular among artists in Pakistan. Artists like Wadalis, Abida Parveen, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and rock band Junoon have sung his preachings.
In India Rabi Shergil popularised him among masses recently and here is the lyrics for you to enjoy:
Bulleh! ki jaana maen kaun
Na maen momin vich maseet aan
Na maen vich kufar diyan reet aan
Na maen paakaan vich paleet aan
Na maen moosa na pharaun.
Bulleh! ki jaana maen kaun
Na maen andar ved kitaab aan,
Na vich bhangaan na sharaab aan
Na vich rindaan masat kharaab aan
Na vich jaagan na vich saun.
Bulleh! ki jaana maen kaun.
Na vich shaadi na ghamnaaki
Na maen vich paleeti paaki
Na maen aabi na maen khaki
Na maen aatish na maen paun
Bulleh!, ki jaana maen kaun
Na maen arabi na lahori
Na maen hindi shehar nagauri
Na hindu na turak peshawri
Na maen rehnda vich nadaun
Bulla, ki jaana maen kaun
Na maen bheth mazhab da paaya
Ne maen aadam havva jaaya
Na maen apna naam dharaaya
Na vich baitthan na vich bhaun
Bulleh , ki jaana maen kaun
Avval aakhir aap nu jaana
Na koi dooja hor pehchaana
Maethon hor na koi siyaana
Bulla! ooh khadda hai kaun
Bulla, ki jaana maen kaun
A couple of days ago I was listening to this song by Rabi Shergil "Bulla ki jana main kaun" and the lyrics really touched my heart. Though the lyrics was in Punjabi I was able to understand the most of it as english translation was provided in video.
It ws immidiately clear that these lyrics was written by someone named 'Bulle Shah". So I tried searching for some material or some context of this personality and here is what I found:
Belleh Shah lived between 1680-1757. His real name was Abdullah Shah. He was born in the village of Uch Gilaniyan in Bahawalpur (now in Pakistan). He was a punjabi poet. He practiced the sufi tradition of Punjabi poetry. The style used by him popularly known as Kafi mean refrain, which was used by many contemporary poets like punjabi sufis and sikh gurus.
His poetry was filled with an arrogant critique of religious orthodoxy and more so often of Islam. for example consider this:
Mulla tay mashaalchi dohaan ikko chit
Loukan karday chananan, aap anhairae vich
Mullah and the torch-bearer, both from the same flock
Guiding others; themselves in the dark
He was the advocate of simple concept of humanity. I remember one verse from him which even inspired one of the song in bollywood blockbuster BOBBY. Here it goes:
Masjid dha de, mandir dha de, dha de jo kucch dainda
Par kisi da dil na dhain, Rab dilan vich rehnda..
Tear down the mosque and the temple; break everything in sight
But do not break a person’s heart, it is there that God resides
Bulle Shah's poetry has been more popular among artists in Pakistan. Artists like Wadalis, Abida Parveen, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and rock band Junoon have sung his preachings.
In India Rabi Shergil popularised him among masses recently and here is the lyrics for you to enjoy:
Bulleh! ki jaana maen kaun
Na maen momin vich maseet aan
Na maen vich kufar diyan reet aan
Na maen paakaan vich paleet aan
Na maen moosa na pharaun.
Bulleh! ki jaana maen kaun
Na maen andar ved kitaab aan,
Na vich bhangaan na sharaab aan
Na vich rindaan masat kharaab aan
Na vich jaagan na vich saun.
Bulleh! ki jaana maen kaun.
Na vich shaadi na ghamnaaki
Na maen vich paleeti paaki
Na maen aabi na maen khaki
Na maen aatish na maen paun
Bulleh!, ki jaana maen kaun
Na maen arabi na lahori
Na maen hindi shehar nagauri
Na hindu na turak peshawri
Na maen rehnda vich nadaun
Bulla, ki jaana maen kaun
Na maen bheth mazhab da paaya
Ne maen aadam havva jaaya
Na maen apna naam dharaaya
Na vich baitthan na vich bhaun
Bulleh , ki jaana maen kaun
Avval aakhir aap nu jaana
Na koi dooja hor pehchaana
Maethon hor na koi siyaana
Bulla! ooh khadda hai kaun
Bulla, ki jaana maen kaun
