Women In The Folk Literature Of Sindh: Re-Examining The Poetry Of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai

Abstract

This article is an attempt to examine the significance of folk literature which embodies the history, tradition and culture; implies a socio-cultural corpus specific to a particular ethnic group, and includes folk-behavior or the study of the specific customs and beliefs of a given social group and folk life or the study of folk-traditions. The folk literature of Sindh, like all other folk literature is the result of an interaction of cultural, geographical and religious factors that offers valuable historical evidence of cultural influence. Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai (1689- 1752 CE) is a celebrated Sufi poet, philosopher and social reformist, who employed folklore as a major segment in his poetry. The collection of Bhitai’s poetry which mostly comprised of the folklore is titled Shah Jo Risalo. This paper deals with a socio-cultural analysis of the folklore as a source for providing an image of the woman in the society. The Sindhi folklore also depicts an interesting picture of the prevailing customs and traditions. This article deals with a critical approach in order to reveal some historical truth in this regard.