When countless living, noble characters and dignified people began turning their faces away from this unfaithful world, those gatherings and conversations transformed into loneliness. The signs of the ‘Avatars’ (great figures/landmarks) remained, but there was no one left to sit and light up the ‘Takiyas’ (sitting places/shrines) in them. There is a lot of rush in the markets and cities; the world is moving, and business is generally carrying on, but those who would give comfort and take sorrow are no longer here—the remaining ones, or any you might search for, cannot be found.
The people who maintained relationships by destroying greed and breaking temptation—and we might say, knew how to sustain them—today, rows of vultures sit on their humble dwellings. The youth have left their homes and flown abroad, saying, ‘The world is treacherous, do not trust it, but do not abandon your character, and do change yourself.’ Indeed, the trade of truthfulness has diminished or disappeared. In the place of noble, valued men, small-hearted, shallow individuals are beating their drums for a couple of false coins, showing ‘feelings’ of loyalty. But in this silence, the surviving, beautiful-minded, diamond-like people are secretly weeping, if you cling to their clothes and look, or they are startled by the croaking of frogs and move away, marveling at the foolishness of the spectators. They neither blame, reproach, nor criticize them; they are only certainly striving in the effort to struggle for the society to move in the right direction, and to take the simpletons and the honest along, lest the whole scene turn into an even greater state of ‘Blind Kingdom, Foolish King’ (Andher Nagri Chaupat Raja).
We should still look for the animal-drawn carriages. You certainly see the modern iron and plastic vehicles cluttering the roads, but don’t even ask about the oil—lest you end up with your own hands around your neck (i.e., cause your own ruin). A few drops of genuine pure ghee were better than this oil, oil makes a patient of the stomach and empties the pocket. Even the traditional herbal remedies and powders were good; at least they weren’t expired or fake.
Similarly, let our loves be uneducated but true, lest the graduates’ false stories lead to ruin. Great airs have also sprung up in slogans; one doesn’t know what’s happening. The work instead mentally targets and kills the scattered, poor mind. Ever since the fortunate dear ones untied their feet and turbans (left), and their sparkling thoughts and burning lamps began to extinguish, thieves and guards have taken advantage of the dark nights to collude and leave no property (peace) in the houses.”
Syed Ghulam Hyder Shah Qalandari
Kunri, SIndh, Pakistan
