Bulleh Shah: Within Reach (Volume 1)

DescriptionThe ‘Within Reach‘ series of the Master works of Punjabi Sufi Poetry is an attempt to bring the outstanding verse of major Punjabi poets to an English-reading public.Bulleh Shah’s name is linked with Kasur in Pakistan. His verse is held in the highest regard by all Punjabi and Sindhi poetry lovers. His powerful verse contains some of the most quoted lines. His arresting boldness and remarkable presentation of Sufi thought are hallmarks of his poetry. His potent, robust themes and language gallop into the hearts of all who read him.Author BiographyMuzaffar A. Ghaffaar is a Lahore-based businessman who has been a patron of arts and literature since the 1980s. He has authored and compiled several books including the Masterworks of Punjaabi Sufi Poetry, a series of which his compendium of Bulleh Shah-made-easy is a part. He mentions at the outset that five to ten per cent of approximately 150 million Punjabis living around the world (roughly 90 million in Pakistan, 50 million or so in India, the rest in Europe and America) “may thirst for a return” to their cultural roots. Some of them, he writes in his preface to the series, “may veer towards the very rich tradition of poetry in Punjaabi, but do not find an entry point”. Then there are others who “may wish to reach the high quality verse” written in Punjabi, but are hampered by various limitations. The books in the series, he notes, “are designed to provide an entry point” to these two groups of people “into Punjaabi literature, history, culture, and tradition”.