Pir Mehar Ali Shah was a Sufi saint of the Chishti order who lived from 1859 to 1937 in the Pothohar region of Punjab, now adjacent to Islamabad. He composed a vew pieces of poetry, in Persian, Urdu, and Punjabi — the most known of which is his Punjabi poem written in praise of the Prophet (PBUH) — ajj sikk mittran di wadheri ae.
This book is a collection of his poetry, including the complete version of the above-mentioned Punjabi poem.
Read online: http://folkpunjab.com/library/mirat-ul-irfan/
Maye ni
Sanu chain na painda
Sanu saah na aave
Sanu kujh na bhave
Assi kaare keete
Assi joon handai
Assi kahnu jamme
Sanu samajh na aayi
Maye ni
Kih haal sunaiye
Dass kithe jaiye
—
A poem I just wrote.
Some of you grew up speaking Punjabi and take it for granted. Some of you look down upon the language because it just doesn’t fit in your worldview. I had to revive it within myself, had to shake off the dust and polish it with my bare hands.
Punjabi, for me, is a way to connect with the land. It is how I feel what generations before me have experienced. It is what makes me who I am. It is where I find solace.
Punjabi is poetry to my ears.
