Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai: A Poet of Masses

Abstract

This paper explores Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai’s profound role as a poet of the masses, emphasizing his ability to blend mysticism, folk tradition, and humanistic ideals into the Sindhi cultural landscape. Emerging from eighteenth-century Sindh, Latif’s poetry in Shah Jo Risalo communicates in the language of ordinary people—fishermen, farmers, and desert travelers—while addressing universal themes of love, justice, and divine unity. Through his Sufi worldview, Latif challenged hierarchical and feudal structures, articulating the voice of the marginalized. This study investigates how Latif’s art functions as both literary expression and social philosophy, promoting equality, tolerance, and spiritual freedom. Employing a qualitative and interpretive approach, the research analyzes selected surs (chapters) from Shah Jo Risalo to demonstrate how Latif’s folk-based imagery and metaphors turn poetry into a cultural dialogue accessible to all. His title as “poet of the masses” is thus reaffirmed through both his humanism and his deep connection with Sindhi identity.