The Influence of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai`s Poetry on the Poetry of Dadu Dayal

Abstract

Just as every poet is shaped by the social, economic, political, and literary currents of their time, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai similarly evolved by absorbing the minor and major religious, socio-economic, political, and literary influences of both his own period and the periods preceding it. Historically, Dadu Dayal belonged to the Tarkhan period, whereas Shah Latif was a poet of the Kalhora dynasty. Consequently, whenever preceding poets, scholars, or intellectuals disseminated profound philosophical thought, Latif not only praised their lives and ideologies but also demonstrated a deep assimilation of their wisdom. Among the figures whose philosophies Latif integrated into his poetry, Dadu Dayal holds a distinguished position. A comparative study of Dadu Dayal's life and work alongside Latif’s verses reveals a definitive influence of Dayal's poetry on Latif's work. Furthermore, an examination of Dadu Dayal’s philosophy, contextualized with Latif's Sur Ramkali and his extensive travels across the Sindh and Hind regions, indicates that Latif’s profound reverence for jogis and samis is a remarkable reflection of the influence of Dadu Dayal and his ascetic lineage (Panth). It is, therefore, undeniable that while Latif’s poetry reflects the impact of various international and regional intellectual paradigms from Sindh and Hind, Dadu Dayal remains a pivotal figure among these scholars, casting a profound influence on Latif’s art, thought, and life. The primary objective of this thesis is to establish that among the various intellectuals, Sufis, saints, bhagats, samis, and jogis who influenced Latif, Dadu Dayal holds significant prominence. By comparatively analyzing Latif's poetry with Dadu Dayal's ideology, thought, and verses, this research presents substantive examples to conclusively demonstrate the profound impact of Dadu Dayal's philosophy on Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.