The Space of Hope

by Ishrat Shaheen (Pakistan)

Making a local connection Pakistan

BAZAAR,Its like a shopping street of flowers ,devoted cloth for the Grave of Sufi Shah Jamal. Once I entered this street with all these tremendous character of it just found that this is the place where money and status of human being just bend in front of devotion. For me it was a strange place where buying and selling related to that person who is not alive but yes a source of livelihood for so many peoples. There was a twelve feet Street that was closed like a cul-de-sacs. There was various vendors at the both sides of the road. Flower and sheet wreath are the part of this unique street. People like everyone stranger for each other visit this place with their own stories. People buy flowers and sheet wreath and go to the shrine and pray to resolve the issues of their life stories. They tie a knot with the Jali of shirne and burn a kindles to fulfill their wishes. Flowers are the scarified here for the devotion to Shah Jamal Sufi. This is the common custom of shrines. This is the shrine of Shah Jamal in the residential area of Lahore. This is shine with lights and echo with sound of Famous Drummer “Pappu saen” on every Thursday night( 10 Pm to 4 Pm) with lots of devotees. Everything was in rhythmic movement with cohesion of drum sound. This shrine on the 1st floor level look like that level used to be high in the past. There are two stairs along the central courtyard at the right and left. The right side stairs for the women’s and left for men’s. That central courtyard echoed with the sound of drum and smoke of weed, the place where can forget thyself and just merge in the space and context. The concept of nothingness is very important in Sufi philosophy. They are able to leave their tensions, anxieties and depressions. There are usually flame of match sticks or lighters but in the gloomy grey night it looks like a fire flies. Everyone is busy in dance and smoking of weed. There was a big people tree at the corner of courtyard I was sitting underneath it and smoke of weed and smell was around in this dark night where drum sound was around with the strong influence to recall and question myself who am I? Space has influenced me and experience of space and time always very nostalgic for me. Some recitals of sufi Kalam I have heard there with me till now: Punjabi : Parh parh Alam te faazil hoya Te kaday apnay aap nu parhya ee na Eng Translation: You read so many books to know it all, yet fail to ever read your heart at all. Punjabi : Bhaj bhaj warna ay mandir maseeti Te kaday mann apnay wich warya ee na Eng Translation: You rush to holy shrines to play a part, Would you dare enter the shrine of your heart