Shanzophrenia.

Nirmarnali Fakirni was a Hindu devotee and fakir at Saeen Sachal Sarmast's shrine in Daraza, Sindh. She wrote some beautiful kafis, but she is remembered for her following kafi which is sung every year during the festival period at the shrine:


Translation:
Lord! You are the protector, do as you please overlook my faults, and somehow protect the helpless as I am the humble of the humblest.

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"Meri Aahiyan Mandi Aahian,
Beshak Gandi AahiyanMeri Aahiyan Mandi Aahian,

Beshak Gandi Aahiyan,
Dhakeen Munhja Dholanra,
Aiib na pholannaNangirra Nimani da....."

Translation:
Undoubtedly I am dirty and vicious in my heart and bad in my actions, but O Master ! Thou are the one whom I pray to have mercy upon me and let my sins be hidden as they are.

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"Payiee-yaan panarre,
laggi tunhinje larrePayiee-yaan panarre,
laggi tunhinje larreJogi naal jalna,
assan wal ee aawnaNangrra Nimani........."

Translation:
O Lord! I have taken Thy shelter now and shall never leave it . And the Lord says, the one who takes my shelter will always be the part of the unity.

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"Yar Sachal taoon lathirre kashaley
Saiina Sachal taoon lathirre kashaley
Ghoonghat kholna bbaha bbaha bbolna
Nangirra Nimani da ........"

Translation:
Sachal says that once I sought forgiveness about my sins and passed on all my problems and worries to my Master, then I feel relieved of all the troubles which I might encounter in life. Now like a newly wed bride I am looking forward to a new happy and joyous life.

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Note, that Nirmarnali fakirni uses `Sachal' in the last verse. This use of Sachal's signature is simply an act of devotion and egolessness. During partition, when an early train of Sindhi Hindu refugees arrived from interior of Sindh into Karachi to catch a ship to Bombay, muslim mobs who had poured into Sindh attacked them. These refugess felt fear and their spirits were low. At this point a young girl among the refugees prayerfully started singing the above Kafi, and then the entire trainload of Sindhis joined in;

"Rakhiyen muinjha Dholna, aiba na pholna, nagra nimaniya ja jeeven teeven palna..."

The song raised the morale of these Sindhi Hindu refugees, but more so, it became a rallying cry for Sindhi muslims to form a protective guard around Sindhi refugees so that none would dare hurt them. This went on, for many trains that followed. Although Nimarnali fakirni herself left with her followers shortly after partition, but she willed that her remains to be returned to Sindh to Sachal's shrine where the numerous fakirs of Sachal reside.

"Vaajhaae vatana khe, je maan hiti muyaasita gorri muhinjii suumiraa, kaji panvaahaarani paasimuae ii jiiasi, je vanje marrhu maliira dde"- Shah Latif.

Translation:

Longing for my country, if I die here Let my funeral, O tyrant! be with my peopleIn death I shall live again, if my corpse reaches my homeland.



So her cremated remains were brought back to Sindh to Sachal Saeen's shrine in Daraza, Sindh. Recognizing the greatness of Nirmanali Fakirni and her special love for Sachal, the Fakirs of the shrine declared to build her Samadhi at one of the two entrances to Sachal's masoleum. This prompted a crooked official of the Religous Trust department to declare the burial of a Hindu in a hallowed Muslim burial grounds "Blasphemous".

So there was a scene but the local Sindhi police wouldn't cooperate with the Trust official. Apparently, they realized that Sachal's shrine has millions of followers and it would be folly to resist the Fakirs.

Frustrated, the Trust official threatened that he will return with his men to destory the Samadhi. Later, dozens of sufi fakirs gathered at the shrine and they built a beautiful Samadhi of Nimarnali fakiirni made of marble. To protect the Samadhi from the threat of vandalism, verses of Quran were carved in the marble. The Trust officials became helpless, since destroying this carving would be blasphemous. So, the Samadhi is still there. And Sindhis recite her poetry every year when they visit the shrine of Sachal and passing through her Samadhi as they leave, remember her and seek her blessing.

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Maqbool Aliani February 28, 1999