Mai Bakhtawar’s life and martyrdom remain a powerful reminder that the fight for justice is long, but not forgotten
- Her name echoes not just through the fields of Sindh, but in every heart that dreams of a world where those who sow, truly reap
Ali Nawaz Rahimoo
In the districts of old Tharparkar, Sanghar, and Badin, the post-Partition era brought immense suffering to the local communities. These regions were severely affected by the unjust distribution of agricultural lands. Migrant Punjabi landlords and feudal lords, newly settled in Sindh, began to oppress the native peasants, many of whom were already reeling from the trauma of forced displacement. Amidst this environment of exploitation and suffering, a symbol of resistance and resilience emerged Mai Bakhtawar. Born in 1880 in the village of Dodo Khan Sarkani, Tando Bagho, Mai Bakhtawar was the daughter of Murad Khan Lashari, a poor farmer. He named her “Bakhtawar,” meaning “fortunate woman.” True to the life of most peasant families in Sindh, she started working in the fields from a young age, laboring from dawn till dusk to support her household. In 1898, she married Wali Muhammad Lashari, a fellow farmer. Together, they raised three sons and a daughter.
Mai Bakhtawar’s life, however, was far from fortunate in the conventional sense. Like countless other indigenous Sindhi women, she lived under the harsh grip of a feudal system where power was concentrated in the hands of landlords—many of whom had recently migrated and imposed new levels of cruelty on the already struggling peasant population. Her life became synonymous with defiance when she came face to face with one such feudal lord, Choudhry Saeedullah, who owned the land she cultivated.
As a matriarch and a mother, Mai Bakhtawar bore dual responsibilities: to feed her family and to be a pillar of strength and dignity for future generations. The slogan that began echoing through the peasant communities “Those who sow, shall reap” was more than a chant; it was a demand for justice. It resonated with the dispossessed farmers of Sindh, who had long seen the fruits of their labor snatched away. In this turbulent time, the Hari Tehreek (Peasant Movement) led by Comrade Hyder Bux Jatoi was gaining momentum across Sindh. Peasants everywhere were rising against centuries of exploitation, demanding their fair share of the harvest and their dignity as human beings. Mai Bakhtawar stood at the frontlines of this movement. After months of toiling in the fields and growing wheat with her family, she was told by the landlord that they would not receive even the customary share Adh Bateye (half-share) of the harvested crop. This betrayal ignited a fire of rebellion in her heart.
When Choudhry Saeedullah arrived at the fields with his armed guards to seize the harvest, Mai Bakhtawar took a stand. She tied her chuni (long scarf) around her waist a traditional sign of readiness for hard work or confrontation—and picked up an axe. Climbing onto the khori (a mud-constructed grain storage), she declared with unwavering courage:
“If someone dares to take this wheat, let him try. Otherwise, wait until our men return. Then you can talk to them.”
Her boldness enraged the landlord. In a shocking act of brutality, he ordered his men to shoot her. The trigger was pulled, and Mai Bakhtawar was struck by a bullet. Her blood soaked the very wheat she had fought to protect. For the landlord, it may have been the silencing of a defiant woman. But for the peasants of Sindh, it was the birth of a legend Mai Bakhtawar Shaheed, the martyr.
Her sacrifice became a symbol of resistance for countless oppressed peasants. She was not just a victim of feudal violence; she became a heroine of Sindh, whose spirit still inspires those fighting against injustice and inequality. Regrettably, Mai Bakhtawar’s story remains largely unknown to many in Pakistan today a reflection of a society still under the shadow of feudal dominance and historical amnesia. But her legacy lives on in the hearts of those who remember. Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan’s first female Prime Minister and a champion of women’s rights, was one of her admirers. In her honor, Benazir named her daughter Bakhtawar, hoping she would carry the same spirit of courage and resistance. Yet, the struggle continues. Despite the blood and bravery of Mai Bakhtawar and countless others, Sindh’s peasant movement has yet to achieve lasting change. Millions of Sindhi women still wait in silence waiting to be empowered, waiting to be heard. Mai Bakhtawar’s life and martyrdom remain a powerful reminder that the fight for justice is long, but not forgotten. Her name echoes not just through the fields of Sindh, but in every heart that dreams of a world where those who sow, truly reap.
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The writer is a freelancer based in Umerkot and can be reached at anrahimoo@gmail.com
