Rahul Aijaz

Folk tales may be specific to a region but they have a certain universality to them. The old myths and folktales of various cultures seem to have a format. Like a screenwriter formats a screenplay or a designer outlines an illustration, similarly, the folktales have a definite format to which they comply. The ambitious characters, larger than life drama, natural-law-defying phenomena or in some cases, natural yet so ill-timed (that it results in tragedy), they all form different elements of folktales. One thing is for sure, they may or may not be believable in today’s rational world, but they convey a true emotion. The essence is so human that most of the time, a man from one culture can easily relate to the folk tales from other cultures.

South Koreans deeply value their traditions and their roots. The customs and basic etiquette of performing tasks matters a lot so it’s fitting that folk tales are also an important part of the culture. Stories never fade. They transcend the dimension of time to become immortal, in one form or another. Folktales carry the souls of people. Folk tales are stories of the people by the people. Passed on from generation to generation, they educate and entertain the masses. Korean folktales have a number of miraculous or fanciful elements which would, in filmmaking world, put them in a fantasy genre. Whereas Sindhis are, in general, though romantic in an idealistic sense of the word, more rooted in the apparent reality. Love is the only magic they know and oftentimes, God is miraculous and kind enough to interfere in the worldly events (Deus ex machina in filmmaking; indicating supernatural or god’s interference for sudden change in the course of events). Best known Sindhi folktales are tragedies from ‘Shah Jo Risalo’, a poetic anthology of love stories by famous Sindhi Sufi saint and poet, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (1689-1752). His poetry gave birth to the popular ‘Seven Queens of Sindh’. In film, they would have a touch of Italian neo-realism.

One can draw parallels between Korean and Sindhi folktales. What is interesting to note is the constant search for a bride is the priority for many characters in the stories. Sometimes, she appears in the form of a snail or a lady or a fairy. And it either ends with ‘happily ever after’ or in a tragedy (like all stories do). But it’s not all black and white. The circumstances differ, though the climax does not.

The popular Korean story of ‘Woo rung gak si’ (the snail lady) tells about a snail which turns into a lady. The narrative begins with a man finding a snail and bringing it home to eventually discover that it’s a woman with whom he, later on, marries. He’s then challenged by a king who wants his beautiful wife and eventually wins (with the help of his father-in-law Dragon King’s fantastical powers) and donates the king’s wealth to the poor, to end the story.

If the Dragon King’s fantastical powers were not impressive enough, we have the tale of Sassui Punnhun in Sindhi folklore. Sassui, a Sindhi laundryman’s (adopted) daughter and Punnhun, prince of a Balochi tribe fall in love and plan to get married. Punnhun’s brothers are against the idea of a prince marrying a laundryman’s daughter so on the first night of wedding celebrations, they get their brother intoxicated and carry him back to their hometown. The next morning, Sassui, out of anguish of parting with her lover, runs barefooted to Punnhun’s hometown. Crossing the miles of deserts and valleys, shepherd tries to sexually assault her. She runs and pray for God to hide her. The land tremors and splits and Sassui is buried beneath. When Punnhun wakes up, he does the same and on the way, hears about Sassui’s fate. He bemoans the same prayer. As it is answered, Sassui and Punnhun are buried under the valley together.

Both tales use the same character, which is humane and weak, yet when faced with unsurmountable odds, is helped by the superior forces. What’s interesting to note is that Sassui Punnhun’s story may be a tragic one but the union of lovers was inevitable, even in death.

The similarity of themes in Korean and Sindhi culture is astounding. The characters are so ordinary yet the circumstances make them do extra-ordinary things and become immortal. Just like Shimchong, a blind man’s daughter sacrificed herself for her father’s vision and in turn, eventually, became a king’s wife and reunited with his father. Similarly, Marvi is taken to the palace by King Umer in Tharparkar but refuses to marry him even upon promises of lavish lifestyle as a queen. Eventually, Umer realizes and honorably, sends her back to her town.

“It is not the custom of Maru folk.

To exchange kith and kin for gold.”

The importance of family relations is prominent in Korean and Sindhi folktales. Folktales in both civilizations, which impressively boast of more than 5000 years of rich history, are quite similar in terms of using ordinary characters and transform them through fantastic experiences into a better human or rich and successful. As much as the final outcome of their struggles matters, the journey is even more interesting. Characters like Shimchong and Marvi who sacrifice yet stay focused on their goal, or characters like the man in the snail lady or Punnhun who find eternal love are only a few of the many characters which have survived centuries of storytelling from generation to generation. And better yet, in today’s modern world, they remind us of the most basic human emotions and give us a reason to celebrate their epic storytelling and to celebrate life.

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Rahul Aijaz is a young Pakistani journalist and filmmaker. He is Director and Producer of ‘A Train Crosses the Desert’, a short Sindhi movie, globally acclaimed and screened in ten International Film Festivals.  

Courtesy: The AsiaN

The post Storytelling in Korean and Sindhi Folktales first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Chanesar….. A character having lust for power and luxury in the opera Doday Jo Moat (Part I)

By Noor Ahmed Janjhi

Opera ‘Doday Jo Moat’ written by Shaikh Ayaz depicts the role of Chanesar in a different way. Chanesar was the crown prince who had to take over the power of Soomra rule in Sindh. The situation changed and Amirs or delegates of the court, coroneted his younger brother Dodo. Reacting to the rejection, Chanesar went to Delhi to seek help from Sultan Allauddin Khilji. The latter helped him and gave his troops under the command of Zafar Baig to attack Sindh and to take Baghi, daughter of Bhoongar for marriage with Sultan. It annoyed everyone. The story of Dodo Chanesar is a semi-historical folk legend of Sindh that tells many stories pertaining to the society of Sindh. Some writers like M H Panhwer have rejected the story. However, Dr. N A Baloch has documented the legend in two volumes containing different versions of the tale those reflect its existence in the hearts of people who remembered such a great legend and transferred the same to their succeeding generation through verbal heritage. The tale is told with verses called ‘gahoon’. The gahoon are a heart touching form of folk poetry. The depiction of the tale presents a kaleidoscope of the events and it seems as the battle is being fought before the audience.

Shaikh Ayaz was also inspired by such a great influencing presentation of the folk tales and he created operas on the stories. His opera ‘Doday Jo Moat’ starts with an act of the indulgence in luxury. Chanesar listens to the singing by his keep Chholi and starts narrating something. The narration presents a tragic story of the instability and vulnerability of power. Chanesar was the brother of Dodo. However, both had different mothers. Chanesar was from a blacksmith lady and Dodo was from a Soomro lady. A little debate during the coronation annoyed the delegations and they evolved Dodo on the throne. The racial considerations have been influencing human thinking since centuries. The fight between Sindh army and Dehli troops was fought bravely. Sindh troops were defeated and Dodo was murdered. It is said that when the commander of Dehli army dishonored the dead body of Dodo, Chanesar become infuriated and took his sword out and started fighting but it had been very late and Soomra rule ended with the slaughter in the battle. Shaikh Ayaz has depicted the character of Chanesar as the mundane one who considers and values everything in material terms. He thinks everything to the present world and wants to enjoy whatever one gets. Chanesar starts talking as follows:

هرشئي اچڻي وڃڻي آهي

هرشئي ڀيري ڀڃڻي آهي

جيڪي آهي سو هي پل آ

موت اٽل آ، موت اٽل آ

موت اسان جو پاڇو آهي

ڪارونجهر آ، ڪاڇو آهي

منڇرآهي ، مياڻي آهي

سانوڻ جي سومهياڻي آهي

(Everything is supposed to come and go. Everything has its turn. This moment is worthwhile. Death is inevitable. Death is our shade. Death is Karoonjhar, Kacho, Manchar and Miyani. And it is late sun setting of monsoon)

Chanesar thinks death as an inevitable phenomenon which is born with us. None knows the start and end of death. It returns back into oblivion. The death does not honor any one’s request to stay away. Many a brave people came in world and dictated all and sundry but there does not find any of their trace. There is no permanent address of the dwellers of earth. Chanesar is of the view that the death supports to none. The death keeps a light which aims at the life. The fear of death makes sensation in every heart. Chanesar asks about such a brave person who may conquer the death by killing it. The death rides as a lion on everyone’s head and grinds nuts on everyone’s breast. Having been frightened by the concept of death, Chanesar treats saint and sinner at equal footing because in his eyes, everyone has to fill the ditch of land after death. He says:

توسان مونسان ڄايو آهي

اڻ ڄاتي مان آيو آهي

اڻ ڄاتي ۾ وڃڻو آهي

ڪنهن جي مور نه مڃڻو آهي

هن ڌرتيءَ تي ڪيئي آيا

جن ڌرتيءَ کي ناچ نچايا

اڄ ڪو تن جو نانءُ نه آهي

ٿهرڪٿي، ٿِرٿانءُ نه آهي

پرڀونئي جو ڀاڻ نه ڪوئي

مٽيءَ جو مانڊاڻ نه ڪوئي

هيئن چوي يا هونئن چوي ڪو

موت ڏئي ٿو ڪنهن کي ٽيڪو

هرڪو سچ اسچ ڪري ٿو

ڪنهن ماڻڪ جيئن موت ٻري ٿو

جنهن جي ٽڪ حياتيءَ ۾ آ

هرماڻهوءَ جي ڇاتيءَ ۾ آ

ڇا ڪو اهڙو ڀاڄوڪڙ آ

ڀُونءِ مٿان ڪو اهڙو ڀڙ آ

جيڪو اُن کان آجو آهي؟

هرماڻهو هڪ باجو آهي

جنهن جي سُر ۾ موت ڀريل آ

هر پل من تي مُڱ ڏريل آ

ڪوڙو سارو آپو آهي

ڪانو سڀ جو ماپو آهي

ڏوهيءَ جو ساڻيهه به ساڳيو

بي ڏوهيءَ جو ڏيهه به ساڳيو

ڇو جو هرڪنهن کي مرڻو آ

ڀُونءِ جو اونهون ڀِڀُ ڀرڻو آ

(The death is born along with you and me. It has come out of unknown and has to be returned back there. It does not honor to anyone. Many came on the earth who made many people to dance. There is no trace of theirs today that where they had been living. Alien has no stationary place at earth. Clay has no shape. One may say this or that. Death gives temporary support to all. Everyone utters truth or non-truth. Death is illuminating as a pearl and aims at life. Is there any person who can flee away from it or any place where death cannot reach? Everyone is such an instrument that plays death tunes in his head. Every moment grinds nuts on the breast and all of the self is false. Saints as well as sinners have to go to same place as everyone has to die away to fill the belly of earth.)

Chanesar passed through a situation of uncertainty when he observed such conditions. A few keep themselves intact in such trying situations and emerge as a Dodo otherwise many a Chanesar do bad things by lame justification of the mortality of world and lose themselves. Therefore, everything has been regarded lawful in war. Man should be helping and facilitating hand to fellow men rather than an enemy thirsty of his blood. The situation compels and throws many to be Chanesars. Despite the trying situations, one should maintain courage. When a person looks at this world with the eyes of Chanesar, everything is useless for him except his own interests. He forgets kith, kin, friends, country and humanity. People seek refuge in luxury during such trauma in life. They avoid looking on the ground realities. Shaikh Ayaz narrates through the character of Chanesar as:

اي متواري مئي پُڄاڻان

سج اُڀري ٿو مان ڪيئن ڄاڻان

سڀڪجهه هيءُ جُڳاڻو آهي

چوڏس رات چٽاڻو آهي

موتئي جي مهڪار به آهي

۽ ڪا ماکيءَ آر به آهي

تنهنجي ٽاريءَ جهڙي تن تي

ساري رات انڌيري بن تي

ڪويل جي ڪوڪار چڱي آ

۽ سا سندر نار چڱي آ

جيڪا پنهنجا ڦل آڇي ٿي

چار رسيلا پل آڇي ٿي

تاڙيءَ ڏول کجيءَ جي وڻ ۾

ساري رات لُڏي سانوڻ ۾

رچي وڃي ٿو اهڙو رس ۾

آڳ لڳائي ٿو نس نس ۾

ڏاهپ جو آڏس اهوئي

جيئڻ جهڙو جس نه ڪوئي

موت رڳو انڌيارو آهي

مُٺ هڏن تي مارو آهي

(After drinking wine, I don’t know how the sun rises. Everything is this world. Moonlight of full moon is everywhere. There is fragrance of motiyo flower and honey. Branch like your body is beautiful and cry of cuckoo bird suits at night there. A beautiful lady suits there as she offers some melodious moments. It is like a bucket hanging in palm tree in monsoon. Such wonderful situation ignites fire in all sinews. Sanity suggests that there is no reward like the life. Death is darkness and it is an attack on a handful of bones)

Chanesar’s habit of the indulgence in luxury takes him close to a woman. He seeks refuge in a woman and wine. The body of a woman is a head hiding place for him. As the drunkards look anxiously towards the buckets hanging in the trees of tarree so the eyes seek a refuge. Ayaz has called it a melodious company. The whims of wine put Chanesar’s body on fire. He declares in such a whimsical mood that life is a great reward and death is an attack on the handful of bones. It takes existence of life away towards nothingness. Shaikh Ayaz has discussed the death in the beginning of the character of Chanesar. He has called it inevitable and it is unknown too. The poet has been reflecting such situations of the present throughout his poetry. The moment ‘present’ is the important moment for Chanesar as the coming moment will be the moment of fight and fright. The bugle call will be blown to start the fight. There will be fight and smiling and tinkling sounds of swords. It will be a nerve wrenching situation and Chanesar wants to be away from the situation as he does not sustain pressure. He seeks refuge in luxury. (Continues)

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About the Author

Noor Ahmed Janjhi is a senior educationist based in Desert District Tharparkar Sindh. He is author of several books in Sindhi and English language on folk literature including two poetry books.

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