Sindh, the land of Sufis like Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, is replete with poets. In recent decades, however, Syed Murtaza Shah Dadahi is counted among those who helped breathe new life into Sindhi poetry.
This past week, his third death anniversary was observed in Sindh, where many paid tribute to him for raising Sindhi poetry to new heights and for his dedication to Sindhi literature.
Dadahi was born in the Dadah village of Tando Bago district of Sindh — currently listed as a taluka of the Badin district. Dadahi was born in 1939 when Tando Bago was listed as part of the Hyderabad division. His father, Imam Shah, was a notable social and religious figure of the area.
Imam Shah would host gatherings at his Otaq (guest house), where a young Murtaza Shah would regale large crowds with his poetry. He reportedly wrote his first poem at the tender age of 14, which quickly became popular in his locality.
Muhammad Khan Ghani, an eminent poet of Sindh, burnished young Dadahi's skills and groomed him to become a prominent name in Sindhi poetry. Notable Sindhi literati such as Pir Hasamdin Shah Rashdi, GM Syed, Makhdum Talib-al-Mola and Rasool Bux Palijo were among his staunch admirers.
During his career, Dadahi honed his expertise in Sindhi Kafi- poetry, which is recited rhythmically.
His poem "Zaher Khe B Zam Zam" earned him fame across Sindh.
He also wrote eight books comprising different genres of his poetry. Among some of his famous works include "Zaher Aen Zam Zam", "Dadahi Ja Doh", "Awan Khe B Visri Wayaseen", and "Man Zaro Turn Mahetab".
During the 1970s and 1980s, he appeared in several television programmes to recite his poetry, apart from writing for various Sindhi magazines and dailies.
Dadahi actively promoted Sindhi literature by participating in literary symposiums across the province. Like many illustrious predecessors and peers, his poems were sung by local and national singers. Prominent among them were Abida Parveen, singer Ali Saleem, Fozia Soomro, and Sadiq Faqeer.
Close friends of the poet say that he had substantial contributions to the written word in the Sindhi language and in spreading tales of Tando Allahyar in Sindh to the rest of the world. He was among the pioneers of the press club in Tando Allahyar, where his family had settled after Partition. Apart from the press club, he founded Bazem–e-Murtaza, Watayo Faqir Yadgar Committee, and the Dadahi Adabi Tanzeem.
Naseer Mirza says people fondly remember those who created unique and original works. Unlike some of his peers, Mirza said Dadahi's choice of words and phraseology was eclectic.
In recognition of his services, the federal government bestowed him with the President's Pride of Performance award in 2018. Besides that, he received the Sohni-Mahiwal gold medal and the Zindagi Golden Jubilee award for his contributions to Sindhi literature.
Dadahi lived a simple life and never demanded remuneration from the culture department, even during a crisis. His sons, Syed Sajad Shah and Syed Jawad Ali Shah, still live in Tando Allahyar city, living a simple life away from the spotlight.
When contacted, Dadahi's sons bemoaned the apathy of the provincial culture department, whom they accused of overlooking their father's contributions.
For his admirers, Dadahi will always be remembered as an idiosyncratic poet of Sindh.