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Mast Tawakali^[1] (Balochi: مست توکلی, also romanized as Mast Taukali; c. 1825 – 1892) was a 19th century Baloch Sufi poet, mystic and reformist, who is regarded as the "Father of Balochi literature". He spoke against the feudal system and absolute rule of the tribal chiefs ("sardars") and was devoted to the underprivileged.^[2]

When the sardars of Balochistan accepted the British rule, Tawakali, a contemporary of the Punjabi poets, Khwaja Ghulam Farid and Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, penned resistance through poetry against the colonialists.

According to Fakhar Zaman at the Mast Tawakali Conference, the chairman of World Punjabi Congress and former chairman of Pakistan Academy of Letters, "Tawakali's poetry delivered a message of love, peace, tolerance, and fraternity, and it became so well-known that wherever he went, crowds gathered to see him."^[3]

Early life

Tawakali was born in 1825 in Mank Band, near Kahan in Kohlu at the time of Afghan rule over northern Balochistan. His father Lal Khan named him Sohrab, but later, this name was changed because it was their Sardar's name who would mind his name being given to a peasant's son. He belonged to the Loharani (Sherani) branch of the Marri tribe. It is believed that all of his poetry contains references to Samoo. He was a shepherd by profession.^[4] Samoo's love was the source and pathway for Mast to get closer to God and purify his soul.^[5]

Love and poetry

At the age of 28, he met a married woman named Samoo, when seeking refuge from a storm, upon seeing her it is reported that he fell in love, immediately.^[6] After that night, he spent his entire life like a vagabond and known as Mast Tawakali meaning "Nobody cares" and started his poetry.

It became his routine to sit near the same hamlet once and again to catch a glimpse of Samoo. Over this, the villagers turned harsh to him and asked him not to visit the same hamlet again and again, but this word did not have an effect on Mast. Having become tired of Tawakali, Samoo's husband took her and left the village forever. After this, in his eyes, Mast had no purpose as he could not see his beloved Samoo, any longer. He devoted his life to God and spent his most of his life in a shrine composing poetry and praying for Samoo.

Dr. Shah Muhammad Marri writes, "Mast was a mystic and a great lover. Once, the husband of Samoo, along with other villagers, wanted to kill him to get rid of him. They pushed him from a hilltop, with wonders, nothing happened to him. Once a train was on the way track, the track was broken that the train had no information about this and reaching nearer to the broken-track position, the train stopped because Mast had blown a red scarf."

Later years and death

He left everything for his love and started poetry. This love of human being ascends to God, thus he went from virtual love to spiritual love. Mast Tawakali is the greatest Sufi poet of Balochi language and his poetry is closely attached to the suffering of common men. His poetry carried a message of peace, love, tolerance and brotherhood. Mast Tawakali lived his whole life in search of truth and love. He was not only an eminent poet of Balochi but also a great Sufi of the era.^[7] As Sufis believe that by purifying their hearts they get close to God. For him, Samoo's love was the pathway to get there. Sufis say that they see the divine presence in everything. Mast Taukali found it in Samoo. He says in a stanza:

نندون کاہان آ بیثغوں کوہانی مری"

"وا رضا بیثو ،بہانغے سمو اے کثئی

" Nindo;n Kahan a Bisagho'n Kohaani Marri; Wa Raza Beeso Bahanaghe Samoo e Kuth ey" (I am an ordinary Marri of Kahan, not speak of my status, It was God and His acceptance I earned, Samoo was a mere means). He died at the age of 67, some 27 years after Samoo's death.

Shrine

He died in 1892 at Pazza , Kohlu. He was buried in Mast Maidan Gari, District Kohlu ,Balochistan.^[8] There is Tomb of Mast Tawakali as you enter the shrine. A mosque has also built on the compound.

References