LARKANA: Speakers at Jashan-i-Latif held at Government Arts and Commerce College here on Tuesday to commemorate great Sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai said Bhitai’s poetry taught perseverance and courage in the face of all odds and constant struggle rather than disappointment and dejection in life.

Students, male as well as female, gave speeches on the poetry and life of Bhitai and presented tableaus and musical performances at the program. The highlights of the event were an interesting competition titled Hifz-i-Latif in which students were to recite Bhitai’s verses from memory and a tableau based on seven heroines immortalised by Bhitai through his poetry.

Prof Altaf Hussain Abro, regional director of Colleges Larkana who presided over the program, said that students of the college had reassured them that the younger generation had deep love and understanding of Bhitai’s teachings.

He said the main purpose of such events was to make the youth aware of Bhitai’s philosophy and praised efforts of the principal Prof Rizwan Gul for restoring vibrancy to the college.

Mr Gul said that Bhitai was a poet for all times, his thoughts were universal and he was synonymous with the identity of Sindh. The college was actively working to familiarise students with Bhitai’s philosophy and help them understand his poetry as evidenced by that day’s program where students had memorised his verses and portrayed them in tableaus, he said.

Prof Aijaz Jamali remarked that studying Bhitai was not easy but the college’s students had accomplished this difficult task with great competence. He gave credit to the principal and teaching staff for this achievement.

Prof Abdul Waheed Chandio said that Bhitai was a poet of perseverance and courage, who taught lessons of constant struggle rather than giving up on one’s life goals.

Shamsuddin Sario, Malhar Sindhi, Sadora Solangi, Umeed Ali Samtio, Nafees Akhtar Ansari, and Ateequr Rehman Soomro, FIA deputy director Liaquat Ali Hulio, Prof Nafees Akhtar Ansari, Prof Sadora Solangi and others said that such events provided valuable knowledge to students, offering them wisdom for leading a better life.

The program concluded with an exhibition of students’ paintings, followed by distribution of certificates.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2024