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The Seven Stages of Love in Ahmed Solangi’s Poetry Book “Khuwaab: Awaara Pakhi”

(Dreams: Wandering Birds)

Book Review By: Ayesha Bhutto

Abstract

Within the lyrical pages of Khuwaab_Awaara Pakhi (Dreams_Wandering Birds), Ahmed

Solangi weaves a poetic tapestry of emotions that transcends the boundaries of culture,

language and time. This review unveils a world of emotions, passion and intricate human

experiences revolving around the themes of beauty, love, lonesomeness, pain etc. The heart of

this detailed analysis lies in the Rumi’s Seven Stages of Love that include: 1. Attraction, 2.

Attachment, 3. Unconditional Love/ Trust/ Intimacy/ Union, 4. Worship, 5. Madness/Passion, 6.

Separation/ Pain/ Death, and 7. Reunion. Each stage is meticulously dissected and exemplified

with relevancy to Ahmed’s verses, ghazals, and poetic musings, through kaleidoscope of

emotions. This review serves as an intellectual and emotional voyage through the human

experience of love, offering a profound testament to the power of poetry that bridges hearts and

souls across the globe. This review unfolds the symphony of emotions by invoking the timeless

words of luminaries like John Keats, Lord Byron, Elif Shafak (especially in the context of “The

Forty Rules of Love”), Hassan Dars, and Emily Dickinson.

Key Words: Ahmed Solangi, Khuwaab Awaara Pakhi, Dreams Wandering Birds, Rumi’s Seven

Stages of Love.

BACKGROUND
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A few months ago, someone asked me: "Have You read Ahmed Solangi's book Khuwaab

Awaara Pakhi?" I said: "No, what's that much alluring about it" and He went saying, "It’s not just

an alluring piece of poetry but it’s an intoxicating masterpiece of Modern Sindhi Poetry"... And

these were the lines when my passionate journey of reading this book had begun!

Usually I finish reading a book in 4-5 sittings (maximum 10 sittings if the story is a bit

complicated or too much interesting) but this is the first time that it took me more than a 100

days to reach the climax-page of this book...! I mean I was just literally amazed to see such

adorably fascinating, zealously modernizing and soulfully captivating journey comprising an

intricate tapestry of human emotions skillfully woven together with a blend of romanticism and

revolutionary fervor. As a nature admirer and a poetry lover, I was truly enraptured by the

mesmerizing themes unfolded by Ahmed.

Ahmed has referred poetry as caring and loving as a mother; as beautiful and stunning as

the smile of the Beloved whereas I used to believe that poetry is only the expression of poet's

most profound life-experiences or it’s all about those strong and in-depth desires of the poet

which they could not verbally explain to each and every one hence they carve their emotions

using a rhyming structure in the written form, but now, after reading this Quintessence of

Modern Sindhi Poetry, I believe that Poetry is the manipulation of life with the entire universe

i.e., it's not limited to a particular subject/object rather it's something that transcends over all

these worldly subjective and objective realities and unravels the wholesome Natural Beauty and

Universal Love; it’s something that puts life into these white lifeless pages as the poets write

their own living emotions on them but there are only a few people whose focus is not just on

reading the words rather they dive deep into the ocean of emotions and ideas for understanding

this kind of Expression of Love.

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Ahmed's book does not only symbolizes Sindhi poetry, instead it is a testament to

Ahmed's prowess showcasing his own life-experiences by exploring a wide array of emotions

and ideas. Though this book also comprises the same themes of poetry as every other poet uses

i.e. classical/traditional, romantic, revolutionary but the way Ahmed has fearlessly, romantically

as well as revolutionarily portrayed these themes has aesthetically carved a universal appeal on

my heart and soul because Ahmed's expression ranges from the ethereal beauty of love to the

haunting depths of lonesomeness and separation. Ahmed delves fearlessly into the realms of

beauty, love, and intimacy, presenting them in a way that both tantalizes and challenges

conventional notions. The way Ahmed has characterized lonesomeness and separation manifests

a profound sense of empathy hence the readers like me are deeply immersed in the symphony of

emotions which he has crafted in his poetry through his exceptionally glorious artistic creations.

In my opinion, the heart of Ahmed's poetry lies in intriguing Dualism_the merging of

classical romanticism with the revolutionary thoughts and ideas because each time I read his

poetry I feel a strong amalgamation of the traditional aesthetics with the advanced/modernized

metaphors. This distinctive blend of traditional/classical fragrance infused with a touch of

modern/advanced literary devices serves as the symbol of his work that resonates with deep

affection immersed in creativity. Ahmed's Poetry is an exclusive representation of Post-

Modernism as there is no coyness in it rather his verses show excellent boldness in terms of

beauty, love and romance while capturing an electric thrill of union and also reunion with a

loved one. It is an infusing collection with the moments of hope and joy through the post-modern

flair. Ahmed's poetry reveals that within the shadows of separation lies the promise of union and

re-union and this significance pinnacles his poetry to a zenith that is both zealously fascinating as

well as intellectually provoking.

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As I journeyed through Ahmed's introduction to poetry: "In The Honor of Poetry"/(

‫ور ۾‬//‫)شاعري جي حض‬, I couldn't help myself from noticing the resonance between his in-depth

eloquent explorations with Elif Shafak's insightful rules mentioned in "The Forty Rules of Love"

that guide us through the labyrinth of human connection. Though Ahmed's poetry is

quintessential in its nature, yet I was compelled to observe each of Ahmed's poem echoing one of

the forty rules that transcends time and culture. As I delved into Ahmed's exploration of pain as

the source of success, beginning, growth and joy, Rule #19 from Elif Shafak's book came into

my mind that says: 'The midwife knows that when there is no pain, the way for the baby cannot

be opened and the mother cannot give birth (Shafak, 2009). Likewise, for a new self to be born,

hardship is necessary.' Similarly, Ahmed's intro acts like a mirror that reflects pain as a source of

unrequited success and growth. Additionally, I also recall Emily Dickinson’s famous poem

entitled as: "After great pain, a formal feeling comes." (Dickinson, 1862). Though this also

unveils the same theme of pain and its aftermath resonating with a transformative experience yet

I believe that Ahmed’s perspective concerning pain/suffering is really very deep and unique as

he declares pain as the sweetest joy and separation as a fatal reality hence among all the themes

that flow through the veins of his poetry, the concept of pain prevails as a prominent motive. I

know that for every poet, pain is the fundamental requirement as well as an undeniable essence

of poetry but the way Ahmed has portrayed it in his poetry; especially in the beginning of the

book "In The Honor of Poetry"/( ‫( )شاعري جي حضور ۾‬Ahmed, 2013), I felt as if he is not talking

about pain instead he is expressing the beauty of his beloved who was, still is and will always

remain his one and only partner in this whole universe. For Ahmed, pain is not a thing that

pierces the heart and causes inflection, rather it is a bittersweet source of profound understanding
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and growth; it's something that adds meaning to the meaningless life as if life is nothing without

pain.

Ahmed's poetry is an intoxicating blend of emotions as I found myself entirely immersed

in each verse as he uses an aesthetically captivating imagery along with such alluring metaphors

and characterization that I couldn't skip reading a single verse and kept reading on and on.

Ahmed's ability to metamorphose the themes of romance and passion to those of poverty and

feminism showcases his versatility as a poet. Each line is accolated with a unique ideology along

with a fragrant philosophical touch so that the readers become passionately suspicious to get into

the depth/central idea of the poem. There is much diversity of themes in Ahmed's poetry as this

book touches various forms and fashions of life having an affectionate and empathetic relevancy

with the lives of others. Whether it's the bittersweet outcome of separation or the intoxicating

allure of intimacy, Ahmed's words paint crystal clear images that reflect life as pure as a Water-

Lily!

Doubtlessly, Love is a central and repetitive theme in "Khuwaab_Awaara Pakhi"

(Dreams_Wandering Birds) hence Ahmed's exploration of this emotion is both mysterious and

profound. In Literature/Poetry Love is often portrayed as a powerful and complex emotion that

transcends the boundaries of culture, religion, cast, creed, colour, age etc. It is a theme that has

been explored extensively throughout the ages, with various interpretations and perspectives.

Similarly through his verses, Ahmed delves into multi-dimensional forms of love springing in

various colours and combinations... Ahmed's poetry encapsulates a wide range of themes.

Similarly, in his verses, love is not limited to a singular interpretation instead, it takes on

different forms, ranging from the intoxicating ecstasy of new romance to the poignant ache of

separation. Ahmed captures the euphoria and excitement of falling in love till the separation of
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lovers. He uses unbelievably vivid imagery and aesthetic language to relive the fluttering hearts,

the stolen glances, and the exhilarating rush of emotions that accompany the initial stages of a

romantic connection till the bittersweet separation between the two lovers.

The unique thing that differentiates Ahmed from the other poets is his bold, audacious

and fearless poetic nature as he doesn't feel coyness or shyness while exploring/expressing the

dynamic facets of love beginning from the slightest emotions till the deepest & darkest phases of

love! He passionately dives into the depth of love, no matter it is the union of love, intimacy of

emotions, anguish of heartbreak, and the agony of unrequited affection or the pain of separation.

Through his verses, he portrays the depth of emotional turmoil that love can bring, highlighting

the vulnerability and rawness that accompany these experiences. This balance between the highs

and lows of love creates a multi-dimensional portrayal that resonates with a profound impression

via carving an everlasting appeal on the reader's heart.

Another prominent and versatile feature concerning the theme of love in Ahmed's Poetry

is that it’s not just limited to inspire or express the romantic relationships rather it extends to

various forms of affection and connection, including familial love, friendship, and even love for

humanity or nature. Ahmed's vast expression of Love through His verses has shown that love can

be a source of strength, resilience, and compassion, helping individuals navigate challenges and

find meaning in their lives; it’s not something to be bounded or limited to a particular aspect

instead it transcends over all the obstacles and summons over all the worldly barriers.

THE SEVEN STAGES OF LOVE

There is a beautiful quotation about Love which has been narrated in both languages i.e.

in Urdu as well as in Hindi that says: "Piyaar (Love) is a Journey and Ishq (Unrequited Love) is
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its Destination" hence for reaching the destination one has to cross through some certain kinds of

Stages of Love and when I was evaluating Ahmed's poetry, keeping Love as the central theme I

just couldn't resist myself from diving deep into those Seven Stages of Love (Ishq) that are as

follows:

1. Attraction (Hub/Dilkashi)

This is the first stage of 'Ishq' that encapsulates the wholesome beauty of the entire

universe as this stage symbolizes the Universal Law of Attraction... This stage symbolizes the

beginning of every love story. Here, the eyes meet, sparks initiate, and something

(strange/unique) happens. Now, that 'something strange' is known as the attraction through which

the lover is allured by the timeless/eternal beauty of the Beloved... Similarly, Ahmed has

beautifully expressed these attributes like attraction, sparkling, beauty and so on. There is a

mesmerizing ghazal on page no. 375 whose opening lines are:

‫چهرا چهرا جي چارُس و آهن‬

‫تنهنجي ُم َک جي نہ هوبهو آهن‬
Here in this beautiful couplet Ahmed has portrayed a feeling of attraction and unicity for

His Beloved saying: "There are so many faces around, yet not any of them resembles to Your

(Beloved's) Beautiful Face..." This shows that Ahmed is deeply, madly and wholeheartedly

attracted to the Love of His Life as He declares that there's no chance to compare the Beauty of

His Beloved with anyone else. There exists no other face which could attract Ahmed's heart

except for the One whom Ahmed has referred quintessentially in this mesmerizing ghazal... This

entire ghazal is rich with in-depth emotions, splendid metaphors and full with rhyme and rhythm

unveiling beauty and attraction as its mainly featured themes... Though each couplet of this

ghazal has its own charm yet I love the last couplet of this ghazal that is:
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‫اک عبادت گذار ُهن جي آ‬

‫ُهن جا سپنا بہ با وضو آهن‬
Ahmed says that: "Her eyes are worth worshiping, Her dreams are also sacred with

ablution"... Now this is an unbelievable extent to admire the beauty of the Beloved; I guess this

the highest pinnacle of being attracted to someone by means of beauty and love...

2. Attachment/Infatuation (Uns)

This stage resonates with developing deeper feelings of admiration and infatuation for the

Beloved. It refers to growing an emotional attachment as well as a desire for a more committed

relationship. At this stage the infinite bond of trust starts forming between the two lovers.

Ahmed's versatile poem on page no. 149 is the perfect portrait of this stage i.e.,

‫_اکڙين جي آالڻ‬
‫تنهنجي ڳالهه ڪري پئي‬.
“The wetness of eyes is talking about You (Beloved)”...

Here, Ahmed consistently talks about His Beloved One as if only She could light a candle

in His Darkened World...! And in the entire poem Ahmed keeps recalling Her Beauty having His

Impatient Heart waiting/desiring for Her Presence... This shows a profound feeling of emotional

infatuation/attachment with the Beloved...

3. Unconditional Love/Trust/Intimacy/Union
(Muhabbat/Akidat/Qurbat/Wasal)
Love involves the essence of intimacy (physical as well as emotional attachment) as the

relationship progresses. This stage engraves a growing sense of trust and a willingness to reveal

one's true self to the other person (to the loved one). This is the stage where the Lover surrenders

everything to the Beloved and they ultimately get united in both terms (emotionally as well as

physically)... There are a number of Ahmed’s poems which explicitly as well as secretly reveal
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this stage but I want to quote a few of them. Tere is a glamorous Ghazal on page no. 292 in

which Ahmed has beautifully encapsulated the Glory of His Love saying:

‫پيار دل جو قرار تون آهين‬

‫ماڪ خوشبو بهار تون آھين‬
Now, in this Ghazal, Ahmed addresses to His Beloved expressing Her as the One and

Only Love of His Life, Her presence a source of peace to His restless Heart, Her beauty as

alluring as the Fragrant Morning Drops of Dew in the Spring... In this entire Ghazal Ahmed

continues to adore and cherish the beauty and Love for His Beloved... For Him, His Beloved is

much more precious than the diamonds and gold and brighter than the Stars and the Moon; He

sometimes regards Her as the Empress of Time and sometimes symbolizes Her as the Epitome of

Honor and Respect; as if She is His everything and He declares Her the Conqueror of His Heart

to which He has surrendered His everything...! This is how Ahmed has portrayed Unconditional

Love in His poetry. Similarly, for the theme “Intimacy”, Ahmed has written a number of poems

including: (‫ )اڄ رات مان ٿو چاھيان‬/ "Tonight I Want To..." which is on page no. 339. This is a free

verse poem in which Ahmed has expressed His deepest emotions unveiling the intense

desires/longings of His Heart; this is something which most of the poets fail to express in real

sense as they don't/hardly express intimacy (in terms of poetic parables) to that extent which

Ahmed does very easily. Furthermore, in regard to the theme “Union”, there is an intensely

alluring poem on page no. 159 with the title (‫ )مڪمل جسم‬/ Complete Body in which Ahmed

explicitly claims that A Lover Without His/Her Beloved Is Incomplete. He beautifully explains

the parallel Heart to Heart connection between the two loving souls. He romantically answers

His Beloved's untold questions saying that it is only Him whose company/presence could turn

Her existence into A Complete Beautiful Woman. There is no doubt that Ahmed has fearlessly
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justified all these themes of love (Unconditional Love, Trust, Intimacy and Union) in His

extraordinarily beautiful poems.

4. Worship (Ibaadat):-

At this stage the Lovers get so much devoted to each other that even their souls are united

with the Essence of Pure Love and True Devotion. Love here, reaches the extent of worshiping

i.e., the Lover kneels down in front of the Beloved and surrenders everything to the Beloved...

Here are some of Ahmed's mesmerizing lines extracted from the ghazal ( ‫)آُء ھوا ٿي آُء‬/ Come Like

The Air on page no: 243, that best fit this stage, these are:

‫آُء هوا ٿي آُء‬،

‫درد دوا ٿي آُء‬...
‫دل جا ڌوئان درَد‬،
‫غاِر حرا ٿي آُء‬،
‫دل ڪعبي ۾ پاڻ‬،
‫ آُء خدا ٿي آُء‬...
The opening lines of the Ghazal are just breathtakingly amazing as the Poet asks His

Beloved to come as fast as the wind as if He is addressing Pain to come in the form of Remedy

to itself... Ahmed further delves into the Divinity of His Beloved for seeking an infinite and

immortal spiritual bonding with Her... As if He yearns to purify the pains of His heart that's why

He asks Her to come (like) His Cave of Hira; finally in the last couplet Ahmed transcends all the

socio-cultural (and even religious) boundaries and says: "In the Kaaba of my Heart Oh Beloved,

Come, like the God Himself...!" These last two lines are the perfect instance of Worshiping The

Beloved as in Love, only the Beloved is worthy of anything and everything including praise,

devotion, obedience, worship and so on...

5. Passion/Madness (Junoon):-
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Now this stage is beyond all the ordinary logical attributes as here the Lover loses all the

consciousness/senses and madly gets drowned deep into the ocean of Love. Here, Lover's

identification is incomplete without The Beloved thus the urge to Love reaches to the level of

obsession and madness. A stage where mind stops working and heart starts ruling everything, a

very dangerous stage where nothing counts except obsession about the beloved counts. This

stage is best expressed by Ahmed in a beautiful ghazal on page no. 146 that is:

‫ آ وقت جي چريائي‬،‫بي خوف صليبن تي‬،

‫ هن دؤر جي دانائي‬،‫منصور قبولي ڪيئن‬.
‫ شيشن بہ ڪيو ماتم‬،‫هن دل جي ُٽٽڻ تي آ‬،
‫ آ مرڪ جي مهنگائي‬،‫پٿر جي خدائن وٽ‬.
‫ پير ڪپيا ُهن جا‬،‫ هٿ‬،‫ ۽ ڌڙ‬،‫ سسي‬،‫جالد‬،
‫ تاريخ بہ شرمائي‬،‫هن رسم شهادت تي‬.
‫ ڪنهن پير ڪڇيو آهي؟‬،‫رومي جي رقاصا جو‬
‫هي رقص عبادت آ ۽ روح جي ُاجرائي‬.
‫ ڪو انت نه اچڻو آ‬،‫هن چنڊ چڪوري جو‬،
‫ آ مات ڪڏهن آئي؟‬،‫چانڊاڻ ۽ چاهت کي‬
‫ جڳ ۾ ٿو جيئي تنها‬،‫منصور ڪري پردو‬،
‫ ڀوڳائي اڪيالئي‬،‫شبلي کي سزا گل جي‬.
This intensely fascinating ghazal is an amalgamation of contemplative, historical and

philosophical fragrances that reflect the qualities of human spirit, the pursuit of spirituality, and

the courage needed to confront challenges and oppression with grace and resilience. Though this

beautiful ghazal revolves around many themes like Fearlessness, Spiritual Pursuit, Spiritual

Transcendence, Martyrdom and Bravery, Oppression and Cruelty, Heartbreak and Grief,

Adversity, Eternity, Love; but the major theme which spins around the entire ghazal is

"Passion/Madness"...

Ahmed portrays this madness of love extending from Mansoor Al-Hallaj to Maulana

Rumi than to Shibli Naumani who had immersed themselves in religious rituals and practices to

the extent that they even did sacrifice their lives for their beliefs, ego, firmness, spiritual pursuit,
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love and madness... This poem begins with the prominent figure like Mansur Al-Hallaj referring

to his extreme religious reverence which became the reason of his ritual martyrdom... Mansoor

Al-Hallaj raised a slogan "An-al Haq" (I Am The Truth) for which he got punished to be hanged

till death and in this ghazal Ahmed talks about his fearlessness, passion/madness, devotion,

commitment and bravery in such a way that these emotions transcend the limits of devotion and

spiritual ecstasy...

This ghazal also alludes to the mystical relationship between the Persian poet Maulana

Rumi and his spiritual mentor Shams of Tabriz. Rumi and Shams had a profound spiritual

connection that is often symbolized as a form of intense madness or ecstatic love. Rumi was a

religious scholar and Shams was his spiritual mentor/guide who changed Rumi's world upside-

down. Shams transformed Rumi into a Mystic Poet and Sufi Dervish by rewarding him the Forty

Rules of Love as a symbol of friendship and an epitome of true love. Rumi says: "Love stole

away my prayer beads and gave me back poetry and songs"; Ahmed also points out the alluring

Dance of Worship performed by Rumi like the Whirling Dervishes and the intensity of their

connection as a concrete form of passion, love and ecstasy...

Furthermore, the poem raises questions about the nature of madness, drawing a parallel

between the religious devotee's intense commitment and the lover's all-consuming passion. It

challenges societal norms and values by highlighting the blurred lines between devotion, love,

and madness, suggesting that these states of mind can be intertwined and even transcendental.

Lastly, Ahmed expresses the personality of Shibli Naumani who was a renowned Urdu

and Arabic scholar, as well as a prominent Sufi thinker and writer from the Indian subcontinent.

He is known for his contributions to Islamic literature and his works on Sufism. While not
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explicitly mentioned in the ghazal, yet the reference to Shibli's opposition is given due to which

he was personally criticized and was also professionally convicted... Shibli is attributed with

lonesomeness in the climax of this ghazal...

These references enrich the ghazal's themes by drawing on the spiritual and literary

traditions associated with interconnectedness of mysticism, devotion, and the concept of

madness. I must say that this is a masterpiece of poetry touching almost all the areas of life

including history, philosophy, spirituality, passion, enthusiasm, patriotism and love...

6. Separation/Pain/Death (Fanaa):-

Though this stage was regarded as the final stage as illustrated to Human Love (not

Divine Love) but I haven't accepted this as the final one and there are several reasons for this

absolute denial. Death is a fatal reality but here the word "Death" doesn't merely refer to the

physical/natural death rather it can be perceived as the death of Togetherness, Ego, Pride and so

on. It’s natural to Love someone whose name is not written in the God's book of destination

similarly there are several man-made chains (cast, creed, culture, religion, race, sect, gender etc)

that become the reason of death/separation for both the Lovers and The Beloved Ones. Not all

the sailors are destined to reach the sea-shore, not all the people find oasis in the desert, not all

the stars could chase the moon similarly some stories remain incomplete. But this doesn't mean

it’s the final stage as there is neither any turnaround nor any kind of climax in Love...

I. Broken_Shattered Dreams/( ‫ )ٽڪرا ٽڪرا خواب‬page no. 341:

(Separation)
،‫هاڻ تو لئه مان نہ جيئندس‬
.‫۽ نہ مرندس مان ڪڏهن‬
،‫زندگيَء ۾ جيڪڏهن ڪنهن موڙ تي ملندينَء تون‬
.‫اک کڻي توڏي نہ ڏسندس مان ڪڏهن‬
،‫توکي ساري يا پچاري‬
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،‫ڪنهن کان تنهنجو ڪونه پڇندس‬

!‫۽ نہ ڪڇندس ُتنهنجي باري ۾ ڪڏهن‬
،‫ساهه ۾ سانڍي نه رکندس‬
. ‫ُتنهنجي وارن جو هڳاُء‬
! ‫ُتنهنجي ھٿڙن جو ڇهاُء‬
،‫ُتنهنجي سڪ ۾ رات جا تارا تڪي‬
،‫لڙڪ اکين جا َاڇوتا ڪونه روليندس ڪڏهن‬
‫ڪنهن به سپني منجهه توکي‬
!‫ڪونه ڳوليندس ڪڏهن‬
This is a really heart-touching poem engraving separation and lonesomeness as its main

components. This poem features a scenario in which the Beloved (She) has gone far away from

the Poet's life (might be due to some socio-cultural norms or some other kind of personal

oppressions/obstacles). When the Poet feels lonely or abandoned, his heart burns in anguish

while recalling all the moments of past along with the flashbacks of her beautiful memories and

he says:

،‫هاڻ تو لئه مان نہ جيئندس‬

/.‫۽ نہ مرندس مان ڪڏهن‬

"I'll neither live for You

Nor ever I'll die for the sake of Your Love"...
Though in this entire poem Ahmed keeps denying the fact of Love but the power of Love

never lets him defy that... Each time He says "I won't cast a single glance over You", "I won't ask

anyone about You", "I won't even dream of You", contrastingly, at the same time, He is doing all

these things in a complete opposite manner as He is incapable of leaving the Love of His Life

even after knowing that She has left him/has been separated from Him... He tries to restrict His

Heart from all these actions and memories but His naive heart remains unsuccessful every

time...! This refers to the fact that one cannot be free from the trap of Love if once has entered in

it; one may even stop believing in Love but Love will never leave the person...

II. Circles (of Pain) / ‫ ))دائرا‬page no. 283:

(Pain)
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،‫درد جا ڪارا ڪڪر ڇانيا جڏهن‬

،‫دل جي ويراني منجهان نڪتيون رڙيون‬
،‫ ويڻ ڄڻ‬،‫ ساهه ُس ڏڪا‬،‫سڏ پڙاڏا‬
،‫لڙڪ بڻجي پيا ڇڻي نيڻن منجهان‬
،‫۽ پيا جاڳي ڪيئن آواز‬
،‫ڪر موڙي ازل جي ننڊ مان‬
،‫هوريان هوريان جاڳ جا آواز ڇا گونجي اٿيا‬
!‫ڄڻ وڄن کي ور پيا‬
،‫ ُاڀ ڏريو‬،‫پوالر ۾ پڙالُء ٿيو‬
،‫۽ فرشتن جي دلين ۾ ڇرڪ پيا‬
،‫عرش تي پهتي گنهگار محبت جي ُپڪار‬
،‫ڪائناتي ڪا ستار‬
....‫پر رڳو توکي ٻڌڻ ۾ ڪانه آئي‬

This poem mainly revolves around the theme "Pain" as the title (Circles/‫ )دائرا‬itself refers

to the circles of agony or pain. Here, in these above mentioned lines of this poem, Ahmed vividly

portrays that the heart of a man can tolerate any kind of suffering but can't bear the desert of

solitude within it. While expressing this painful scenario, Ahmed uses the beauty of nature as an

aesthetically relieving literary device along with the mesmerizingly appealing similes and

metaphors; I really loved a couplet in this poem in which Ahmed has told about the torment that

kept brimming the heart out of pain and there came a point when the heart was no longer able to

bear this burden silently hence it eventually bursted out its emotions in such a way that its

screams were heard by the Angels in the skies, who were shocked to hear those screams; God

also heard its cries and even the wholesome Divinity of the Universe was triggered by the painful

voices which echoed from His Heart; in short, Ahmed says that "every single being/entity heard

the Call of My Heart but only "You" (His Beloved) didn't hear it"...! These lines just took away

the beats from my heart and stole away my breath as the concept and imagery of this couplet is

exceptionally beautiful and overwhelming. This is not just an ordinary complaint rather it is

something that is beyond all these superficial standards/measures of beauty, love, separation,

lonesomeness and pain; it’s the Ecstasy to Pain and there's nothing next to it...!
 ‫‪16‬‬

‫‪III.‬‬ ‫‪): page no. 274:‬بي خواب ھوا آئي ( ‪Dreamless Air Came‬‬
‫)‪(Death‬‬

‫بي خواب هوا آئي‬

‫جنهن وقت کلي مون تي‪ ،‬آ رات جي تنهائي‪،‬‬

‫اکڙيون نہ ُاگهيون ڪنهن ڀي‪ ،‬دل ڪنهن بہ نہ پرچائي____‬
‫بي خواب هوا آئي‪.‬‬
‫بي خواب هوا آئي‪.‬‬
‫معصوم محبت جا‪ ،‬لمحا هي سڙن ڇو ٿا؟‬
‫۽ دل جي قبيلي جا‪ ،‬خيما هي سڙن ڇو ٿا؟‬
‫ڪنهن ڇو نہ ڪئي دل جي‪ ،‬دل ساڻ مسيحائي__‬
‫بي خواب هوا آئي‪.‬‬
‫بي خواب هوا آئي‪.‬‬
‫جهٽ اک نہ لڳي رڻ جي‪ ،‬روالڪ پکين جي آ‪،‬‬
‫ڄڻ سانت سبي سوڙهي‪ ،‬پوشاڪ پکين جي آ‪،‬‬
‫ڪنهن طرف ڪڏهن گونجي‪ ،‬ڪا گونج نہ صحرائي___‬
‫بي خواب هوا آئي‪.‬‬
‫بي خواب هوا آئي‪.‬‬
‫آواز ويا وسري‪ ،‬نغما بہ ويا وسري‪،‬‬
‫واڪا نہ وڻن ۾ ۽ جهونڪا بہ ويا وسري‪.‬‬
‫ماحول ڪيو ڪيڏو‪ُ ،‬س ر ساز کي سودائي___‬
‫بي خواب هوا آئي‪.‬‬
‫بي خواب هوا آئي‪.‬‬
‫چپ چاپ سڄو صحرا‪ ،‬چپ چاپ سمندر آ‪،‬‬
‫چپ چاپ ڌمالون ۽ چپ چاپ قلندر آ‪،‬‬
‫چپ چاپ ُٽٽن تارا‪ ،‬چپ چاپ اڪيالئي___‬
‫بي خواب هوا آئي‪.‬‬
‫بي خواب هوا آئي‪.‬‬
‫ڪو پُر بہ نہ خوابن کي‪ُ ،‬اڏرڻ جي رکان خواهش‪،‬‬
‫آڪاش‪ ،‬منڊل سارا‪ُ ،‬اڪرڻ جي رکان خواهش‪.‬‬
‫رفتار ُاتم اهڙي‪ ،‬مان ُاَن جو تمنائي__‬
‫بي خواب هوا آئي‪.‬‬
‫بي خواب هوا آئي‪.‬‬

‫‪These are the lyrics which actually started my journey of reading this entire book‬‬

‫‪(Khuwaab_Awaara Pakhi/Dreams_Wandering Birds)... I was at Hyderabad when Someone‬‬

‫‪passionately recited this wholesome lyric (the voice was bold, fearless and loud yet it had a‬‬

‫‪soulfully soothing effect that carved an everlasting appeal on my heart; it was a unique style to‬‬

‫‪narrate these lyrics perfect in poetic sense as well as in rhyme and rhythm from the very first‬‬

‫‪couplet till the last one) This was the first time when I listened the very first lyric from this‬‬
 17

wonderful book written by Ahmed. And I swear that this was the song which happened to be a

breathtakingly beautiful fascination of my entire life when it was recited in such a quintessential

way... Though it is not a song which merely symbolizes intense pleasure, excitement, happiness

or joy rather it is a sad-song brimming with socio-cultural, traditional as well as religious

norms/disputes majorly targeting Ignorance, Oppression, Racial Differences, Narrow-Minded

Schools of Thoughts, Old/Backward Ideologies and so on... I badly wanted to put this lyric in the

first place but it didn't match the criteria mentioned in the First Stage of Love hence I've

referenced it here at this sixth stage that expresses separation, pain and death. This lyric refers to

the merciless death of union, freedom and emotions that have had darkened the world of Love

along with the silences... But even after presenting a heart wrenching scenario of this wholesome

oppression, Ahmed has still shown a beautiful Ray of Hope glittering as bright as a perfectly

carved diamond in the last couplet of this lyric in which He fearlessly breaks the ice of

disappointments and silences. He says: "Though the wings of my dreams are cut yet I desire to

fly, I yearn to chase the stars twinkling in the sky and the galaxies above and beyond; I'll keep

waiting and longing for Love (till (It/Love) comes to relieve My Restless Heart)..."

7. Re-Union (Baqaa)

This stage was not included in the Essence of Human-Love but I've found it compulsory

to mention this stage as I believe that Pain, Separation or Physical Death never define the end of

love as True Love is immortal; its infinite; it has no boundaries; it transcends time and space.

Love can't/won't be ended ever; Even if The Two Lovers don't get united forever, Even if A

Lover's Love remains unrecognized (One-Sided) by the Beloved; Even if They are separated by

the socio-cultural/religious norms, Even if their bodies are dead; Their Love will always stay, be
 18

it in any form: a sad song, a mesmerizing poem, a sweet memory, a frozen flashback, a deadly

wilted rose placed in the middle of in a book or in the fresh red roses and fragrant white jasmines

put over a grave; the fact is that True Love will always stay; though with the passage of time it

can keep changing its forms but this doesn't mean its ended or vanished away; it’s something that

is Unrequited; something that is Unconditional (that demands no anything in return); something

that is Universal; something that is Everlasting...!

:Heaven of The Intoxicated Nights"‫مدهوش راتين جي جنت‬:page no. 291_"

This poem refers to the Rebirth of Love and eventually this rebirth gives rise to Re-Union

between the Two Loving Souls, getting united forever (either in this worldly life or in the life

after here_Heaven). In the opening lines of this poem, Ahmed expresses how He's getting fit in

the Ring of Life by igniting the desire to Fall in Love Again...! This is an actual masterpiece of

poetry in which Ahmed has played a magical game of words revolving around the themes of

beauty, love, romance, intimacy and re-union... Through this poem, Ahmed has portrayed an

incredible scenario displaying a breathtakingly beautiful picture of His Beloved. It seems as if

time has stopped and the Loving Moment when Ahmed had rekindled Love within His Heart has

been frozen and He is still rewinding the same flashbacks in front of His eyes like a movie in

which the Beauty of His Beloved is unveiled; finally His colourless life got filled with beautiful

Colours of Love Again... Here are the exact lines that portray this wholesome wonderful

scenario:

‫وقت گذري ويو‬

‫اک ۾ تنهنجو ئي تصور رهجي ويو‬
‫ڪنهن نئين عشق جي آرزو ۾ وري‬
‫زندگي ۾ نئون رنگ ڀرڻو پيو‬
 19

As I was going through these lines, eventually, a mesmerizing poem of Hassan Dars

came into my mind which showed me a great resemblance with this above stated poem of

Ahmed (Dars, 2011). There's no doubt that Hassan Dars (Late) was and still is regarded as one of

the Best Poets of Sindh and I was really amazed to see a wonderful resonance between Two

Amazing Personalities like Hassan Dars and Ahmed Solangi... The poem that I'm talking about is

Hassan Dars's most amazing creation that has been and still continues to be shared at most of the

remarkable events as well as at various well recognized platforms and it is also sung by many

famous Voices of Sindh... Here are some extracted lines from that poem of Hassan Dars which

resembles with Ahmed's above mentioned poem:

‫ايڏا پراڻا آهيون جيڏي هوا پراڻي‬

‫نئين سر وري ڄمياسين توساڻ پيار خاطر‬
Now, here, both Hassan Dars and Ahmed have encapsulated the same theme (Re-Union)

within their poems with a mild difference of words, rhyme, rhythm and poetic parameters;

Hassan also talks about the Rebirth of Love as He says: "As Ancient As The Air I Am, Reborn,

To Love You Again..." Similarly Ahmed also talks about Re-Kindling Love within His Heart

referring to Re-Birth/Re-Union as its main and recurring themes...

Lonesomeness and Separation also emerge as eloquent threads that run through the

tapestry of Ahmed's poetry. His words resonate with the most profound events of life, evoking

in-depth affection, attachment as well as empathy. Ahmed's verses compel the readers to actually

feel the pain of being apart from a loved one. Particularly, the theme of separation is a recurrent

motif that Ahmed has profoundly woven to enclose the pain and longing that sharpens with

distance and absence. This theme is also well expressed by Lord Byron in his poem "When We

Two Parted" as well as by Pablo Neruda in his poem "Tonight I Can Write the Saddest Lines,"
 20

from "Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair" evoking the sense of emotional detachment

and longing, akin to the sentiments expressed by Ahmed in his exploration of separation (Neruda

1924). Still, the unicity lies in Ahmed’s declaration of pleasure and joy even in the phases of

loneliness and despair. For Him lonesomeness is a bittersweet reality and separation as the key to

everlasting Union in Love.

Romance and Intimacy bloom like the intoxicating glasses brimming with the Royal

Wine within the pages of Ahmed's poetry, captivating the hearts of the readers with its intense

expressions and redolent imagery. Ahmed's bold and fearless expression of such intense

emotions cause a unique kind of attraction to the young and passionate readers. His journey of

emotional intimacy transcends the boundaries of language and culture. Ahmed's words actually

relate the desires and longings of this generation in such a way that his readers are compelled to

rejoice the beautiful moments of their lives by reading His verses. It feels like Ahmed is not only

presenting his own emotions but is also talking about the love-life of His crazy readers!

John Keats in his world famous poem Endymion says "A thing of beauty is a joy

forever." (Keats, 1818). This beautiful couplet captures the timeless nature of beauty's impact,

aligning with Ahmed's vivid portrayal of beauty as it is a recurring theme whether it be the

ethereal beauty of a woman, be it the divine beauty of nature or the enchanting beauty of the

world around us. This recurrent motif infuses Ahmed’s poetry with a profound sense of

aesthetics and amazement, leaving an everlasting marks of pleasure and joy upon the reader’s

heart and soul. The unique tool which Ahmed uses for beautifying his poetry is that he presents

beauty in a myriad form; his verses are a paean to feminine beauty, evoking its charm and allure

with eloquent words that paint vivid pictures symbolizing the epitome of beauty in the reader’s

mind. There is an exceptionally wonderful and explicitly mesmerizing imagery in Ahmed’s

 21

poetry which dances like a flawlessly beautiful girl having her eyes brimming with the dreams of

love and she keeps dancing through all the colours of beauty including pain, despair, excitement,

joy etc. till the darkened night of ignorance turns into the fragrant dawn of liberty and freedom...!

CONCLUSION

In my opinion, the beauty of Ahmed’s words lies not only in the vivid landscapes which

he paints but in the exquisite simplicity of his expression. Ahmed plays a magical game with the

words through which even the easiest words turn into awesome literary devices, carving an

evergreen impact on the heart of the readers. These seven stages of Love (1.Attraction,

2.Attachment, 3.Unconditional Love/Union/Intimacy, 4.Worship, 5.Madness/Passion,

6.Separation/Pain/Death, and 7.Reunion.) attributed with Ahmed’s poetry as per my in-depth

evaluation and critical analysis, are the epitome of beauty and love incorporated with the essence

of Rumi who firstly initiated/narrated the idea of these beautiful stages in order to set the actual

destination for the travellers of love (dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com). Ahmed’s verses

effortlessly evoke the sense of intimacy, drawing us into a world where the fragmented hearts

entwine and the restless souls find solace. Ahmed’s mastery lies in his ability to compel the

readers to actually feel the warmth of a lover’s touch, the yearning of a lonesome soul, the pain

of separating from the Beloved, and the enduring beauty of the fleeting moments of love, joy and

ecstasy. Ahmed’s poetry transcends the boundaries of language and speaks to the universal

experiences of life. It is a vast spectrum of emotions where beauty and love can be found even in

pain and lonesomeness. This book is a testament to the power of poetry to touch the soul and

illuminate many facets of our existence as well as of our life experiences.

 22

REFERENCES

Byron, L. (1816). When We Two Parted (short lyrical poem). In Poems. John Murray.

Dars, H. (2011). As ancient As The Air (‫ )ايڏا پراڻا آھيون‬In ‫(حسن درس جو رسالو‬Hassan Dars jo
Risalo). Indus Foundation,Hyderabad.

dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com. The Seven Stages of Love. First narrated by Rumi

Dickinson, E. (1862). Poem: After a great pain, a formal feeling comes.

Keats, J. (1818). Endymion (Poem: A thing of beauty is joy forever). Taylor and Hessey,

London.

Neruda, P. (1924). Tonight I Can Write the Saddest Lines (poem) In Twenty Love Poems and a

Song of Despair (English Translation).

Shafak, E. (2009). The Forty Rules of Love (Rule No. 39). Penguin Books.

Solangi, A. (2013). Khuwaab_Awaara Pakhi (Dreams_Wandering Birds). Sindhica Academy

Karachi.