Remembering ‘King of Gazal’ Wali Muhammad Wafa Pali on his death anniversary

By Ali Nawaz Rahimoo

Wafa Pali, whose real name is Wali Muhammad, was born to Khan Saheb Atta Muhammad Pali, at the village named after his father in Umarkot district of Sindh, on December 7, 1944.

Possessing a very refined and amiable nature, Wafa Pali is a famous poet and known as the King of Sindhi Ghazals, sung by many renowned singers including Abida Parveen, Ustad Ghulam Qadir, Seengar Ali Salim, Shafi Fakir, Rafique Fakir, Sikandar Fakir, and many others.

Although, Wafa Pali could pass only Sindhi final, he was considered a mature poet among the contemporary ports. Kafi and ghazal were his favorite genres in poetry. Especially in Ghazal, he had his own unique tone and style. Wafa Pali was born in a landlord family but he developed love for poetry since childhood, and all the life had gatherings of writers and poets at his Otaq, the traditional guesthouse, like his brother Abdul Karim Pali, who was also a poet. They had inherited the love for poetry from their father.

Two brothers, two poets: Wafa Pali and Karim Pali

Wafa Pali’s two books of poetry collections were published – one in 1962, and the other in 2001. The books are titled “Loon’a Loon’a manjh Laghar” (لونءَ لونءَ منجھ لغار) and “Dard Hazareen Hikri Dil” (درد ھزارين ھڪڙي دل).

In recognition of his talent, the Sindhi Adabi Sangat bestowed upon him the title of “Ghazal Jo Badshah” (The King of Ghazals) in 2004.

His ghazals look like a beautiful nymph and a prominent poet of Sindh described Wafa Pali’s ghazal as so beautiful that he compared his beloved’s beauty with Wafa’s ghazal, and was compelled to write, “You have become so beautiful, like Wafa’s ghazal.”

One of the famous ghazals of Wafa Pali, is:

ڪڏهن تنھنجي وارن سندي رات ٿيندي ڪڏهن محب ملندين ملاقات ٿيندي

This ghazal has been sung by Seengar Ali Salim and many other singers.

The Pali brothers had a lot of love for each other. One of their brothers – Raj Muhammad Pali fell ill and was admitted to Hyderabad Hospital, where the doctors amputated one of his feet due to gangrene. Abdul Karim Pali, who was present there, when saw his brother Raj Muhammad, his heart stopped and breathed last. Soon, Raj Muhammad also died after some time.

After this tragedy, Wafa Pali stopped sitting in Otaq, and started staying away from most of the literary gatherings and festivals.

The songs and ghazals that this poet composed during his solitude have inspired millions of people of Sindh. Whenever his friend poets Tanveer Abbasi, Shamshir Hyderi, Imdad Hussaini and others used to share their views on literature of Sindh, they could not stop mentioning this beloved poet on the stage.

Wafa Pali crafted ghazal with a new color, tone and concept in every stanza and every line, as well as similes and metaphors, in such a way as if all the virtues of a Padmani (A beautiful woman) are felt. Wali Muhammad Wafa Palli passed away on April 18, 2019.