Dulla Bhatti (Punjabi: دُلّا بَھٹی(Shahmukhi), ਦੁੱਲਾ ਭੱਟੀ(Gurmukhi); or Rai Abdullah Bhatti) popularly known as the Son of Punjab or the Robin Hood of Punjab is a Punjabifolk hero who came from the Punjab region and led the Punjabis to a revolt against Mughal rule during the reign of the Mughal emperorAkbar.[1] Although ignored by the sponsored historians of the time, he was immortalised by the Punjabi people over generations through folk songs, dramas and poems.[2]
Rebelling and fighting against the Mughal emperorAkbar's centralised land revenue scheme (lagaan)
The deeds of Bhatti are recounted in folklore and took the form of social banditry. According to Ishwar Dayal Gaur, although he was "the trendsetter in peasant insurgency in medieval Punjab", he remains "on the periphery of Punjab's historiography".[3][4]
Abdullah Bhatti was a Punjabi Muslim Rajput.[5][6] Abdullah Bhatti lived at Pindi Bhattian in Punjab,[7] and came from a family of hereditary local rural chiefs of the zamindar class. Both his father, Farid, and his grandfather, variously called Bijli or Sandal,[a][4] were executed for opposing the new and centralised land revenue collection scheme imposed by the Mughal emperorAkbar. Dulla was born to Ladhi four months after the death of his father.[9][4]
Coincidentally, Akbar's son, Shaikhu (later known as Jahangir), was born on the same day. Advised by his courtiers that Shaikhu's future bravery and success would be ensured if the child was fed by a woman whose own son was born on same day (which happens to be Dhulla Bhatti), Akbar gave that responsibility to Ladhi despite her connection to a man who had rebelled against the Mughal throne. This decision appears to have its basis in realpolitik: Akbar perceived that Ladhi was resentful, that Bhatti might become the third generation of rebels and that Akbar's royal favour might offset this.[10]
A part of the royal patronage was that Bhatti attended school. Although, at that time, unaware of the fate of his ancestors, he refused to accept the strictures that were intended to mould him into a good citizen and objected to being a part of an establishment that was designed to produce elites. He left to engage instead in childish mischief-making.[10]
Lohri Bonfire, it is celebrated in the wider Punjab region in remembrance of Dulla Bhatti
A chance remark led to Ladhi having to explain the fate of Farid and Bijli to her son. Gaur says that this caused his general anti-authoritarian, rebellious nature to "crystallise" with the Akbar regime as its target, although not as a means of revenge specifically for the deaths of his relatives but in the wider sense of the sacrifices made by rural people generally. Bhatti saw this , says Gaur, as a "peasant class war".[11]
Banditry
Bhatti's class war took the form of social banditry, taking from the rich and giving to the poor.[12][b] Folklore gave him a legendary status for preventing girls from being abducted and sold as slaves. He arranged marriages for them and provided their dowries.[14]
His efforts may have influenced Akbar's decision to pacify Guru Arjan Dev Ji, and through Guru Arjan Dev Ji's influence the people of Bari Doab, by exempting the area from the requirement to provide land revenues.[12]
Death and legacy
The end for Bhatti came in 1599 when he was hanged in Lahore. Akbar had hoped to make an example of him at the public execution, expecting that he would quake with fear, but Bhatti was steadfast in his resistance to the end. Shah Hussain, a contemporary Sufi poet who wrote of him, recorded his last words as being "No honourable son of Punjab will ever sell the soil of Punjab".[15][16]
A fragments of the vars (medieval poetry put to music) concerning Dulla Bhatti have survived to the present day. [17] and dhadi Performances recounting his exploits have become less common.[18]
The memory of Bhatti as a saviour of Punjabi girls is recalled at the annual Lohri celebrations in the region to this day, although those celebrations also incorporate many other symbolic strands.[19] The song "Sundri-Mundri" is sung during the celebrations and is a tribute to him.[15] Among the significant modern literature inspired by the life is Takht-e-Lahore, a 1973 play written by Najam Hussein Syed.[20] A novel based on the life of Dulla Bhatti has been written by Baldev Singh Sadaknama.
A number of Indian Punjabi-language films have been produced films on his life, including – Dulla Bhatti (1966) by Baldev R. Jhingan, Dulla Bhatti (1998) by Pammi Varinder, Dulla Bhatti (2016) by Minar Malhotra.[21] A Pakistani film Dulla Bhatti (1956) has also been made.
^Surinder Singh's analysis of regional folklore names Bhatti's grandfather as Sandal and suggests the possibility, given the influence that he had in the region, that the area of Sandal Bar is named after him.[8]
^Social bandit is a concept devised by Eric Hobsbawm, defined as "peasant outlaws whom the lord and state regard as criminals, but who remain within peasant society, and are considered by their people as heroes, as champions."[13]
Citations
^Daniyal, Shoaib. "Lohri legends: the tale of Abdullah Khan 'Dullah' Bhatti, the Punjabi who led a revolt against Akbar". Scroll.in. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
^Surinder Singh; I. D. Gaur (2008). Popular Literature and Pre-modern Societies in South Asia. Pearson Education India. pp. 89–90. ISBN978-81-317-1358-7.
^ abcMushtaq Soofi (13 June 2014). "Punjab Notes: Bar: forgotten glory of Punjab". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 4 September 2020.
^Dayal, Ishwar (2008). Martyr as Bridegroom: A Folk Representation of Bhagat Singh. Anthem Press. p. 37. ISBN9788190583503. Retrieved 13 January 2021. a Muslim Rajput, Dulla Bhatti, the son of local zamindar
^Daniyal, Shoaib. "Lohri legends: the tale of Abdullah Khan 'Dullah' Bhatti, the Punjabi who led a revolt against Akbar". Scroll.in. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
Nijhawan, Michael (2004), "Transitions in the Public Realm: Dhadi in the Early Twentieth Century", in Muthukumaraswamy, M. D.; Kaushal, Molly (eds.), Folklore, Public Sphere, and Civil Society, National Folklore Support Centre (India), ISBN9788190148146
Purewal, Navtej K. (2010), Son Preference: Sex Selection, Gender and Culture in South Asia, Berg, ISBN9781845204686
Singh, Harbhajan (1997), "Medieval Punjabi Literature", in Paniker, K. Ayyappa (ed.), Medieval Indian Literature, vol. 1, Sahitya Akademi, ISBN9788126003655
Singh, Surinder (2008), "Mughal Centralization Local Resistance in North-Western India: An Exploration of the Ballad of Dulla Bhatti", in Singh, Surinder; Gaur, Ishwar Dayal (eds.), Popular Literature and Pre-modern Societies in South Asia, Pearson Education India, ISBN9788131713587
March 23, 2023
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For the 2016 Indian Punjabi film see Dulla Bhatti film Dulla Bhatti Punjabi د ل ا ب ھٹی Shahmukhi ਦ ਲ ਭ ਟ Gurmukhi or Rai Abdullah Bhatti popularly known as the Son of Punjab or the Robin Hood of Punjab is a Punjabi folk hero who came from the Punjab region and led the Punjabis to a revolt against Mughal rule during the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar 1 Although ignored by the sponsored historians of the time he was immortalised by the Punjabi people over generations through folk songs dramas and poems 2 Dulla BhattiArtistic depiction of Dulla BhattiBorn 1547 07 23 23 July 1547Pindi Bhattian Punjab Mughal Empire present day Punjab Pakistan Died26 March 1599 1599 03 26 aged 51 Lahore Punjab Mughal Empire present day Punjab Pakistan Other namesAbdullah BhattiKnown forRebelling and fighting against the Mughal emperor Akbar s centralised land revenue scheme lagaan The deeds of Bhatti are recounted in folklore and took the form of social banditry According to Ishwar Dayal Gaur although he was the trendsetter in peasant insurgency in medieval Punjab he remains on the periphery of Punjab s historiography 3 4 Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Banditry 2 Death and legacy 3 See also 4 ReferencesBiography EditAbdullah Bhatti was a Punjabi Muslim Rajput 5 6 Abdullah Bhatti lived at Pindi Bhattian in Punjab 7 and came from a family of hereditary local rural chiefs of the zamindar class Both his father Farid and his grandfather variously called Bijli or Sandal a 4 were executed for opposing the new and centralised land revenue collection scheme imposed by the Mughal emperor Akbar Dulla was born to Ladhi four months after the death of his father 9 4 Coincidentally Akbar s son Shaikhu later known as Jahangir was born on the same day Advised by his courtiers that Shaikhu s future bravery and success would be ensured if the child was fed by a woman whose own son was born on same day which happens to be Dhulla Bhatti Akbar gave that responsibility to Ladhi despite her connection to a man who had rebelled against the Mughal throne This decision appears to have its basis in realpolitik Akbar perceived that Ladhi was resentful that Bhatti might become the third generation of rebels and that Akbar s royal favour might offset this 10 A part of the royal patronage was that Bhatti attended school Although at that time unaware of the fate of his ancestors he refused to accept the strictures that were intended to mould him into a good citizen and objected to being a part of an establishment that was designed to produce elites He left to engage instead in childish mischief making 10 Lohri Bonfire it is celebrated in the wider Punjab region in remembrance of Dulla Bhatti A chance remark led to Ladhi having to explain the fate of Farid and Bijli to her son Gaur says that this caused his general anti authoritarian rebellious nature to crystallise with the Akbar regime as its target although not as a means of revenge specifically for the deaths of his relatives but in the wider sense of the sacrifices made by rural people generally Bhatti saw this says Gaur as a peasant class war 11 Banditry Edit Bhatti s class war took the form of social banditry taking from the rich and giving to the poor 12 b Folklore gave him a legendary status for preventing girls from being abducted and sold as slaves He arranged marriages for them and provided their dowries 14 His efforts may have influenced Akbar s decision to pacify Guru Arjan Dev Ji and through Guru Arjan Dev Ji s influence the people of Bari Doab by exempting the area from the requirement to provide land revenues 12 Death and legacy EditThe end for Bhatti came in 1599 when he was hanged in Lahore Akbar had hoped to make an example of him at the public execution expecting that he would quake with fear but Bhatti was steadfast in his resistance to the end Shah Hussain a contemporary Sufi poet who wrote of him recorded his last words as being No honourable son of Punjab will ever sell the soil of Punjab 15 16 Grave of Dulla Bhatti at Miani Sahib Graveyard A fragments of the vars medieval poetry put to music concerning Dulla Bhatti have survived to the present day 17 and dhadi Performances recounting his exploits have become less common 18 The memory of Bhatti as a saviour of Punjabi girls is recalled at the annual Lohri celebrations in the region to this day although those celebrations also incorporate many other symbolic strands 19 The song Sundri Mundri is sung during the celebrations and is a tribute to him 15 Among the significant modern literature inspired by the life is Takht e Lahore a 1973 play written by Najam Hussein Syed 20 A novel based on the life of Dulla Bhatti has been written by Baldev Singh Sadaknama A number of Indian Punjabi language films have been produced films on his life including Dulla Bhatti 1966 by Baldev R Jhingan Dulla Bhatti 1998 by Pammi Varinder Dulla Bhatti 2016 by Minar Malhotra 21 A Pakistani film Dulla Bhatti 1956 has also been made See also EditPapaduReferences EditNotes Surinder Singh s analysis of regional folklore names Bhatti s grandfather as Sandal and suggests the possibility given the influence that he had in the region that the area of Sandal Bar is named after him 8 Social bandit is a concept devised by Eric Hobsbawm defined as peasant outlaws whom the lord and state regard as criminals but who remain within peasant society and are considered by their people as heroes as champions 13 Citations Daniyal Shoaib Lohri legends the tale of Abdullah Khan Dullah Bhatti the Punjabi who led a revolt against Akbar Scroll in Retrieved 6 March 2022 Surinder Singh I D Gaur 2008 Popular Literature and Pre modern Societies in South Asia Pearson Education India pp 89 90 ISBN 978 81 317 1358 7 Gaur 2008 pp 27 37 38 a b c Mushtaq Soofi 13 June 2014 Punjab Notes Bar forgotten glory of Punjab Dawn newspaper Retrieved 4 September 2020 Dayal Ishwar 2008 Martyr as Bridegroom A Folk Representation of Bhagat Singh Anthem Press p 37 ISBN 9788190583503 Retrieved 13 January 2021 a Muslim Rajput Dulla Bhatti the son of local zamindar Daniyal Shoaib Lohri legends the tale of Abdullah Khan Dullah Bhatti the Punjabi who led a revolt against Akbar Scroll in Retrieved 6 March 2022 Ahsan 1996 p 120 Singh 2008 p 106 Gaur 2008 pp 34 37 a b Gaur 2008 p 35 Gaur 2008 pp 35 36 a b Gaur 2008 p 36 Hobsbawm 2010 p 13 Purewal 2010 p 83 a b Gaur 2008 p 37 Ayres 2009 p 76 Singh 1997 p 448 Nijhawan 2004 p 267 Purewal 2010 p 83 van Erven 1992 p 174 Rajadhyaksha Ashish Willemen Paul 1999 Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema British Film Institute ISBN 9780851706696 Retrieved 12 August 2012 Bibliography Ahsan Aitzaz 1996 The Indus Saga and the Making of Pakistan 2nd ed Oxford University Press p 120 ISBN 9780195776935 Ayres Alyssa 2009 Speaking Like a State Language and Nationalism in Pakistan Cambridge University Press ISBN 9780521519311 Gaur Ishwar Dayal 2008 Martyr as Bridegroom A Folk Representation of Bhagat Singh Anthem Press ISBN 9788190583503 van Erven Eugene 1992 The Playful Revolution Theatre and Liberation in Asia Indiana University Press ISBN 9780253112880 Hobsbawm Eric 2010 1969 Bandits Hachette UK ISBN 978 0 297 86531 5 retrieved 4 February 2014 Nijhawan Michael 2004 Transitions in the Public Realm Dhadi in the Early Twentieth Century in Muthukumaraswamy M D Kaushal Molly eds Folklore Public Sphere and Civil Society National Folklore Support Centre India ISBN 9788190148146 Purewal Navtej K 2010 Son Preference Sex Selection Gender and Culture in South Asia Berg ISBN 9781845204686 Singh Harbhajan 1997 Medieval Punjabi Literature in Paniker K Ayyappa ed Medieval Indian Literature vol 1 Sahitya Akademi ISBN 9788126003655 Singh Surinder 2008 Mughal Centralization Local Resistance in North Western India An Exploration of the Ballad of Dulla Bhatti in Singh Surinder Gaur Ishwar Dayal eds Popular Literature and Pre modern Societies in South Asia Pearson Education India ISBN 9788131713587 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dulla Bhatti amp oldid 1145842753, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
