Umar Marvi Explained

Folk Tale Name:	Umar Marvi
Aka:	Marui
Country:	Pakistan
Region:	Sindh
Origin Date:	14th century

Umar Marvi (or Marui; Sindhi:) is a folktale story from Sindh, Pakistan about a village girl Marvi, who resists the overtures of a powerful King and the temptation to live in the palace as a queen, preferring to be in a simple rural environment with her own village folk. It dates back to the 14th century^{[1] [2]}

Origins

The story first appears in the text of "Bayan Ul Arifeen", known to the Sindhis as "Karim Jo Risalo" of Shah Abdul Karim of Bulri, the great-great-grandfather of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.^[3] It then appeared in Shah Jo Risalo and forms part of seven popular tragic romances from Sindh, Pakistan. The other six tales are Sassui Punnhun, Sohni Mehar, Lilan Chanesar, Noori Jam Tamachi, Sorath Rai Diyach and Momal Rano commonly known as the Seven Queens of Sindh, or the Seven heroines of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.

Folklore

The protagonist of the story is Marvi, a young Khaskheli girl of the Panhwar tribe abducted by the then-ruler of Amarkot, Umar Soomro, who wanted to marry her because of her beauty. Upon her refusal, she was imprisoned in the historic Amarkot Fort for several years. Because of her courage, Marvi is regarded as a symbol of love for one's soil and homeland.

In popular culture

• Pakistan Television Corporation ran a serial adaptation called Marvi in 1993. The series depicts the story of Marvi and Umar in a modern setting. Ghazal Siddique played the title role, while Hassam Qazi played Umer.
• Umar Marvi is a Pakistani film adapted from this folktale, produced by Syed Hussain Ali Shah Fazlani, directed by Shaikh Hassan and starring Fazlani himself, Nighat Sultana, Noor Mohammed Charlie and Bibbo. Released on March 12, 1956, it was the first-ever Sindhi-language feature film made in Pakistan.
• Umar Marui, is a Sindhi play by Indian writer Ram Panjwani.^[4]
• Aayi Aayi, a Sindhi song in Coke Studio season 15, was inspired by the story of Umar Marvi.^[5]

See also

• Sindhi folklore
• Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai

Further reading

• Baloch, N. A. 1976. Umar Marvi (in Sindhi). Jamshoro: Sindhi Adabi Board.
• Chapter on Marui from the book Tarikh i Tahiri written by the author Mir Tahir Muhammad Nasyani ^[6]

External links

• "Umer Maruee: A Symbol of Patriotism". MuseIndia, 39, Sept.-Oct. 2011.
• Sur Marvi, by Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (Sindhi).
• Sur Marvi (translated into English by Elsa Kazi).
• Drama Adaptation of Umar Marvi (Urdu)

Notes and References

1. Schimmel . Annemarie . Shah Abdul Latif's Life and Teaching . Pain and Grace . 1 January 1976 . 157 . 10.1163/9789004378544_010 . Brill . en.
2. Book: Popular Folk Stories: Umar Marui. Dr. N. A. Baloch. Hyderabad: Sindhi Adabi Board. 1976 .
3. Book: Schimmel, Annemarie. Sindhi Literature. 1974. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. 978-3-447-01560-8. en.
4. Web site: Drama - Professor Ram Panjwani. 2020-11-07. rampanjwani.com.
5. News: . 19 April 2024. In Conversation With Coke Studio Artist Noman Ali Rajper From Aayi Aayi . Fuchia Magazine . 20 April 2024.
6. [The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians]