Revolutionary Special
بلھے شاہ اساں مرنا ناہیں، گور پیا کوئی ہور
(مرشد بلھے شاہ)
Bulhay Shah Asan Marna Naahi, Gor Pia Koi Hor (Murshid Bulhay Shah)
These are photographs Sindhi Headstone and grave of Great Sindhi Revolutionary Rooplo Kolhi located at Nagarparkar, Sindh, Pakistan. Rooplo Kolhi was a great revolutionary son of the soil of Sindh. Rooplo Kolhi was born in a village Konbhari near Nagarparkar. The name of his father was Shamtoo and mother was Kaisar Bai. When the British started to govern Thar and imposed tax, the castes of Kolhi and Shodho showed their extreme resistance against the foreign rulers. The gorilla soldiers of Parkar under the leadership of Rooplo Kolhi fought gorilla war against the British from 1843 to 1859. Army offices and centers were brunt and British Treasures were looted. Rooplo Kolhi became a symbol of fear for the Britishers.
Some traitors informed the British Authorities about the presence of Rooplo Kolhi and Rooplo was arrested near Sharr Dhari when he was fetching water from a well. The British wanted Rooplo to accept his defeat, told the names of his companions and got his freedom from police arrest. The British Authorities presented his wife Menawati Kolhi before him and ordered her to make him agree with the will of British authorities and take him back to home safely. But Menawati Kolhi told her husband to accept death but never become traitor of the motherland of Sindh. I would like to lead my life after becoming widow of a martyr but I can't live after being a wife of a traitor. Due to her historical words, the name of Menawati Kolhi is written with golden words in the history of Sindh. Rooplo Kolhi was hanged till death with a babool tree at Gorr Dhroo canal Bank on 22nd August 1859 at 8 P. M.
Rooplo Kolhi has become a symbol of resistance and revolution in Sindh. Sindhi Nationalists adopt their second name as Rooplo as of Rooplo Cholyani. Due to his revolutionary ideas, it has become a proverb in Sindh:
"باغی ہو تو روپلو جیسا"
Famous intellectual of Sindh Ali Baba has written a drama named "Karanjhar Ka Qaidi". Along with this, his name is a part of Sindhi literature from poetry to prose. Chandio Anwar Aziz named him as Bhagat Singh of Sindh. Government of Sindh has dedicated a resort to Rooplo Kolhi near Karanjhar.
It is Urdu translation of Sindhi Headstone of the grave of Great son of Sindh Rooplo Kolhi:
"ہے مرنا ہر ایک آدمی کو، مگر ایسے نہیں مرنا ساتھیو
کوئی شمع جلا کے جانا ہے، کوئی آگ لگا کے جانا ہے (شیخ ایاز)
یادگار
شہید روپلو کولہی
انگریزوں کے جلاف جنگ آزادی کا ہیرو
شہادت کی تاریخ 22 اگست 1859ع
منجانب: جیئے سندھ محاذ (چیئرمین عبدالخالق جونیجو)"
Photographs Gifted by Chandio Anwar Aziz Sahib
Sources:
1- Headstone of the Grave of Rooplo Kolhi
2- Article "Sindh Ka Bhagat Singh, Amar Shaheed Rooplo Kolhi" by Chandio Anwar Aziz Sahib
