Shrine of Saint Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai (Bhit Shah) | mausoleum, sufism, interesting place

 mausoleum, shrine, sufism, interesting place

Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai RA (1689-1752)(Sindhi:شاھ عبدالطيف ڀٽائيِ), was a great Sufi scholar and saint, and is considered as the greatest poet of the Sindhi language. He settled in the town of Bhit Shah in Sindh, Pakistan. His most famous written work is the Shah Jo Risalo. His shrine is located in Bhit and attracts hundreds of pilgrims every day.
Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai RA was a devout Muslim Sufi, but his spirituality was broad and welcoming, making room for Muslim and Hindu alike. He is one of the most revered poets and saints of the Sindh region of what is today Pakistan.
Although born into a well-respected family, he turned away from the comforts of life, revealing a natural ascetic tendency. He adopted the saffron-colored robes and simple lifestyle of the wandering Sufis and sanyasins of the region.
In his quest for inner truth, still a young man, Shah Bhitai left his home and began to travel extensively, favoring small villages and the countryside, interacting with the common people and other Muslim and Hindu ascetics. He quickly developed a reputation for holiness and absorption in meditation. At this time disciples began to gather about him.
Shah Latif RA returned to his family home for a while, where he married Bibi Saidha Begum, a young woman who was respected in her own right for her great piety. Sadly, she died at a young age, and Shah Latif RA never remarried.
Shah Latif RA and his growing circle eventually moved to a place of retreat, a sand hill ("bhit") next to scenic Kiran Lake.
A fascinating story is told of his poetry. When Shah Latif RA was nearing death, he didn't want his poetry to simply waste away, so he had his writings thrown into the nearby lake. But, at the request of a disciple, Shah Latif RA allowed his poetry to be re-written down by another disciple who had memorized them.