Sachal Sarmast was such a sufi - a seeker of truth - born and died in a village called Daraza, in Khairpur District of Sindh. Over the past 300 years, Sind has been blessed with many poet-saints, both Hindus and Muslims, subscribing to Sufi faith.
The real name of Saeen Sachal was Abdul Wahab. He was born in the village of Darraza of Khairpur Mir’s District in upper Sind in 1739 A. D. He adopted the name Sachal which means one living in truth. He is popularly known as Sachal Sarmast because his kalam or spiritual poetry is filled with abandon and joy. Sarmast means a leader of the intoxicated one’s. Intoxicated one’s are those who spent their entire life in search of the truth.
Saeen Sachal lost his father when he was very young. He was raised by his uncle who was also his spiritual master. He married his cousin who died two years later and Sachal did not marry again.
Sachal was a great lover of music, particularly the Sindhi instrumental Samah. Touched by music, he would often cry profusely. Kalam would pour out from his lips which his followers or fellow fakirs and darvishes would immediately inscribe. Sachal is well known for his kalam as well as kafis conveying his spiritual message in haunting melodies. Sachal liked solitude and silence. He never traveled out from his village Darraza. He was very simple in his dress, lifestyle and eating habits. Daal (lentil soup) and dahi (yoghurt) were his favorites. He slept on a bare wooden sandal or divan. He was a humble man with long soft flowing hair, penetrating eyes and a melancholy countenance.
Sachal possessed mastery over Persian and Arabic, and committed the entire Quran to memory. Hence, he was called hafiz, i.e. ‘Memoriser of the sacred book’, like the Persian poet Hafiz Shirazi. In fact, Sachal is called ‘hafiz Darazi’ for reasons more than one. Like Hafiz, he knew the Quran by heart, sang of wine, love and beauty, condemned cant, bigotry and hypocrisy, castigated men religion for their false pretensions, wrote mystical ‘Diwans’ and was ever immersed in Mansoorian ecstasy. Above all, he was, like Hafiz so much attached to his native place that he did not leave it even once during his lifetime. For Sachal music was the food of soul. As Rumi was transported to ecstasy by the melody of the flute, Sachal was divinely thrilled by the harmony of tabla and sarangi.
Sachal is call ‘Shair-e-haft zaban’, i.e. ‘Poet of seven languahes’. He had mastery over Sindhi, Hindi, Urdu, Sairiki, Persian, Arabic and Punjabi, his poetry exists. In all these languages in the form of dohas, kafis, ghazals and masnavis - Arabic words, expressions and quotations being interspersed at places by way of adornment and authoritative testimony. There is often an inter-mixture of Hindi and Urdu, Sairaika and Punjabi, Persian and Arabic. In Doha form, he has also like Shah, sung of the glory of immortal lovers: Sasui and Punhu, Mumal amd Rano, Nuri and Tamachi, Lila Chanesar, Suhini and Mehar, of the music of Bijal and mystical abondonment of Rai Diyanch, of king Umar’s treacherous conduct and Marui’s ideal Chastity and her inspiring patriotic love. In all these narrations he has expounded mystical truth of true wisdom. Besides, he has like Shah, sung of the universal beneficence of rain, the evil vangaries of the camel (mind) and the spiritual resplendence of yogis. He has also touched the themes of the respective emmissary roles of the crow and the moon. He undoubtedly owed his inspiration to Shah in these themses of local color and character, and Rumi in Perisan ghazals and masnavis.
Three days before his death, he retreated in a small enclave where he finally became one with truth on the 14th day of Ramzan in 1829 A. D. at the age of 90. A beautiful mausoleum was later built at this place decorated in Sindhi kashi tiles. His walking stick and tamboora (Sindhi musical instrument) are still preserved there. Every year a melo (fair) is held in Darraza in Sachal’s memory and respect.