Politics, poetry and pluralism : Bulleh Shah in the late Mughal Empire

Abstract

The Mughal Empire ruled the Indian sub-continent over the course of three centuries in a history defined by its religious and ethnic diversity. As part of their state-building project, the Mughals employed narratives of identity and belonging wherein different social, cultural and, to an extent, religious identities blended together. This thesis will focus on the historical importance of poetry as a socio-political tool through the work of a Punjabi poet, Bulleh Shah (1680-1757), in order to demonstrate the interconnections between the political, religious and cultural facets of the empire. Such an approach will highlight the relationship between the social and political dynamic of power to allow for a better understanding of the region. To this day, the legacy of Bulleh Shah remains of cultural relevance and importance, with his poetry serving as a cultural bridge between the religio-political divide of the Partition of India and Pakistan.

Date of Award	2018
Original language	English