The human inner world is shaped by the landscape, human danger, and helplessness.

 

While doing research on the development of Islam in India, I am finding all sorts of amazing things. We all know about the traditional Khan Jahan Ali shrine in Bagerhat, Bangladesh. We also know about the crocodiles that were in the pond adjacent to that shrine. While researching the popularity of Jari Sari songs in the coastal and flood-prone areas of Bangladesh, I found that the real source of these Jari Sari songs is the Pakistani-Afghan area. Where this Islamic spirituality came from Persia and Iraq.

The coastal region of the Indus River in the Sindh province of Pakistan was once prone to natural disasters like ours in storms, floods, etc. In this region, like the Khan Jahan Ali shrine, there is the shrine of Hazrat Baba Farid Ganj Shakar in Karachi, which is called Mangopir in short. There is a pond in the shrine of this Mangopir where there are about two hundred freshwater crocodiles.

Historians say that when the Mongols invaded Iraq in the 13th century, Hazrat Baba Farid Ganj Shakar fled to the northern Punjab region of Pakistan. From there, he came to this coastal area of ​​Karachi and established his residence and spread his spiritualism. His spiritualist harmony and idea of ​​unity provided a means of survival and encouragement to the poor and oppressed helpless people of that region. After his death, a shrine was built in his name at the same place.

Scientists believe that once upon a time, when there was a big flood, many freshwater crocodiles from the nearby haor area probably floated into the pond of the said Pir. Then people thought that the crocodiles were the subjects of the Pir. Since then, the crocodiles were given regular food and it seems that they were somewhat tamed.

The landscape, human danger and helplessness shape what kind of inner world people will have and what kind of philosophy or religion that inner world will choose for their mental peace and meaning of life. If we cannot make people's lives fearless and their minds free from doubts by ensuring the safety and justice of life, no matter how much science and research we do, we cannot create a society of reason, knowledge and discipline. People will gradually choose to leave this world and live for the hereafter.

Abm Sirajul Hossain