Bullhe Shah was outcast by his family when he chose to study with Inayat. As part of the Syed family, Bullhe Shah’s lineage is tied to the Prophet Muhammad. Bullhe’s had written of his siblings thinking it beneath Bullhe to study with Inayat, a gardener and part of the Arian tribe. Bullhe Shah writes that his caste is of Inayat’s: “Those who have the swings in heaven laid for them.” Inayat had decided not to speak to Bullhe Shah after a social transgression which seemed classist. Inayat’s nephew was in Bullhe’s village, but Bullhe could not meet him because he spent the day at a relative’s wedding. The impression was that Bullhe was ashamed to interact with those outside his caste.

Bullhe was torn. Knowing that Inayat liked the dances women performed outside the mosque, Bullhe requested transgender women to teach him the dance. Bullhe spent what some say was twelve years living in a brothel learning the dance. Covering his head, wearing bangles, and dressing as a woman, Bullhe danced near the mosque Inayat frequented. Bullhe sang:

“Your love has set me dancing in rhythm…My dear friend shows me the Kaaba and the Qibla….Bullha, let us go and sit at the gate of Shah Inayat, who made me dress in green and red. When I started dancing, I found my way to him.”
-Bullhe Shah, “Tere Ishq Nachaaya”

Without looking at him, Inayat recognized Bullhe Shah. They stayed together until Inayat passed. Some read Bullhe’s poetry and see the relationship with Inayat as telling of the respect given to a Sufi master from a student. While this may be true, matching how Bullhe refers to Inayat as his lord and how Bullhe describes his societal rejection related to his feelings for Inayat makes the platonic relationship seem unlikely.

Referring to the way he loves, the way he lives, Bullhe often writes of himself as an infidel, or “kafir.” An English translation of a popular verse:

“I am neither a believer in the mosque, nor do I follow the rites of unbelief.”

Queer Khalifa's Abdullah and Inayat meet after ten years of distance. The immediate recognition without seeing each other directly is at the heart of the love story in Queer Khalifa. Bullhe Shah's poetry remains pressed in modern Punjabi culture, having influenced various mediums with varying recognition of the depths of his love for Inayat.

“Tere Ishq Mein Nachenge” song from “Raja Hindustani” (1996) starring Amir Khan and Karisma Kapoor and “Chaiyya Chaiyya”/“Thaiyya” song from the film “Dil Se” (1998) starring Shah Rukh Khan borrow verses from Bullhe Shah’s “Tere Ishq Nachaaya” which he sang and danced to when courting Inayat after twelve years. “Bullya” song from “Ae Dil Ae Mushkil” (2016) starring Ranbir Kapoor and Aishwariya Rai (left) is titled after Bullhe Shah.

Pakistan’s Coke Studio has featured many artists singing verses taken from Bullhe Shah’s poetry. Artists include Ali Zafar, Sain Zahoor, Noori, Arieb Azhar, Hadiqa Kiani, Ahmed Jahanzeb, Umair Jaswal, Rizwan Butt, Sara Haider, Fareed Ayaz, and Abu Muhammad Qawal & Brothers.

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