CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF THE BULLEH SHAH’S POEM KAR KATTAN WAL DHYAN KURRE (کر کتّن ول دھیان کُڑے)

Abstract

Kar Kattan Wal Dhyan Kurre (کر کتّن ول دھیان کُڑے) is a famous symbolic Kaafi written by the legendary Punjabi Sufi poet Bulleh Shah. This study explores the intersection of spiritual pedagogy and social defiance in Bulleh Shah’s iconic poem, “Kar Kattan Wal Dhyan Kure” (Focus on Your Spinning, O Girl). Using the lens of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the research deconstructs how Shah employs the domestic metaphor of the spinning wheel (Charkha) to challenge the rigid sociopolitical and patriarchal hierarchies of 18th-century Punjab. By repositioning the "domesticated" female figure as a seeker of divine truth, Shah subverts traditional power structures and religious orthodoxy. The analysis reveals how his discourse transforms a simple household chore into a radical act of spiritual resistance and self-actualization. Ultimately, this paper highlights how Bulleh Shah uses vernacular language to democratize mysticism, bridging the gap between the mundane and the metaphysical to incite a silent revolution of the soul.