Folk Nama | Thesis Project

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The logo and identity were made with an idea to bring out a traditional feel with a comtemporary touch.
The same essence of the work is refelcted throughout the exhibit.

THE PROJECT

Folk Nama is an exhibit design based on the folktales from Shah Jo Risalo that revolve around the theme of Love. The idea is to revive folk tales through the medium of graphic design and to craft visual narrative experiences that share the idea behind these stories. These tales are a part of Sindhi ethos and the classical poetry cannot be understood without the knowledge of these folk tales, as it is replete with frequent allusions to them. People across the country have not been able to learn about them, which is why this project aims to build a bridge whereby it would be able to reclaim these stories.

A narrative can be read at the bottom of each illustration.

UMER MARVI

The story about Marvi appears in Umer Marvi or Marvi, which forms one of the seven parts of the poem by Shah Latif. In this tragic love story, Marvi, a simple village maiden who rejects all the pomp and pompousness of staying like a Goddess at the grand palace and literally puts up a fight against the powerful king to be with her love, Umar and amongst her own village folk.

NOORI JAM TAMACHI

We come across this defiant young woman in the poem Noori Jam Tamachi. She’s a young and beautiful fisherwoman who catches the attention of Prince Jam Tamchi and leads him to fall in love with her instantly. But, it was her humility, her obedience and her unending love for the prince that made him put her as his best bride, ahead of all the royal ladies in her palace. In fact, if you visit the Kalri Lake in Pakistan, you’ll be able to see Noori’s grave situated almost at the middle of the lake.

SASSUI PUNHUN

The story, reiterated again and again in the land of Sind, Pakistan, is about a faithful wife who’s ready to succumb to all the evils and wrath of Gods to get back her husband who’s been captured by rivals. Shah Latif sees her journey as a mystical one that people who’re on a quest to seek for God have to go through!

MOOMAL RANO

Shah Latif’s MoOmal Rano throws a light on the life of Moomal, a dangerous but supremely beautiful courtesan who was left by her lover Rano on the presumption that she had cheated on him. And, what follows thereafter was a poignant saga of love where she undertakes all the treachery and difficulty of life to prove the purity and truth of her love.

SOHNI MEHER

Sohni Meher, also known as Suhni Mahiwal, forms one more love stories with tragedy, which has the motif of a leader and a hero. Sohni is the heroine in this saga, who has been married unhappily to a man, for whom she has despise and crosses the river to meet her Mehar, her beloved, who grazes buffaloes.

LEELA CHANESAR

If the other poem traces the life of passionate and love-stricken princesses and maidens, this poem traces that of pleasure-stricken and spoiled wife of Raja Chanesar, Leelan. In her love and greed for a necklace worth Rupees 900,000 in those days, she eagerly allowed the lady-owner of that necklace, in return of the prized possession, to spend a night with her husband.

SORATH RAI DIYATCH

This is one of the most appreciated and historical tales included in The Seven Queens of Sindh by Shah Latif, and has been retold again and again in Sind as an exemplification of true love and chastity. The tale is about Sorath, the wife of Rai Diyach of Girnar (Now in Gujarat) who happily lets go of her life for the love of her husband, hoping to get reunited with him in the land of the dead.