Bhupinder Singh Raina
Book:–Heemal Nagrai
Writter:–Ajit Singh Mastana
Publisher:–Highbrow Publication, Bari Brahmana Jammu.
Price :– Rs.350.
Ajit Singh Mastana is a renowned Punjabi poet and writer who needs no formal introduction. His new book “Heemal Nagrai”is based on a popular folktale of love between a human princess and Naga king Nagrai, the King of serpents.In Kashmir the water springs are called Nagbal an abode of Nagas (serpents).Earlier Nagas lived in Kashmir, they had their own culture and civilisation.
Every country or region has its folktales and folklore which represent their culture and tales.Ajit Singh Mastana has successfuly attempted to incorporate a Kashmiri folktale in Punjabi language to popularize it among Punjabi knowing community especially Sikhs who are part of Kashmir.
Story of this folktale is that a Pandit Sada Bhat lived in Shopian area of Kashmir, his wife Chhor Bhati was a wicked woman,who didn’t respect her husband. Once Sada Bhat went on a voyage,her wife didn’t provide him good meal.After traveling some distance, he sat on the bank of a spring,took meals and drank sufficient water. Meanwhile a serpent entered in his satchel , after that he returned back to his home. His wife Chhor Bhati opened the bag to find out what he had brought. She was surprised to find a human child smiling at her. She was overjoyed and excited.
She brought up that child,who became a handsome man like a prince.He would often go to that spring where he had enterd Sada Ram’s bag.Once the princess Heemal of that kingdom saw him there on the spring and was very much attracted and fell in love with that handsome man Nag Rai. She asked her father to marry her with Pandit’s son.They were married.
They would go to that spring often. One day princess asked him to take bath in a bowl of milk.As he dipped in bowl of milk, he disappeared to Patal-lok.He was king there and had many serpent queens.When they came to know about it, all Nagins ,queens of Nagrai stung the princess and both drowned in the spring.Then a Divine light appeared and Heemal and Nagrai came out and lived as king and queen.
This folktale is woven in a wonderful poetical way. He has attempted to incorporate the Sikh Society to the culture and civilisation of thousands of years old Kashmiri culture..
There are many more such folktales of Kahmir which need thorough research and projection in Punjabi language so that Sikhs of Kashmir know that they are also a part of Kashmiri culture.
The poetical narration of this folktale is in farm of “kissagoi” like Heer Ranjha, Sohni Mahiwal or Saif Malook in Punjabi language.
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