Col J P Singh
Monumental human tragedies rarely end as bliss. Men & women spend long life together but depart separately. Sohni-Mehiwal, Heer Ranjha, Sasi-Punnu and Mirza-Sahibaan are some such love stories which have ended tragically but as a bliss in the sense that all of them suffered a lot in real life but left for their heavenly abode together to be immortal in love. Recently Gen and Mrs Bipin Rawat’s tragic departure together is one such bliss despite a monumental national tragedy and irreparable military loss. It baffles me to presume that they were to go to heavens together and that is why this accident happened. Such tragedies prompt me to pen Heer-Ranjha for the readers who enjoyed Sohni-Mahiwal earlier.
Heer-Ranjha, the legend of 18th century was written by Waris Shah, a Punjabi Poet of the Sufi Order, in 1776. Waris Shah is known for his contributions in Punjabi literature. Heer-Ranjha is a popular text of millions of Punjabis all over the world. It is probably the only text in any literature which is appreciated both by the most literary critics and proponent, peasants and intelligentsia, men and women, who have heard it sung by the village Bards in the social and cultural gatherings of young/old. In Waris Shah’s story there is a deeper meaning referring to unrelenting quest that a man has towards a woman.
Heer was an extraordinary beauty. She was daughter of a wealthy Sial of Jhang. Ranjha, a handsome lad, was son of Chief of Ranjha Clan of Takhat Hazara. After father’s death, Ranjha was ridiculed and forced to leave home. While he wandered in wilderness, he met Heer. They vow to unite for ever come what may. But the evil forces come in their way which make the whole affair tragic. Since the story is so popular, 20 films have been produced on this text since 1928. In 2013, a TV serial was aired in PTV & Zee Punjabi.
Mauju Choudhary was Chief of Takhat Hazara. He had seven sons. Dhido (Ranjha) was the youngest and his favourite. Elder sons and their wives were jealous of this over indulgence but could do nothing because of dominating father. Dido grazed father’s herd and played Flute melodiously. Being remarkably handsome, he was most attractive to his pretty Bhabis.
On the other side of Chenab lived Heer. Though on opposite sides of Chenab but by divinity they were born for each other. It was conceptualized by Waris Shah taking it to cosmological context where the highest principles of faith and friendship are underscored with divine sanction. Above all it is a pristine purity of love & thought, word & deed on the one hand and evil minds on the other, which mediates the conflicting ideological parameters.
On the death of father, land was divided and Didho given the worst tract in an unfair division. Dhido, a naïve and trusting brother didn’t notice that he was deceived. Nooran, pretty Bhabi of Dhido turns sympathetic to him and feels that despite hard work he will not get good yield. Instead she wants him to go back to father’s cattle grazing. Often she prepares ‘Churi’ (sweetened rotis) for him and carries the mid-day meal to fields and feeds him with her own hands besides sharing lively rants.
One noon when she arrived with Churi, Didho was asleep. Her eyes fall on his attractive face and bewitching flute. Thought of the magic which lay in his charmed Reed came to her mind. She thinks how the women, young and old, cows and goats stop to listen to the divine music that flows from it when Didho puts his lips on the flute. Nooran gets madly bewitched by his charm. Her eyes turn from his face to naked body which had always bewitched her whenever she had seen him bathing. She knew that she is not the only one in such feelings. Her other five sisters-in-laws and plenty of girls had the same feelings. She impatiently desires him more strongly than before. She gets mad and goes beyond the extreme limits of pious relationship. She explores his youth vigorously with hands and lips. Even Ranjha goes wild for a while. Just before the sin is committed, Ranjha pushes her aside and asks forgiveness for what he has done and what not done. Taking her hand in his own, Ranjha says, “Bhabi you are more beautiful & desirable than any girl I have seen but what you seek just can’t be because our relation is very pious”. Her quick rejection stings her like a bee. I will never forgive you Dhido hisses Nooran in a poisonous voice and runs back home.
Seething silently in anger, she continued her normal chores and carried mid day meals for Dhido, however with a desire to avenge her insult. Other women of the household took note of her changed behavior because each in her own way had been rejected by Dhido. They intuitively turned to Nooran and weaved a conspiracy. While they had vied with each other to prepare meals for him, now changed their outlook. They reduced ‘Churi’ to few dry/stale Rotis and small onions. Dhido noticed it with shock. One day when sarcastically teased by one of his Bhabis, he reacted with equally bitter stinging reply, “Bhabi you are getting awfully fat. Look-after yourself or Bhayia will look for another beautiful wife”. Don’t worry about me and don’t worry about your brother, the woman snapped. You earn the right to talk like this only when you bring Heer Sial home as bride. ( Heer was 16 but already a legendary beauty and reference to her had become a refrain in women taunts). If you don’t like our cooking the other said, go and come back with Heer to cook.
Since such jibes were bitter each day, the climax came. One morning while he was tying his turban infront of the mirror, Nooran said, “you think you are most handsome, but look at your swaying walk, delicate face and soft hands which makes me doubt whether you are man at all”. Laughter brakes out among other women. Throwing his turban away, he taunts them, “you know how much of a man I am”. Turning to others he said, “I have been a fool. I have been deceived. You gave me barren land, I didn’t protest. You treated me with contempt. I made no rejoinder. But not anymore. I am leaving, never to return”. A shocked hush fell at this announcement which was broken by the eldest brother sarcastically saying; go away. Will you earn your living by playing flute? When you have to earn bread, you will sing different tune and come back home running. Dhido walked off the courtyard with hastened pace with cruel remarks of the family ringing in his ears. Filled with sadness he hit a road, not knowing where to go. In the evening he reached a village Mosque. As the melody of his flute echoed, large number of peasants gathered to listen. Soon Mullah arrived and was furious to see undesirable folks hemming in the house of God. He ordered him to get out. Ranjha pleads but the Mullah doesn’t relent. “Is the Mosque meant only for rich & corrupt”, asked Ranjha. This Mullah is no priest, he retorted. His anger and lust doesn’t behove of a man of religion. Seeing that young man was getting public support and not going to leave, Mullah gives in and allows him to stay for the night.
Next morning Ranjha, left for the country of Sials. He arrives at the bank of Chenab and requested the Boatman Ludhan to take him across. Ludhan insults him saying he doesn’t carry free vagabonds. Poor Ranjha was insulted again. Disgusted, he sat in a corner and played his flute. Passengers abandoned the boat and gathered around him. Despite Boatman’s pleading passengers did’t move. When it was getting late, Ludhan made a final plea saying that it was the last trip. Passengers pleaded for him but Ludhan instead labelled him evil & his music a bigger evil. Ludhan’s wife also pleads but in vain, instead abused & threatened. Passengers entered and the Boat was steered. Seeing left out, Ranjha jumped into Chenab and swam along. Half way, passengers saw him drowning. Threatening Ludhan, they picked him up and put in the boat unconscious. Ranjha finally reached the other end in the land of Heer, exhausted and ragged. Passengers took him to a mango grove and put him on a comfortable bed used by Heer during her sojourn at the river bank. Two young boys stayed as his escort basically to hear his flute. Ranjha obliged them. In the morning Heer came to the mango grove singing and dancing with charming damsels. They turned furious to see a stranger in her bed. But the flute mesmerized them too. Though they yelled and scolded him but Heer falls for him at the very first sight. He too was stunned by Heer’s celestial beauty. Beholden of his charm; who you are asked Heer. I am Didho of Ranjha Clan from Takhat Hazara but who are you asked Ranjah. I am Heer, only daughter of Chuchak Khan, the Sial Chief. “Oh my dear, I am here for you from the land across the river. Oh sublime beauty, you are my life”. Heer smiles and surrenders. Their eyes met with sentiments of love exchanged as if they met forever. But suddenly Ranjah became skeptical of Heer for having been veered by women thinking that even ancient texts also teach to be wary of the guiles of women particularly of charming ones. But Heer to his mind didn’t look deceitful. “Nothing in this or that world can stop me to be with you is my solemn promise in the witness of God and Panj Pirs”, Heer said. She took Ranjha to a Barber Woman Mithi’s home. On Heer’s request Mithi welcomes Ranjha.
Hearing Heer’s encounter with a stranger, her parents took it lightly. Father instead lovingly asked her to sit next to him and tell what pranks had the girls played on his lame cousin Kaidon. (Because of his evil and vicious tongue, none would talk to Kaidon and hence he made a virtue out of necessity by turning ascetic). Heer denied any such thing. Next morning Heer went to Mithi’s house and saw Ranjha having breakfast and telling her how well he grazed his father’s cattle. Heer’s father had a huge cattle-herd but didn’t have a suitable shepherd. She persuades Ranjha to take up this job.
Heer took Ranjha to her father and got him a job as Mahi (cattle herder). Each morning Ranjha took the cattle to the river bank and each morning Heer and her friends joined him to listen to his flute. Heer takes him midday meal, invariably ‘Churi’ and feeds him with her beautiful hands. Sometime Ranjha caresses her hair while she lies in his lap. As Heer had entered puberty, she undergoes immense bodily transformation. Daily meetings continued. Ranjha cares for the cattle too. As a result milk yield increased. Chuchak and Malliki were marveled at the magic that Ranjha had wrought and determine not to let him go.
One day malicious Kaidon hid in the forest to see Ranjha taking Heer in his grip. Realising that Ranjha had reached the limit of destroying her, he goes to Chuchak’s house. Chuchak asked his wife to get a glass of milk for her Devar but he declines offer saying, “I can’t have milk of your household. You may not like it, but your harlot Heer has cast your Pagri in the dust and trampled over it”. “I will ask her to apologise to you if she has done something wrong”, says Chuchak. “It is not me but it is about what she does to your cowherd Ranjha. While you are in the bliss of ignorance, Heer and Ranjha spend time in the forest in endless copulation”. A hush descended in the household. Elder son Sultan angrily said if that is untrue, they will kill him. “I hid in the forest before dawn, saw Ranjha coming with herd and saw Heer coming few hours later and shaming herself in dalliance with the shepherd”. A villain has taken sanctuary in your house Chief, shouted a neighbor. If you can’t protect honor of a woman of your house how can we trust you for protecting our honor, said the other. Heer came out hearing the commotion. Tell us what has happened asked her father.
With sobs in her voice, she said, “this wicked man had been snooping while my friends and I play. Today when it was time to return home, I stayed back to answer the call of nature. Suddenly this man pounced upon me and……”; she broke. In the face of this greater calamity Chuchak asked neighbor, Khan! will you let villains like Kaidon outrage the modesty of our girls. Cries of shame, shame and never; echoed. This is a white lie said kaidon. I have never been near to Heer. But being an urgent matter, Chuchak called Panchayat. After deliberations, Panchayat gives judgment. Public flogging and a year’s banishment to Kaidon. This episode worries Chuchak. Considering that Kaidon has cast aspersions on his daughter, he must throw out the cowherd as that was the only way to ward off the criticism and time to find groom for her.
Heer sneaks out to Ranjha’s hut to tell this story. He draws her into arms and in the face of certain separation, steals few moments of bliss from eternity. Heer broke down in his arms. Holding her tenderly, Ranjha says, ‘Rab is our Rakha’.
Next morning Chuchak politely told Ranjha not lead his herd to the forest any longer. Didn’t I look after your cattle, have you suffered any losses or is it that my pay is more, pleaded Rajnha. “Kaidon has made accusations about you and Heer. In the face of such allegations I have no options but to dismiss you”. “I found great comfort and joy as your shepherd therefore it grieves me to leave. But if it protects honour of Sials, I will do so gladly. Saying this, Ranjha simply walked away. He left Jhang without even entering his hut, as empty handed as he had come, though immeasurably richer with the wealth of love he accumulated in his heart and soul. Uncertain of Heer’s future, he firmly believed that God will protect her. He comes to the crossing point where Ludhan greets him asking what made him abandon the herd. (Ludhan had turned kind towards Ranjha hearing his loyalty to Chuchak and devotion to cattle). I have not abandoned the herd; herd has abandoned me instead he stated. When mid stream, where will you go, asked Ludhan’s wife. Does it matter where I go replied Ranjha. You came as guest, we won’t let you go unceremoniously. You will stay in our hut and we will do what best we can in our humble way to look after you; said Ludhan. As the destiny would have it, Ranjha becomes a guest of a poor boatman from a herdsman of a rich man.
In the meantime, condition of herd deteriorated. Cattle started dying. Malliki surveyed the devastation. She prevailed upon her husband to recall Ranjha. But I will lose my face because decision to send him away was taken infront of everyone; but will he come was Chuchak’s comment. Malliki took it upon herself to get him back. She prepared delicious ‘Churi’ and reached Ludhan’s hut. Ranjha greets her. Looking at Ranjha, she tells him to look at what he has done to himself. “You look famished which must be because you have not eaten Churi for sometime and that is why I have brought it”. She lays the tray infront of him. As Ranjha eats, Malliki smoothes his ruffled hair affectionately asking him to come back as the cattle were missing him. “I feel sorry for them, but I can’t come back”, said Ranjha. Your anger is justified but be reasonable, my husband will double your salary. “It was not for wages but for Heer that I worked. Yet at the first gust of ill wind, you cast me aside like a worn out shoe and look elsewhere for a groom for your daughter”, he said. Making the difficult situation even worse Ludhan’s wife taunted saying that he is son of Chief of Ranjha Clan, as rich and noble as Sial. Come back my son, Malliki pleaded and promised that when they look for a groom for Heer, he will be first name to be considered. On that promise Ranjha returned. Miraculously cattle gained good health and family happiness grew. But all that was short lived.
Sials being people of great elan and pride, couldn’t reconcile with compromise of their honor caused by Ranjha. Chuchak vows to find a suitable bridegroom for Heer. Malliki makes a strong pitch for Ranjha at the meeting of family elders stating that he is not a mere shepherd but son of Ranjha Chieftain. A man is seen by action not by birth came out in the meeting. Leaving the final decision to the elders, Malliki shrugged. Search for bridegrooms started while Ranjha grazed cattle. Heer and Ranjha revived their daily trysts.
One afternoon when Ranjha lay with Heer’s head in his lap, ‘Panj Pirs’ appeared in the jungle. Pirs blessed them when both bowed before them. Pirs enquired if Ranjhas was from Takhat Hazara. Ranjha confirmed that he was son of Ranjha Chief. Amazed Pirs asked him how is he working as herdsman of Sials. Interposing Heer said that he does it at free will, mainly for her. My world begins and ends in the feet of this man stated Heer. Nothing can separate you from Ranjha because it is God who has brought you together came out from the Pirs. In the secluded forest, with four Pirs in the witness, elder Pir read Nikah to bind them in a sacred bond in life & death. Before departure, the Sanits sought special benediction for the newly married.
Saida, the son of Chief of Khairas was accepted as Heer’s groom. Ranjha reminded Malliki of her promise but in vain. Heer learnt of it when shagun was received. In fright and panic she went to Ranjha and suggested him to run away with her but found him still believing in divine intervention saying that it will leave her father’s face besmirched. Have no fears, I will tell Maulvi the truth and he being a man of God, he will listen stated Ranjha to console her.
Before the Nikah, a conspiracy was hatched. Chuchak’s kinsmen attacked Ranjha. Hurt and bleeding in the head, he was bundled away. Heer was totally aghast to see Maulvi as part of the conspiracy. When Maulvi asked her acceptance, her mother said loudly that her daughter was too modest to speak but she has nodded her head. Heer shouted, ‘that was not true’. But Maulvi declared the Nikah solemnized. Cursing mother and spitting at her feet as well as cursing Maulvi for his body be eaten by worms, Heer sat in the Doli. When Ranjha came to senses, he saw Heer being carried in Doli. Ranjha runs with Doli for one last look at his beloved. Heer asked Doli to be lowered. Ranjha knelt infront of the Doli while Heer puts her hand on his cheek and said, “I can’t do anything, nor can I commend you to God because for me, you are the God”. Ranjha saw his beloved carried away and Doli being ferried downstream in Ludhan’s boat. Long after she had gone, he continued to look in the direction she had gone. Darkness fell and grief stricken, Ranjha left Jhang. Mithti takes pity on him and brings him to her hut. While he spends the day in forest, falls back at night.
One day he met Yogi Guru Bal Nath, disciple of Guru Gorakh Nath. Yogi found in him an adept pupil. Ranjha learnt his guru’s knowledge of medicinal properties of herbs and soon became a proficient herbal Hakim. He started going to places. Gradually his fame and reputation as a saint spreads far and wide. One day he reached Rangpur of Khairas. A shepherd heard him play flute. He recognized him as Ranjha of Takhat Hazara. He spread it around.
Heer resolutely refuses to submit to Saida. It is a sin to covet another man’s wife she would plead. Left to himself Saida would have forced his will upon her but his mother cautions him again and again asking him to wait assuring she will give herself willingly. Saida’s sister Saiti however sympathizes with Heer knowing the pain of love being a woman because she herself was in love with Murad, a Baluch merchant but not hopeful of being married to him.
When Saiti heard of a fakir having come to the village, she meets him and told him that she had come with her sister-in-law’s problem. Despite my brother being gentle to her, she doesn’t respond to him. I request you to do something for both, she pleaded. Next day he accompanied Saiti. Seeing a stranger approaching, Heer covered her face. “You need not do that. Your sister-in-law has asked me to help you. I can’t do that if you turn away your face”, said the Fakir. You can’t heel me. Even God has refused to listen to me. Ranjha recognized her voice and for a moment everything comes to a standstill. He caught her wrist which she snatched away saying how dare he touch her. My illness is of the heart, you can’t diagnose it from pulse stated Heer. “He is holy man who is bestowed with the spiritual powers with which he can cure all diseases, change destinies, administer the impossible and unite old lovers”, said Saiti. ‘I will light lamps of ghee and distribute Churi if someone gives me the news of my love’, said Heer. The same love you had turned into a cowherd with your love and then abandoned to go with another man came out from Fakir. She looked carefully into his face and saw her Ranjha in strange garb. Her face flushed. They looked into each other’s eyes. Giving a loud sob, she leapt into Ranjha’s lap. Saiti, in her scheming way, ensured they met frequently. After few days Heer & Ranjha devised a plan to end Saiti’s predicament. They enabled Saiti and Murad to break free and to divert Khaira’s intention, Heer & Ranjha also escaped. When Khairas went about looking for them, Saiti & Murad easily escaped to a Baluch relative. Saida and his brothers caught up with Heer-Ranjha and brought them to the court of Adli Raja, a just king. He awarded Heer to Ranjha. Heer’s brothers pleaded the king to allow them to send Heer honorably to Takhat Hazara. Heer comes home with them but they keep delaying her departure to Jhang. Seeing no hope of her being sent to Ranjha, she consumed poison. Unnerved, brothers quickly arranged her departure. When she reached Ranjha’s house, she was almost dying. Grief stricken, Ranjha also collapsed in her lap. They were buried together in the same tomb to be together forever. Tragedy turned into bliss has been aptly conceptualized by Waris Shah and liked by millions.
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