UNDYING LOVE STORY OF HEER and DHEEDO RANJHA Heer is an extremely beautiful woman, born into a wealthy Jat family of the Sayyal clan in Jhang, Punjab. Ranjha (whose first name is Dheedo; Ranjha is the surname), also a Jat of the Ranjha clan, is the youngest of four brothers and lives in the village Takht Hazara by the river Chenab. Being his fathers favorite son, unlike his brothers who had to toil in the lands, he led a life of ease playing the flute (Wanjhli/Bansuri). After a quarrel with his brothers over land, Ranjha leaves home. In Waris Shahs version of the epic, it is said that Ranjha left his home because his brothers wives refused to give him food. Eventually he arrives in Heers village and falls in love with her. Heer offers Ranjha a job as caretaker of her fathers cattle. She becomes mesmerised by the way Ranjha plays his flute and eventually falls in love with him. They meet each other secretly for many years until they are caught by Heers jealous uncle, Kaido, and her parents Chuchak and Malki. Heer is forced by her family and the local priest or mullah to marry another man called Saida Khera. Ranjha is heartbroken. He wanders the countryside alone, until eventually he meets a jogi (ascetic). After meeting Baba Gorakhnath, the founder of the Kanphata (pierced ear) sect of jogis at Tilla Jogian (the Hill of Ascetics, located 50 miles north of the historic town of Bhera, Sargodha District, Punjab), Ranjha becomes a jogi himself, piercing his ears and renouncing the material world. Reciting the name of the Lord, Alakh Niranjan, he wanders all over Punjab, eventually finding the village where Heer now lives. The two return to Heers village, where Heers parents agree to their marriage. However, on the wedding day, Kaido poisons her food so that the wedding will not take place. Hearing this news, Ranjha rushes to aid Heer, but is too late, as she has already eaten the poison and died. Brokenhearted once again, Ranjha takes the poisoned Laddu (sweet) which Heer has eaten and dies by her side. Heer and Ranjha are buried in Heers hometown, Jhang. Lovers and others often pay visits to their mausoleum
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 09:32:34 +0000
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