The chief of Jhang at the time was
one Chuchak Sayyal who had an extraordinarily beautiful and a headstrong
daughter
named Heer. Waris Shah describes her beauty and physical attributes,
literally from head to toe, with the usual poetical exaggeration. Some of the
analogies and metaphors he uses may sound a bit unfamiliar and even strange to
the present day readers. For example, Waris Shah says:
“Can any poet sufficiently praise
Heer’s beauty? Her face shines like the full moon. Her eyes are like the
narcissus flower. Her eyebrows are like a Lahori bow (I didn’t know that Lahore
was ever known for making bows). The kohl (kajal) in the corner of her eyes
suggests as if the armies of Punjab have invaded Hind (India). Her lips are like
red rubies. Her chin is like a selected apple from the King’s orchard. Her nose
is like the pointed end of the sword of Hussain (!). Her teeth are like the
white petals of champa flower and sparkle like pearls. She is tall and straight
like a cypress in the garden of Paradise. Her neck is like that of a koonj (a
species of cranes). Her hands are smooth and soft like a chinar leaf
(similar to maple leaf) and her fingers like lobiay ki phallian (pods of beans,
which are longer than most other pods). In short, her features are like a
beautifully calligraphed book.”
Heer, when she meets Ranjha, is
instantly taken by his wild and romantic looks and the soulful tunes of his
flute. She persuades her parents to hire
Ranjha as a cowherd for their cattle. Ranjha is hired, and thus kindles a
blazing romance between Heer and Ranjha that lasts for several years, and has
since been recounted and sung for almost 250 years. The two lovers often meet
in the forestland along the river (known as bela in Punjabi) where Ranjha takes
the cattle to graze. While the cattles graze Ranjha plays his flute. And Heer
listens by his side. The days and months pass in total bliss — and very fast.
Heer’s uncle, Kaido, becomes
suspicious and starts spying on her. He gathers sufficient evidence to report
to the matter to her parents. The parents admonish Heer on her conduct and warn
her of terrible consequences. When Heer is not deterred they call in the
village Qazi (a muslim judge who decides disputes between people in the light
of Sharia and also solemnizes marriages) to counsel her.
The Qazi tells her mildly that good
girls, when they come out of their home, keep their gaze lowered; that they
always keep their families’ honor uppermost; that they better spend their time
in tiranjans (places where village women gather to spin yarn on spinning
wheels and chat). He also reminds her that, being from a higher caste and a
renowned family, it is unbecoming of her to mingle with family servants like
Ranjha. Heer is not convinced and tells the Qazi:
“You cannot wean away an addict from
the drug. It is not possible for me to walk away from Ranjha. If it is our
destiny to be together then who, other than God, can change it?” And then she
adds rather philosophically: “True love is like a mark that a hot iron burns on
to the skin or like a spot on a mango fruit. They never go away.”
Seeing that Heer is admant the Qazi
threatens her with a fatwa of death. But Heer remains unshakeable.
Exasperated, Heer’s parents decide to marry her to a man named Saida Khairra
from village Rangpur (Muzaffargarrh district). Nikah ceremony is arranged and
the Qazi is invited to perform the ceremony. As is customary, the Qazi first
asks the
bridegroom if he would accept Heer as his wife, which, of course, the
bridegroom readily does. Then the Qazi asks Heer and her answer is a loud No.
When the Qazi insists for an affirmative answer, Heer says forcefully:
“My nikah was already made with
Ranjha in heavens by no less a person than the Prophet himself, and was blessed
by God and witnessed by the four angels, Jibraeel, Mikael, Izarael and Israfeel
. How can you dissolve my first nikah and marry me