Sassui Punnhun

Last updated

Sassui Punnhun
Frescoed love tale of Sassui Punhoon in Love tale of Sassui Punhoon frescoed on wall of tomb, Tilla Shah Graveyard, Sindh.jpg
Love tale of Sassui Punhoon frescoed on wall of tomb in Tilla Shah Graveyard, Sindh
Folk tale
NameSassui Punnhun
Country Pakistan  • India
Region Punjab  • Sindh  • Balochistan

Sassi Punnu or Sassui Punnhun (Sindhi : سَسُئيِ پُنهوُن‎; Balochi : سسوئی پنہو; Punjabi : سسوئی پنہو(Shahmukhi), ਸੱਸੀ ਪੁੰਨੂੰ(Gurmukhi)) is a folktale in the Sindhi, Balochi and Punjabi folklore. It is one of the seven popular tragic romances of Sindh. The other six are Umar Marvi, Momal Rano, Sohni Mehar, Lilan Chanesar, Sorath Rai Diyach, and Noori Jam Tamachi. [1] In Punjab, it is four of the most popular romances. The other three are Heer Ranjha , Sohni Mahiwal and Mirza Sahiban . [2] [3] [4] [5] It also remains one of the most popular folktales in Balochistan. The story is about a faithful lover who will endure any difficulty while seeking her beloved husband who was separated from her by rivals. [6]

Contents

Origins

The earliest mention of this tale is in the texts of Qazi Qadan. Later in Karim Jo Risalo of Shah Abdul Karim of Bulri, the great-great-grandfather of the legendary poet of Sindh, Shah Latif of Bhit. The story appears in Shah Jo Risalo and forms part of seven popular tragic romances from Sindh, commonly known as the Seven Queens of Sindh, or the Seven heroines of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. [7] [8] Later it was retold by Hashim Shah in Punjabi. [9]

Sassui and Punnhun

Mural panel depicting romances of Laila and Majnun (above) and Sasui and Punhun (below) in a tomb in the necropolis of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro in Sindh Mural panel depicting romances of Laila and Majnun (above) and Sasui and Punhun (below) in a tomb in the necropolis of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro in Sindh.jpg
Mural panel depicting romances of Laila and Majnun (above) and Sasui and Punhun (below) in a tomb in the necropolis of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro in Sindh

Punnhun (also spelt as Punnu) was the son of Jam Aali or Ari, a Baloch ruler of Kech, Balochistan. [10] [11] Sassui (also spelt as Sassi) was the daughter of the Raja of Bhambore in Sindh (now in Pakistan). Upon Sassui's birth, astrologers predicted that she was a bane on the royal family's honour. The Raja ordered that the child be put in a wooden box and thrown in the Sindhu Darya. A washerman of the Bhambore village found the wooden box and the child inside. The washerman believed the child was a blessing from God and took her home. As he had no children of his own, he decided to adopt her.

Sassi Trilok Singh Artist 1954.jpg
Sassi

Sassui grew up to be as beautiful as the fairies of heaven. Stories of her beauty reached Punnu and he became desperate to meet Sassui. The handsome young Prince, therefore, travelled to Bhambore. He sent his clothes to Sassui's father (a washerman) so that he could catch a glimpse of Sassui. When he visited the washerman's house, they fell in love at first sight. Sassui's father was dispirited, hoping that Sassui would marry a washerman and no one else. He asked Punnhun to prove that he was worthy of Sassui by passing the test as a washerman. Punnhun agreed to prove his love. While washing, he tore all the clothes as, being a prince, he had never washed any clothes; he thus failed the agreement. But before he returned those clothes, he hid gold coins in the pockets of all the clothes, hoping this would keep the villagers quiet. The trick worked, and Sassui's father agreed to the marriage.

Punnhun's brothers

Punnhun's father and brothers were against his marriage to Sassui (Punnhun being a prince and she being a washerman's daughter) and so, for their father's sake, Punnhun's brothers travelled to Bhambore. First, they threatened Punnhun but when he didn't relent, they tried more devious methods. Punnhun was surprised to see his brothers supporting his marriage and on the first night, they pretended to enjoy and participate in the marriage celebrations and forced Punnhun to drink different types of wines. When he was intoxicated they carried him on a camel's back and returned to their hometown of Kech.

The lovers meet their end

Mural of Sassui Punnhu folk tale from Sui Simbli temple in Jammu Mural of Sassi Punnu folk tale from Sui Simbli temple in Jammu.jpg
Mural of Sassui Punnhu folk tale from Sui Simbli temple in Jammu

When Sassui woke up the following morning, she realized that she was cheated by her brothers-in-law. She became mad with the grief of separation from her beloved and ran barefoot towards the town of Kech Makran. To reach it, she had to cross miles of desert. Alone, she continued her journey until her feet were blistered and her lips were parched from crying "Punnhun, Punnhun!". The journey was full of dangerous hazards. She was thirsty when she saw a shepherd coming out of a hut. He gave her some water to drink. Seeing her incredible beauty, he tried to force himself on Sassui. Sassui escaped and prayed to God to hide her. God listened to her prayers, the land shook and split and Sassui found herself buried in the valley of mountains. When Punnhun woke in Makran he could not stop himself from running back to Bhambore. On the way, he called out "Sassui, Sassui!" to which the shepherd told Punnhun the whole story. Punnhun also lamented the same prayer, the land shook and split again and he was also buried in the same mountain valley as Sassui. [12] The legendary grave still exists in this valley. Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai sings this historic tale in his Sufi poetry as an example of eternal love and union with the divine. [13] But according to the retold Punjabi tale by Hashim Shah, Sassui dies while crossing the desert.[ citation needed ]

Kech Makran

The Kech Makran is located along the Makran Coastal Highway in Baluchistan, Pakistan. The fort of Punnhun whose construction dates back to 6000-8000 BC is located there. [14]

Tombs of Sassui Punnhun

Grave of Sassui Punnhu Grave of Sassui Punnhu.jpg
Grave of Sassui Punnhu

Sassui and Punnhun's alleged graves are located near Lasbela, Balochistan, 45 miles west of Karachi. [15] [16]

Films

The folk tale has been filmed many times including:

Music

The British musician Panjabi MC references the tale of Sassi in his 2003 song Jogi . [19] The "King of Qawali", Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, mentions Sassi in a verse of one of his most famous songs Tum Ek Gorak Dhanda Ho written by the poet Naz Khialvi. The Pakistani singer-songwriter Bilal Saeed also mentions Sassi in his song 12 Saal.

Literature

Sasui Puno is a play written in Sindhi by Indian writer Ram Panjwani. [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai</span> 18th-century Sindhi Sufi writer

Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, commonly known by the honorifics Lakhino Latif, Latif Ghot, Bhittai, and Bhit Jo Shah, was a Sindhi Sufi mystic and poet from Pakistan, widely considered to be the greatest poet of the Sindhi language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakistani folklore</span> Folklore of Pakistan

Pakistani folklore encompasses the mythology, poetry, songs, dances and puppetry from Pakistan's various ethnic groups.

<i>Shah Jo Risalo</i> Book by Shah Abdul Latif

Shah Jo Risalo is a book of poems of the Sindhi Sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. Shah Abdul Latif's poetry was transmitted orally during his lifetime and compiled after his death and designated as Shah Jo Risalo or Poetry of Shah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sohni Mahiwal</span> Tragic romance of Sindh and Punjab

Sohni Mahiwal or Suhni Mehar is one of the seven popular tragic romances of Sindh. The other six are Umar Marvi, Momal Rano, Sassui Punnhun, Lilan Chanesar, Sorath Rai Diyach, and Noori Jam Tamachi. In Punjab, it is four of the most popular romances. The other three are Heer Ranjha, Sassui Punnhun and Mirza Sahiban.

Sindhi literature is the collection of oral and written literature in the Sindhi language in prose and poetry. The Sindhi language of the province of Sindh in Pakistan is considered one of the oldest languages of ancient India, and influenced the language of Indus Valley inhabitants. Sindhi literature has developed over a thousand years.

Noori Jam Tamachi is a folktale in the Sindhi folklore dating back to the 15th century.

Nabi Bakhsh Khan Baloch was a Baloch research scholar, historian, sindhologist, educationist, linguist and writer. He predominantly wrote in Sindhi, but sometimes in Urdu, English, Persian and Arabic. He has been described as the "moving library" of the Pakistani province of Sindh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Umar Marvi</span> Folktale from Sindh, Pakistan

Umar Marvi is a folktale story from Sindh, Pakistan about a village girl Marvi, who resists the overtures of a powerful King and the temptation to live in the palace as a queen, preferring to be in a simple rural environment with her own village folk. It dates back to the 14th century

Ustad Muhammad Juman was a Sindhi musician and classical singer from Pakistan, whose impact on Sindhi music is still pervasive.

<i>Sassi Punno</i> 2004 Pakistani film

Sassi Punno is a 2004 Pakistani film in the Urdu language. It was directed by Hassan Askari.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sindhi folklore</span>

Sindhi folklore is the folk tradition which has developed in Sindh over a number of centuries. Sindh abounds with folklore, in all forms, and colors from such obvious manifestations as the traditional Watayo Faqir tales, the legend of Moriro, epic poetry tale of Dodo Chanesar, to the heroic character of Marui which distinguishes it among the contemporary folklores of the region. The love story of Sassui, who pines for her lover Punhu, is known and sung in every Sindhi settlement. Other examples of the folklore of Sindh include the stories of Umar Marui and Suhuni Mehar.

Sindhi folktales play an important part in the culture of the Sindhi people of southern Pakistan. Pakistan's Sindh province abounds in fairy-tales and folktales that form its folklore. Some of these folktales (قصا) are particularly important for the development of higher literature in Sindhi, since they were to form the core of mystical tales of Sindh immortalized by Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, and are generally known as Heroines of Shah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sorath Rai Diyach</span> Romantic narrative in Sindhi literature

Sorath Rai Diyach is a romantic folktale in Sindhi and Gujarati folklore. The story also appears in Shah Jo Risalo and forms part of seven popular tragic romances from Sindh. The other six tales are Umar Marvi, Sassui Punnhun, Sohni Mehar, Lilan Chanesar, Noori Jam Tamachi and Momal Rano commonly known as the Seven Queens of Sindh, or the Seven heroines of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.

Sassi Punnu is a 1958 Pakistani film adapted from a popular Sindhi folk tale, produced by Syed A. Haroon, directed by Akbar Ali. It was released on 30 May 1958 and starred Nighat Sultana, Sayani and Rakhshi. This is a black and white film in Sindhi language.

Sassi Punnu may refer to:

Ustad Manzoor Ali Khan was a Pakistani singer belonging to the Gwalior gharana singing style, one of the oldest singing traditions in Hindustani classical music. Born in Shikarpur, Sindh, Pakistan, he was the first classical musician of the twentieth century who knew about the regional music of Sindh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai</span>

The Shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai is an 18th-century Sufi shrine located in the town of Bhit Shah, in the Pakistani province of Sindh. The shrine is considered to be one of the most important in Sindh, and its annual urs festival attracts up to 500,000 visitors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sassi Punnu Fort</span>

Sassui Punnhu Fort, , also known as Miri Kalat, is a historical site and tourist spot near Turbat City in Turbat Tehsil, Kech District, Balochistan, Pakistan.

Bhittaipedia is a project on Shah Jo Risalo, where all compilations, translations, books, research articles on the works of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai are published. The project is developed by Abdul Majid Bhurgri Institute of Language Engineering, Hyderabad, Sindh Pakistan.

The Sindhi Jats are the Sindhi community, who are the indigenous population of Sindh.

References

  1. ↑ ʻAbd al-Laṭīf (Shah) (2018). Risalo. Harvard University Press. ISBN   978-0-674-97504-0.
  2. ↑ Jamal Shahid (11 January 2015). "A beloved folk story comes to life". Dawn. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  3. ↑ Karan Bali (13 September 2016). "Before 'Mirzya', Mirza and Sahiban have died over and over again for their love (Numerous versions of the legend exist, including productions in Punjabi on both sides of the border)". Scroll.in website. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  4. ↑ "Love Legends in History of Punjab". Punjabi World website. 20 April 2007. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  5. ↑ Sahibaan remains unheard The Hindu (newspaper), Published 11 October 2016, Retrieved 8 November 2020
  6. ↑ Dr.Nabi Bux Khan Baloach (1976). Popular Folk Stories:Sassui Punhun. Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan: Sindhi Adabi Board.
  7. ↑ Dr. Motilal Jotwani. Sufis Of Sindh. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. ISBN   9788123023410.
  8. ↑ Schimmel (13 November 2018). Pain and Grace: A Study of Two Mystical Writers of Eighteenth-Century Muslim India. BRILL. ISBN   978-90-04-37854-4.
  9. ↑ N. Hanif (2000). Biographical Encyclopaedia of Sufis: South Asia. Sarup & Sons. ISBN   9788176250870.
  10. ↑ "Historic Sites Documentations - Ongoing". SEAS Pakistan.
  11. ↑ Pannke, Peter (2014). Saints and singers : Sufi music in the Indus Valley. Internet Archive. Karachi : Oxford University Press. p. 109. ISBN   978-0-19-547877-8.
  12. ↑ Ikram, Sheikh Mohamad (1955). The cultural heritage of Pakistan. [Karachi; New York]: Oxford University Press. pp. 152–153.
  13. ↑ Shah Latif Bhittai, Risalo of Shah
  14. ↑ "Historical significance of Punnu Fort". Daily Times. 2019-03-20. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
  15. ↑ "The Eternal Love of Sassi Punnu". goodtimes.com.pk. 16 December 2017. Retrieved 2019-05-25.
  16. ↑ "Sassui Punnhu Grave Neglected - Dawn News". 24 April 2013.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1999). Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema . British Film Institute. ISBN   9780851706696 . Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  18. ↑ "Sassi Punho (1960)". Indiancine.ma. Retrieved 2020-11-07.
  19. ↑ "Jogi - ascetic". lyricstranslate.com. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
  20. ↑ "Drama - Professor Ram Panjwani". rampanjwani.com. Retrieved 2020-11-07.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.