''Heer Ranjha'' () is a classical

Punjabi folk Punjabi folk music (, or Punjabi Folk) is the traditional music on the traditional musical instruments of the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. There is a great repertoire of music from the time of birth through the different stages of j ...

tragedy A tragedy is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a tragic hero, main character or cast of characters. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy is to invoke an accompanying catharsi ...

with many historic poetic narrations; with the first one penned by

Damodar Gulati Damodar Gulati (; – 17th century) also known as Damodar Das Arora, was a Punjabi Hindu poet, of the 16th and 17th centuries, hailing from Jhang. He is widely celebrated for his poetic narration of the romance tragedy, ''Heer Ranjha'', on the p ...

in 1600s, on the preexisting oral legend; and the most famous one, ''Heer'', written by

Waris Shah Pir Waris Shah ( ; 1722 1798) was an 18th-century Punjabi Muslims, Punjabi Muslim Sufi poet of the Chishti order, known popularly for his contribution to Punjabi literature. He is primarily known as the author of the ''Heer Ranjha'' love ...

in 1766, in the form of an

epic Epic commonly refers to: * Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation * Epic film, a genre of film defined by the spectacular presentation of human drama on a grandiose scale Epic(s) ...

. Set in

Takht Hazara Takhat Hazara (old name: Khajjiyan Wala) is a village near the Chenab River in the Sargodha District of Punjab, Pakistan. When a Mughal king came to this place, he liked to stay here. His throne was set here. This village has seven doors around ...

and

Tilla Jogian Tilla Jogian (; , meaning "hill of Jogi (caste), jogis "), also known as Balnath Tilla or Gorakh Tilla, is an abandoned Hindu temple and monastic complex located on the summit of the ''Tilla Jogian'' mountain in the Salt Range in the Jhelum Distr ...

, it follows the story of love, forced separation, and eventual simultaneous demise of two youths in the

Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabis, Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a ...

countryside.(Arif Jamshaid
The epic of Heer Ranjha, research paper on epic poem written by Waris Shah in 1766 on Academy of the Punjab in North America website
Retrieved 14 November 2020 It is one of the four popular tragic romances of the

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

. The other three are ''

Mirza Sahiban ''Mirza Sahiban'' () is a classical Punjabi folk tragedy, originally recorded in literary form by the 17th-century poet Pilu. Set in a village in Jhang, the tragedy follows the romance between two youths, belonging to chieftain families ...

'', ''

Sohni Mahiwal ''Sohni Mahiwal'' () or ''Suhni Mehar'' is a traditional Punjabi– Sindhi folk tragedy. Set in central Sindh or northern Punjab, depending upon the version of the tragedy, the folktale depicts the separation of two lovers and their tragic d ...

'' and ''

Sassi Punnun ''Sassui Punnhun'' or ''Sassi Punnu'' is a traditional Sindhi, Balochi, and Punjabi tragic folktale. Set in Sindh and Makran, the tragedy follows the story of a faithful lover who endures many difficulties while seeking her beloved husband ...

''.

History

''Heer Ranjha'' has been written by a number of poets. The earliest known Punjabi version was composed by

in the early 17th century during the reign of

Akbar Akbar (Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, – ), popularly known as Akbar the Great, was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Humayun, under a regent, Bairam Khan, who helped the young emperor expa ...

. He claimed to be its eyewitness, likely as a poetic trope. However, the tale itself had been well known in Punjab for centuries and Damodar was not the first one to narrate it. His contemporaries

Shah Hussain Shah Hussain (; 1538 – 1599), also known as Mādhū Lāl Hussain, was a Punjabis, Punjabi Sufi poet, who is regarded as a pioneer of the ''Kafi'' form in Punjabi poetry; and the first major History of Punjab#Early Modern period (1526 AD – ...

(1538 – 1599) and

Bhai Gurdas Bhai Gurdas (1551 – 25 August 1636) was a Sikh writer, historian and preacher who served as the Jathedar of the Akal Takht from 1606 to his death in 1636. He was the original scribe of the early version of Guru Granth Sahib, having served as ...

(1551 – 1636) both have alluded to it in their ''kafis'' and ''vars'', respectively. The most well-known version is that of Waris Shah, re-narrated in 1766, in which he stated that the story has a deeper meaning, referring to the unrelenting quest that man has towards God. Damodar himself dates the events narrated to 1472 CE. Luddan ferries Ranjha across the Chenab

The earliest known Persian version of Hīr was written between 1575 and 1579 by a

Tajik Tajik, Tajikistan or Tajikistani may refer to. Someone or something related to Tajikistan: Tajik * Tajiks, an ethnic group in Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan * Tajik language, the official language of Tajikistan * Tajik alphabet, Alphabet u ...

poet Hayat Jan Baqi Kolabi. By the time of Waris Shah there were nine versions of Hīr extant in Persian, including among others, that of Mita Chenabi (1698) and

Afarin Lahori Faqirullah Afarin Lahori, commonly known as Afarin, (, – ) was a Punjabi poet from Lahore. He wrote many books during his lifetime of 81 years, especially remembered for his romantic epic poem, "Nāz o nīāz", also known as Hīr o Ranǰha in wh ...

(1730). About twenty renditions of Hīr in Persian are known. Earliest versions in Hindi (

Braj Braj, also known as Vraj, Vraja, Brij or Brijbhumi, is a region in India on both sides of the Yamuna river with its centre at Mathura-Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh state encompassing the area which also includes Palwal, Ballabhgarh and Nuh in ...

) were narrated by Hari Das Haria (c. 1520s–50s), a member of Sikh Panth community, and Gang Bhatt (c. 1580s–90s), who was associated with the court of Akbar, and wrote a verse ''samvād'' in 1565. There are over fifty renditions in Punjabi itself, other than that of Damodar and Waris Shah, from

Hafiz Barkhudar Hafiz () or Hafez may refer to: * Hafiz (Quran), a term used by Muslims for people who have completely memorized the Qur'an ** ''Al-Ḥafīẓ'', one of the names of God in Islam, meaning "the Ever-Preserving/Guardian/All-Watching/ Protector" Pe ...

Fazal Shah Sayyad Fazal Shah Sayyad (1827–1890) was a 19th-century Punjabi poet known for his '' qissas'' (long poems) on tragic romances, most notably ''Sohni Mahiwal'', ''Heer Ranjha'' and '' Laila Majnu''. Of this body of work, the poem ''Sohni Mahiwal'' " ...

and

Ahmad Yar Aḥmad Yār (1768–1845) was a Punjabi poet and historian from Gujrat. Biography Ahmad Yar was born in 1768 at Islamgarh in Gujrat District. His date of birth is based on his own comment that he was seventy when he was appointed to write ''S ...

Plot

Heer (Izzat Bibi) is an extremely beautiful woman, born into a wealthy family belonging to the

Sial In geology, sial is an antiquated blended term for the composition of the upper layer of Earth's crust, namely rocks rich in aluminium silicate minerals. It is sometimes equated with the continental crust because it is absent in the wide ocea ...

clan, while Dheedo Ranjha, who is from the Ranjha clan, is the youngest of four brothers and lives in the village of

by the

Chenab river The Chenab River is a major river in India and Pakistan, and is one of the 5 major rivers of the Punjab region. It is formed by the union of two headwaters, the Chandra and Bhaga, which rise in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul region of Hima ...

in rural

. Being his father's favourite son, unlike his brothers who have to toil in the lands, he leads a life of ease, playing the flute ('Wanjhli'/'

Bansuri A bansuri is an ancient side-blown bamboo flute originating from the Indian Subcontinent. It is an aerophone produced from bamboo and metal-like material, used in many Indian and Nepali Lok songs. A ''bansuri'' is traditionally made from a ...

'). After the death of Ranjha's father, Mauju Chaudhry, Ranjha has a quarrel with his brothers over land, and leaves his home. In

's version of the epic, Ranjha leaves home because his brothers' wives refused to serve him food. Eventually he arrives in Heer's village and falls in love with her. Heer's father offers Ranjha a job of herding his cattle. Ranjha, routinely, plays his flute in the fields after work and Heer becomes mesmerized by it and eventually falls in love with him. They meet each other secretly for several years until they are caught by Heer's envious uncle, Kaido, and her parents Chuchak and Malki. Heer is forced by her family and the local priest (''

Maulvi Mawlawi (), is an Islamic religious title given to Muslim religious scholars, or ulama, preceding their names, similar to the titles Mawlānā, Mullah, or Sheikh. Mawlawi generally means a highly qualified Islamic scholar, usually one who has ...

'') to marry another man named Saida Khera, belonging to the Khera clan. Ranjha is left heartbroken. He wanders the countryside alone, until he eventually meets a ''

Jogi Jogi may refer to: Art and entertainment * ''Jogi'' (2005 film), a Kannada film * "Jogi" (Panjabi MC song), 2003 * "Jogi" (The Sketches song), a song by Pakistani Sufi-rock band The Sketches *"Jogi", a song performed by Arko * ''Jogi'' (2022 fi ...

'' (ascetic). After meeting

Gorakhnath Gorakhnath (also known as Gorakshanath (Sanskrit: ''Gorakṣanātha'') (Devanagari : गोरक्षनाथ / गोरखनाथ), c. early 11th century) was a Hindu yogi, mahasiddha and saint who was the founder of the Nath Hindu monas ...

, the legendary founder of the ''Kanphata'' (pierced ear) sect of Jogis at

("Hill of Ascetics"), Ranjha becomes a jogi himself, piercing his ears and renouncing the material world. While reciting the name of the Lord, he wanders all over Punjab, eventually finding the village where Heer now lives. The two return to Heer's village, where Heer's parents agree to their marriage – though some versions of the tale state that the parents' agreement is only a deception. On the wedding day, Kaido, Heer's uncle, poisons her food in order to punish the girl for her behaviour. Hearing this news, Ranjha rushes to aid Heer, but is too late, as she has already eaten the poison-laced food and has died. Brokenhearted once again, Ranjha eats the remaining poisoned food and dies by her side. Heer and Ranjha are buried in Heer's hometown,

Jhang Jhang ( Punjabi / ; ; ) is the capital city of Jhang District in central Punjab, Pakistan. Situated on the east bank of the Chenab river, it is the 13th most populous city of Pakistan. Etymology The historical name of the city and dis ...

. Love-smitten couples and others often pay visit to their mausoleum.

Legacy and influence

''Heer Ranjha'' is part of the ''

Qissa ''Qissa'' (), meaning ''fable'', could refer to: * Bengali Kissa, a tradition of Bengali language oral story-telling * Punjabi Qisse, a tradition of Punjabi language oral story-telling * ''Qissa'' (film), a 2013 Indian-German film in Punjabi by ...

'' genre of tragic love stories, along with tales such as ''

Laila Majnu ''Layla and Majnun'' ( "Layla's Mad Lover"; ) is an old story of Arab origin, about the 7th-century Arabian poet Qays ibn al-Mulawwah and his lover Layla bint Mahdi (later known as Layla al-Aamiriya). "The Layla-Majnun theme passed from A ...

'' and ''

Sassui Punnhun ''Sassui Punnhun'' or ''Sassi Punnu'' is a traditional Sindhi, Balochi, and Punjabi tragic folktale. Set in Sindh and Makran, the tragedy follows the story of a faithful lover who endures many difficulties while seeking her beloved husb ...

''. Because its plot involves a romance opposed by family members and ends with the two lovers dying, the story is often compared to the

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

play ''

Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...

''.

In popular culture

The epic poem has been made into several feature films since 1928: Sulochana and Dinshaw Billimoria in the movie Heer Ranjha

In 2013, the television serial ''

Heer Ranjha '' Ranjha'' () is a classical Punjabi folk tragedy with many historic poetic narrations; with the first one penned by Damodar Gulati in 1600s, on the preexisting oral legend; and the most famous one, ''Heer'', written by Waris Shah in 17 ...

'', directed by Shahid Zahoor and produced by

Yousuf Salahuddin Mian Yousuf Salahuddin (), commonly known as Yousaf Salli, is a Pakistani socialite,PTV Home PTV Home HD is a Pakistani free-to-air television channel owned by the Pakistan Television Corporation. It also broadcast as a Terrestrial television. History PTV Home started broadcasting on 26 November 1964 in West Pakistan and on 25 Decem ...

. ''Heer Ranjha'' is a 2020 Indian

-language

period drama A historical drama (also period drama, period piece or just period) is a dramatic work set in the past, usually used in the context of film and television, which presents history, historical events and characters with varying degrees of fiction s ...

television series starring Amaninder Pal Singh and Sara Gurpal in the lead roles. It aired on

Zee Punjabi Zee Punjabi is an Indian general entertainment pay television channel and satellite television channel from Punjab, India. This channel is a part of Zee Entertainment Enterprises. It is of Punjabi language. It is the first-ever General Enter ...

and is based on the folktale of Heer and Ranjha.

In music

Bally Jagpal British musician has a song named "Ranjha" dedicated to their story. The British musician

Panjabi MC Rajinder Singh Rai (born February 14, 1973), better known by his stage name Panjabi MC, is an English recording artist, rapper, record producer and DJ. He is best known for the worldwide Bhangra 2002 hit " Mundian To Bach Ke", which sold 10 m ...

references the tale of Heer and Ranjha in his 2003 song ''

''. It has been sung by various Pakistani singers, including the classical/traditional artist Ghulam Ali. The tale is mentioned in popular Bollywood songs such as "Ranjha" by Rupesh Kumar Ram from the movie ''

Queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...

'' ,"Ranjha Ranjha" by

Rekha Bhardwaj Rekha Bhardwaj is an Indian singer and live performer. She has received two Filmfare and one National Awards. In addition to Hindi, she has also sung in Bengali, Marathi, Punjabi and Malayalam languages. Personal life Bhardwaj was born ...

and

Javed Ali Javed Ali is an Indian playback singer who predominantly sings in Hindi. He has also sung in various Indian languages including Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Odia, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. Early life Javed Ali was born as ...

from the movie '' Raavan'' and "Dariya" from the movie ''Baar Baar Dekho''. Tamasha (2015) mentions their love story and includes a song starting with Heer's name.

Kuldeep Manak Kuldeep Manak, also spelled as Kuldip Manak (born Latif Mohammed Khan; 15 November 1951 – 30 November 2011), was an Indian singer best known for singing a rare genre of Punjabi music, ''kali'', also known by its plural form ''kalian'' or kal ...

sings about the tale in his 2007 song ''Ranjha Jogi Hoya.'' The song ''Khaireyan De Naal'' from

Shafqat Amanat Ali Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan (; ; born 26 February 1965) is a Pakistani pop and classical singer, songwriter, and composer belonging to the Patiala Gharana tradition of music. He was the lead vocalist of the Pakistani pop rock band Fuzön until ...

's debut solo album, '' Tabeer'' (2008), tells the tale of Heer Ranjha. One of the songs of 2012 Hindi film ''

Jab Tak Hai Jaan ''Jab Tak Hai Jaan'' ( ''As Long as I Live'') is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by Yash Chopra, co-written and produced by Aditya Chopra under the Yash Raj Films banner. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, ...

'' has been named "Heer". The 2018 Hindi film ''

Race 3 ''Race 3 ''is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language neo-noir action crime film directed by Remo D'Souza and Written by Kiran Kotrial and Shiraz Ahmed, produced under Tips Industries and Salman Khan Films. The film features Anil Kapoor, Salman K ...

'' has a song named "Heeriye" which refers to Heer and Ranjha. In 2020, popular Indian YouTuber

Bhuvan Bam Bhuvan Avnindra Shankar Bam (; born 22 January 1994) is an Indian comedian, writer, singer, actor, songwriter and YouTube personality from Delhi. He is known for his comedy channel on YouTube named ''BB Ki Vines.'' Early life and education ...

wrote and sang "Heer Ranjha". The song has garnered more than 10 million views. In Raf Saperra's 2023 single "Ranjha", he sings from the perspective of Heer longing Ranjha's return after she is married off and he becomes a jogi.

Gallery

File:Marriage procession of Heer by a Lahori artist.jpg, Marriage procession of Heer by a Lahori artist File:Heer Ranjha and Qaido. Gujjar Singh Saudagar Kutubfrosh. Amritsar. c 1875.jpg, Heer Ranjha and Qaido. Gujjar Singh Saudagar Kutubfrosh. Amritsar. ca.1875 File:Heer Ranjha- Two Women, Jodhpur school, watercolor, Tokyo National Museum.JPG, Heer Ranjha - Two Women, Jodhpur school, watercolor, Tokyo National Museum.

References

Bibliography

Printed sources

* * *

External links

Documentary on Heer Ranjha Kamran Saqi
Documentary Film on Heer Ranjha Produced by Kamran Saqi - Royal News * in

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

language.
Complete Heer Waris Shah
in

Shahmukhi Shahmukhi (, , , ) is the right-to-left abjad-based script developed from the Perso-Arabic alphabet used for the Punjabi language varieties, predominantly in Punjab, Pakistan. It is generally written in the Nastaʿlīq calligraphic hand, whic ...

language.
Qissa Heer Waris Shah
in

Unicode Unicode or ''The Unicode Standard'' or TUS is a character encoding standard maintained by the Unicode Consortium designed to support the use of text in all of the world's writing systems that can be digitized. Version 16.0 defines 154,998 Char ...

Punjabi language Punjabi, sometimes spelled Panjabi, is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language native to the Punjab region of Pakistan and India. It is one of the most widely spoken native languages in the world, with approximately 150 million native sp ...

.
Heer Ranjha Story by Bilal Zuberi Late
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heer Ranjha Punjabi culture Punjabi folklore Punjabi literature Sufi literature 1766 novels Literary duos Tragedy Indian folklore Indian literature Love stories Pakistani folklore Pakistani literature