:Heer Ranjha

Heer Ranjha has been written by a number of poets. The earliest known Punjabi version was composed by Damodar Gulati in the early 17th century during the reign of Akbar. 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 (1538 – 1599) and Bhai Gurdas (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.{{citation|title=Chasing Love Up against the Sun|page=12|author=Waqar Pirzada|year=2014}} Damodar himself dates the events narrated to 1472 CE.{{cite book |last=Mirza |first=Shafqat Tanvir |author-link=Shafqat Tanvir Mirza |url=https://archive.org/details/resistancethemes0000mirz |title=Resistance Themes in Punjabi Literature |publisher=Vanguard Books |year=1991 |location=Lahore |pages=216–219 |chapter=Heer Damodar -- The Basic Version |url-access=registration}}

File:Luddan ferries Ranjha across the Chenab.jpg

The earliest known Persian version of Hīr was written between 1575 and 1579 by a Tajik 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 (1730).{{Cite journal |last=Murphy |first=Anne |author-link= |date=2024 |title=Locating a Punjabi Classic: Regional and Cross-Regional Affinities in Wāris Shāh’s Hīr (18th c.) |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/48782662 |journal=Asian Ethnology |volume=83 |issue=1 |pages=87–102 |issn=1882-6865}} About twenty renditions of Hīr in Persian are known.{{Cite journal |last=Abidi |first=S.A.H. |date=1966 |title=Indian Stories in Indo-Persian Literature |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23329498 |journal=Indian Literature |volume=9 |issue=3 |pages=28–42 |issn=0019-5804}} Earliest versions in Hindi (Braj) 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.{{Cite book |last=Mir |first=Farina |author-link=Farina Mir |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/488731894 |title=The Social Space of Language: Vernacular Culture in British Colonial Punjab |date=2010 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-26269-0 |series=South Asia across the Disciplines |location=Berkeley |pages=22–23 |oclc=}} There are over fifty renditions in Punjabi itself, other than that of Damodar and Waris Shah, from Hafiz Barkhudar, Fazal Shah Sayyad and Ahmad Yar.

File:Tilla Jogian.jpg, where Ranjha came]]

Heer (Izzat Bibi) is an extremely beautiful woman, born into a wealthy family belonging to the Sial clan,{{cite journal |title=Sufi Lyrics: Selections from a World Classic |journal=Glossary |date=31 December 2021 |page=173 |doi=10.4159/9780674259683-005 |url=https://doi.org/10.4159/9780674259683-005 |publisher=Harvard University Press|url-access=subscription }} while Dheedo Ranjha, who is from the Ranjha clan, is the youngest of four brothers and lives in the village of Takht Hazara by the Chenab river in rural Punjab.{{Cite book|title=Re-Thinking Punjab: The Construction of Siraiki Identity|publisher=Hussain Ahmed Khan|year=2004|isbn=978-9-69862-309-8|location=Lahore : Research and Publication Centre|pages=130}}{{Cite book|title=Transition and Transformation in Varis Shah's Hir|publisher=Shackle, Christopher|year=1992|isbn=978-3-44703-241-4|location=Snell, Rupert (eds.). The Indian Narrative: Perspectives and Patterns. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag.|pages=253}} 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'). After the death of Ranjha's father, Mauju Chaudhry, Ranjha has a quarrel with his brothers over land, and leaves his home. In Waris Shah'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) 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 (ascetic). After meeting Gorakhnath, the legendary founder of the Kanphata (pierced ear) sect of Jogis at Tilla Jogian ("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. Love-smitten couples and others often pay visit to their mausoleum.[http://pakgeotagging.blogspot.com/2014/05/tomb-of-heer-ranjha-in-jhang-takht.html Tomb Of Heer Ranjha In Jhang on Pakistan Geotagging website] Retrieved 14 November 2020{{cite book |title=The cultural heritage of Pakistan |last=Ikram |first=Sheikh Mohamad |date=1955 |location=[Karachi; New York] |publisher=Oxford University Press |pages=151–152}}

Heer Ranjha is part of the Qissa genre of tragic love stories, along with tales such as Laila Majnu and Sassui Punnhun.{{cite book |last1=Moretti |first1=Franco |title=The Novel: History, geography, and culture |date=2006 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-0-691-04947-2 |page=603 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BKkNAQAAMAAJ |access-date=20 April 2022 |quote=Qissa in Arabic merely means “story,” but in the Indian subcontinent it came to mean specifically a “verse-narrative telling the tragic story of two young people who love each other beyond discretion.” Well-known examples of this genre are Laila-Majnu, Heer-Ranjha, Sassi-Punno, Soni-Mahiwal, and Yusuf-Zulekha (written roughly between the sixteenth and the eighteenth centuries)}}

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 play Romeo and Juliet.{{Cite journal|last=Sirhandi|first=Marcella C.|date=1999-09-01|title=Manipulating Cultural Idioms|journal=Art Journal|volume=58|issue=3|pages=40–47|doi=10.1080/00043249.1999.10791952|s2cid=191565141 |issn=0004-3249}}[http://calhoun.nps.edu/bitstream/handle/10945/27353/689057.pdf?sequence=1 Cultural Insights Punjab Can It Be a Bridge to Peace Between India and Pakistan?] Calhoun website, Published 1 October 2011, Retrieved 14 November 2020

The epic poem has been made into several feature films since 1928:{{cite web|url=http://www.citwf.com/listFilms.asp?filmName=Heer+Ranjha |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008134931/http://www.citwf.com/listFilms.asp?filmName=Heer+Ranjha |date=3 April 2016|archive-date=8 October 2018 |title= List of many films made on the love story of Heer Ranjha on Complete Index To World Film (CITWF) website|access-date=9 November 2020}}

File:Sulochana and Dinshaw Billimoria in the movie Heer Ranjha.jpg

In 2013, the television serial Heer Ranjha, directed by Shahid Zahoor and produced by Yousuf Salahuddin, aired on PTV Home. Heer Ranjha is a 2020 Indian Punjabi-language period drama television series starring Amaninder Pal Singh and Sara Gurpal in the lead roles. It aired on Zee Punjabi and is based on the folktale of Heer and Ranjha.{{Cite web|title=Heer Ranjha|url=https://www.zee5.com/tvshows/details/heer-ranjha/0-6-2413|access-date=2021-05-05|website=ZEE5}}

Bally Jagpal British musician has a song named "Ranjha" dedicated to their story. The British musician Panjabi MC references the tale of Heer and Ranjha in his 2003 song Jogi.{{Cite web|url=http://lyricstranslate.com/en/jogi-ascetic.html|title=jogi lyrics + English translation|website=lyricstranslate.com website|access-date=14 November 2020}} 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 ,"Ranjha Ranjha" by Rekha Bhardwaj and Javed Ali from the movie Raavan and "Dariya" from the movie Baar Baar Dekho.{{Citation |title=Rupesh Kumar Ram – Ranjha (Queen) |url=https://genius.com/Rupesh-kumar-ram-ranjha-queen-lyrics |access-date=2025-04-05}}{{Cite web |title=Ranjha Ranjha (From "Raavan") Lyrics in Hindi, Teri Jhalak Asharfi Javed Ali Hits Ranjha Ranjha (From "Raavan") Song Lyrics in English Online on Gaana.com |url=https://gaana.com/lyrics/ranjha-ranjha-from-raavan |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=Gaana.com |language=en}}

Tamasha (2015) mentions their love story and includes a song starting with Heer's name. Kuldeep Manak sings about the tale in his 2007 song Ranjha Jogi Hoya.{{Cite web |title=Ranjha Jogi Ho Giya Lyrics in Punjabi, Kalian - Kuldip Manak - Teri Khatir Hirie Ranjha Jogi Ho Giya Song Lyrics in English Online on Gaana.com |url=https://gaana.com/lyrics/ranjha-jogi-ho-giya |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=Gaana.com |language=en}}

The song Khaireyan De Naal from Shafqat Amanat Ali's debut solo album, Tabeer (2008), tells the tale of Heer Ranjha.{{Cite web|title=Tabeer|url=https://www.radioandmusic.com/content/reviews/non-film-music-reviews/tabeer|access-date=2021-12-26|website=www.radioandmusic.com|language=en}}

One of the songs of 2012 Hindi film Jab Tak Hai Jaan has been named "Heer".{{cite web |url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/jab-tak-hai-jaan-watch-the-new-song-heer-520366.html |website=News18 India website|title=Jab Tak Hai Jaan: Watch the new song 'Heer' |date=6 November 2012 |access-date=14 November 2020}}

The 2018 Hindi film Race 3 has a song named "Heeriye" which refers to Heer and Ranjha.

In 2020, popular Indian YouTuber Bhuvan Bam 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.

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.

• Ranjha
• Sial
• Punjabi folklore
• Trilok Singh Chitarkar

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{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |title=The legends of the Panjâb |last=Temple |first=Richard Carnac |date=1884 |location=Bombay |publisher=Education Society's Press |pages=507–580 |volume=II |chapter=No. XXXVIII. The Marriage of Hîr and Rânjhâ |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924070625847/page/507/mode/1up}}
• {{cite book |title=Romantic Tales From Punjab |first=Charles |last=Swynnerton |date=1903 |location=Westminster |publisher=Archibald Constable & Co. Ltd. |pages=1–69 |chapter=The Love Story of Hîr and Rânjha |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/romantic-tales-from-punjab/page/3/mode/1up}}
• {{cite book |last=Gill |first=Harjeet Singh |title=Heer Ranjha and other legends of the Punjab |location=New Delhi |publisher=Harman Publishing House |date=2003 |pages=1–36 |isbn=81-86622-60-8}}

• {{cite journal |last=Mir |first=Farina |title=Genre and Devotion in Punjabi Popular Narratives: Rethinking Cultural and Religious Syncretism |journal=Comparative Studies in Society and History |volume=48 |issue=3 |date=2006 |pages=727–58 |doi=10.1017/S0010417506000284|doi-broken-date=14 February 2025 }}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkLRoxeZ3jA&t=236s Documentary on Heer Ranjha Kamran Saqi] Documentary Film on Heer Ranjha Produced by Kamran Saqi - Royal News
• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160401052740/http://www.onlineurdunovels.com/read.php?no=240&t=Heer%20Waris%20Shah Read Online Heer Waris Shah By Peeran Dita Targarh]}} in Urdu language.
• [http://www.apnaorg.com/poetry/heercomp/ Complete Heer Waris Shah] in Shahmukhi language.
• [https://www.punjnud.com/PageList.aspx?BookID=5616&BookTitle=Heer/ Qissa Heer Waris Shah] in Unicode Punjabi language.
• [https://jhangtv.com/story-of-heer-ranjha-in-urdu/ Heer Ranjha Story by Bilal Zuberi Late]

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Category:Punjabi culture

Category:Punjabi folklore

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Category:Sufi literature

Category:1766 novels

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Category:Indian literature

Category:Love stories

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