Thread by @punnu__khan

"Ni Oothaan Wale Tur Jan Gay, Folktale of Sassi Punnu & Popular Music 🎶"

Attaullah Khan rendered "Ni Oothaan Wale" in CS which narrates the lamentations of Sassi tormented in search of Punnu. Let's dive into the tale along with qawwalis, songs & popular literature.

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Sassi-Punnu is a 12th century Sindhi folktale resurrected and popularized by the pens of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (1689-1752) and Hashim Shah (in Punjabi). It's being celebrated from the sand dunes of Thar to the ruins of Bhambhore. Nduka writes, "Every civilization has a

historical and cultural heritage which people hold dear & transmitting the history and cultural heritage through the oral tradition of storytelling is a common phenomenon of human practice." Clubbed with folk music and poetic narrations, the folktale is memorized & immortalized.

Before savouring musical inserts of this folktale, let's revisit the tale succinctly. Hashim Shah's (1752-1843) of Amritsar penned Qissa Sassi Punnu in Punjabi language which features the story of Adam Jam Zad, the affluent ruler of Bhambhore whose desire for a child made him

run from pillar to post, presenting offerings to darbars, jogis and faqeers but all in vain. Some years elapsed and royal couple was blessed with a baby girl but curse came on the heels of jubilations.
(عاشق ہوگ کمال سسی جد ہوگ جوان سیانی
ہاشم داغ لگاوگ کل نوں ہوگ جہان کہانی)

The ruler ordered the child to be put in a marvelous wooden box, thrown in river Indus. The lullaby of river made child fall asleep, the box kept floating until the sun shoned at full might and it was found by a washerman, Atta.
(اتّے خوب کیتی جند بازی لیا صندوق کنارے)

Saasi reached her adolescence & unparalleled beauty reached its zenith. One day, while visiting the garden she stumbled upon the sketch of Punnu (prince of Kech) and was spellbound by Punnu's radiance.
(کیہڑا شہر، کون شہزادہ، ٹھیک پتا دس جاؤ
ہاشم پھیر سسی ہتھ جوڑے تھاں مکان بتاؤ)

Bhambhore was a trading route back in those days and when Baloch traders came, Sassi hosted them, entertained them with generous hospitality and inquired about Punnu. Their reply "Punnu is our brother" put them behind bars & their freedom was linked to Punnu's arrival in Bhambore

The news reached Kech that the prettiest girl in the world has incarcerated traders; only Punnu can rescue them. The messenger consumed several metaphors to describe Sassi's epitome of beauty in front of Punnu. Enchanted by verbal sketch, Punnu riding a camel rushed to Bhambore.

As Punnu laid his eyes on Sassi, he was already in her veins and he too was enchanted by her beauty.
(ویکھ دیدار ہوئے تن دوویں عاشق درد رنجانے
سِکدیاں یار ملے جس تائیں قیمت قدر پچھانے)
One who has pleaded for the beloved knows the worth. And both traded hearts in the first glance

Punnu stayed at Bhambore with Sassi that left his father (Hoth Ali/ہوت علی) heartbroken. One day, Punnu's brothers came riding on top of camels (Oothan Wale), a grand feast was organized, celebrations followed; as the night descended, drinks were offered. Sassi & Punnu were

intoxicated, loaded Punnu on a camel and left for Kech. Before the daybreak, they were riding far away from Bhambore. As Sassi regained consciousness in the morning, she was devastated upon not finding Punnu, she madly ran, wailing and calling for Punnu but the tragedy had struck https://t.co/MyGOrjDSSYtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

As she madly ran through the sand dunes towards Kech, the haunting vastness of desert awaited her. Burning sand, vast distance and unable to navigate, she cried "Punnu, Punnu, Punnu".
The echoing cries Sassi in the voice of NFAK sb, "Mainu chadd k akeli nu turr chalyaa"

All are enemies, camels, camel men and brother-in-laws,
Fourth enemy is wind that removed the prints of Punnu,
Fifth enemy is sun which delayed its setting,
Sixth enemy is sky which did not make travel easy,
Seventh enemy is moon which did no shine longer.
- Shah Abdul Latif

In popular music, the beseeching of Sassi was documented by many pens and voices. Surinder Kaur, Noor Jehan, Rubina, Hadiqa Kiani and Abida Parveen Ji recited "Daachi Walya Morr Muhaar Vey" which can be roughly translated as "O camel rider, turn back you caravan this way"

Manzoor Jhalla is celebrated for "Laggi Wale ty Akh Nahi Landay/Laggi Wale ty Kadi Nahi Sonday". Blames Sassi for negligence & tragedy;one shouldn't let one's guard down in love.
"Aisi ghoook sutti c Sassi,
Lay gaye Punnu nu Hoth uthaa k"

Another version by Muhammad Rafi sb;

Muhammad Afzal Sachiari Qawwal recites Qissa in a spellbinding way by poetic inserts from various pens. In this snippet, he narrates the story when Azrael (the angel of death) confronts Sassi in the desert. The heartbreaking dialogue b/w them leaves every listener teary eyed.

Khawja Ghulam Farid sb has penned a number of Kaafis that mention the heart-rending departure of Punnu and the begging, beseeching and distress of Sassi in the desert. Ustad Akhtar Atta Qawwal recites one of them at TDJ.

پُنوں ہوت نہ کھڑ موکلایا
چھڈ کلہڑی کیچ سدھایا

Mansoor Malangi's highly famed song "Balocha Zalima" that was initially sung by Hussain Bakhsh Dhahdi, also features the tale of Sassi Punnu. Allah Ditta Lonay Wala was an unparalleled master when it comes to reciting Dohrayy of Sassi. Attaullah Khan also sang a number of those.

The great Mubarak Ali Makha also rendered a number of qawwalis reciting the cries of Sassi in the desert.
دیندی پھراں میں بھنبھور وچ ہوکاں
تے لوکو کوئی ہور نہ سُنے

Pathanay Khan sb sang a number of Kaafis of Khawaja sb that had mention of Sassi, her lamentations, her pain.

Sassi was consumed by the vastness of distance from Kech, the earth cracked and Sassi was buried under the pyramids of sand. When Punnu woke up, he galloped towards Sassi. Upon reaching her grave, prayed to God, the land split, Punnu was buried in the same grave with Sassi.

The alleged grave of Sassi Punnu is located near Lasbela, Balochistan. A local man, Haji Muhammad constructed a mausoleum around 1980. Both lovers perished but their story was immortalized; will be recited & cherished in the kingdom of love, forever.

About profile picture, in the winter of 2018, this Punnu was reciting a masterpiece by Imran Feroz sb which exonerates Sassi from the blame (those in love can't sleep) hugely quoted in literature & the moment was clicked by a dear friend.
p.s: 🧵 is dedicated to my Sassi

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