Thread by @NafeesRehmanDr

These beautiful tunes of Rabab and the mesmerizing landscape reminds me the story of a Rabab player from Malakand who kidnapped a bride on her wedding day and took refuge at a friend's place waiting for the right time to marry her.

This is the story of Adam Khan and Durkhanai.

https://twitter.com/siyaltunes/status/1036981997820731393

Adam Khan was from Kooza (lower) Bazdara and Durkhanai was from Upper Bazdara, both small villages in Malakand, Pakhtunkhwa. Adam Khan was a very handsome but spoiled young man and had nothing better to do than to play Rabab and walk around his village with his friends.

Durkhanai was an extra ordinarily beautiful and intelligent young woman. A man named Payu Khan heard of the beauty of Durkhanai, he falls in love with her without ever seeing or meeting her. Payu Khan's father sents a

formal proposal to Durkhanai family. Since Payu Khan's family was of good stock a positive reply was sent back. Thus Durkhanai found herself engaged to a man who though madly in love with her she had not seen either. A date for the wedding was set in the near future.

Durkhanai had an aunt in Upper Bazdara, whose daughter was getting married. Having spent many happy days together when they were children running around bare headed in the streets, it was natural that Durkhanai would want to attend her wedding.

Taus Khan refuses to let her go on the grounds that she was now promised to another, and it would not be right. Durkhanai's aunt made enough of a fuss that she took Durkhanai with her when she left, the aunt promised that no harm would befall his precious daughter.

At the wedding everyone was enchanted by the grace and beauty of Durkhanai and all remarked how lucky Payu was to have such an intelligent fiancé.

That evening the women gathered near the outer wall of the house that was adjoined to the hujra. The grooms friends had gathered there and were singing couplets and ballads to the beautiful tunes of the rabab.

The rabab's melody touched Durkhanai's very soul and uttered, “Oh how the music moves the very strings of my heart.” Her cousin laughed at her and said “Oh Durkhanai, you have to get a glimpse of this man, his name is Adam Khan and he is as handsome as he sounds.”

The other

women present there are as equally hypnotized and a small conspiracy formed that if they took turns and helped each other up they would all get a glimpse of the legendary musician.

The commotion they caused did not go unnoticed and as they were taking turns not only Adam Khan

but the whole gathering chanced to glance up as Durkhanai lifted her head over the wall. Durkhanai and Adam Khan gaze at each other right there and fell in love at first sight.

Here is a musical reenactment of this scene from the movie Adam Khan Aw Durkhani released in July, 1971.

Durkhanai's cousin got married but Durkhanai could not get out of bed. Her days and nights were consumed by that one glimpse that she had of Adam Khan.

Adam Khan was not unaffected either, he was as love struck and he swore that there was only one woman for him and that was Durkhanai. Now this was a very shameful thing to say, because all knew that Durkhanai was betrothed to Payu Khan. It was as impossible to break off the

engagement as it was impossible for the two lovers to stay away from each other.

Somehow, Adam Khan decided to tell Payu Khan, Durkhanai's fiance, the truth about their love for each other and to beg him to call off the engagement. That thing didn't go well and Payu Khan

told Adam Khan that had he not be his guest at his Hujra, he would have been killed. Adam Khan returns heart broken and cries in pain on the situation that he was in.

Payu Khan having come to know the gravity of situation and the threat to his honour, decides to marry

Durkhanai wasting no time and a wedding date is set.

The helpless Adam Khan refuses food and his health, physical and mental, starts to deteriorate. His friends couldn't see him in such situation and hatch a plan to help Adam Khan kidnap Durkhanai on the wedding day.

Now this was do or die situation for all of them but they couldn't think of any other way out of it. As planned, Adam Khan with his friends arrives at Durkhani's place where the groom Payu Khan is already there to take the bride with him.

A fierce fight breaks out between them. Adam Khan manages to take Durkhanai away with him but one of his friend is shot to death during the fight. there.

Here is this scene reenacted in the movie.
[Don't blame me if you go on to watch the whole movie]

Adam Khan secures refuge for Durkhanai at a friend's place named Gujar Khan.

Just to mention, according to Pashtunwali the protection of a refugee is binding and a refugee must be protected at all costs even if this means giving away your life or taking someone else's.

Gujar Khan's father, Peer Meerum Khan, promises to keep Durkhanai at his place safe and secure and for as long as Adam Khan and his father wish.

Payu Khan, the groom whose bride has been taken away, is furious and wants to attack the whole village of Peer Meerum Khan. But his

elders convince him that they can bring Durkhanai and the lost honour of their family back without spilling more blood. They knew the greedy character of Peer Meerum Khan hence they bribed him. Adam Khan and Gujar Khan are sent away from the village under the conspiracy

and during their absence Durkhanai is forced away with Payu Khan. Durkhani reminds Meerum Khan of the promise and Pashtunwali but he refused to listen to her. Durkhanai then curses him that he shall be remembered as a villain. Durkhanai is married to Payu but she doesn't him

consummate the marriage.

When Gujar Khan came to know of his father's betrayal, he shoots him dead. But this wasn't what could help Adam Khan. Adam Khan is now a broken man who has lost her love and his friends in the struggle.

Adam Khan breathes his last just next to Durkhanai's garden. Durkhanai also succumbs to the grief and dies on the spot.
*End*

This classic Pashto romance is believed to be from Mughul king Akbar's time, in 1556.

For those who can read Pashto, enjoy the story and the poetry.

Source:

The two villages are located in Palai Tehsil of Malakand and there is a slab also put in place in memory of Adam Khan and Durkhanai.

google.com/maps/place/Koz…