Gone are the days when there were ‘BAITHAKS’ and ‘KACHEHRIES’ organized or when grandmothers use to tell fairy tales to children but believe me that fantasy and gathering was a serene source of pleasure which bonded people stronger than what social media do today.
In this dynamic and fast moving life where we are mostly preoccupied with work, somewhere we have lost the charm and luster of our lives. The best way to freshen up one’s mind is to read Pakistani folklore which is incomparable in the world.
Through this article I’ll make you re live those enchanting days by sharing some epic Pakistani folklore. Well Pakistan’s folklore is the best combination of love, tragedy, romance, wit, devotion, sacrifices, loyalty and madness.
Imagining River Chenab let’s recall the tragic love story of SONHI MAHIWAL. Sohni, though a potter’s daughter, was a daring and selfless lover who endangered her life by swimming across the river on baked clay pot ,in cognizant of swimming, to meet her lover, Mahiwal, while Mahiwal wasn’t less than Sohni. He used to stand by the river before time to see her lover coming safely. What if I don’t continue what happened further. I know that it has caught your attention so one day what happened that out of jealousy and despise Sohni’s sister in law (Sohni was married) replaced the baked pot with that of unbaked and thus Sohni drowned in the whirling waves of Chenab river. Mahiwal too jumped to save her but then he died too. This is an engrossing folk story which conveys the message that LOVE KNOWS NO BOUNDS. Recently Coke Studio made a song delineating this whole story of ‘GARHA.’ There are several movies made on these folk stories as well. Also whether it’s Sassi’s curse on Punno’s royal family (Sindhi folk story) or Heer Ranjha’s mesmerizing flute attraction (Punjabi folk lore) all will capture you until you’re finished up reading them.
Pakistani folklore is also drenched with Watayo Faqir’s legendary and witty tales. Once it was cold night when Watayo Faqir’s mother asked him to pray to ALLAH to send some fire from hell to cause warmth to which Watayo replied,”It is not the hell which carries fire. It’s actually us who take fire with our intensity of sins.” Kinda different personification of hell’s fire to realize that bad lies within us and with our deeds.
Listing all this how can I forget the heart of Paksitani folklore : SHAH ABDUL LATIF BHITAI, the great poet of Sindh. His SHAH JO RISALO has no match in history. It speaks levels of his wisdom and life experience.
One message of his is worth sharing with you all He said,
“Sit close to those who lessen your pain,
Build your hut beside them and invest your time”
This is what Pakistan’s folklore stands for. A munch pack for a person who is eager to pass his/her time in glee. There are a lot more things in Pakistan to get explored. Next time I’ll come up with another interesting facade of Pakistan. Till then take care and keep chanting always QUAID KA PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!
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