Background Song: Sun Vanjhli Di Mithri Taan Ve by Madam Noor Jahan
Archive for the 'Five Rivers' Category
The Geography:
The word Chenab is a formulation of the words Chen which means moon and ab which means river. So literally it means Moon River?
Chenab River is formed as the glacial melt of the snow topped Upper Himalayas in the Jammu and Kashmir region. It enters Pakistan near the Sialkot district and then flows through the Punjab plain. It flows between the cities of Gujrat and Sialkot until it meets River Jhelum at Trimmu. A little further down, it is joined by River Ravi. Then Sutlej River joins Chenab at Uch Sharif. At this point it is called Punjnad (or literally Five Rivers). This confluence of Rivers finally joins Indus River at Mithankot which ofcourse flows downstream to Arabian Ocean.
The Love Legends:
The mystic waters of this majestic river hold secrets of four of Punjab’s famous love legends. Many a writer and poet has written about Heer-Ranjha, Sohni-Mahiwal and Mirza-Sabhiban and Sassi-Punnu The most famous among them being Waris Shah who immortalized the love story of Heer and Ranjha in his famous poetry.
Its on the scenic and lush banks of this river where Ranjha played his enchanting flute and where he first met Heer. Its these waters of Chenab where Sassi was thrown into as a new born child by her royal parents. Its the same waters of Chenab where Sohni drowned while swimming to meet her lover Mahiwal. The story of Mirza and Sahiban blossomed also in the region between Chenab and Ravi rivers.
The muddy waters of this river Chenab have flowed throughout the centuries but in them are the stories and legends of four tragic romances of Punjab. This entry is a dedication to this river and those romances.
I have made a slideshow here with pictures of River Chenab (taken from various sources online).
The pictures are in geographical sequence in relation to the flow of Chenab from various regions in Kashmir and then through Punjab. They start with Jammu And Kashmir region first where Chenab River is formed from the glacial melt of the Upper Himalayas and end with River Chenab is in its full glory in southern Pakistani Punjab where it meets the Indus River.
Awal hamad khuda da vird karye
Ishq kita su jag da mool mian
Pehlan aap hi rabb ne ishq kita
Te mashooq he nabi rasool mian
Ishq kita su jag da mool mian
Pehlan aap hi rabb ne ishq kita
Te mashooq he nabi rasool mian
— Waris Shah
Across the Chenab his hut beckoned her
Like a lamp flickering on a grave
On that stormy night the breath of the
Chenab was torn, clouds screamed
To test Sohni, God created this night
Cold, violent and strangely rain-drenched
Speaking Allah’s name she lifts her pot
Knowing intuitively it is half-baked…
Like a lamp flickering on a grave
On that stormy night the breath of the
Chenab was torn, clouds screamed
To test Sohni, God created this night
Cold, violent and strangely rain-drenched
Speaking Allah’s name she lifts her pot
Knowing intuitively it is half-baked…
— Qadir Yaar (1802-1892)
The full text of Heer Waris Shah is available to view here with an English summary also available here.
The stories on Wikipedia:
1. Heer Ranjha
3. Sassi Punnu
The Stories on Pakistaniat:
1. Heer Ranjha
Click to read an article on Love Legends Of Punjab
A Few Pictures And Paintings:
[mygal=chenab]
The Poetry:
In the words of Bulleh Shah:
“RaaNjha RaaNjha Kardi Ni MaeN
”RaaNjha raaNjha kardi ni maeN
Aape raaNjha hoi,
Sado ni menu dhido raaNjha,
Heer na aakho koi.RaaNjha maeN vich maeN raaNjhe vich,
Hor khayaal na koi,
MaeN naheeN, o aap hai
Aapani aap kare dil joi.
Aape raaNjha hoi,
Sado ni menu dhido raaNjha,
Heer na aakho koi.RaaNjha maeN vich maeN raaNjhe vich,
Hor khayaal na koi,
MaeN naheeN, o aap hai
Aapani aap kare dil joi.
RaaNjha raaNjha kardi ni maeN
Aape raaNjha hoi,
Sado ni menu dhido raaNjha,
Heer na aakho koi.Jo koee saaday aNder wassey
zaat asaaDee ohee
jis dey naal meyN niyooNh lagaayaa
oh jehee hoeeRaaNjha raaNjha kardi ni maeN
Aape raaNjha hoi,
Sado ni menu dhido raaNjha,
Heer na aakho koi.Hath khunDi, mere ahge maNgu,
MoDHe bhoora loe,
Bulha heer saleTi vekho
Kithe ja khaloi.RaaNjha raaNjha kardi ni maeN
Aape raaNjha hoi,
Sado ni menu dhido raaNjha,
Heer na aakho koi.
Aape raaNjha hoi,
Sado ni menu dhido raaNjha,
Heer na aakho koi.Jo koee saaday aNder wassey
zaat asaaDee ohee
jis dey naal meyN niyooNh lagaayaa
oh jehee hoeeRaaNjha raaNjha kardi ni maeN
Aape raaNjha hoi,
Sado ni menu dhido raaNjha,
Heer na aakho koi.Hath khunDi, mere ahge maNgu,
MoDHe bhoora loe,
Bulha heer saleTi vekho
Kithe ja khaloi.RaaNjha raaNjha kardi ni maeN
Aape raaNjha hoi,
Sado ni menu dhido raaNjha,
Heer na aakho koi.
Translation:
Repeating his name, I have become RaaNjha .
Call me Ranjha , not Heer .Ranjha is in me and I in Ranjha .
No other thought exists.
It is he who has done this, not I.
He does it to amuse himself.Repeating his name, I have become RaaNjha .
Call me Ranjha , not Heer .Whoever dwells in me, He is my caste
Whoever I love, I have become exactly like HimRepeating his name, I have become RaaNjha .
Call me Ranjha , not Heer .Staff in hand, bowl outstretched,
A coarse brown blanket on his shoulder.
Look, says Bulha ,
Where Heer stands!Repeating his name, I have become RaaNjha .
Call me Ranjha , not Heer .
Call me Ranjha , not Heer .Ranjha is in me and I in Ranjha .
No other thought exists.
It is he who has done this, not I.
He does it to amuse himself.Repeating his name, I have become RaaNjha .
Call me Ranjha , not Heer .Whoever dwells in me, He is my caste
Whoever I love, I have become exactly like HimRepeating his name, I have become RaaNjha .
Call me Ranjha , not Heer .Staff in hand, bowl outstretched,
A coarse brown blanket on his shoulder.
Look, says Bulha ,
Where Heer stands!Repeating his name, I have become RaaNjha .
Call me Ranjha , not Heer .
In the words of the poet Amrita Pritam:
Aaj aakhaN Waris Shah nuuN
aaj aakhaN Waris Shah nuuN, kitoN kabraaN vichchoN bol,
te aaj kitab-e ishq daa koii aglaa varkaa pholik roii sii dhii punjaab dii,
te aaj kitab-e ishq daa koii aglaa varkaa pholik roii sii dhii punjaab dii,
tuuN likh likh maare vaen,
aaj lakhaaN dhiiaaN rondiaa, tainuN waris shah nuN kahen
aaj lakhaaN dhiiaaN rondiaa, tainuN waris shah nuN kahen
uTh dardmandaaN diaa dardiaa,
uth takk apnaa Punjaab
aaj bele lashaaN bichhiaaN te lahu dii bharii chenab
kise ne panjaN paniaN vichch dittii zahar ralaa
te unhaaN paniiaaN dharat nuuN dittaa paanii laa
is zarkhez zamiin de luun luun phuttia zaher
gitth gitth charhiaaN laaliaN fuuT fuuT charhiaa kaher
veh valliissii vha pher, van van vaggii jaa,
ohne har ik vans di vanjhalii ditti naag banaa
pehlaa dang madaariaN, mantar gaye guaach,
dooje dang di lagg gayii, jane khane nuN laag
laagaaN kiile lok muNh, bus phir dang hi dang,
palo palii punjaab de, neele pae gaye ang
gale’oN tutt’e geet phir, takaleon tuttii tand,
trinjanoN tuttiaaN saheliaaN, chaRakhRre ghuukar band
sane sej de beriaaN, luddaN dittiaaN rohr,
sane daliaan peengh aj, piplaaN dittii toR
jitthe vajdii sii phuuk pyaar dii, ve oh vanjhalii gayii guaach
raanjhe de sab veer aaj, bhul gaye uhadii jaach
dhartii te lahoo varsiyaa, kabraaN paiaaN choan,
preet diaaN shaahzaadiaaN, aaj vichch mazaaraaN roan
aaj sabbhe ’Qaido’ ban gaye, husn ishq de chor
aaj kitthoN liaaiye labbh ke waris shah ik hor
aaj aakhaN waris shah nuuN, kitoN kabraan vichchoN bol,
te aaj kitaab-e ishq daa, koii aglaa varkaa phol
Translation
Today, I call Waris Shah, “Speak from inside your grave”
And turn, today, the book of love’s next affectionate page
Once, one daughter of Punjab cried; you wrote a wailing saga
Today, a million daughters, cry to you, Waris Shah
Rise! O’ narrator of the grieving; rise! look at your Punjab
Today, fields are lined with corpses, and blood fills the Chenab
Someone has mixed poison in the five rivers’ flow
Their deadly water is, now, irrigating our lands galore
This fertile land is sprouting, venom from every pore
The sky is turning red from endless cries of gore
The toxic forest wind, screams from inside its wake
Turning each flute’s bamboo-shoot, into a deadly snake
With the first snake-bite; charmers lost their spell
The second bite turned all and sundry, into snakes, as well
Drinking from this deadly stream, filling the land with bane
Slowly, Punjab’s limbs have turned black and blue, with pain
The street-songs have been silenced; cotton threads are snapped
Girls have left their playgroups; the spinning wheels are cracked
Our wedding beds are boats, their logs have cast away
Our hanging swing, the Pipal tree has broken in disarray
Lost is the flute, which once, blew sounds of the heart
Ranjha’s brothers, today, no longer know this art
Blood rained on our shrines; drenching them to the core
Damsels of amour, today, sit crying at their door
Today everyone is, ‘Qaido;’ thieves of beauty and ardor
Where can we find, today, another Warish Shah, once more
Today, I call Waris Shah, “Speak from inside your grave”
And turn, today, the book of love’s next affectionate page
Music And Songs:
Many songs have been written and many movies and dramas have been made about these love legends of Punjab, on both sides of the border - India and Pakistan.
The first song is from a Lollywood movie “Heer Ranjha” which was released in 1970. This song was the inspiration behind this whole blog entry about the River Chenab.
Sun Wanjli di mithri taan we - Madam Noor Jehan
Lyrics:
Sun Vanjhli Di Mitthri taan vey
Metan ho ho gayi qurban vey
Metan ho ho gayi qurban vey
Sun Vanjhli Di Mitthri taan vey
Metan ho ho gayi qurban vey
Metan ho ho gayi qurban vey
Vanjhli Di taan vich rooh meri boldi
Umran day kajay hoy peth payi kholdi
Vanjhli Di taan vich rooh meri boldi
Umran day kajay hoy peth payi kholdi
Peth payi kholdi
Sadi aslan di jana pechan vey
Metan ho ho gayi qurban vey
Metan ho ho gayi qurban vey
Dovain pungh charheeay jawani wali rut vey
jind sadi ek huy Pawain do but vey
Dovain pungh charheeay jawani wali rut vey
jind sadi ek huy Pawain do but vey
Pawain do but vey
menu apnay to vakhri na jaan vey
Metan ho ho gayi qurban vey
Metan ho ho gayi qurban vey
Tak tak tenu mere nain nayinyo raj dey
Tere bina buliyaan tey hasay nayinyo sajday
Tak tak tenu mere nain nayinyo raj dey
Tere bina buliyaan tey hasay nayinyo sajday
hasay nayinyo sajday
Shala nik to jawanian man vey
Metan ho ho gayi qurban vey
Metan ho ho gayi qurban vey
Heer Waris Shah - Noor Jehan and Ghulam Ali
Faiz Ali Faiz - Ranjha Ranjha Kardi
Mehsopuria - Ranjha Jogee
Dr Zeus - Ranjah
Punjabi MC ft Surinder Shinda- Mirza
Sohni Mahiwal - Sarbjeet Cheema
Surjit Khan - Sohni Mahiwal
Bally Jagpal - Ranjha
Sun Vanjhli di Mithri Taan Ve - Madam Noor Jehan
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