Heer Ranjha

The Story of Heer Ranjha ==

Heer Saleti is an extremely beautiful woman, born into a wealthy [[Jatt]] family of the |Sayyal] clan. [[Ranjha]] (whose first name is Dheedo; Ranjha is the surname), also a Jatt, is the youngest of four brothers and lives in the village Takht Hazara by the river Chenab. Being his father's favorite son, unlike his brothers who had to toil in the lands, he led a life of ease playing the flute (wanjhli). After a quarrel with his brothers over land, Ranjha leaves home. In Waris Shah's version of the epic, it is said that Ranjha left his home because his brothers' wives refused to give him food. Eventually he arrives in Heer's village and falls in love with her. Heer offers Ranjha a job as caretaker of her father's cattle. She becomes mesmerised by the way Ranjha plays his flute (Wanjhli/[[Bansuri]]) and eventually falls in love with him. They meet each other secretly for many years until they are caught by Heer's jealous uncle, Kaido, and her parents Chuchak and Malki. Heer is forced by her family and the local priest or [[mullah]] to marry another man called Saida Khera.

Ranjha is heartbroken. He is left to walk the quiet villages on his own until eventually he meets a Jogi (ascetic). On finding Gorakh at [[Tilla Jogian]] (probably the shrine of the saint, [[Gorakhnath|Baba Gorakhnath]], who was the founder of the "Kanphata"(pierced ear) sect of ascetics('Jogis')), Ranjha voluntarily becomes a Jogi, piercing his ears and renouncing the material world. Reciting the name of the Lord, "[[Alakh Niranjan]]", on his travels around the Punjab, he eventually finds the village where he is reunited with Heer.

The two return to Heer's village, where Heer's parents agree to their marriage. However, on the wedding day, Heer's jealous uncle Kaido poisons her food so that the wedding will not take place. Hearing this news, Ranjha rushes to aid Heer, but he is too late, as she has already eaten the poison and died. Brokenhearted once again, Ranjha takes the poisoned [[Laddu]] which Heer has eaten and dies by her side.

Heer and Ranjha are buried in a Punjabi town called [[Jhang]], [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]]. Lovers and others often pay visits to their mausoleum.