Punjab is the most popular and well-known state in Northern India, the holiest and most cultural state which has played a most significant role in the history of India. It is also the land of love, where many great stories of pure and devoted love have evolved.
Punjab, also known as the land of many National freedom fighters who made their remarkable place in the India Freedom struggle, is also the place of origin of many beautiful and lyrical love. The most famous love stories of the pure selfless, and holy love of many lovers, including Heer Ranjha, Sassi Pannu, and Mirza Sahiba, must take the heart of every Indian to ease.
Talking Sassi Pannu, which is also known as Sassui Panhun, is one of the most famous Punjabi Sindhi and Balochi Folklore of India and is among the most famous romances of Punjab, Sassi Pannu, which is not merely folklore but also a tragedic tale of the two lovers on the shores of Indus Valley river in India.
The legend of this love was retold by Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (1689-1752), the famous Sindhi Sufi poet, and has been translated into many languages. The dying oral tradition of folklores, also called “Bataan”, is the original form of these stories and has travelled for centuries. There have been contradictions and conflicts about dates, order of events, finer details like names and professions of characters, etc., but the essence of the lores remains unchanged.
As the legend goes, Sassi was the daughter of the king of Bhambore in Sind. When she was born, after many years, to the childless couple, the astrologers predicted that she would taint the name of royalty. Thus, the newborn was put in a wooden casket filled with precious jewels and set afloat on the river Sindhu. The box was found by a washerman in the kingdom who adopted and raised the child as his own.
Sassi was grown up to be a beautiful apsara from the heavens, and many people were mesmerized by her deep beautiful eyes and face; Sassi was as beautiful as an “apsara” from the heavens. People couldn’t stop talking about the ‘depth of her eyes, the brightness of her complexion, the sweetness of her voice’ that has made many hearts fall. Soon the legend of her charm, Sassi, reached Punnu, the Prince of and son of Mir Hoth Khan, the king of the renowned tribe of Baluchistan. Punnu decided to pose as a perfume trader to entice the lady and catch a glimpse of her unearthly allure. As the caravan of musk sellers entered Bhambore, the city was drenched in exotic fragrance. Sassi also visited the site with friends, and Cupid struck on both sides! While Punnu was mesmerized by her beauty, for Sassi, too, it was love at first sight.
