Written by: Sidra Jamil
Posted on: September 04, 2018 | 
Tomb of Heer Ranjha
“Ranjha Ranjha kardi ni, mein aapay Ranjha hoi,
Sado ni meinu Dhido- Ranjha, mainu Heer na aakho koi,
Calling out to Ranjha for so long, I've myself become Ranjha,
Call me Dhido-Ranjha now, don't call me Heer anymore” by Baba Bulleh Shah.
These verses come to my mind as my husband and I drive to the, “Darbar Mai Heer” (Tomb of Respected Heer)” on Faisalabad Road, Jhang. The city of Jhang lies 170 miles to the southwest of Islamabad, and is well-known for being the hometown of famous personalities such as the writer Wasif Ali Wasif, the physicist Dr. Abdus Salam, the poet Majeed Amjad and the lovers Heer and Ranjha. With great awe and reverence, we visit the joint grave of these two renowned figures, who died yearning for true love.
The folktale of Heer Ranjha was first written by Damodar Das Arora, a writer from Jhang, during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Later on, in the 18th century, the famous Punjabi Poet Waris Shah adapted it and since then, Heer’s story is referred to as, “Heer Waris Shah.” As a folk tale, hundreds of oral and written versions of the story exist, and it has become such an important part of our culture, that it has been dramatized and sung about as well.
The grave of Heer Ranjha
A lesser known philosophical interpretation of the tale is that both Heer and Ranjha were Sufis, because they yearned for union with their beloved. At their tomb, we realized that they are indeed considered pious Sufi mystics, idealized and admired by many. Their common grave has become a religious centre, which is visited by hundreds of people on a daily basis, each one longing to achieve his/her desire.
The road to the darbar is unpaved, ending in a small graveyard. On entering the compound to the right side, one is welcomed by vendors selling threads, rings, bangles, amulets, clay pots and clay dolls. Intermingling with their voices is the voice of a performer, singing Waris Shah’s Heer, while playing an old worn-out harmonium. From the outside, the darbar appears to be a square-shaped room, with rectangular blue and white tiles embedded in its walls. It’s located at an elevation, and one has to climb seven steps to enter it. The entrance door has an embedded tile, “Darbar Aashiq Sadiq Maae Heer O Miyan Ranjha,” (The tomb of true lovers Heer and Ranjha). Shoes should be taken off upon entrance.
The singer of Heer, with his harmonium
The tomb is famous for its allegedly miraculous roof, an orange-coloured open dome, through which the clear blue sky can be seen. Two different narratives exist about the roof, and which one you believe is up to you. Some say that the rain doesn’t fall through this open roof out of respect for the graves, and as a sign of God’s blessing upon these lovers. On asking the caretaker, we learn that on the contrary rain does fall inside the darbar. His explanation is that six hundred years ago, Heer requested for rahmat (blessing) from God. Even though the roof has been repaired thrice, it could not withstand the rainfall, and thus the opening had to remain. A charity box is also present within the darbar, where one can donate for its maintenance.
The grave lies in the centre of the tomb, and is covered by the colourful chadars (sheets) brought by devotees, symbolizing their respect for the couple. The grave’s tombstone of white marble has Quranic verses engraved on it and the Urdu carving informs us that Mian Fazal Elahi Ranjha, resident of Waan Mian, district Shahpur, had the tomb constructed.
Sacred oil lamps
Six poles stand on the edges of the grave, with bangles, threads and strips of clothes tied to them. A local informs us that unmarried girls tie their bangles here, in order to get married sooner. Inside the tomb, there is a corner for diyay (small oil lamp of baked clay), where people burn incense for the fulfilment of their wishes and prayers. The caretaker says, “The lovers ask to meet their love, the worn out ask for ease, the barren mothers ask for children by presenting small cradles.” An old man sitting in the dwelling tells us that in Sufism, Thursday night is considered special, since it is believed that God hears more on the night before Friday. Thus, on Thursdays, food items such as rice or Kheer (a sweet dish of rice and milk) are distributed amongst the devotees at the tomb. Outside the tomb, one can see deep-rooted old trees, with branches full of colourful threads and strips of cloth, tied by disappointed lovers praying to meet their loved ones.
We had visited the tomb out of great respect, but returned disappointed by the dilapidated condition of the tomb, and the indifference, incompetence and corruption of our authorities. The premises of the darbar should be carefully secured and restored, and although a main boundary wall has been demarcated, better maintenance is required to turn it into a tourist friendly site. Heer and Ranjha are eternal figures who will never be forgotten for fighting against the conflicting elements of class, clan and customs, and leaving behind a love story for generations to come:
The tree for worshippers
Patti patti jhar jaave par khushboo chup na hoye
Don't chant for Ranjha so much, O Heer, you'll be infamous in this world
Even if the leaves fall down, the fragrance never ends,” by lyricist A.R. Rahman.
All photographs taken by Arslan Afzal.
You may also like:
