Relevance of Waris Shah’s Heer for women in 21st century | Lifestyle News, The Indian Express

Relevance of Waris Shah’s Heer for women in 21st century | Lifestyle News, The Indian Express

Written by Divya Goyal |Updated: February 3, 2019 9:13:03 am

Relevance of Waris Shah’s Heer for women in 21st century

It has been more than 250 years that Shah’s Heer, a young Muslim woman from undivided Punjab and the protagonist of the classic romance saga, stood and died for her choice — her ishq — with Ranjha. Even today, the text of 630 stanzas written by Shah in 1766, is relevant for women.

Heer and Ranjha depiction by artist Abdur Rahman Chughtai who was from Lahore in Pakistan.

Lae ke satth saheliyaan naal challi, Heer matthdi roop gumaan da ji…Likhi Cheen tasveer Kashmir jatti, kadd saru behashat gulzar vichon… Surma nainan di dhaar vich khubh reha, chadheya Hind tey kattak Punjab da ji…

Describing her like a warrior whose unparalleled beauty and aura are embellished by her great resolve and strength of character, Waris Shah writes about Heer, “As she walked with a group of her 60 friends, she personifies grace. She is proud of her beauty and intoxicated by her enhanced sense of self. A Punjabi Jatti, so beautiful like a painting drawn in China and with the serenity of Kashmir. She is tall like a graceful swaying tree. The kohl in her eyes is as ferocious as might of Punjab unleashed against Mughals led Delhi darbar.”

It has been more than 250 years that Shah’s Heer, a young Muslim woman from undivided Punjab and the protagonist of the classic romance saga, stood and died for her choice — her ishq — with Ranjha. Even today, the text of 630 stanzas written by Shah in 1766, is relevant for women. Giving a new meaning and life to Shah’s Heer is Sumail Singh Sidhu (45), a Bathinda-based historian, who is researching Heer and conducting workshops across the country on the theme “Ishq Heer Da Nawan Banaiye Ji” (Let’s Give A New Dimension and Meaning to Heer’s Ishq). He is on the mission to connect youth with Shah’s Heer.

Paintings depict the tale of Heer-Ranjha

A PhD in modern history from Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, Sidhu refuses to call Heer-Ranjha saga as a “love” story. “It will be a grave injustice. Love is too shallow a word to describe what Heer and Ranjha felt for each other. It was ishq, a passionate desire and longing to be with each other. It was not love or mohabbat — these words are too shallow to describe what Waris Shah wrote,” he says.

He adds that Heer had dared to fall in ishq and was forced into a marriage against her will and was, ultimately, killed by her own family. Believed to have died in 1452, Heer fought a range of obstacles — from religious orthodoxy and patriarchy to casteism — in mid-15th century and became a symbol for women’s right to choose and the right to love. Centuries later, a woman confessing her romantic feelings for a man still raises eyebrows and she, mostly, has little or no say in who her life partner is.

Hatth badheyaan rahaan ghulam teri, Saney trinjhan naal saheliyaan de; Saanu rabb ne chaak milaaye ditta, bhull gaye pyaar saheliyaan de…. (Emphatic in her love for Ranjha, Waaris Shah’s Heer says: With my hands tied I accept your slavery. It is the Almighty who has made us meet, you are above everyone else for me now, even love of my friends).