Intoxicate Yourself with The Heavenly Nectar of Sufi Music
Experience this beautiful spiritual Sufi song describing the legendary love story of Sohni-Mahiwal.
Many generations have passed the legendary love story of Sohni-Mahiwal through folklore in different dialects in Northern India. Every time I hear it, it has moved me to tears.
Although it is a tragic love story, the essence described by Coke Studio is beyond amazement.
Before diving straight into the song, let us appreciate their infinite love for each other. The profound understanding of the song can enhance its intoxication manifold.
The legendary love story of Sohni-Mahiwal:
Once there lived a potter named Tulla, at the Chenab river banks, in Punjab, India. He had a girl who grew up to be extremely pretty. They named her Sohni, which in local dialect means beautiful.
She helped her father in beautifying and painting the baked pots. One time, a caravan of merchants visited her shop. In that convoy, a rich merchant named Baig got smitten with her at first sight.
His heart compelled him to visit that shop frequently. His eyes yearned to look at Sohni every moment. Each day he quenched his thirst by a mere glimpse of Sohni. In return, he would buy some pots.
In a few days, his caravan was ready to proceed to the next village to expand their business. But Baig refused to go with them. Sohni became his sole purpose in life.
Slowly all of his savings died out. To sustain himself and fulfill his heart’s desire, he started working as a servant for Sohni’s father, Tulla. He would take Tulla’s buffaloes for grazing. Everybody started calling him Mahiwal. The term ‘Mahiwal’ comes from the one who herds buffaloes.
Gradually, Sohni also fell in love with him. For some while, they were able to hide the fragrance of their love, but for how long?
Like wildfire, their love story rapidly engulfed the entire village. It created turmoil in the community of potters.
Tulla hastily arranged her marriage with another potter who lived in a neighboring village. Sohni had no say in it. She was helpless. Her parents soon married her off.
It devastated Mahiwal. He left everything and became a hermit. He built his hut across Sohni’s marital village, near the bank of the Chenab river.
Sohni’s husband was a businessman who would travel often. This allowed Sohni to get reunited with her lover. Whenever her husband was out of the village, Sohni would sneak to meet Mahiwal at night.
When the entire village was asleep, Sohni would use a baked pot to cross the river. She would invert the pot to float, which helped her cross the river.
The lovers would meet at the bliss of deep night. It became a routine for the two. The two were happy. Mahiwal would catch fish from the river and cook it every night for Sohni.
One day, Sohni’s sister-in-law became suspicious of her behavior and followed her. She was flabbergasted to find out that the two lovers were again meeting in secret.
That night, Mahiwal could not catch fish. To feed Sohni, he sliced a portion of his inner thigh to cook it for Sohni. Mahiwal wore red color cloth to hide his deep wound. Ignorant of his act, Sohni relished the meal. This made Mahiwal extremely happy. Sohni went home as usual during the early hours of the morning.
At her marital home, Sohni’s betrayal enraged her sister-in-law. She hatched a plan to teach Sohni a lesson for her treachery. She went to the safekeeping of Sohni’s pot and replaced it with an unbaked pot.
That fateful night, when Sohni tried to cross the river, the pot melted in the water. Sohni cried for help. Mahiwal came limpingly. When he saw Sohni drowning, he jumped in the river. Both the lovers drowned. Unfortunately, death was the only place where they reunited forever.
The song of Coke studio
The song is about a conversation between three people — Sohni, the pot, and a Saint.
Sohni insists on crossing the ferocious River Chenab. She is requesting the pot not to lose its heart and stay with her. The pot is desiring her not to go tonight, as it is unbaked and doesn’t have enough strength. Learning this also, Sohni begs on crossing the river. Listening to this, the Saint, who was resting under the tree, said something beautiful and meaningful.
Sohni is saying-
“Paar chana de dise kulli yaar di, Ghadiya ghadeya, haan ve ghadeya”
Right across the river Chenab, I can see my beloved’s hut, O pot, Come my Pot
Pot is saying:
“Raat haneri, nadi thaan thaan maar di, Adeyea Adeyea, Haan ni adeyea.”
The night is deadly dark, and the river is flowing ferociously, Listen to me, O crazy stubborn lady. O Stubborn lady, listen to me.
“Kacchi meri mitti, kaccha mera naam ni, haan mein nakaam ni.”
My clay is weak. I am unbaked. I will melt in this water. I am of no use. I can’t take you across.
“Kachiyan da honda kacha anjaam ni, ye gal aam ni.”
We well know the result of weak and unsteady. I am bound to dissolve. It is inevitable. I can’t take you across. I will melt away in between the river.
“Kachiyan de rakhyea na umeed paar di, Adeyea adeyea, haan ni adeyea.”
Don’t expect the unstable to take you beyond. Listen to me, O crazy stubborn lady, you stubborn lady.
“Raat haneri, nadi thaan thaan maar di, Adeyea Adeyea, Haan ni adeyea.”
The night is deadly dark, and the river is flowing ferociously, Listen to me, O crazy stubborn lady, stubborn lady.
Sohni says to the pot:
“Vekh challan paendiyan, na chadi dil ve, haan leke khil ve aj Mahiwal nu mein jana mil ve, haan ehoi dil ve.”
See the roar of the river; the furious waves are soaring higher and higher. O pot, please don’t lose your heart. Please help me be there. I must meet Mahiwal today itself, Yes, this is what the heart insists on.
“Yaar nu milegi aj lash yaar di X 3, Ghadeya ghadeya, haan ve ghadeya Paar chana de dissey kulli yaar di, Ghadeya ghadeya.”
Today a lover will greet the corpse of a beloved. Come O pot, come O pot. Across the river Chenab lies the hut of the beloved. Come, O pot, come with me.
Listening to the conversation between Sohni and pot, the Saint resting beneath the tree says:
“Phadd palda pakke murshad da, jehda tenu paar lagawe Jeda tenu paar lagawe”
Hold on to the true master that can take you across. That who can take you beyond!
Summary:
The saint reminds us, everything is fleeting. Only a true master can make you fly to the beyond. No lover, no material asset can help you. Everything is bound to dissolve and perish. It is inevitable.
But you can cross any hurdles, any ferocious events when you hold on the hand of a true master. Only a true master can take you beyond. Nobody else can.
A true master is the one who has baked himself in the knowledge and experience, whose fallacy has evaporated. He who can weather any condition can help the others to cross any frightful difficulties with ease.
Hold the hand of that true master! He is the only solution in this life where waves of suffering crash every second.
Let yourself immerse in this Soulful Song:
This song always touches the chords of my heart and the tear ducts of my eyes. Kudos to Coke Studio for creating such soul-stirring music and lyrics.
While listening to this song, let your emotions flow. Don’t resist them. Let the song engulf you for a few moments. Witness the turmoil of Sohni’s heart and allow the heart to feel its pain and desperation. Be with the pot, be with the Saint. Allow the song to take over you.
Happy listening, humming, and immersing!
Let me know your experience with this beautiful Sufi song.
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