Sassi Punnu, A Beautiful Tale of Love
There is a beautiful love story from Balochi and Sindhi folklore about Sassi and Punnu. Sassi who was born in a raja’s family that mightily ruled the lands of Bhambour. When Sassi was born She was named Sassi, meaning the moon, for they thought she was as pure and splendid as the moon. She looked like a beautiful butterfly of a noble society. A wise astrologer told the raja that their one and only daughter would bring shame to their honour. Saddened, poor parents had no other choice. they decided that Sassi could not stay there. Mother could not allow Raja to kill Sassi, Instead, they placed their beautiful daughter in a basket to send down the Indus River. Before placing her in the basket, however, Sassi’s mother tied a taweez filled with a prayer around her daughter’s neck for protection.
A poor washerman who was washing clothes near a river. This poor washerman had a wife but they could not conceive a child. They had prayed for many years but all in vain. While finishing up the last of the clothes he had in his bundle, the washerman saw something strange floating on the river. He watched as it got caught in some bushes. It was a basket. He took it out of the river and saw that within was the most beautiful baby girl he had ever seen. The first name to come out of his mouth was Sassi. He took her home to show his wife and they decided to have the child.
Sassi grew up with the poor washerman and his wife. She was happy with them. She knew no other life. As she grew older, she became more beautiful like a butterfly. She became known for her charming looks throughout the kingdom. Hearing about her, the raja sent for this young woman. She went to the palace. The raja’s wife saw the taweez still around Sassi’s neck and knew at once that this was her daughter. Wife of raja became happy and wanted to have Sassi with them again, the raja insisted that she stay with them. However, Sassi could not bear to leave the poor old washerman and his wife, who raised her all these years. Still, the raja made relentless efforts to win her back.
One day Raja invited Sassi to a large garden. As she explored the depths of the garden, she saw the most beautiful painting of a young man in the garden. She fell in love with his strong stature and noble appearance. She had to meet this man. Word travelled fast. The man in the painting heard of this beautiful woman wanting to meet him so he disguised his true identity as the Prince Punnu and dressed as a trader of art to meet Sassi. They fell in love and began to blossom as lovers.
Sassi continued to live as a washerman’s daughter and nothing more. Punnu did not know her past and she would not dare to tell it. To him, she was a washerman’s daughter and to her, he was a mere art trader. When it came time for Punnu to ask for Sassi’s hand in marriage, the only parents he knew to ask were the washerman and his wife. The washerman knew the importance of a humble husband, whether he be a prince or a peasant. He decided to test Prince Punnu and told him that if he could correctly wash a shirt, then he would be able to marry his daughter. Punnu, who had never washed a single article of clothing, was unable to wash the shirt in the river against the rocks like a washerman. The shirt came back torn. The prince offered large amounts of gold coins to compensate for his failed attempt and grudgingly the washerman took it, knowing that his daughter’s heart would only be happy with Punnu.
Later, it was time for Sassi to gain approval from Punnu’s family. Punnu went to speak with his parents. However, when Punnu spoke with his parents about Sassi, they flatly refused because she was the daughter of a washerman. No way could a prince marry a daughter of a poor man who washes other people’s laundry for a living. Punnu would not be swayed. His heart was set on Sassi.
Punnu refused to marry other girls except for Sassi. Finally, Punnu’s family decided to pretend to go on with the wedding. In celebration, Punnu’s brothers decided to take him drinking the night before the wedding. His brothers gave him a large glass to drink. Punnu drank and drank until he passed out. Then, Punnu’s brothers took their brother far away from the wedding celebrations to another village. With Punnu in a different state of mind and place, the wedding could not go on.
Sassi heard the sad news on her wedding night, while she was getting dressed for the ceremony. Afraid of what would become of her Punnu, Sassi, while still wearing her wedding clothes, ran across the desert sands toward the village, calling out to her Punnu. She saw a shepherd and asked for some water. The shepherd saw how beautiful she was and grabbed her, she cried out to the heavens for help.
Sassi prayed to God for help to save her from the monster shepherd, the earth swallowed up Sassi.
Meanwhile, Punnu had regained his senses back in the village he had been taken to. When he realized that his family had tricked him, he too ran just as Sassi had, across the desert, calling out the name of his love.
Suddenly, through Punnu’s pleas to the skies, the earth swallowed up Punnu. Now, in that same place. Sassi and Punnu’s soul remain together in eternity.