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Sassee-Punnoo

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Sassee-Punnoo

Love story of Sassee Punnoo is one of the popular four tragic love stories from Panjaab, the others are Mirzaa Saahibaa, Heer Raanjhaa and Sohanee Mahivaal. and one of the seven love stories of Sindh, India. It was written by Shaah Abdul Lateef Bhittai (1689-1752). This story is from Baloochistaan, District Turbat, Paakistaan. Sassee Punnoo's fort's remains can still be seen on Makaraan Coastal Highway. It is believed to be constructed during 600-800 BC.

Sassee was the daughter of the king of Bhambhour, Sindh, Paakistaan. When Sassee was born, astrologers said about her that she was a curse on the royal family. So the king ordered to put her in a wooden box and throw it in the River Sindhu (Indus). A washerman found the box and brought the child home considering her the blessings of God. He adopted her as his own child as he did not have his own child. Sassee means the "the princess of hope".

Sassee was very beautiful, as she became young everybody talked about her beauty. Punnoo, the Prince of Makaraan, also heard about it so he became eager to see her. He set off to meet her. He sent his clothes to wash to Sassee's father so that he could catch a glimpse of her. When he came to collect his clothes, he saw Sassee and fell in love with her instantly.

Sassee's father wanted to marry her to a washerman only, so before marrying her to him, he asked him to prove himself a good washerman. Now Punnoo was a prince, he had never washed any cloth ever, but still to prove his love he washed the clothes for her father and tore them all. He returned all the torn clothes to her father, but before returning tem, he kept a few gold coins in the pockets of each clothes. He hoped to make up his weakness like this. The trick worked and Sassee's father got ready to marry her to him.

Punnoo was a prince and Sassee was a washerman's daughter, so Punnoo's brothers could not tolerate this and they came to Bhambhour and threatened Punnoo to marry Sassee; but when he did not hear, they tried some other mischief. They got agreed for his marriage with Sassee. Punnoo got surprised to know this. On the previous night of the marriage, they all celebrated it with lots of wine and forced Punnoo also drink them. When he had lost his senses, they loaded him on a camel's back and brought him home in Keecham.

The next morning when Sassee came to know about this, she became like a mad person. She ran towards Keecham and to do that she had to cross miles of dessert. She did it crying "Punnoo, Punnoo". Her feet were blistered, her lips were dried, she felt thirsty. She saw a hut, a man gave her some water to drink, but seeing her beauty, he misbehaved with her. Sassee ran away from him and prayed God to hide her somewhere. God heard her prayers, land shook and split up and Sassee got buried in that slit.

When Punnoo woke up in the morning, he found himself in his home. He could not stop himself there, he ran back to Bhambhour crying "Sassee, Sassee". He met the same man who gave water to Sassee. he told him her story. Punnoo also prayed in the same way, the land shook and split once again and he was also buried in the same way as Sassee in the same mountain valley.

 

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on January 15, 2002
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Modified on 05/06/13