Mirza- Sahiba

I love folklores. I often think how powerful can a small story be that it passes on to generations through mere oral communication. It is also interesting how every culture has some iconic tragic romances that people relate with, whatever the generation. Some of the most famous ones in India are Heer Ranjha, Mirza Sahiba, Soni Mahiwal, Sassi Punnu, etc. These are mostly from North India, there are many from the South and other parts of the country as well.

I came across the song 'Sahiba' by Simiran Kaur Dhadli sometime back and i found it to be such an interesting take on the story of Mirza Sahiba. I love when it modern music accomodates culture in it. It makes the song so rich in texture. 'Sahiba' is actually an alternate take on the folklore, from the woman's angle.

The story goes:

Mirza and Sahiba were childhood friends who grew up to eventually fall in love and face opposition from her family who then arranged her wedding. Mirza reached Sahiba on the day of the wedding right before the ceremony was about to proceed. He opened the door to the room Sahiba was waiting in and entered secretly. Sahiba, while keeping watch over her slumbering beloved, feared that her brothers would soon catch up. She did not know what to do. If her brothers came and Mirza woke up then her brothers would surely die at the hands of Mirza’s quick arrows. With the hope of her brothers taking pity on her, Sahiba reached Mirza’s quiver and broke each sharp arrow it contained in half. She believed that no blood would be spilled this way. Suddenly, Sahiba’s brothers and relatives found the couple under the tree. With one quick shot from Sahiba’s brother’s bow, Mirza awoke to an arrow piercing his throat. Mirza reached for his arrow and saw all the broken pieces. He looked up at Sahiba, searching for an answer in her face but was struck with yet another arrow, this time in the chest. Sahiba threw herself over him and together, they died.

This folkfore has often incited discussions of wether or not Sahiba betrayed Mirza and it's mostly concluded that she in fact did. Because even though Mirza did not live to express his emotions, he seems to be seeking for an answer and would have probably felt betrayed.

From the outset it would certainly look like she did, and that is how most of the perception has centred around this folklore. But Simiran Kaur Dadli in her song Sahiba gives a very interesting picture of Sahiba's emotions.

She (as Sahiba) is constantly asking Mirza why the world raises fingers on her and calls her a traitor when she died along with him. She says she thought of her mother and what she would go through if anything happened to her brothers (Mirza was an exceptional Archer and never missed a target). And that she couldn't get her brothers killed as she loved them too.

The lyrics go like this:

One murder of the lover,

second of love.

People call me a traitor Mirza, what crime have I done?

After you passed away, Jatti (Sahiba) didn't waste a moment, 

Right behind you, Sahiba also followed
Oh Mirza, in-spite of this, people curse me with these allegations ( Tohamat'an).
I begged - cried so much, I asked for your life from my brothers,
I begged them continuously with my folded hands
I couldn't bear to see your arrows pierce dear Ammi's heart
I think that's why I broke the arrows.
I looked at God and remembered my mother.
You tell me how could I get my brothers killed?
Mirza, I loved them a lot too.
After you passed away, Jatti (Sahiba) didn't waste a moment, 

Right behind you, Sahiba also followed
Oh Mirza, in-spite of this, people curse me with these allegations ( Tohamat'an).

First blow of the axe struck you,
god knows Sahiba fainted then and there.
My soul had left it’s body when
I saw that Mirza’s eyes had closed.
My love was of the soul not of body.
My head lowers into my thighs.
Oh, Mirza, why must I listen to the world's malice - filled words
After you passed away, Jatti (Sahiba) didn't waste a moment, Right behind you, Sahiba also followed
Oh Mirza, in-spite of this, people curse me with these allegations ( Tohamat'an).

Your name is synonymous with love.
With my name they associate betrayal.
Even today they call me a back-stabbing lover.
My poor self hasn’t been able to sleep even in the grave.
What blot have I brought upon the name of love?
What else do I do for you ?
Mirza, you die- I die with you.
After you passed away, Jatti (Sahiba) didn't waste a moment, 

Right behind you, Sahiba also followed
Oh Mirza, in-spite of this, people curse me with these allegations ( Tohamat'an).

And what I found even more interesting is that singer Bob.B Randhawa in the song 'Mirza Bolda' has given a reply to this as Mirza.

Few of my favourite lyrics from the song are:

Neither could you be your brother’s
Nor did you tolerate your yaar (love)
Betrayed Mirza
Attacked him behind his back

You broke the arrows
Then you broke the heart
Then you ask what was your fault

You’ll stay a traitor in the eyes of the world
Till you are somebody who got Mirza killed
That’s why people put accusations on you
That’s why they call you a traitor

If they came alone
I could have handled them all
If I wasn't disarmed
I would have gotten in the brawl
If i knew beforehand
Your intentions were wrong
I would have got my brothers
It would have been an equal fight

Brother-in-law hunted down his sister's future husband
Spoilt his sister’s marriage.

You’ll stay a traitor in the eyes of the world
Till you are somebody who got Mirza killed
That’s why people put accusations on you
That’s why they call you a traitor

You’ll stay a traitor in the eyes of the world

Till you are somebody who got Mirza killed
That’s why people put accusations on you
That’s why they call you a traitor

Heard Sahiba is flying around
opening up old wounds
Now bear with this reply,
my pen has spoken from the grave.

This is why i'm naturally so inclined towards Punjabi music in general. If you know where to look, there's some really intelligent music coming from the land of the 5 rivers — one of the oldest civilizations of the world!