The text opens in Jhang, a town in the Punjab on the river Chenab, and by introducing Chuchak, a leading sardar, or headman, of the Sials, a prominent clan of the area. Chuchak had four sons, and a younger daughter, Hir. Hir was raised with great affection. When she was nine years old, Hir was engaged to Seido of the Khera clan of Rangpur.
At this time, a boatman named Ludden came to Chuchak seeking work. Ludden had previously worked for the sardar Nooran Sambal, but left his employment because of an insult. Chuchak hired Ludden to provide rides to Hir and her friends (an entourage of 360 girls) on the
Nooran was enraged to learn that Ludden, who had been in his employment, now worked for Chuchak. Taking this as an insult, he demanded that Chuchak return Ludden to his service. When his demand was rejected, Nooran and his army of soldiers attacked Jhang, the home of the Sials. Hir and her friends took up arms and intercepted Nooran’s forces, fending off the attack. During the battle, twelve of Nooran’s men and nine of Hir’s friends were killed. When news of the battle spread, Hir’s brothers were enraged that she fought the intruders without informing them.
The story then moves to Takht Hazara. Ranjha was the youngest of Moju Chaudhry’s four sons. Ranjha’s mother died giving birth to him. While Ranjha was still a youth, Moju arranged his betrothal. Before the wedding took place, however, Moju died. After their father’s death, Ranjha’s brothers, ever jealous of him, taunted him until he finally left home. Ranjha spent his first night away from home in a mosque. There a village girl became entranced with Ranjha and wanted to marry him, but Ranjha escaped her advances.
The following day, Ranjha arrived at the banks of the river Chenab. He played his flute and the panj pir came to him and betrothed Hir to him. The panj pir also appeared to Hir in a dream and told her that she was destined for Ranjha. The following day Ranjha met Ludden. Ranjha mesmerized Ludden by playing his flute and received his permission to sleep in Hir’s bed. Hir was outraged when she found someone sleeping in her bed, and Ranjha fled. But Hir followed him. When the two finally met, they immediately fell in love and Hir took Ranjha to her home.
Chuchak took pity on Ranjha’s condition as a landowner’s son who had fallen on hard times. Chuchak vowed to keep Ranjha as his own son. Ranjha, however, only sought employment and was thus hired as a cowherd. Hir and Ranjha met clandestinely in the fields where Ranjha grazed her father’s buffaloes, and their love flourished. Over time, members of Hir’s family and her father’s brother Keido, in particular, began to suspect that Hir and Ranjha were in love. Rumors to this effect began to circulate in Jhang, but Hir’s parents ignored any insinuations of impropriety. Hir didn’t enjoy an amicable relationship with her uncle Keido, however. In his spite, Keido conspired one evening with Hir’s brothers to kill Ranjha. Keido and Hir’s brothers were thwarted by the panj pir who inflicted great punishment on them.
One day, Chuchak saw Hir and Ranjha’s illicit relationship with his own eyes. He immediately dismissed Ranjha and arranged for Hir to be married to her childhood fiancé, Seido of the Khera clan. In her bridal palanquin, Hir told Seido about Ranjha. At this, the Kheras resolved to kill Ranjha but again the panj pir intervened and saved him. At her in-laws home in Rangpur, Hir took no interest in her marriage. Blaming Ranjha for Hir’s insolent behavior, the Kheras again conspired to kill Ranjha. Ranjha, who had come to Rangpur with the wedding party, now left, going first to Jhang and then on to Takht Hazara where his fiancé was awaiting him. Yaqub Viraich, his father-in-law-to-be, questioned Ranjha about his intentions. Ranjha refused to marry Viraich’s daughter and she was betrothed elsewhere.
A character named Ramu Brahman came to Takht Hazara at this juncture with a message for Ranjha from Hir. Receiving this message, Ranjha went to Tilla Jogian where he was inducted into the Balnath yogi sect. He then went to Jhang and on to Rangpur in the guise of a yogi. At Rangpur, Ranjha camped outside the village. Sehti, Hir’s sister-in-law, learned of the relationship between Hir and Ranjha and agreed to help them. Sehti arranged a meeting for them by having Hir feign a snake bite for which the yogi’s assistance would be necessary. The lovers Hir and Ranjha met under this pretense and ran away together. The Kheras pursued them and Hir and Ranjha took refuge with the Nahar Jats. A fight ensued between Ranjha and the Kheras. Hir and Ranjha went to the qazi (Muslim cleric) of Kot Kabuli seeking justice. After listening to the entire affair, the qazi gave a verdict in favor of the Kheras. Hir was taken back to her in-laws’ home and Ranjha was sentenced to death. Before the verdict was carried out, an uncontrollable fire destroyed Kot Kabuli. The town’s residents interpreted the catastrophe as direct retribution for the verdict against Hir and Ranjha. Seeing the destruction of their town as divine sanction of Hir and Ranjha’s love, they insisted that Hir and Ranjha be reunited. Hir was returned to Ranjha and, at the end of the tale, the two head in the direction of Mecca.
This is Demodaar Sigh version of Heer Rajha story.
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