Sohni Mahiwal
- The story is said to have taken place in Hyderabad, Punjab (Now in Pakistan).
- The story was narrated first time by Moti, Sohni’s sister-in-law, who has changed the pot the night Sohni went to meet Mahiwal, and ultimately leading to her drowning.
- Mirza Izzat Baig was later christened later in the story as ‘Mahiwal’ for he took care of livestock, primarily buffaloes and cows.
- Mirza Izzat Baig was in already in love with the potter who had made those beautiful pots, even before he came to Hyderabad, Punjab.
- Sohni didn’t like Mirza Izzat Baig at first and it’s only when she discovered him later, when she heard how much he loved her.
- Mirza Izzat Baig was old enough to be Sohni’s father.
- Mirza Izzat Baig had been married to four wives and therefore couldn’t marry Sohni, for that would be his fifth wife and Islam didn’t allow that. Neither he want to divorce her wives for they had been faithful to him nor he was interested in making Sohni her concubine.
- Ayesha, one of Mirza Izzat Baig’s wife, upon listening to love story of his husband had amicably given divorce (khula) to Mirza. But by that time, Sohni was married and Mirza Izzat Baig didn’t want to dishonor her and her family by running away with her.
- Sohni was very fond of fish, Mahseer or Mahasheer, a carp, present (still) in Pakistan rivers. One day when Mirza couldn’t catch Mahasheer fish for her, he cut flesh from his thigh, cooked and offered it to her. She looked at the meat in the plate and realized before eating that it wasn’t fish.
- Dead bodies of Sohni and Mahiwal were found ashore, though separated by a mile, after they had been drowned in the overflowing river. The story doesn’t say anything how he had drowned: whether he has heard Sohni’s cries or whether he jumped in overflowing river just on intuition that she would be coming that night.
(Story Source: http://dillwala.blogspot.in/)
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