Sassui Pannhun

Painting by Trilok Singh Chitarkar

Pannhun was the son of Jam Ali, a Baloch ruler of Kech Balochistan. Sassui was the daughter of the Raja of Bhambore in Sindh (Pakistan). Upon Sassui’s birth, an astrologer predicted that she would be a bane on the royal family’s honour. Raja ordered that the child be put in a wooden box and thrown in the Sindhu river. A washerman of Bambore village found the wooden box and brought the child to his home and adopted her as he had no children of his own. Sassui grew up to be as beautiful as the fairies of heaven. Stories of her beauty reached Pannhun and he became desperate to meet Sassui. Pannhun, a handsome young prince, travelled to Bhambore. He sent his clothes to Sassui’s father so that he could catch a glimpse of Sassui. When he visited the washerman’s house, they fell in love with each other at first sight and desired to get married. But Sassui’s father wanted to marry her to a washerman and no one else. He asked Pannhun to prove that he was a good washerman. While washing, Pannhun tore all the clothes as he had never washed any clothes. But before he returned the clothes, he hide gold coins in the pockets of all the clothes, hoping this would keep the villagers quiet. The trick worked and Sassui’s father agreed to the marriage.

Pannhun’s father and brothers were against his marriage to Sassui. Pannhun’s brothers travelled to Bhambore. First they threatened Pannhun, which didn't work, so they tried more devious methods. They participated in the marriage happily and during the celebration they forced Pannhun to drink different types of wines. When he was intoxicated, they carried him on a camel’s back and returned to their hometown Kech. When Sassui woke up the following morning she realised that she was cheated by her brothers-in-law. She became mad with the grief of separation from Pannhun and ran barefooted towards the town of Kech Makran. To reach there, she had to cross miles of desert. Alone she continued her journey until her feet were blistered and her lips were parched, while crying out for Pannhun. The journey was full of dangerous hazards. She was thirsty and she requested a shepherd for water. He gave her water to drink, and seeing she was beautiful he tried to force himself on Sassui. She escaped and prayed to God to hide her. God listened to her prayers, the land shook and split and she found herself buried in the valley of mountains. When Pannhun woke up in Kech Makram, he could not stop himself from coming back to Bhambore. On the way he called out for Sassui. The shepherd told the whole story to Pannhun. Pannhun also lamented same prayers, the land shook and split again and he was also buried in the same mountain valley as Sassui. Some historians believed that they lived in exile for their whole lives. The legendary grave still exists in that valley.

Image Credits: http://www.triloksinghartist.com/sassipunnu.html