Boohe Baariya – Doors & Windows 

The Tale of Sohni Mahiwal is one of four popular tragic love legends of Panjab. This Qissa (legendary tale, from the genre of oral storytelling) has become a key part of Panjabi literature and folklore. Almost every Panjabi will be familiar with the iconic painting of Sohni Mahiwal by the late artist, Sobha Singh

The love legend of Sohni Mahiwal (like the other three Qisse/tales: Heer Ranjha, Sassi Punnu, Mirza Sahiba) conveys the joy of union and pain of separation between two mortal lovers. However, this star-crossed tale is not just about two lovers yearning to be united, with the odds stacked against them. 
 
These tales are written from the Sufi lens (the mystical tradition of Islam), whereby the Earthly love (Ishq Majazi) between two mortals actually represents the longing to be merged with the Beloved Divine (Ishq e Haqiqi). The purpose of Earthly love is to transcend duality through the annihilation of the Ego/the Self (Fanaa). As per Sufi philosophy, when the Ego is vanquished, One enters into a state of permanence (Baqaa) with the Beloved. There is no 'I'. There is only Oneness, which the protagonsits of these tales are trying achieve.

Boohe Baariya is a much-loved contemporary Panjabi folk song referencing the Tale of Sohni Mahiwal - specifically the unbaked earthen water-pitcher which Sohni (the female protagonist) uses as a float to swim across the river Chenab, to meet Mahiwal (the male protagonist - her Beloved). 

There are many hurdles to face on the path of Love. In this song, the True Devotee of Love says they will cross doors (boohe) and windows (baariya), and even become the wind to be united with the one they are yearning for. 

In the tale of Sohni Mahiwal, the river Chenab symbolises the obstacle between the two lovers. Sohni cannot swim. Yet, night after night, she enters into the river (using a baked earthen water-pitcher as a float) to meet Mahiwal on the other side of the riverbank. But on one particular night, against the backdrop of a monsoon downpour , Sohni's sister-in-law wickedly replaces the baked water-pitcher for an unbaked one. Nonetheless, a determined Sohni attempts to cross the river in high tide, using the ill-fated water-pitcher. Ultimately she meets her end, drowning in the river of love. On hearing Sohni's cries, Mahiwal jumps into the raging river to save her; but, he too meets his mortal end. In this way, through death, they both become One in the river of Love

This is our rendition of Hadiqa Kiani’s hit song, written by her mother Khawar Kiani and composed by her brother Irfan Kiani.  

The production and animation of our rendition is inspired by the lo-fi musical style. 

Deeply grateful to Josh Mahay for bringing our idea and vision to life through the illustration, to Bobby Kang on the beat, and The Culprit on the mixing and mastering.

Boohe Baariya - Love Legends of Panjab (Bobby Kang)

PKCthefirst & Grewal Twins collaboration 

Release date: 27th May 2023

Grewal Twins Feat PKCthefirst - Boohe Baariya (D&B remix)

Batvara - The Partition Series is a collection of short stories created by the Grewal Twins to coincide with the commemoration of the partition of India which occured on August 15th 1947

This short story touches on the theme of 'homeland', and how after the partition of India, the meaning of 'home' and what it represented changed for those that found themselves displaced and in 'new' territory as a result of partition.

Written and Edited by Sukhman & Hernoor Grewal
Narrated by Hernoor Grewal

Image Credit: Wikipedia

1947 Partition Stories: Shehar Lahore Andar - Inside Lahore City

Batvara - The Partition Series is a collection of short stories created by the Grewal Twins to coincide with the commemoration of the partition of India which occurred in August 1947

This short story delves into the the mind and emotions of one of the key figures of the partition of India.  It is a fictional account from their point of view and taps into how they might have felt knowing they were a facilitator in one of the largest mass migrations in human history.

Written by: Grewal Twins
Narrated by: Hernoor Grewal

1947 Partition Stories: Ajnabi - The Stranger

Batvara - The Partition Series is a collection of short stories created by the Grewal Twins to coincide with the commemoration of the partition of India which occurred in August 1947

This short story captures the pain of separation experienced by those who were displaced as a result of the partition of India, but is told through the point of view of nature and the elements.

Image Credit: Pran Nath Mago

Written by: Grewal Twins
Narrated by: Hernoor Grewal

1947 Partition Stories: Vichora - Separation

The year is 1506 and Guru Nanak is at the end of the first leg of his udasi - odyssey of the world. He visits the famous temple of Lord Jagannath, which is in the East of India, in a place known as Puri. Every evening the priests of the Jaggannath temple conducted an elaborate aarti ceremony, a prayer which expresses supreme reverence for the Almighty. This prayer was conducted with a decorative platter on which were various lighted lamps, flowers, incense and pearls. The ceremony was accompanied with the beating of drums, the sound of conch shells, the ringing of bells and chanting of the scriptures. Guru Nanak went to pay his respects to the revered Lord Jagannath, but realised that the priests and worshippers were more attached to the rituals of ceremony being conducted. The worshippers all stood for the aarti with great devotion, as they still do today. There are quite a few versions to this story, but one of the legends states that, Guru Nanak was charged with ecstasy and so transfixed because of the electrifying atmosphere that the remained sated. The priests were enraged that Nanak remained seated and saw it as a sign of disrespect. After the aarti was conducted, they asked Guru Nanak why he did not stand up, and questioned his audacity as a man who appeared to look religious by his simple garb and rosary beads.

Guru Nanak stood as a silent spectator for a moment. He began explaining to the priests that the greatness of the creator is far too grand to be limited to mere rituals, and that the all-pervading energy ought to be worshipped with the grandeur that is deserved. At that point, Guru Nanak is said to have uttered his famous words to his lifelong companion and the first musician of the Sikhs, Bhai Mardana,

‘Mardaneya, rabab chher’ (Mardana, play the rabab)

Suddenly, Guru Nanak burst into spontaneous song in Raag Dhanasri, and thus began to recite his aarti -  his ode to the cosmos, that Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore is said to have described, as the international anthem of the universe

Thank you to Bobby Kang for the audio production and Ricky of Empire Cinematic for the visuals

Aarti - Baba Nanak's Ode to the Cosmos

The tale of Sassi and Punnu’s love is an allegory for Ishq e Haqiqi (Divine Love). The challenges they face are metaphors for the obstacles a mortal faces in their spiritual quest to be united with the Divine Creator. It is often said that Ishq e Majazi (the love for a mortal) can lead a person towards Ishq e Haqiqi because one becomes totally consumed in Love, (which is the core of our being), that they begin to worship their lover in the way you would the Creator. As mortals, when we are separated from our lover, we feel pain, anguish and sorrow. We long to be united with our lover and when we finally do, we feel as if we have become One. This is the purpose of the human spirit, to be One with the eternal light. Dachi Waaliya is the song that interprets the tale of Sassi Punnu. It paints a picture of a heartbroken Sassi, calling out for her lover Punnu, who has been separated from her by her brother in laws. They have taken Punnu - a prince turned pauper (out of choice so he could marry Sassi, the daughter of a washerman) back to his home via a camel, where his royal family have been the subject of ridicule for Punnu's decision to marry a girl from a low social status. A weary and parched Sassi retraces her lover's journey through the arid Thar desert, but dies without being reunited

The song is from the perspective of Sassi who sings “ daachi waaliya mor muhaar ve, ve saanu le chal apne naal ve,” — o-camel rider, turn your camel around and come back; please take me along with you. The song speaks of 'bairaag' which is a stage of yearning and sorrow in the spiritual journey of the devotee and God. Love is no walk in the park, whether it is the Earthly kind or Divine — both exhibit pain and require persistence, patience and sacrifice 

We have recreated this iconic Panjabi folk song to coincide with February being the month of Love. The visuals attempt to portray Sassi's state of 'bairaag' (yearning at the pain of separation from the Beloved) after she has been dyed with the red hue of love - another metaphor in Sufi tradition

• Music @bobby_kang_ 
• Film & Edit @empirecinematic 
• Creative Assistance @navjitsurdharphotography

Dachi Waleya - Love Legends of Panjab (Bobby Kang)

Sukhman & Hernoor Grewal
Storytellers | Singers (Punjabi Folk & Sufi)

Grewal Twins

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