The Imaginative World of Folktales of Pakistan

Introduction

Imagine an epic scene – people sitting by the shade of trees, spending their leisure time talking to each other, and sharing their stories and experiences – This charming scene evokes a sensation of amazement and nostalgia that mirrors the cherished memories that our parents and grandparents have passed down to us.

In the fast-paced world of today, every one of us is busy in our routine lives and doesn’t have enough time to sit and discuss our life experiences with our younger ones, friends, and family. However, most of us have gone through times in our childhood when our parents used to tell us some moral stories which have been passed on from generation to generation. And I think we are the last generation who has experienced it.

In this blog, we will explore different folktales of Pakistan, their cultural basis, and fundamental moral values. Every story passed on to us till now has some secret moral lessons and teachings; we will try to explore them.

Before going toward some of the folktales of Pakistan, we will get some basic knowledge about what folktales are, why they are significant for preserving the cultural heritage of Pakistan, how they are still relevant to modern life, and the reasons behind their timeless charms.

Folktales of Pakistan

Folktales are fictional stories that often feature ordinary people as characters facing extraordinary circumstances. They are orally transmitted from one generation to another and represent people’s cultural beliefs, values, and wisdom.

Significance of Folktales in Pakistani Culture

Folktales are a powerful means of preserving Pakistan’s cultural identity.
They serve as a source of conveying life lessons and teachings, sharing values, and fostering a sense of community among people.
They are the way to cherish ourselves and foster bonds during festivals and gatherings.

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The Enduring Appeal of Pakistani Folktales

Folktales of Pakistan have enchanted audiences for centuries due to their captivating narratives, rich cultural significance, and ability to adapt to changing times. They are cultural ambassadors by fostering cross-cultural understanding and promoting interconnectedness among diverse communities.

Reasons Behind Folktales’ Timeless Charm

The timeless charm of Pakistani folktales is due to the below-mentioned factors:

Oral Tradition: Folktales are passed down through generations via oral storytelling, providing listeners with an engaging and memorable experience.
Universal Themes: These tales often revolve around universal themes such as love, courage, friendship, and the triumph of good over evil, resonating with people of different communities and cultures.
Imaginative Elements: The folktales of Pakistan spark curiosity among audiences via supernatural beings, magical objects, and mythical creatures
Cultural Identity: Folktales reflect the people’s cultural identity, preserving their heritage and fostering a sense of belonging among communities.

How Folktales Adapt to Changing Times

Folktales of Pakistan are well adapted to the dynamics of the modern world, ensuring that they remain relevant and align with the interests and tastes of the contemporary audience:

Written Adaptations: Due to increased literacy rates, many folktales have been transcribed into written form, thereby preserving them for future generations that might need more time to sit down and discuss them with people.
Digital Age: To reach wider audiences, folktales have embraced the digital era via e-books, online storytelling platforms, and multimedia adaptations
Contemporary Themes: Some storytellers infuse folktales with modern themes and issues, making them relatable and reflective of societal contexts.

Global Interest in Pakistani Folktales

Folktales of Pakistan have gained international attention because of the following reasons:

Diverse Narratives: The unique cultural diversity and captivating narratives of Pakistani folktales attract international audiences eager to explore new and enriching storytelling traditions.
Cross-Cultural Exchanges: Cultural exchange programs and storytelling festivals facilitate the sharing of folktales, encouraging appreciation and understanding among global communities.
Educational Value: Educational institutions worldwide recognize the educational value of folktales, incorporating them into curricula to promote intercultural learning.

Folktales as Cultural Ambassadors

Pakistani folktales represent the country’s cultural heritage and serve as cultural ambassadors to the world in the following ways:

Promote Diversity: Folktales showcase the rich diversity of Pakistan’s traditions, customs, and values, fostering cross-cultural appreciation.
Tourism and Cultural Exchange: Folktales attract tourists and cultural enthusiasts, promoting cultural exchange and appreciation of Pakistan’s heritage.
Preservation of Identity: By sharing folktales, Pakistan takes pride in preserving its unique identity and contributes to the global tapestry of storytelling.

Now, we have general knowledge about the folktales of Pakistan, let’s get into some interesting folktales of Pakistan and explore what they teach us.

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The Origins of Pakistani Folktales

The origins of Pakistani folktales can be traced back to ancient oral traditions, where storytellers shared tales of bravery, love, and wisdom. These stories were often linked to historical events and heroes.

The Legendary Figures of Folktales of Pakistan

Pakistani folktales are adorned with captivating heroes and heroines whose extraordinary exploits and adventures have been recounted through generations. These legendary figures symbolize courage, resilience, and wisdom.

The intriguing heroes and heroines like Heer and Ranjha, Sassi and Pannu, Sohni and Mahinwal, Hani and Sheh Mureed, etc., that appear in Pakistani folktales are remembered for their incredible exploits and adventures. These historical individuals are ingrained in Pakistani culture and stand for bravery, tenacity, and wisdom.

Let’s discuss one of those folktales and try to discover the hidden lessons behind it.

Heer and Ranjha:

Heer Ranjha, a famous Punjabi folktale, depicts the love story of Heer and Ranjha. Heer belonged to a wealthy family Jhang, whereas Ranjha was the youngest of four brothers and the apple of his father’s eye. He lives across the river Chenab. One fateful day, Ranjha’s life took a turn when a misunderstanding erupted among his brothers, and he decided to leave his home in search of solace.

He went to Heer’s village, where he found work as a caretaker for the village’s cattle. He was a flute player, and his enchanting flute playing captivated the hearts of all who heard it.

Heer was particularly drawn to the sweet tunes of the flute and fell in love with him. However, fate had a different plan for them, and their love story faced a tragic twist when Heer’s uncle, Kaido, discovered them. Kaido disapproved of their love and decided to punish them for their affection. As a punishment, Heer’s parents arranged her wedding with her cousin, and they got engaged. In despair and sadness, Ranjha became a Jogi, renounced worldly ties, and set out on a spiritual journey to find the love of God. He traveled across the vast lands of Punjab, seeking meaning in his Pain.

Fate, however, had other plans for Ranjha and Heer. Their paths crossed again; her family eventually agreed to marry her to Ranjha. Kaido poisons Heer with a sweet laddu on the wedding day out of jealousy. Knowing this, Ranjha ate the same laddu and died beside her. The folktale was initially believed to have a happy ending, but the poet Waris Shah made it a tragedy. Heer and Ranjha are buried in a Punjabi town in Pakistan called Jhang, Punjab, where lovers frequently visit their mausoleums.

Secret lessons:

None of the tasks is minor, so to stay self-sufficient and remain independent, embrace any job without thinking that it’s not suitable for you.
Your skills can be a source of your acceptance in society, so always value them.
Your inner peace matters a lot, as Ranjha left his home because of a misunderstanding with his brothers and avoided escalating a worse situation by ignoring it. By doing so, he not only protected his relation but also provided solace to himself.
Your pains and sufferings are not the outcome of your sins; they came to strengthen and raise your level like separation from Heer made it possible for Ranjha to explore God’s eternal love.
If someone or something is meant for you, it will be yours; otherwise, if you turn mountains into the desert, it won’t come to you.

Supernatural Beings and Creatures in Folktales

Folktales in Pakistan often depict enchanting narratives featuring supernatural beings like Jinn, Fairies, and Spirits. Jinn are believed to be magical creatures with immense powers, capable of granting wishes or wreaking havoc on humans. Fairies and spirits, on the other hand, are mystical entities that inhabit forests and sacred places. These characters add an element of fantasy and wonder to the stories, capturing the imagination of listeners.

In this section of the blog, we will go through an enchanting story of Egyptian prince Saif, Fairy Queen, and Great White Giant.

Saif-ul-Malook:

An ancient tale of love and longing unfolded in the mystical valleys of Gilgit Baltistan. According to the fortune tellers, Saif was an Egyptian prince and a handsome warrior with many virtues. Once, he dreamt of an enchanting lake with seven fairies, each was more captivating than the other, but the seventh one got carved into his imagination. Upon waking up, we embarked on an arduous journey in pursuit of the elusive fairy.

The quest led him to the magical lake, where destiny brought him face-to-face with a wise Sufi Saint. Guided by the saint’s wisdom, Saif undertook a 40-day prayer, abstaining from food, water, and sleep, seeking the favor of his God to fulfill his dream. On the eve of the full moon, a radiant fairy appeared before him—the very one who had inhabited his dreams. He went up to her and finally proclaimed his love for her.

The Fairy Queen told him that she was the hostage of a White Giant and could do nothing without his permission. They both decided to flee, where the White Giant could never reach them. Although White Giant was the story’s villain, the Pain of losing love is similar for both hero and villain. The Giant cried a lot in Pain and agony, forming a lake near Lake Saif-ul-Malook, now known as Ansoo Lake.

Saif and the Fairy Queen lived in bliss, away from the clutches of the White Giant. People believe that the enchanting northern lights that grace Lake Saif-ul-Malook on every 15th moon are a testament to their eternal love and presence. It is said that their spirits danced among the shimmering colors.

The continuous flow of Ansoo Lake depicts the White Giant’s undying love and remorse. Locals believed that floods in the region were a manifestation of the Giant’s inconsolable cries for his lost love.

As the stars twinkled over the two lakes, the legacy of Saif and the Fairy Queen lived in the hearts of those who gazed upon the ethereal beauty of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Secret Lessons:

Everything in your life is based on intentions; if your intentions are pure, the light will approach you even in the darkest places.
Hard work always pays off.
Caging someone to get their love is never a solution; a hostage may look calm but always looking to break away.
Taking someone’s freedom in return for all the world’s blessings is never justifiable.
You can never make someone feel for you by force and unfair means.

Moral and Ethical Folktales

Pakistani folktales often carry profound moral and ethical lessons, imparting values and virtues to their audience. These stories encourage good behavior, compassion, honesty, and courage while discouraging wicked behaviors such as greed, arrogance, and dishonesty.

In this blog section, we will go through the story of Hani Sheh Mureed, a symbol of compassion, honesty, values, and virtues.

Hani and Sheh Mureed

The epic ballad “Hani and Sheh Mureed” is a testament to love, loyalty, and sacrifice. Like Romeo and Juliet in the West, this tale captured the hearts of the Baloch, depicting the lives of their noble heroes and their profound emotions.

Hani, the daughter of the esteemed Rind noble, Mir Mandaw, was a paragon of loyalty and devotion. Engaged to Sheh Mureed, the son of the Kahiri tribe chief, Sheh Mubarak, their bond had grown strong since childhood. In the Baloch tradition, women should only appear before their betrothed on the wedding day.

One day, fate transformed the lives of Mir Chakar Khan Rind, the army chief of the Kahiri tribe, and Sheh Mureed as they returned from a hunting expedition. Curiosity led them to visit each other’s fiancées. Mir Chakar received a thoughtful offering of clean water in a silver bowl with dwarf palm leaves from Hani. He drank it slowly and cautiously, acknowledging her wisdom. On the other hand, Sheh Mureed’s fiancée offered him water, which he consumed hastily. Later, Mureed fell ill from drinking too much water on an empty stomach, while Chakar realized Hani’s cleverness in preventing such a situation.

Mir Chakar organized a gathering of poets and nobles, where they pledged their lives on vows. Sheh Mureed, deeply in love with Hani, promised to grant anything asked of him. Taking advantage of this pledge, Mir Chakar asked for Hani’s hand in marriage. Bound by his word, Sheh Mureed had no choice but to accept.

Though Hani married Mir Chakar, he soon realized that her heart could never truly belong to him. Understanding her love for Sheh Mureed, he selflessly divorced her and encouraged her to be with the one she truly loved.

Filled with hope, Hani went to Sheh Mureed, but to her dismay, he had ascended to a different level and could not return to her story. The next day, we went to his father’s camel herd, rode a white she-camel, and disappeared like mortals. Locals believe that until the living world exists: “ta jahan ast, Sheh Mureed ast shall remain immortal until the residing world exists, Sheh Mureed shall remain immortal.

Secret Lessons:

Traditions are the source of preventing upheavals.
Your morality, character, and values will keep you alive after death.
Physical beauty may fade with time, but your caution, character, and wisdom are built day by day and are the primary source of admiration.
If you have committed something, stay by it even if it costs your life.
Greed is a curse; getting something by unfair means will never give you internal peace.
While making decisions, always consider other people getting affected by them.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Pakistani folktales continue to captivate hearts worldwide with their timeless charm, adaptability, and cultural significance. As ambassadors of culture and intercultural understanding, these enchanting narratives are pivotal in fostering global harmony and interconnectedness.