In the days of Umar Soomro's rule over Sind, which is said to be sometime
between 1355 and 1390, there was a fertile and prosperous area in the
district of Tharparkar, called Malir. This place was known for its green
vistas and beautiful natural surroundings. In this are lived a farmer,
Palni, who belonged to the Maru community hailing from Gujarat and
Kathiawad. In view of the frequent famines in Gujarat and Kathiawad the
tribe had migrated to this district of Sind. Poor Palni and his wife Madvi
worked very hard in their fields and would graze their cattle in the
surrounding areas. This way they could make a comfortable living. They
shared their fields with another farmer, named Phog.
Palni had a daughter, Marui, whose beauty was known far and wide. Many
youths used to plead with Palni to give his daughters hand to them in
marriage. Co-partner of this family, Phog, had had an eye on Marui right
from her childhood.
When Marui blossomed into marriageable age, Phog expressed his desire to
Palni. But Marui's parents had already fixed up her alliance with one of
their relations, Khet Sen. Phog's suit was thus rejected. he was hurt by
the refusal, and turned his mind to thoughts of retribution. In a fury Phog
left Malir and, burning with vengeance, rode towards Umarkot. On the way he
hatched a plot to bring Marui into the clutches of Umar, the king. With
this plan in mind, he reached the palace gate of Umarkot and obtained an
audience with King Umar.
After paying his respects and making salutations to the king, he said, "Sir,
in my township, there lives a maiden, Marui, whose beauty has no parallel on
this earth. But unfortunately she is a goatherd's daughter and is in torn
rags. If she were clad in fine raiment she would be fairer than the
fairies. Such an exquisite beauty should grace your edifice."
When King Umar heard Marui's description, he decided to see her. The king,
accompanied by Phog, set off for Malir on a camel in the guise of an
ordinary farmer. When he reached the vicinity of Malir, he camped near a
hillside.
There the king asked Phog how he should abduct Marui. Near that hill there
were some wells from which village belles used to fetch water in the early
morning. Marui also came with these girls to fetch water. By chance that
morning she woke up earlier than usual and she came out of her house with a
jar to go to the well for water. Not finding any companion around, she went
all alone towards the outskirts of Malir. When she arrived at the well she
saw one of her friends already present there. While Marui was busy chatting
with her friend she saw some strangers coming towards the well on camels.
Seeing two persons riding upon camels she grew frightened and wanted to rush
home as quickly as possible but her companion was very curious to see the
strangers. She told her not to be afraid of the travellers as they were
only passing through and would do them no harm. At most they would ask for
water.
Phog had already pointed out Marui to Umar, from a distance. When Umar came
near her, he was enamoured by her beauty. He came to the well, made his
camel kneel and alighting asked MArui for water. When Marui came near him
with her jar, he suddenly seized her and, lifting her on to his camel's
back, carried her off towards Umarkot.
On reaching Umarkot he detained her in his palace. Next night Umar saw her
weeping bitterly. He told her, sympathetically, "Dearest, you will be my
wife and rule over my other queens. I promise to fulfil all your wishes."
At first Marui did not heed him but when Umar went on repeating the same
words she replied, "I have nothing to do with you and your palaces. I am
already betrothed to Khet Sen; my life is meaningless without him. It would
be very kind of you if you would take me back to my Malir."
Umar thought that Marui would soon come round but Marui continued weeping,
day in and day out. She hated Umar who had taken her away from her fiance.
Umar visited her every night and tried to win her but without success.
Umar offered her generous gifts and scintillating jewellery to win her love
but all his efforts were in vain. She told umar, "My coarse rags are more
dear to me than you silken clothes. The wild fruits and berries are tastier
to me than your dainty food. Strings of red beads are prettier than the
jewels you are offering me. The bleating of my goats is a melody which
brings joy to me. My Marus are the partners in my joys and sorrows, so
allow me to hurry home."
When Umar realised that kindness and gifts could not win her, he put her
into a prison. While Marui was in detention, the monsoon broke. From her
prison bars she would look at the rain and remember the greenery of her
native land, Malir. At last one day she sent for Umar and told him, "I have
now lost all hope off seeing my kith and kin again and feel that my days are
numbered now. AS such you must fulfil my last wish and send my dead body to
Malir so that my people can bury my corpse in my native land." Saying this
she fell unconscious.
Umar was much moved by her love for her people and good sense prevailed on
him. Out of compassion he immediately freed her from the prison and treated
her like his own sister. He sent word to her parents to come to Umarkot and
take their girl back. When this message was conveyed to the Marus they
heaved a sigh of relief, but at the same time they had some doubts about
Umar's intentions so they sent one of their relations to find out the facts.
On reaching Umarkot, he met Marui and consoled her, saying that immediately
on his return he would bring her parents to take her back to Malir.
When Marui's parents were informed about the well-being of their daughter
and that Umar was prepared to release he, they started for Umarkot to meet
the king. The king extended a warm welcome to them and restored their girl
to them honourably.
Historians recall that when Marui came back to Malir, after freeing herself
from Umar's prison, her fiance, Khet Sen, started doubting her chastity.
Somehow this news reached Umar also. He got upset at the plight of the poor
girl in which he had been instrumental. A chaste girl was being accused of
infidelity. He attacked Malir and when the Marus surrendered, Umar told
them, "Khet Sen should change his attitude towards Marui as this is not only
disgraceful for you but puts my reputation at stake also." Hearing this,
Marui could not remain quiet and she angrily told Umar, "We are your
subjects and you have detained me in your palace for about a year; as such
my people have every reason to doubt my chastity.
They would be fully justified in killing me for fear of dishonour." On hearing this Umar
repented of his action and ordered his army to withdraw. The king called
Khet Sen and said to him, "I swear that Marui is chaste and undefiled by me.
I am prepared to prove this by any test." On hearing this Marui replied,
"It is for me to prove my chastity. Of what would your testimony be to us?"
At last it was decided that an iron bar should be heated in the fire and Marui should hold that burning bar in
her hands to prove her innocence. Marui held the hot iron bar in her hands,
but was unscathed. Everyone ws thus assured of her chastity. Umar too was
surcharged with emotion and he too passed through the flames to free himself
from accusation. He too came out unharmed by the fire.
Marui (pronounced as Maaruii or Maarvii) is a Sindhi folktale about a Thari
woman, who longing for her home (Malir) refused to marry the king and
live in his palace in Umarkot. Dr. Dureshahwar Sayed writes: "Shah Abdul Latif seems to suggest through Marui that country life is
preferable to life in the town, since in the village women can enjoy
more freedom. This is a view advanced by Tirathdas Hotchand who
rightly points out that in the rural areas of Sindh, in former times,
women were much freer to participate in agriculture and animal
husbandry, and that they were thus able to maintain their independence
and identity in society."
In fact saaiin Hotchand suggests that Shah Latif is speaking of a matriarchal society, a view Dr. Sayed believes goes too far.
But she points to a number of poems in which Marui yearns for the life of the village where women move freely:
"Blessed are the women of my country
Whose shelter and protection is the desert."
....Bhitai (Sur Marui)
Sur-u Marui
And They Ask "Is God A Woman?"
Sindh - My Motherland My Fatherland
Makhdoom's Quest For The Truth
Makhdoom's Home Page