Origins
In 1894, Flora Annie Steel, an English author who spent 22 years in India, published the most comprehensive collection of Raja Rasalu legends in her book "Tales of the Panjab." Her narration was based on songs from wandering minstrels, and the book featured illustrations by John Lockwood Kipling, an English art teacher, illustrator, and museum curator who also spent much of his career in India. Before Steel, Joseph Jacobs had included the story in his "Indian Fairy Tales" (1892), though with many omissions.
Puran's Misfortune
The tale begins with Raja Salbahan's two sons, Puran and Rasalu. Salbahan had two queens; the elder was Queen Achhra, who had a son called Puran, but the younger queen, Loona ‘wept and prayed at many a shrine, but never had a child to gladden her eyes.’ Envy and rage took possession of Loona’s heart and she slowly poisoned Raja Salbahan's mind against young Puran. As the Prince grew into manhood, his father became madly jealous of him. In a fit of anger, he ordered that hands and feet of the prince be cut off and he be thrown into a well. As fate would have it, Puran survived in that well without arms or legs, fed by birds and cared for by animals for twelve years, until a saint pulled him out. Through his supernatural powers, the saint restored Puran’s limbs and granted him supernatural powers. During Puran's absence, the trees in Sialkot bore no fruit, birds stopped singing, and cows gave no milk.
Birth and Early Life of Rasalu
Loona too remained childless much to her grief. It was only on Puran’s return, now a saint himself, that with his blessings, she finally was blessed with prince Rasalu. The saint whose identity remained a secret, put the condition that neither parent was to set eyes upon Rasalu for twelve years. If they did not abide by this condition, all three were to perish instantly. For twelve years, Rasalu, the newborn, was to remain confined in an underground palace along with a faithful stallion 'Bhanur’ or ‘Fauladi Iraqi’, and the wise parrot 'Shadi'. Six months before the end of the twelve-year period, Rasalu broke out and demanded to see his father. Denied his wish, he became disillusioned and left his land, embarking on adventures that would make him a legendary hero of medieval Punjab. with Shadi perched on his shoulder, his arrows weighing one hundred pounds each, Rasalu takes to the wilderness, passing from one land to another, fighting demons, marrying damsels, solving riddles and putting out strife and fires to become the foremost folk hero of medieval Punjab.
Rasalu in Nila City
One of his journeys took Rasalu to Nila city and as he entered the town, he saw an old woman crying while making bread. On Rasalu’s inquiry she narrated, ‘I had seven fair sons, and now I have but one left, for six of them have been killed by a dreadful giant who comes every day to this city to receive tribute from us; every day he takes a fair young man, a buffalo and a basket of cakes! Six of my sons have gone, and now today it has once more fallen to my lot to provide the tribute; and my boy, my darling, my youngest, must meet the fate of his brothers. Therefore, I weep!’ Rasalu was moved as he recalled his longing for his mother. He told the old woman not to worry as he will ensure her son’s safety. ‘Still the old woman shook her head doubtfully, saying, "Fair words, fair words! But who will really risk his life for another?" Then Rasalu smiled at her and dismounting from his gallant steed, Bhanur Iraqi, he sat down carelessly to rest, as if indeed he were a son of the house, and said, "Fear not mother, I give you my word of honor that I will risk my life to save your son."
When the time for the offering came, Rasalu mounted his horse and taking the basket of cakes and the buffalo, he set off to find the giant. As he came near the giants' house, he met one of them carrying a huge skinful of water. When the giant saw Raja Rasalu riding on his horse and leading the buffalo he said to himself, ‘Oho, we have a horse extra to-day! I think I will eat it myself, before my brothers see it!’ As the giant reached out his hand, Rasalu drew his sharp sword and smote the giant's hand off. As the giant fled, he met his sister, a giantess who called out to him, ‘Brother, where do you run so fast?’ The giant responded, ‘Raja Rasalu has come at last, and see he has cut off my hand with one blow of his sword!’ The giantess, overcome with fear, fled with her brother, and as they fled, they called aloud, ‘Fly, brethren, fly, take the path that is nearest, the fire burns high that will scorch up our dearest!’ All the giants turned and fled but even as they turned, Raja Rasalu rode up on Bhanur and challenged them, ‘Come forth, for I am Rasalu, son of Raja Salbahan, and born enemy of the giants!’ He killed the giants but the giantess, their sister, escaped, and fled to a cave in the Gandgari Mountains. Rasalu had a statue made in his likeness clad in a shining armor with sword, spear, and shield. He placed it as a sentinel at the entrance of the cave, so that the giantess dare not come out and starve to death inside.
 |
| The cave at Gandgarh where Raja Rasalu imprisoned the man-eating giant. |
Rasalu's Other Adventure
Another adventure took Rasalu to Hodinagari where he defeated Raja Hari Chand and started to reign in his place. He talked to insects, dogs, cats, bucks, birds, deer and the dead. He garnered adulation and victories wherever he went. His voyages took him to places where he had encounters with equally intriguing characters such as a rival malicious King Raja Sarkap over a game of chaupur, a board game played with wooden pawns and seven cowry shells. He also had an encounter with Mirshikari, a renowned hunter from Deccan who could play the sweetest lute given to him by the Water-King, the immortal Khwajah Khizar. All the animals, when they heard the melodious music came and gathered around him. Mirshikari would than sneakily shoot them with his bow. Rasalu not only beat Sarkap in Chaupur, but stunned Mirshikari by his superior skills of playing lute. His travels took him to Bhoj, Delhi, and along the bank of River Ganges.
Legacy of Raja Rasalu
Rasalu eventually became king after Salbahan's death. His reign ended with attacks from the neighboring Ghakkar Raja of Jhelum, which devastated his beloved city. After Rasalu's death, Sialkot's history faded for 300 years. Despite this decline, Rasalu's heroic deeds and bravery remain celebrated in Punjabi folk songs to this day.