Indian Antiquary Vol 55

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 28

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ JANUARY, 1926
I asked some of them : "What is happening What place is this?"
They replied: "These men are all Musalmans and this is the place of pilgrimage. You have obeyed your orders and performed the pilgrimage."
At that time the reason of the assembly and crowd of men was hidden from me. There I remained two days and met men from my own country, who had gone on pilgrimage a year before me, and we gave each other the news.
In my heart I knew that my friends were Hir and Ranjha and saints of God, and I determined to find them and spend the remainder of my life in their service. I sought the defile in the hills that they had described to me, and saw them both sitting there. I rejoiced and thanked God (the glorious and exalted). They recognised me and called to me, saying: "Are you now free?"
I replied: "I am now without care." Then they caught me by the hands and said as before.."Shut your eyes."
After a little while I opened my eyes, and found myself in the same place as before. Thus I passed five or six months pleasantly in their service, sometimes eating bread and sometimes rice and milk.
One day thoughts of my home and children came into my mind and that it was impossible for me to remain on. Involuntarily I began to weep.
They asked me: "Why do you weep !" !
At first I was ashamed, but when they asked me again and again, then I said: "I have remembered my home, my children, my friends and my cronies and I have to weep."
Then said they, one to the other: "Every one loves his country, and if you ask us seriously we will take you there."
And I replied: "If you will take me, you will fulfil my desire."
Then said Mother Hir:" We will take you to Jhang Sial, and there you must take my message of love in my own words to the Chief of that place, and say Mother Hir and Mia Ranjha are living and not dead. You must not act against their rights, as they are not wicked. Mian Ranjha grazes buffaloes, as of old, and Mother Hîr lives with him. May distress and poverty and misery come upon you unless you go to my shrine and there pray to the Lord, the Merciful and Compassionate. God will accept your prayers and bestow on you joy, ease and wealth."
Then I said: "Should I arrive at the City of Jhang Sial alive, please God Almighty, I will most certainly tell them and the Chief of Jhang Sial, the whole story."
Then Mother Hir and Msai Ranjha caught my hands and said : "Shut your eyes." I closed my eyes and after a little while, they said: "Open your eyes.”
Then I opened my eyes and saw that I was under a jand tree to the west of Mai Hir's tomb. A short while I sat there and set out for Mai Hir's shrine, and asked the custodians: " Whose tomb is this?”
They answered: "it is the tomb of Mother Hir, the Sial.”
I stayed three or four days in the mosque there, and by asking I learnt your name and that you are a man of great age, & scholar and protector of the Holy Quran and of the old Laws, a chief of the Sials of this place. I have a message entrusted to me by Mother Hir in her own words to deliver to the Chief of the Sikls of Jhang. So if you will take me with you, I will repeat the message Mother Hir gave me in her own words.
That is, of Hafiz Ahmad, the great grandfather of the narrator.