Dhola and Maru

Dhola and Maru

The ballad of Dhola and Maru was composed in 1620 by Kallol a poet Raval Hariraj of Jaisalmer in Dingal  the language used by bards of ancient Rajasthan. There was a severe drought in Rajasthan and bards were sent by Nalwar and Pugal to sing the Raag Malhaar so that the drought would end and rain could bring a respite to the people of desert. Raag Malhaar was the music used to create rain during drought.

Pugal’s Maharaja,Pingal with his wife and daughter, (Marvani)Maru reached Pushkar to invoke the rain. Also Nalwar’s Maharaja, Nal with his wife and his son (SalhaKumar)Dhola reached there for same reasons. The two kings became good friends and sealed alliance between Nalwar and Pugal. Maru was only one and half year old and Dhol was three year old but both were bonded in relationship of eternity. As if to bless the alliance between Dhol and Maru the gods showered their love as rain on the child couples.  The children were married and were to be brought up separately but were to be reunited on reaching marriageable age. Both the King’s returned to their kingdom and time passed on.  As time passed on Maru grew into a pretty damsel and bards of her father’s court sang songs praising her beauty. The court poets sang that Maru had the face of the moon and eyes of warbler. Maru’s love for Dhol also grew in her heart and Dhol occupied her dreams. On the other hand Dhol had forgotten about his child wife, Maru.  The sudden death of Nalwar’s king led to Dhola marriage with princess Malvani, daughter of Malvi Raja. Dhol becomes the ruler of his kingdom and is swamped by the duties of State. Dhol spent his leisure time in company of Malvani happily. Maru was unaware of Dhola’s Marriage was spending her days talking to her nightingale and other birds who loved to eat from her hands. Maru would imagine borrowing the wings of her bird friends and flying to her beloved. Her bird friends agreed to pass her letter to her beloved. Maru would decline their offer saying that water droplets would erase the words. Maru would request the wind to touch her Dhola and come and touch her. She was so passionately missing her beloved. The Pugal Kingdom waited for their beloved Princess to get married as she had grown into a lovely lady. The parents of Maru sent many messages to Nalwar reminding Dhol of his first wife and his father’s promise.

At that time a horse trader came to Pugal with great breed of steeds. He was entertained by Pingal’s court. He saw the young princess and enquired about her to the King. King told him that she was her daughter Maru and how she was married to the Prince Dhola of Nalwar when she was a child. On the other hand Maru spend her time dreaming of Prince Dhol every second of the day. The trader on knowing about Maru sufferings informed the King how the old king of Nalwar, Nal had died and his son Dhola had married Malvani to strengthen the reign. Princess Maru over heard the conversation between her father and the trader and was shattered to pieces that her spouse is spending his time happily with another woman.  She experiences heartache and hopelessness that there is no end to her Seperation from her beloved as he has another woman in her life. Maruni stopped laughing and gone were happy talk with wind and birds replaced with her sad songs that tore her parent’s heart. Pingal and his wife were sad at their daughter’s fate but were determined to reach out to Dhola and bring him back to their daughter. They send messengers to Nalwar and even preists were send out but to no avail. All the message and messengers from Pugal were intercepted and killed by Malvani’s trusted aides. Malvani out of jealousy and possessive for her husband did not want him to hear about Maru’s beauty or their marriage. Maru’s parents were upset that Dhol has not reciprocated their messages. Later they found that Malvani had been throwing many men into prison and they were their messengers.  The king and Queen met up with the wise counsel on how to contact Dhol without being caught by Queen Malvani The Queen came up with an idea to send bards or folk singers who were called Dhadhis or desert wanderers who would roam from one place to another singing. She felt that their soulful singing would awaken the love of Maru in Prince Dhola’s heart and charm him back to Pugal. As per their plan folk singers who would sing about the sufferings and desperation of Maru as she awaits for her beloved spouse return.

Maru herself wrote the couplets that the singing mendicants should sing. Maru told them that she was burning like hot coal for Dhola and he should come and remove her lest her body reduces to ashes but her soul would always remain with him. Dhadhis were also moved by their princess love and promised her that her husband would come flying to her after hearing their song.          Maru made up her mind that if Dhola doesn’t turn up she would throw herself in the holi fire. The Singers reaches Nalwar after facing many obstacles and he reaches the King’s palace .

The Dhadhis settle themselves near the garden of Dhola’s palace. The Dhadhis escaped from Malvani spies due to their torn clothes. It was a beautiful night and Dhols and Malvani were strolling in their garden enjoying the night sky. They see Dhadhis settled nearby with a roaring fire accompanied by beautiful strumming’s. Malvani had no clue that her hard work to conceal the truth would be broken in a few hours. True to the rumour that Dhadhis would win over their enemies’ heart by their soulful music.

They started by singing about Maru and how beautiful and graceful and how she got married fifteen years ago at Pushkar when she was a child and how her beloved forgot about her. They sang the Couplets in Raag Malhar. Dhola who was asleep woke up with a start and could not sleep as he followed their singing. Nalwar was shrouded in stormy rain showers and the melodious voice of the singer reminds Dhol of his first child marriage with Maru.  Dhadhis sang the whole night in spite of rain and storm for their Princess Maru. They inform him that Maru is waiting for him and would die if he doesn’t make haste to reach her.  Dhol is shocked about how he had forgotten his first marriage and tries to amend the mistake he had done long ago.

Dhol shares his heartache with Queen Malvani thinking that she would understand him .Every time Dhol tries to set out to bring Maru to Nalwar, Queen Malwani intervenes and delays his visits with excuses like  hot winds are blowing in desert as it is summer or it is too muddy in the rainy season as even cranes never set foot on ground or it is  too cold in the winter season. Dhola even has selected a camel which is fastest among his other beast that would carry him to Pugal. Queen Malwani tries to dissuade the camel by offering him good food, fragrant oils but the camel wants to remain true to his master Dhola and rejects her offers.

Months passed by with each excuse she made and Dhol grew impatient   so she set a condition that he can only travel if she falls asleep and after fifteen days she fell asleep. Finally, one day in the dead of night when Malwani was fast asleep, Dhola set out on his fastest camel crossing the desert to reach Pugal to meet his childhood spouse Maru.  Later Malvani woke up as she heard the bells of the Camel on which Dhola rode off. Malvani sends her pet parrot who could speak to stop Dhola from going to Pugal. Dhola who spotted the parrot was sure that it was Malavani new idea to stop him from going to Maru. The Parrot pleaded with Dhola that Malvani had fainted and died and he should turn back to cremate her. Dhola who had clear knowledge of Malvani’s intentions told the parrot that it should inform the ministers that nine maunds of Sandalwood should should be used to cremate Malvini with all ceremony. Parrot realized that Dhola had seen through his mistress plan pleads to him that he told him a lie he should forgive him and his mistress and should not forget that Malvani is his wife. Dhola crossed the desert and enters Pugal when he meets a messenger of Umar Sumaru. Dhola reveals his identity and that he is here to take his bride home to the servant of Umar Sumaru. Umar Sumaru was one of the many suitors who wanted to woo the hand of Princess Maru. The Servant lies to Dhola that Maru had become old and her hairs have turned grey  as he wants his master to win the hand of Maru. Bissu a resident of Pugal chances upon the conversation of Dhola and servant of Umar Sumaru. Bissu informs him that Maru was only one and half when she was wed to you so she is as youthful as you.

Bissu, “Please make haste as you have wasted enough time to come here waste no more rush to claim the hand of your bride. Please hold her love in your heart.” Dhola urges his camel to reach Pugal before Sundown ans camel assures his master that he will run as fast as he can and take his master to Maru.

Dhola reaches the palace of PIngal and introduces himself as their son in law and their joys know no boundaries. Maru’s face had become pale and listless. As she sees Dhola she feels a renewed energy and Dhola also notice how her pale face has a golden hue after his arrival. He feels sad that how heart breaking it must have been for her to wait for him. Maru was like the thirsty peacock which was awaiting the first monsoon and she used to sing in her spouse memory like a nightingale.  Maru was surprised by the sudden arrival of her husband and spend her time in Pugal dancing and singing. After fifteen days, Dhola took his Queen Maru and bid his in-laws goodbye and headed to Nalwar.

Dhola and Maru on the way to Nalwar meet a camp of people who ask them to take rest at their caravan. The camp was set up by Umar Sumaru one of the wooers of Maru. Maru had not seen him but she is suspicious of the Camp owner as he holds a dagger behind his back at that time a female bard tells her that the owner is Umar Sumaru and he wants to kill her husband. Maru  gets on top of the camel and asks it to stomp and make noise. On hearing the commotion outside the tent Dhola comes out to tend to his camel and Maru tells him of Umar Sumaru’s evil plan and Dhola jumps on the camel and both escape from the tent. Umar sumaru sent his men to follow them to capture Maru and kill Dhola but both of them escape the men.

 As they reached outskirts of  Nalwar , Maru is bitten by a snake and she dies in the arms of Dhola . Dhola is in a shock and tries to immolate him as a male Sati and sits himself on top of pyre along with Maru’s body. Moved by his dedication, Shiva and Parvathi came down as Yogi and yogini and revived her so she could spend her days with her beloved.

The young couples reached the Palace of Narwar. Maru childlike behavior and her love towards Dhola moved the heart of Malwani . Malwani seeks Maru’s pardon and treats her like her own sister. The three of them live their lives peacefully ever after. They lived true to that saying that where there is love happiness prevails.

The ballad goes on that Dhola managed to keep both his wives happy as he spent two nights with Maruni for every night he spent with Malvani.