Sassi Pannu; this folk tale is from the province of Sindh. Sassi was the daughter of a washer man (some versions of the story say that she was actually a princess who was abandoned by her family at birth as she was prophesied to bring a bad name to the royal family).
Sassi grew up to be a girl of exceptional beauty and soon word spread around and Sassi became famous for her beautiful looks. The word also reached Pannu the son of Ali Hoti Khan, ruler of Mekran who became curious to see her. He disguised as a merchant selling perfume and reached Sassi’s native town Bhambore.
When he finally saw her, he instantly fell head over heels in love with her; for Sassi too it was love at first sight. As Sassi’s father wanted a son in law from the same trade, now Pannu disguised as a washer man asked for her hand in marriage.
Sassi’ father asked him to wash some clothes as a test. Obviously Pannu who knew nothing about washing clothes damaged them but that crafty fellow hid gold coins in the clothes so that the customers won’t complain. Sassi’s father agreed to the match and marriage preparations began.
Pannu’s family was not happy with the match and decided to trick Pannu in coming back. Pannu’s brothers reached in time for the wedding and during celebrations got him drunk. Later they carried him away to Mekran as the night fell.
In the morning, Sassi realized that she had been tricked, ran barefoot after her husband. The poor soul died while trying to cross a desert and was buried by a shepherd. In the meanwhile Pannu regained his senses and ran back to his wife; while crossing the desert, he met a shepherd sitting by a freshly dug grave. On being told that it was his beloved Sassi’s grave, the grief struck Pannu died there and then to join his soul mate in heaven.
