Happy Lohri !!!

Just got this Lohri Story and Why the Song is Sung...Check out this Excerpt....!!!!

Dulla Bhatti was born, as Rai Abdullah Khan Bhatti, in a Muslim Rajput family to mother Ladhi and father Rai Farid Khan Bhatti and grandson of Rai Sandal Khan Bhatti in the area of "Sandal Bar" in "SandalWal" modern day Pindi Bhattian now in Pakistan (Sandal Bar is also related to the legend of Mirza Sahiba).

The people of this area were known to provide stiffest opposition to marauders.The Mahmud of Ghaznawi had carried out one special campaign to subdue the burly and bold warrior Bhatti Rajputs of Sandal Bar. His grandfather Rai Sandal Khan was a tribal chief and head of all the rajputs of the area who holds nearly all the tract of that bar stretching from modern day Hafizabad up to Multan border.His family was directly descended from Rawal Jaisal Singh who founded "The Golden City" of Jaisalmer.

He belonged to the warrior like rajput clan of Bhattis. Even Babur makes a mention of the resistance offered to him by these chivalrous tribals in his autobiography 'Baburnama.' From a social point of view these valiant tribesmen had a very secular outlook and their lifestyle was a composite blend of Hindu and Islamic rituals and traditions.

In due course of time, the Mughals had consolidated their hold over the entire country but dominance of the region lying between the Chenab and Ravi, eluded them. People of this area never paid any taxes rather they openly defied the authorities and indulged in looting the royal caravans and treasures.Head of all such activities was Rai Sandal Khan Bhatti,the Raja and tribal chief of the area. He(Dulla) following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, waged a guerrilla warfare against the Mughal Empire.According to his mother Laddhi, Dulla was a Lion .He refused to accept the legitimacy of Mughal King Akbar and refused to pay any tax.

When Akbar came to Lahore, he ordered the execution of the rebels.Legend has it that to instill fear into the hearts of the common man, Akbar got their skins stuffed with wheat hay (toori) and hung the dead-bodies on the main door.

Dulla wasn’t even born yet. For some reason, he was never told of the cause of his father’s and grandfather’s death until he was a young man.

The story of Dulla has been poetically treated by many, and has been written in style known as Saddaan (similar to Mirza by Peelu and Bhagwan Singh). The above incident is thus narrated:

Tera sandal dada maareya, ditta bhore vich paa, Mughlaan puthhiyaan khallaan laah ke bhariyaan naal hawaa.

As Dulla grew up he became a real fighter and warrior learning the art with his keen eye from here and there as he was the tribal chief and hereditary raja of the rajputs, unknowingly in the foot-steps of his father and grandfather. When he was young enough, his mother told him the about the past and from then on Dulla pledged that his only purpose in life was to defeat Akbar and kill him. In the meantime, Salim had a fall out with Akbar over Salim’s love affair with Anarkali. Salim rebelled and came up North-west and met up with Dulla. Salim instigated Dulla further to achieve his own motive as well. With Salim’s support, Dulla built up a small army which made loots from the imperial treasure and merchants in the area.

The famous loots among them being stealing horses from a merchant who was supposed to be working for the Akbar, then robbing Akbar’s gifts sent from the Middle East. His loots were distributed among the poor and this made him a popular and a heroic rebel. His compassion for the poor and his help in getting poor girls married is still remembered, especially during the times of celebrating the festival of Lohri (mostly falls on 13 January). Although different versions of the festive song are sung in different regions, it sounds something like:

Sundar munderiye

Tera kaun vichaara

Dulla bhatti waala

Dulle ne dhii vehaayi

Ser shakkar paayi

Kudi da saalu paata

Kudi da jeeve chacha

Kudi de maame aaye

Gin gin paule laaye

Ikk paula khus geya

Te zimiindaar russ geya

Aayiin aayiin chachi

Tera putt chadhu ga haathi

Haathi de kann vich jaun

Ni tere putt hon ge nau

Nau(h)aan di kamaayi

Ni tere dar dar chadh di aayi

Seeing so much support for his nephew, Dulla’s uncle Jalaludin, got envious and complained to Akbar against the mischievous Dulla.Legendary stories are associated with the brave Dulla Bhatti. He used to rob rich to help the poor and needy. It is believed that Dulla had restored the prestige of an innocent girl whose modesty was outraged by a Mughal general. There are various versions of the actual story. Some traditions say that Dulla had adopted this girl as his daughter and arranged her marriage in the Jungles.