Sasui Punhu

Sasui-Punhu

The annual Mela of ‘Sasui &Punhu” is observed every year at their joint grave in Balochistan’s Vinder area on full moon nights of the Islamic month of Shabaan. 

The folklore character of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai’s Risalo, Sasui is widely sung in Sufi music in Pakistan. Shah Bhitai has dedicated five Surs (chapters) of his Risalo (collection of his poetry) only to Sasui. The name of Sasui can also be found in other Surs of Bhitai's Risalo. 

It is said Sasui had travelled right from Bhambhore in Sindh’s coastal area to Kech-Makran in Balochistan in search of her beloved husband, Punhoon who had married her at Bhambhor, but his brothers forcible took him back to their area. Sasui’s journey towards the Ketch area in Balochistan was very difficult but she made it possible with her dedication to the cause and to find back her love. She passed through the difficult, dry and deserted area of the Lasbela district, where the population is scant. At this place, one shepherd resorted to a criminal attack on Sasui. She prayed to God and the earth was torn into two and she disappeared in the gap. Punhu, later in her search back reached the place where he identified the piece of cloth, which was left outside after her disappearance in the earth. He also prayed to God and once again the earth opened her mouth (gap) and he also went to meet his bride inside it. 

The hilly and hard terrain area towards Sasui’s grave is difficult to access as no metaled road or public transport is available to reach the area, which is located about 20 km from the road in the west of Vinder tahsil of Lasbela district of Balochistan. Only a katcha track for 4X4 jeep is the source to reach the place. On the way, the vehicles have to pass at least two difficult passes of hills.

Traditional Sindhi wrestling (Malh, Malkhro), Sufi music, food, and gift items are part of the Mela celebrations. A large number of people (all men) from Sindh and Balochistan attend the annual Urs. They reach on motorcycles or 4X4 vehicles. Females are not allowed at the time of the Mela to attend as the organizers consider that allowing women may spoil the spiritual experience of the event as some professional women may also enter the Mela and offer male visitors their sex or perform dances, like in such occasions on other shrines in Sindh and Balochistan. The caretaker Abdul Rahman told me that it would be difficult to distinguish the "good" women and “loose women”, so all women are kept away as Hifz-e-Matqadam (prevention). Other than Mela days women are allowed to visit and offer prayers.

There is no government support available for the organisers, only some well-off devotees from Sindh or Balochistan contribute to organising this event, where free food is available for all devotees during the Urs days. The government of Balochistan or its Auqaf or Culture departments are absent and no government official provides any logistic support to the private organisers. 

Although it is fun to visit this picturesque area, there is a need to provide easy access to common people, at least a metalled road and drinking water facilities at the time of Mela.