Baloch history is full of secrets and adventures but unfortunately, with the lack of media and government’s attention, its issues and historical heritage still remains uncovered. Baloch history is congested with exemplary incidents and events. The same like the Mughals’ rule in the Indian subcontinent, the Delhi sultanate or be it others. The Balochi love story of Hammal-o-Mahganj also remains one of the naked witnesses when it comes to love tales. The love story of Hammal and Mahganj has passed from one generation to the other.
It is evident that one can find many ports on the coast of Makran. One of the very old ports is the port of Kalmat. The area used to be green and tidy. Therefore, it was in the limelight throughout Balochistan. In the old days, this area was ruled by a brave Baloch ruler named Jeehand. That time, the Portuguese had invaded Amman establishing an empire from Zenjerbar to Balochistan and Amman. The Portuguese knew about the bravery of Jeehand. As a result, they never dared to attack the port of Kalmat. But the Portuguese often attacked the boats coming and going from the port.
The ruler also had a son named Hammal. Hammal was a handsome man besides being a man of exemplary conduct. Many affluent people wanted their daughters to be married to Hammal and many people wished him to be their son-in-law but in vain. Because Hammal never paid any heed to their talk and got himself busy with shooting and hunting. The area was also covered with dense forests where Hammal with his friends often went for hunting. Owing to this, many poets often praised Hammal in their poetry calling him Zehamjin (swordsman) and Gorkush (hunter).
Jeehand was getting older day by day. Being an obedient lad, Hammal once called out his father that he was ready to marry a girl of his father’s choice. He was then married to the daughter of a very close relative, a beautiful girl named Mahganj. The couple liked each other very much. Along with managing family affairs, Hammal also continued hunting and shooting. Hammal was blessed with two sons but happiness soon went away when Jeehand passed away.
Now all the responsibilities fell on Hammal as he became the Sardar of the tribe. As expected, Hammal soon emerged as a great ruler because of his efficiency and handled the affairs of the state and the land very well. Being a respectful Sardar and the chief of a successful tribe, he didn’t stop hunting and shooting and setting off for brief excursions of boating. As usual, one day, Hammal and his friends embarked on a journey to the sea by taking the requisite items of food. They had not gone too far when the brief excursion turned into a long voyage and they were hit by a sea storm. Consequently, they lost their way home. They drifted and wandered around the sea for a week. And on the seventh day, they reached the coast but as they were landing, the Portuguese attacked them as the coast was of Amman where the Portuguese had set up an establishment.
The fight between the Baloch and Portuguese began. During the fight, one of those boats came near Hammal’s boat. As a result, Hammal’s people jumped into the water because of being disarmed, leaving Hammal behind. But surprisingly, Hammal-e-Jeehand didn’t stop fighting the pirates. He killed many of them but as being alone and without a weapon, the Portuguese kept Hammal a prisoner instead of killing him, thinking their leader would reward them. Therefore, Hammal was taken before the Sardar of the Portuguese tribe. Hammal was upset to find out that his friends had left and deserted him. He composed a poem addressing the clouds to take a message to his beloved mother and his beloved wife Mahganj that he had been kept as a prisoner by the Portuguese and that he has been left alone by his comrades.
Jeehand was getting older day by day. Being an obedient lad, Hammal once called out his father that he was ready to marry a girl of his father’s choice. He was then married to the daughter of a very close relative, a beautiful girl named Mahganj. The couple liked each other very much
He was then taken before the Portuguese chief who was so pleased and inspired by his good looks and form that he questioned him on where he was found and what he was doing there.
The sardar’s people narrated the story to him and informed him that it was better not to kill a brave and a handsome man. The chief talked to Hammal for a while and then he sent Hammal to prison. After some days, the Portuguese sardar ordered Hammal to tell his side of the story. Consequently, Hammal narrated the entire story to him and told him how he also was a sardar of his Baloch tribe.
Therefore, seeing his bravery and courage, the chief asked Hammal to be an officer of the Portuguese Army and that he could marry a Portuguese girl of his choice. But being a Baloch, he refused owing to the perquisite, he would have to embrace their religion and never return back to his land. Hammal said that he would never ever accept their religion, even at the cost of his life.
Listening to Hammal’s refusal, the chief asked the soldiers to put Hammal behind bars. The evil sardar also had a daughter who was present on the day when Hammal was before the sardar. She liked Hammal at first sight and when she heard that Hammal was imprisoned, she bribed the guards and took food along with her for Hammal. Witnessing her, Hammal enquired why she had brought food for him and who she was. She said that she was the daughter of the sardar and that she liked him and wanted to marry him. Hammal refused the proposal and didn’t accept the food she had brought. The wicked girl was enraged.
Back in Kalmat, Hammal’s mother and wife cried day and night for their beloved. They event went to a fortune teller to know about future and condition of Hammal. The fortune teller lamented that Hammal had reached a place from where he would never return and he was in prison with his hands and feet bound. They wept bitterly and prayed for Hammal’s safe return.
After a couple of days, Hammal was again called out before the sardar who said to him that he was again being given a chance to rethink his decision. The sardar’s daughter was also there. She interrupted saying that Hammal had offended her and that Hammal had spoken against their religion and said that it was an act of blasphemy. She said that Hammal should be killed otherwise, he would come again someday with his army to conquer the establishment which the Portuguese had set.
Hammal, being a Baloch remained faithful to his family and nation. Hearing this, the sardar was very angry and ordered his men to kill Hammal. The same moment, Hammal-e-Jeehand addressed the wind to tell his family and people. He also sent some words through somebody to tell his wife to marry another man and tell his mother that he loved them until his last breath and had sacrificed his life like a brave, vigorous and great-hearted Baloch.
He was indeed a brave person for he didn’t bow down to the Portuguese despite being imprisoned and bore all the atrocities of the wicked and evil Portuguese army. Seeing the bravery of the legend, the first Balochi film in the history of Baloch was made which was ‘Hammal-o-Mahganj’ produced by Anwar Iqbal and was released in 1976. However, it didn’t make it to the cinemas, as Baloch films seldom are.
The writer can be reached at [email protected]
Published in Daily Times, March 1st 2019.