Mirza Sahiban

Mirza’s parents had sent him to stay with Sahiba’s family in a nearby town for his education.  Everyone in Sahiba’s family, except her father, was against him staying there – they weren’t comfortable with a stranger living in their home. While the rest of the family was hostile towards Mirza, Sahiba was indifferent – they were classmates and soon became friends.

As they grew up, Mirza became a valiant archer, one of which had never been seen before. Stories of his unfailing aim spread far and wide and everyone came to accept him as the mightiest warrior around. Sahiba, on the other hand grew into a beautiful young maiden that men couldn’t take their eyes off.

Soon, Mirza and Sahiba fell in love, but Sahiba’s father and brothers were furious when they found out. In outrage, they sent Mirza back to his own village, feeling betrayed by the man whom they let into their home. 

While Sahiba grieved the loss of her one true love, her family immediately planned her wedding with Tahir Khan. Sahiba resisted, but of course this was in vain. The moment Mirza found out, he jumped on his horse and rode to Sahiba’s village. His own family begged him not to go – they knew that Sahiba’s family were aggressive and should be left alone, but Mirza ignored them and went on a mission to save her.

Mirza strode into Sahiba’s village on his horse, and immediately laid eyes on her dressed in a bright red lehnga, her hands decorated in mehndi. He wisped her away onto his horse and they both rode off into the distance, her chunni trailing in the wind behind them. As the sun began to set, Mirza became tired and insisted on taking a nap under a tree. Sahiba begged him to keep riding as she knew her brothers were close behind. He refused to listen to Sahiba and he lay his head on her lap under the tree and drifted off to sleep. Mirza was arrogant: being the mightiest warrior around he knew he would lay waste to anyone who came near him, and so did Sahiba…She knew that if her brothers attacked Mirza, he would kill them. In his somber, Sahiba took Mirza’s arrows and broke them in half, one by one, with the hopes that she could convince her brothers to spare the love of her life.

The poor girl underestimated the rage of her brothers.

Waking up from his slumber, he saw the brothers beaming towards him over the horizon. He reached for his bow and arrow only to find them shattered on the ground next to him. His eyes begged for an answer from Sahiba, knowing his doom was imminent. An arrow came flying in Mirza’s direction and pierced him in his stomach. He stared into Sahiba’s eyes and watch them flood with tears. In a spur of regret, grief and love, she flung herself onto Mirza, letting the arrow pierce her as well. As the brothers closed in on them, Mirza and Sahiba died a silent death.