Heer Ranjha

Heer Ranjha was written by Waris Shah. Some historians say that the story was the original work of Shah, written after he had fallen in love with a girl named Bhag Bhari.[2] Others say that Heer and Ranjha were real personalities who lived under the Lodi dynasty and that Waris Shah later utilised these personalities for his story. Shah states that the story has a deeper meaning, referring to the unrelenting quest that man has towards God.[3]
One of the popular origin stories for the tale is that it was a story from the times of Emperor Akbar. About six centuries old now, it was first narrated in verse by one Damodar Arora during the reign of Emperor Akbar. Damodar was a native of Jhang where the story is broadly based and he had heard it from one Raja Ram Khatri who is supposed to be an eyewitness to all that happened. Since then it has been narrated variously and in various languages, both in verse and prose.[4]
Rag Heer Ranjha. The invocation at the beginning,[5] in one version:Awal-akhir naam Allah da lena, duja dos Muhammad MiranTija naun maat pita da lena, unha da chunga dudh sariranChautha naun unn paani da lena, jis khaave man banhe dhiranPanjman naun Dharti Maata da lena, jis par kadam takimanChhewan naun Khwaja Pir da lena, jhul pilave thande niranSatwan naun Guru Gorakhnath de lena, pataal puje bhojanAthwan naun lalaanwale da lena, bande bande de tabaq zanjiranFirst take the name of Allah and second the Great Muhammad, the prophet [of God]Third, take the name of father and mother, on whose milk my body thrivedFourth, take the name of bread and water, by eating which my heart is gladdenedFifth, take the name of Mother Earth, on whom I place my feet.Sixth, take the name of Khwaja (Khizr, the Saint), who gives me cold water to drinkSeventh, take the name of Guru Gorakh Nath who is worshipped with a platter of milk and riceEighth, take the name of Lalanwala who breaks the bonds and the chains of captives