I’ve started reading Heer by Waris Shah recently and so far I’ve come across few historical figures mentioned in the epic. The names were unknown to me so searched on google and came across some interesting facts about them. I will add more names as I go through the book.
**1. Rani Koklan
**Rani Koklan was mentioned when Ranjhay’s seven bhabis were taunting him for not doing any work and that he should find himself a woman who can cook for him.
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Tethe wal he rannaN walaonaiN da rani koklaN mehal tooN laah liawiN
Here’s what I found about Rani Koklan:
***Kamalia **is a land of ancient history. The river Ravi flowed through a thick forest 400 B.C. A settlement was peopled with boatmen not with as large population as other castes.Majority of them belonged to Khokhar caste. These people were acknowledged as tenacious, industrious and warriors with peace-loving nature, but undaunted and undefeatable.
This Jungle was to the south west of Sandal Bar, the very place of settlement of Kamalia situated 35 kilometers away in the east from District Toba Tek Singh. In 326 B.C having defeated the Al-exander of Greek, Raja Porus of Jehlum came to this Jungle to attack Harrappa. But Khokhar chief, Chohar Khan with the help of different tribes faced the Al-exander bravely and Sandal Bar was named after his name.
The Al-exander moved away and the population of this settlement of boatmen began increasing. The scattered wild tribes began to settle there. Thus a thickly populated town came into existence. In the 4[SUP]th[/SUP] century, the ruler of this place was Raja Surcup who had managed a boundary wall around his city. This fort was well known after the name of Raja Sarcup, a cruel and cunning ruler. Being player of Chousar, he played with bet of cutting head off. He, through foul play, would defeat his opponent and, cutting head off, hang it on the gate of his fort. Just to keep his terror alive. Raja Risaloo was the son of Raja Salia. Hun with his ruling period from 375 B.C to 413 B.C. Hearing the fame of Raja Sarcup, Raja Risaloo came to play game of Chousar with him. He defeated Raja Sarcup and cut his head off. Then he made his daughter, Rani Koklan, his wife. Raja Risaloo was very fond of outing and hunting. So he kept Rani Koklan with him. He had got built summer and winter rest houses where Rani Koklan stayed. Once Raja Risaloo went for hunting in the surrounding of Hazara, leaving behind Rani Koklan alone. Raja of attoch, Hodi Bin Bakram happened to pass that way. A chance meeting between Raja Hodi and Rani Koklan drew closer which kept on and on. When Raja Risaloo came to know this romance, he murdered Raja Hodi in the Jungle and, making Kababs out of his flesh, made her eat. When Rani Koklan came to know it, she, jumping out of the window of Rest House, embraced death. Thus, the chapter of the tale of this land came to close.
http://kamalia.9f.com/History.html
