Trilok Singh Artist Chitralok Patiala

Sohni in tricky situation like a lizard in snake's mouth

The scenic painting is based on the folk love legends of Punjab. The scene is of Sohni looking at an unbaked clay pot. She is facing a very tricky situation. It is like a lizard in snake mouth (;Zg d/ w{zj e'Vfeobh ). If the snake swallows the lizard, it is poisonous and if leaves, then it gives a bad name to snake. It is a very tricky situation. If the snake eats the lizard, it is at a loss. It it does not eat the lizard; the snake is even at a bigger loss.
Sohni is also shown in a tricky situation. She used to swim across the river Chenab to meet her beloved Mahiwal with the help of a baked clay pot. One day her sister-in-law changed the baked clay pot with an unbaked one. Sohni realized this. She was in fix. She had to go to meet Mahiwal, who was waiting for her across the river. She knew it was not possible to cross the river with the help of this unbaked clay pot. But to keep the promise made to Mahiwal, she takes the plunge into the river using the unbaked pot and was drowned in the river. The pot could not with stand the pressure in the water.
The artist has painted the night scene very beautifully. Sohni is also shown in a tricky situation to see the unbaked clay pot like a lizard in snake mouth. There are dark clouds in the sky. Moon is also shining through the clouds. The plants are dancing to the tunes of the wind. An owl, an ill omen, is sitting on the branch of a tree, looking at Sohni predicament. An alligator is also shown in river a indicative of dangerous situation.

Sohni Mahiwal

Sohni was a daughter a potter named Tulla. He lived in a village along the Chenab river in Punjab. Tulla used to make beautiful pots. People from far off places used to come to buy pottery from him. As she grows older, Sohni also used to help him is his work.
One day, a wealthy young man from Bukhara in Uzbekistan came to buy some pottery. He saw Sohni and fell in love with her. After purchasing the pots, he found excuses to come day after day just to buying more pots. When his companions decided to return to their native land, the young man decided to stay there. Days passed and his money supply dwindled. But he continued to come to her house. Then he started working there to tend for the buffaloes in Sohni’s house and got the name Mahiwal. Sohni also fell in love with him and they started meeting secretly.
Sohni’s father married her off to another potter boy from neighboring village. But Mahiwal kept on living there. Sohni’s husband was a pottery merchant who had to travel long distance to sell pottery. He used to be away from home for days on end. Sohni used to think about Mahiwal, who was living across the river.
One night with the help of baked clay pot she decided to go across the river to meet Mahiwal. She held the pot tightly and reached safely to meet Mahiwal. One day, Mahiwal did not have anything to cook for Sohni. He cut down a piece of flesh from his thigh, cooked and presented it to her. She enjoyed the food.
After Sohni returned from her night meeting with her lover, Sohni’s sister-in-law saw her keeping the pot in bushes. She was shocked and decided to teach Sohni a lesson. She placed an unbaked clay pot in place of the baked one. The next night Sohni took the pot and began her journey to meet her lover.
When she was in the middle of the river, the unbaked pot started dissolving in the water. She called for Mahiwal. Mahiwal also heard her cries and started to swim across to meet her. Due to strong current in the river, they could not reach the shore, while holding on to each other, they both drowned in the Chenab river. They met a tragic end. Against all odds, Sohni kept her promise to Mahiwal.