LoVe StOrY oF gReAt LoVeRs

A son was born to Shah Emir an Arab chieftain (head of group).
The boy was named Qais real name of Majnoo.
Astrologers predicted that Qais would be wandering in wilderness at the age of 12,
and would be known for the romantic saga of his life. Shah Emir produced various types of amulets, talismen and charms and offered prayers for Qais. But nothing would change the predicted destiny. As Qais grew up, he was sent to Damuscus for education at the religious school of the aged Maulavi Shafi Ullah. It was a co-education institution. The time for the prediction to come true have arrived. Laila, the daughter of the Najd chieftain, was also sent to the Damuscus school. Qais was enchanted at her first sight on seeing Laila and remained absorbed in her thoughts. The teacher(maulvi), fellow students, parents and all others tried to divert his mind and asked to concentrate on his studies, but he wouldn't listen to them and was engrossed into Laila's thoughts. On the other hand Laila was also into love with Qais.


The Love of Qais has a magnetic effect upon Laila, and the Laila Qais love tale reached the ears of the Najd chieftain. In order to protect his honour, he withdrew his daughter Laila from the school and confined her into four walls of his house, with Laila out of his sight, Qais lost his self-control and started wandering in the woods of Najd like an insane person. Laila too grew frail in the absence of Qais. Her parents failed to prevail upon her and she found it beyond her to control herself. Qais had become abonormally obsessed with the love of Laila, so people began to call him Majnoo-the obsessed man, and he in known by this name till today. Majnoo has become the symbol, the synonym, and the living embodiment of profound love.



One day Majnoo passed unaware by the palace of the Najd chieftain sighting and crying. "Oh Laila, Oh Laila!" Laila was, at that moment, talking to her father, she kept her father busy with something and ran towards the window opening on the street form where Majnoo was passing by. All of a sudden he looked up and fell unconscious as he had a glimpse of his love Laila. After a while, when he recovered his consciousness, Laila consoled him; " My beloved Qais, keep heart for a while, and don't be impatient. I belong to you, I am inseparable from you." Thou Laila was consoling Majnoo but as she herself was losing consciousness due to weakness and fell down from the window, on seeing this Majnoo went unconscious once again. Laila was picked up by her father and was this time confined to the inner sanctum of his palace. His men drove away Majnoo to wilderness and left him there.


After some time Shah Emir visited the Najd chieftain and asked for the hand of his daughter Laila for his son Qais (Majnoo). Laila's father told Shah Emir aplogetically that his son was insane and he would not marry his daughter to him. Disappointed Shah Emir reached home to see and to personally find out is Majnoo was really insane and found out that "He is of course obsessed with his love Laila, but he isn't mad," Shah Emir then went out in search of his son and found Majnoo lying unrobbed under a tree. When the Shah took Majnoo along with him to his place and pleaded him that if he is promised to behave normally in the presence of Laila's father, then he would be married to Laila. Majnoo agreed on that. A well made-up and richly attired Majnoo was taken to the palace of Najd chieftain who agreed to wed his daughter to him. In the meanwhile a dog entered the drawing room and it was introduced by the Najd chieftain as the pet of Laila, Majnoo immediately lifted the dog into his arms and kissed him passionately. Laila's father was incensed at the scene and told Shah Emir that his son was definitely insane, otherwise he would have never kissed a dog.


The news of the Najd chieftain going back on his word to give his dauaghter in marriage to Majnoo spread far and near. This enraged another arab chieftain Naufeel who laid siege of his place and arrested him . Laila's father pleaded with his captor, had you been the father of Laila, would you have given her to mad boy in marriage? If yes , I will abide by your orders. " Naufeel immediately released the Najd chieftain. Laila was once again denied to her lover who wandered in the jungles crying:" Laila! My Laila!"
Later Laila was married to Bakht, son of Ameer Salim without her willingness, on the honeymoon night Bakht threw his arms around his bride to embrace her. It became undesirable for Laila, she slapped Bakht in his face and said, "Majnoo alone could be my husband you must not touch me!" Bakht was enraged and cried out: "Talaq, Talaq, Talaq" this was enough under the islamic law for divorce. So, Laila got her divorce and she at once left for the Najd jungle in search of her lover. She found him, and both of them lay unconscious in a passionate embrace.


Laila's mother reached there right in time and took unconscious Laila home on her camels' back. On regaining consciousness Laila became aware of the situation. She could not bear to be once again separated form her lover, and she died of the shock.
The news of Laila's death reached the ears of Majnoo and on hearing it he too died instantaneously. The people of the Najd who had earlier refused to recognize Majnoo were shocked to hear of his death. They went out in search of his dead body, and on discovering it brought it to the town. The funeral procession of the two lovers was taken out jointly. Laila and Majnoo had become martyrs at the altar of customs and tradition of their society. They could not be united in life, beacause unity in life depended on social sanction which was denied to them but they were united in death as it was within the reach of their heart. And, when the frozen social consciousness was shocked by the dejected lovers' death, it melted away. The dead bodies of Laila and Majnoo were laid side by side in one grave and the hands which had failed in the sacred duty of showering flowers on the loving couple were obliged to sprinkle tender dust upon their corpses and bury them. The lips which had refused to bless them, now opned in sighs and sobs. The grave became a sacred place of pilgrimage for lovers all over the world. The ravages of time have destroyed the grave but the love-saga of Laila - Majnoo shall live for ever and ever.