Main Characters of Sohni Mahinwal

Mahinwal (Izzat Baig)

Izzat Baig, the hero of the folktale, was a trader from Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Being the son of a rich father, he was surrounded by servants. When he grew up, a teacher was appointed for him who gave him worldly knowledge. When he entered adolescence, he was trained in horsemanship, javelin throwing, and spearman ship. In those days, people used to go to different countries with his father's goods. On their return, Izzat Baig would find out the situation of the country, wonders of voyage from them and listen to their stories. Because of this, he also developed a passion for traveling around the world. Insisting upon his parents, he left for India.

On his way back home, his caravan stopped at Gujrat (a city near Chenab River) for a few days. One of the caravan members said that he had seen a potter in the city whose pottery was famous all over the world. He further added that he had seen a very very beautiful girl there, and had never seen such an exquisite beauty before. Upon hearing this, Izzat Baig decided to go there and reached there early the next morning. Under the pretext of buying utensils, he saw Sohni and instantly fell in love. Thanks to this love, his name is still remembered as a true lover, even though he has left this mortal world.

Sohni

The heroine of the story was called Sohni (the beautiful, in Punjabi language). She was the daughter of a potter. Whoever saw her once, could not resist admiring her beauty. Her forehead was so bright that even the moon, stars, and the sun waned in comparison. Her face was as beautiful as a red pomegranate and she had a mole on her beautiful face. Her nose was like the edge of a sword, her eyes were half-asleep enable to see the redness of her lips. Her chest was like a clear crystal, guarded by serpents of black tresses. Her feet were soft and delicate, her speech was sweet, and peacocks and geese were ashamed to see her gait. When she fell in love with Mahinwal, she remained loyal to him till her death and joined the ranks of true lovers.

Mirza Aali Baig

Mahinwal's father, Mirza Aali, was a success tradesman. His business was spread to distant lands. He was of noble lineage and was a very kind and generous man. He carried a wide variety of goods, including Kashmiri pashmina, Iranian carpets, Kashani velvet, as well as cardamom, cloves, pistachios, dates, and apples, from one country to another. As his business spread to different countries, so did his fame. Despite all the bounties of the world, he was deprived of the blessing of children. After praying at different shrines and attending to various saints, Allah Almighty gave him a son named Izzat Beg.

Tulla, the Potter

Sohni's father, Tulla, whose real name was Abdullah, was not only a skilled potter but also the richest man in his family. He was a wise man. When he felt that her daughter had fallen in love with Mahinwal, he immediately married Sohni off to another man to avoid disgrace in the family and the city.