"Heer-Ranja" is one of the famous tragic love stories of Punjab. There are several poetic narrations of the story. Waris Shah’s "Heer" is the most popular. It is rooted in rural Punjab and is a record of rituals and customs of the feudal society. It has been performed by many artists over the years and has gone undergone a lot of transition. It still occupies the central place in Punjabi folk literature.

Asa Singh Mastana talks of the popularity of Waris Shah’s Heer by pointing out how the term “Heer Waris Shah” has replaced “Heer-Ranjha”. His rendition is softer and melodic.

A Sain at Pir Waris Shah's Darbar



Judging by number of plays on Youtube, Sain Bodhi’s rendition is the most popular. His rendition is full of energy and is accompanied with the sounds of birds in the distant.

Saudagar Ram 



Saudagar Ram accompanies himself with an ektara and a dhol. The setting is a rural one. He is swift with his singing.

Madan Gopal Singh 



Madan Gopal Singh's style conveys the mood of happenings, the melancholy that is associated with the qissa.

Ghazal greats



The final track features Ghulam Ali, Mehdi Hassan, Tufail Niazi, Zahida Parveen, Bashir Ali Mahi and other famous Pakistani artists. Every artist alters the form a bit but doesn’t deviate from the folk tarz. This tarz has been preserved over the ages and marks the continuity of tradition even over regions and borders.