Peeluਪੀਲੋ

What is known

Peelu (also spelled Pilu) was a Punjabi dramatic poet known for his rendition of the tragic romance Mirza Sahiban, one of the four great tragic romances of Punjab alongside Heer Ranjha, Sohni Mahiwal and Sassi Punnun. He is traditionally dated to about 1580-1675 and is said to have been a contemporary of the Mughal emperor Akbar, but these dates cannot be verified and should be treated as approximate. His disciple is named in the sources as Hafiz Barkhurdar. His birthplace is disputed: some accounts name Amritsar, others the town of Bhaun in Chakwal. His poetry, written in Punjabi, reflects the culture of the Thal region. Little else about him can be established with confidence.

Mirza Sahiban and the Sikh tradition

According to Sikh tradition recorded in the Gurbilas literature, Peelu, together with Kahna Bhagat, Chajju Bhagat and Shah Husain, visited Guru Arjan in Amritsar when the Guru was compiling the Adi Granth, hoping to have his compositions included in the scripture. Guru Arjan considered the request but declined, judging the verses not in line with Sikh tenets. The hymn Peelu offered survives: 'Pilo asan nalon se bhale jamdian jo mue' — 'O Pilo, those who died at the very moment of birth were better than you.'