MAHRI DA DEEVA

Thola, a sharecropper, was treated as a brother by the landlord, whose son Dharam Singh calls him uncle. Thola had married a nomad girl who was consequently forsaken by her parents. As a penance, Thola’s son Jagsir is condemned to remain unmarried. Jagsir falls in love with Bhani, the young bride of the local barber. Bhani too reciprocates the feeling and is punished by being sent away. When Thola dies, Jagsir builds a brick memorial, a marhi, on the land he used to till. Dharam Singh’s son Bhanta, resents the unofficial tenancy rights of Jagsir. Missing Bhani, Jagsir becomes addicted to opium. Unable to battle with Bhanta, he does not till the land. Bhanta breaks Thola’s marhi, and takes over the land given to Thola by his grandfather. Jagsir’s mother dies of shock and Jagsir starves himself to death. His friend, the water-carrier Ronki, builds his marhi in his memory, and Bhani lights the earthen lamp on it.