This is a love story of Kachhwaha prince Dhola of Narwar and Poogal princess Maru. King Pingal lived in a small kingdom, Poogal. One day he decided to have his infant daughter Maru married off to Dhola, the son of Nal, the king of Narwar and his good friend. So Dhola and Maru got married at childhood (now illegal) but before they attained adulthood Nal died, and Dhola forgot the marriage vows he had exchanged with Maru at birth. So Dhola got married again to Malwani, while Maru pined away for him as her father king Pingal sent umpteen messages to Dhola which he never received as his wife Malwani had all the messengers either arrested or bumped off.[4]
But Maru got through to Dhola finally through a group of folk singers, and Dhola on learning about his first wife started off for Poogal immediately. However the cunning Malwani was not going to let both lovers meet if she could help it. As Dhola set off she sent word through a messenger that she had died and Dhola ought to hurry back. Dhola ,not oblivious of the ways of Malwani , saw the lie for what it was and carried on. His journey to Poogal was uneventful apart from an inopportune encounter with Umar Sumar, the leader of a band of robbers who tried to persuade him that his wife Maru had been married off to somebody else. Umar Sumar was himself very keen on Maru, but Dhola was having none of it. He arrived at Poogal to a tumultuous welcome and Dhola Maru were united at last. Troubles were not over yet.[4]
On the way back to Narwar, Maru was stung by a desert snake and died. Overwhelmed with grief Dhola decide to become the first ‘male sati’ in Rajput history by ascending the funeral pyre of his wife. But was saved in the nick of time by a yogi and yogini who claimed that they could bring Maru back to life. They played their musical instruments and brought back Maru to life. Umar Sumar once again enters the scene. He hadn’t rid himself of his infatuation for Maru and invited the gullible couple to spend an evening with them. However they were again warned of the dacoit’s evil intentions, this time by some folk singers. Whereupon the couple jumped atop their camel and made off for Malwa in double quick time and the couple along with Malwani lived happily ever after.[4]
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