Damodar Gulati ( Punjabi: ਦਮੋਦਰ ਦਾਸ ਅਰੋੜਾ, ) also known as Damodar Das Arora (1605-1656), was a Punjabi poet. He hailed from Jhang. He lived during the reign of Mughal king Akbar. He wrote the '' qissa'' '' Heer and Ranjha'' (), adapted from a legend. .He claims to be the eye witness of this tale. His Qissa/story is deemed the oldest and the first Heer in Punjabi literature . He states in the poem that he is from

Jhang Jhang (Punjabi, ur, ), ) is the capital city of Jhang District, in the central portion of the province of Punjab, Pakistan. Situated on the east bank of the Chenab river, it is the 18th largest city of Pakistan by population. The historic ...

—the home of Heer, one of the poem's two main characters. He wrote this Heer in the dialect of Sandal Bar , despite this fact after the lapse of five hundred years the language used in the story is nearer to modern Majhai /Majhil dialect. He does have also a peculiar style ,at the end of a quaternary he repeats Aakkh Damodar means Say Damodar , Aakkh Damodar mein Akkhi ditha laggi hon Ladai (Say Damodar I witnessed with my eyes the battle started ) Nak tey kan tinhan da wadhaiy jo chori, yari karaindey Doja nak tinhan da wadhaiy jo haq pariaya lendey Teja nak tinhan da wadhaiy jo koi wadhi khandey Aakkh Damodar jinha sach sanjhatey sey bhashti jandey (Amputate the ears and nose of those who commit theft and have extra marital affairs, Second chop off the nose of those who usurp the right of others, Third hack off the nose of those who accept bribe, Say Damodar only those will go to paradise who recognize the truth) Toun keyoun zori karna ain qazi dery Khuda tu naheen Mera haq Ranjheeta ay,ho suneya subh lokai ley key wadhi haq ganvain kadh kitab vakkhai Aakkh Damodar Heer Akkhey qazi subh Sharah (shariah) takai. (Why do you compel me, O,qazi don't you have fear of God, Ranjheeta is mine, all the people know You (qazi) have accepted bribe, infringed my right,showing the book (shariah) Say Damodar, Heer tells qazi showed her the whole Shariah. According to the ''Encyclopædia of Indian Literature'', Gulati's work had Sikh influences.

Waris Shah Waris Shah ( pa, ; ; 1722–1798) was a Punjabi Sufi poet of the Chishti order, known for his contribution to Punjabi literature. He is primarily known as the author of ''Heer Ranjha'' . Background Waris Shah was born in Jandiala Sher Khan ...

later adapted ''Heer and Ranjha''.

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