Sonikot and the Princess Miukhai Soni
Description
The legend goes that in ancient times, Gilgit was a desolate place and is believed to even have been used as a jail during the era of Hazrat Sulaiman. The area was submerged in water with few habitable spots like Napurabasin, Sonikot, Nayikui, Barmas, and Jutial. It was said that Gilgit was inhabited by jinns, among them a formidable one named Saifur Dev who resided in Napurabasin. Once upon a time a prince named Behram from Iran ventured into the area on a hunting expedition. Upon hearing tales of the dangerous Saifur Dev who dwelled in Sonikot, he also learned of the abduction of a princess, Miukhai Soni, because she only ate bone marrow (miu) also known as soni. This incident gave Sonikot its name. Saifur Dev, known for his immense power and periodic dormancy, had cap-tured Princess Soni on her wedding day, keeping her confined for six months at a time. The prince, determined to rescue her, waited for the moment Saifur Dev would sleep. When the opportune time came, the prince approached Sonikot and conversed with Princess Soni through a window called somu. He devised a plan to free her by using his wit and courage. When Saifur Dev slept, the prince entered the lair through the window, broke the door open from within, and confronted the jinn. Princess Soni, overwhelmed with emotion upon seeing the prince, shed tears of joy and sorrow, having been isolated for so long. The prince, moved by her plight, promised to free her from captivity. With cunning and bravery, he incapacitated Saifur Dev, liberating Princess Soni from her clutches. In the end, the prince married Princess Soni, known also as Guladam, and returned with her to Iran.
This tale became part of both Iranian and Chinese folklore, each claiming ownership of the princess and thereby shaping the narrative of Gilgit's history.
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