Damodar

Damodar is considered the pioneering qissakar (narrative poet) of Punjabi qissa literature and was a contemporary of the Mughal emperor Akbar. He was the first to compose a qissa based on the romantic folk tale of Heer and Ranjha. Damodar’s work marked a significant departure from the predominantly religious orientation of earlier Punjabi poetry, as he connected poetic expression with the emotional and lived experiences of the common people.