Mahia is a folk song sung all over Punjab. It is believed that this song was prevalent in Pothobar - an area that belonged to Punjab before the division with Pakistan. Farmers used to sing Mahia while at work.
The word Mahia is derived from the word ‘mahi’ literally meaning the 'lover.' The song encodes the feelings of love and pathos. Some people believe that Mahia song is associated with the legendary lover Ranjha. By keeping the rhyming pattern, the real meaning of the song is contained in the second and third lines.
