Punjabi Language and Literature

So far our language and literature are concerned we have been very rich, but this richness has been belittled by us by not paying adequate attention in this regard. Our own people feel shy of speaking their mother tongue Punjabi, which has the proud distinction of being the language of our eternal Guru Sri Guru Granth Sahib and the peerless Sufi Saints and writers like Baba Fareed Ji, Bulle Shah, Waris Shah etc. However, the farsighted intellectuals have become aware of the fact that if Punjabi language is lost, the Sikhs will be deprived of their religious and cultural achievements. Thus, efforts are being made by the Government as well as various organisations all over the world to popularize Punjabi through all genres of expression. Be it literary, artistic or music. Many Punjabi societies have emerged in different parts of the world for promoting the language and its literature. We have Sahit Sabhas in Punjab, Delhi, J&K and other prominent town like Toronto, Surrey, London, and Sydney etc. There are some organizations which are famous for certain specific occasions. For example, a very famous festival is celebrated annually at Fridkot in the memory of Baba Farid Ji, who is believed to have visited this palce in Sept 1215. This celebration is organized by Tilla Baba Farid Religious & Charitable Society (Regd.). This society was got registered by S. Inderjeet Singh Khalsa in 1969. He got constructed two magnificant Gurdwaras known as Godri Sahib and Tila Sahib. Baba Farid’s birth anniversary is celebrated by this organization and this celebration has become since then, a national festival. Khalsa Ji, the mukh sewadar of this organization has also constituted two awards namely Baba Farid Award for Honesty and Bhagat Puran Singh Award for Service to Humanity which carries siropa, doshala, citation and Rs. One Lakh in cash. Prominent personalities of India who have been the recipient are like Dr. Kiran Bedi, IPS, Mr. Kanwar Vijay Pratap Singh, IPS, Mr. L. K. Yadav, IPS, Er. Padamjit Singh, Justice Nank Chand Khichi, Dr. Inderjit Kaur, Dr. Gursharan Singh alias Bhai Manna Singh fame, Mahant Tirath Singh Ji, Dr. Harshinder Kaur, S. Jagdev Singh Jasowal, Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, S. Harvinder Singh Phoolka etc. This organization has also built two educational institutions namely Baba Farid Public School and Baba Farid Law College which now enjoy the national status in India. This organization may be contacted on M. No. of S. Preetpal Singh Tuli at 7589203508. A number of organisation are also existing after the names of prominent Punjabi writers like Bhai Vir Singh, Prof. Puran Singh, Warish Shah, Prof.
Mohan Singh and Kahan Singh Nabha. Such organisations are also aimed at encouraging our persons in foreign countries to create new Punjabi literature outside India.

Punjabi Language Literary Societies

Although Punjabi Language Literary Societies have been setup at many places in India and abroad, Delhi, the capital of India is the hub of such societies. We have many prominent Organisations which are aimed at promoting Punjabi Language and Culture. To start with, mention may be made of Delhi Governmen’s efforts in this regard.

Punjabi Academy

Punjabi Academy is the name given to an organization which works under the respective Governments for the promotion of Punjabi Language and Culture. Whereas, in Punjab, Bhasha Vibhag at Patiala, Punjabi University and Guru Nanak Dev University are doing considerable work for the promotion of Punjabi Language and culture and the Agriculture University of Ludhiana and colleges affiliated with these universities are having Punjabi departments for this purpose, Punjabi Academy in Delhi is the only organization which is functioning for this purpose on behalf of Delhi Government. After independence, a large number of Punjabis had shifted from Pakistan to Delhi and settled there. The Punjabi language became so popular in the capital that it became almost the second language after Hindi. Thus, the Delhi Administration under the Delhi Government established a Punjabi Academy in Sept. 1981. This academy has its head office at Delhi Community centre, Sadar Thana Road, Motia Khan, Paharganj, Delhi. This academy organizes social and cultural programmes with vivacious performances like Bhangra, Gidda and Punjabi Folk Songs. It also organizes a Rashtriya Kavi Darbar on the Independence Day. The academy also honours Punjabi Litterateurs and other Punjabi Achievers in respective fields. Its contact nos. are 011-23616265, 23616243, 23514692 and 23615979.

Punjabi Sahit Sabha, Delhi

Punjabi Sahit Sabha is an old organization which organizes literary functions of different types. Bhapa Pritam Singh was famous Punjabi Literary personality and active member of this organization. Since his death, a Memorial lecture is organized every year. The 13th such memorial lecture in his memory was organized this year in the month of September. Dr. Swarajbir read a paper entitled Guru Nanak Dev ji Ki Vani, Samajik Sangharsh Ki Sakshi. Those who attended the lecture included Dr. Jaspal Singh, former V.C. of Punjabi University Patiala, Dr. Renuka Singh, chairperson of Punjabi Sahit Sabha, Balbir Madhopuri, and CMD of Punjab & Sind Bank S. Jatinderbir Singh. On this occasion a book was also released in the memory of Bhapa Pritam Singh. Punjabi Sahit Sabha Delhi also organizes every year a Mehfil program known as “Dhup Di Mehfil”. Recently in February 2019 when this program was organized, Punjabi writers, teachers and lovers attended the function. The Chairman of the Sahit Sabha Dr. Renuka Singh and President Gulzaar Singh Sandhu welcomed all these attendees including a famous film maker, Sherjeo Skepagnini from Italy.

Punjabi Promotion Council

Punjabi Promotion Council is not only engaged in promotion of Punjabi language but also does many social works for the betterment of the society. Recently, the council opened a computer centre in Tihar Jail for giving computer training to the prisoners. S. M.P. Singh, the Chairman of the council along with his team were present on the occasion on 16 November 2018. The Jail authorities thanked the council particularly S. Jaswant Singh Bobby, the President of the Council who took personal interest in this project with a view to enable the prisoner to rehabilitate themselves when they go out of prison. This organisation celebrates Guru Nanak Birthday also with the prisoners. Waris Virse De is an organization headed by S. Parminder Pal Singh, which is also aimed at promoting Punjabi Language and Culture. They are mainly against the Vulgarity in Punjabi Songs. There is one Punjabi helpline, which organisation encourages both the teachers and the students who are associated with Punjabi subject. Recently, they decided to honour those teachers who encourage more and more students to take Punjabi as the subject. Furhter, the sanstha’s management committee, S. Parkash Singh Gill, S.P. Singh, Mohinderpal Munjal and Sunil Kumar Bedi also took a decision that the teachers who will give hundred per cent result in class X and XII in Punjabi subject will also be honoured. In addition, there are Punjabi Promoting organizations in various schools, colleges and other institutions of the capital city (including department of Punjabi in Delhi University). The number of such organisations is so big that they cannot be mentioned in details in the short space available in these pages.
However, this number can be gauged from the fact that recently a good number of such organizations had met at Baba Ram Dev Library and took an important decision to hold an All India Punjabi conference in near future. Dr. Harmeet Singh opened the meeting and S. Parkash Singh Gill President Punjabi Helpline, Delhi put up the proposal to organize a conference. Dr. Prithvi Raj Thapar, Gen. Secretary Punjabi Lok Manch stated that it was a good idea and teachers, writers, scholars and students should all be brought on a common platform to discuss the innovative plans for the progress of Punjabi brotherhood. Ganda Singh Trust was represented by Harpreet Singh and Punjabi Parcharni Sabha by its President Bhai Manider Pal Singh. The other organizations which participated included Punjabi Lok Manch, Master Surjeet Singh Memorial Society, Punjabi Sahit Sabhyachar Manch.
Such like organizations are also functioning in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, New York, Los Angels, Sydney, London, Lahore and many other big towns of India and Abroad. They hold regularly certain get togethers in the shape of Poetry recitations, storytelling, critical evaluation of Literary works and Book release of certain writers. Canada has the maximum Punjabi population after India and as such, the number of such organisation is quite big there and this network is spread over different states of Canada. To start with Surrey, we have an important organisation which holds a famous Annual Mela in Surrey. This organisation is named as Prof. Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation.

Prof. Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation

Prof. Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation of Canada was founded for various purposes including promoting of Punjabi Literature and Culture. The Foundation holds the annual “Gadri Babiyan Da Mela” in Surrey, British Columbia every year. The Mela is in its 21st year, and is attended by folk singers, dancers, entertainers (from US, India and other parts of Canada) and local dignitaries and politicians. Hundreds of volunteers help the Foundation host the ‘Mela’ in Bear Creek Park in Surrey every August Long Weekend. This festival typically hosts 70,000+ guests every year, including Prime Ministers and Federal Cabinet Ministers, Bollywood and Punjabi entertainment superstars, and many foreign and local dignitaries. Its president is Sahib Thind and contact number is 604-375-9837.

Punjab Bhawan in Surrey Canada

In Vancouver, many other programmes are also organised to promote Punjabi language and culture. It is in view of such programmes that a prominent businessman and a lover of Punjabi Language and Literature has set up a Punjab Bhawan for organizing such programs. Punjab Bhawan setup in Surrey Canada in 2016 is a great step in the cultural development of Punjabis in Canada. This was setup by Shri Sukhi Bath (Contact no. 0016045064426), a famous business tycoon of Canada, who dedicated it to his father late S. Arjan Singh Bath. Mr. Sukhi Bath is associated with various organisations and social activities in Canada and India. At the time of inauguration of this first Punjab Bhawan on foreign lands Mr. Sukhi Bath announced that this Bhawan would provide a unique platform for all communities based in Canada. Punjab Bhawan will keep its door open for any kind of welfare and development of Punjabi culture and language activities. He created Sukhi Bath Foundation in 1994 for the purpose of promoting Punjabi cause and values. Since then Punjab Bhawan has been used for various charitable purposes like holding of eye camps or other helping projects as well as for cultural events of the community.

Punjab Bhavan Inaugurated in Surrey, Canada

Giving details of the activities, Shri Sukhi Bath apprised that Sukhi Bath Foundation has been proud to sponsor, organize and run weddings for the impoverished, eye surgery camps and artificial limb centres, scholarship funds for women in need in India and cultural events in both Canada and abroad. The contact details of Punjab Bhawan are address: 15453 Fraser Hwy, Surrey, BC V3R 3P6, Canada, Phone No. : +1604-580-1000.

Punjabi Sahit Sabha, Ontario

The Ontario state of Canada is the hub of the activities of Punjabi organisations. Punjabi Sahit Sabha Ontario was founded by S. Lachman Singh Aujala in 1976. Under his leadership this Sahit Sabha made tremendous programs and its impact was felt upto Ottawa, Montreal and even to Windsor and further in America also. A number of activities of the organisations were held at different places and souvenir was published from time to time giving information about such activities. When S. Aujala died in 2015, the Sahit Sabha’s influence started declining. At one point of time, its activities were restricted to Hamilton only as many other new organisations and newspapers in Punjabi had come into being by that time. Gradually, the new office bearers started making efforts to make the organisation active. S. Sulakhan Singh Hundal initiated to invite the people for a meeting in Brampton library and many persons responded to his call. S. Joginder Singh Bajwa and S. Sulakhan Singh Hundal became patrons and captain Sahni and S. Gurdial Singh Deol emerged as the office bearer to carry on the its activities. When 150th Year Celebration of Canada was made, the organisation celebrated it along with 40th year of its existence and the programme organised in this regard was attended by a large number of people. Prominent Punjabi poets participated and the programme was covered by various T.V. Channels and media. The organisation plans to increase its activities further as to make a useful contribution for the promotion of Punjabi language and literature. For any information regarding this organisation, S. Gurdial Singh Deol may be contacted on 9052850331(M). Many other organizations which came up in different parts of Ontario also started holding literary getherings at periodical intervals. For example, Kalma Da Kafla is a literary get-to-gather which takes place on the last Saturday of every month in Toronto. In these get-to-gathers Kavi Darbars, story-telling sessions etc. are organised. The book release and the book review programmes are also made a part of these gatherings. A few organizations have been holding such contests which also attract the Punjabis to their culture. The two such contests are mentioned hereunder for understanding the importance of such contests.

Sabhyacharak Saath – Miss World Punjaban

Sabhyacharak Saath is an organisation based in Punjab. S. Jasmer Singh Dhatt was its founder and the present Chairman. This organisation is specially known for its Annual Competition known as Miss World Punjaban Competition. This competition is organised every year at different places. In 2017, this was held in Toronto (Canada). It may be mentioned here that this Miss World Punjaban competition is different from competition organised by PTC. That is known as Miss PTC Punjabi. Both the competitions are meant for the young Punjabi girls to come forward and showcase their hidden talent. The auditions are held at different places and the finalists compete for the prestigious title. It may be added that PTC channel also holds competition of Mr. Punjab. Such like reality shows are also a significant step for promoting our language and culture as the youth gets attracted to such programmes and connect itself to the language and its cultural attachments of music, dancing and other skills.

Bhangra and Gidda Groups

In every human society, dancing is one of the expressions of happiness. That is why every community or nation has its own social dances for specific happy occasions. Punjab, like its music, is also famous for its social dances, particularly, Bhangra by male persons and Gidda by females. These social dances have become a part of our culture and heritage. Sikhs being an important segment of Punjabis are known for these dances. That is why, there is hardly any educational institution in Punjab or anywhere else associated with Punjabi culture, which does not have its Bhangra/Gidda team. This culture of dancing has also penetrated in other countries because of large migration of Sikhs/Punjabis to those countries. In its present form Bhangra is a dance which is performed to the beat of a drum called Dhol. What the singer sings to stimulate dancing steps are known in Punjabi as Boliyan. Sometimes other instruments like algozeh, tutrhi and dholak are also used. Similarly, in Gidda also the ladies speak some stanza and then at the end of it dance together in a swift manner. Like India, the Punjabi students including Sikhs have made their Bhangra and Gidda teams in foreign educational institutions/universities also. We have already mentioned a Dalhousie University (in Canada) team which has become very popular in North America. In USA also, such teams can be seen in San Francisco, Los Angles and Yuba City. In Brampton and Surrey (of Canada) many centres have opened where classes are given in these dances. For example, Shaan Punjab Di is such a centre located in Brampton which offers classes in Bhangra, Gidda, Dhol and Boliyan. Shaan Punjab Dee Bhangra group has won many competitions. It won the first place in the Bruin Bhangra Championship in Los Angeles recently. This is the troupe’s sixth first place trophy in a row. Shaan Punjab Dee has had a major impact on Punjabi cultural preservation and dissemination in the GTA area. They run three centres which impart training in bhangra, giddha and dhol percussion to scores of youngsters. Shaan Punjab Dee has also earned a reputation for their annual dance competition called Bhangra in the 6ix – which had grown into Canada’s largest competition of its kind. In 2018, the 6ix was organized at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga on July 21. This competition was won by Punjabi Loknaach Academy Toronto. This academy also won a competition held on 4 August 2018 (organised by Flower City). There is another centre in Toronto known as Nachdi Jawani. One group known as Gabroo Punjab De is also well known. In Vancouver, Royal Academy is imparting training in such dances. Such like groups often win various competitions of Bhangra and Gidda held in North America from time to time. In Australia and Newzealand also several Bhangra and Gidda Groups have started emerging. In India we have more than 100 Bhangra Groups in Delhi, similar number in Ludhiana and more than 25 in Chandigarh.

Promiting Punjabi Music and Drama

Most of the organizations in India and Abroad have concentrated on the promotion of Punjabi Prose and Poetry. There are famous places where our great prose writers and poets lived and which are still continuing to play an important role in promoting these gennes. The places like Preet Nagar and Virsa Vihar in Amritsar, being associated with literary veterans, are being kept alive with such activities. Our fairs, dances like Bhangra and Giddha, sports like Kabaddi and Gatka are all being promoted by some or the other organisations. We have discussed in this book about these various aspects in appropriate chapters. We have also discussed regarding Sikh music in a different chapter to show as how important role, it has been playing in our spiritual as well as social life. Punjabi songs generally become popular and people flock in big number to the shows and concerts where Punjabi music is presented. It is noticed that as the number of Punjabis has increased in foreign countries, our famous Punjabi artists have been visiting those countries to entertain their brothers and sisters living there. A number of artists like Gurdas Mann, Harbhajan Mann, Daljeet Dusanjh and Waris Brother visit the western world with Punjabi Virsa programmes.
Whereas the gennes like prose, poetry and fiction grow with the contribution of writers, the genre of drama progresses only when along with the drama writers, there are artists to stage the dramas. When S. Gursharan Singh, popularly known as Bhaji, was living in Amritsar, a lot of Punjabi Drama Activity could be seen in the city. He had made the drama activity so popular not only in Amritsar, but also in the villages by playing street plays (also known as Nukkar plays). These plays not only entertained the people, but also gave them a social massege. However, when he shifted to Chandigarh this activity declined in Amritsar. S. Jatinder Singh Brar, a businessman of Amritsar had a great love for Punjabi theatre. He was associated with this theatre even when Gursharan Singh ‘Bhaji’ and many other persons from his team like Jasbir Singh Alhuwalia, Narinder Pal Singh Walia and also Balraj Sahni, who later on became a great film personality were great names of Punjabi theatre. Thus, when Punjabi theatre started loosing popularity in Amritsar, he thought of reviving it at any cost. He played a vital role by not only writing a good number of plays, but also uniting many of the famous play writes and stage actors of today to come together to restore the earlier popularity to this genre. He started Punjabi Naatshala, a theatre just opposite Khalsa College, Amritsar. He spent most of his time and also a lion’s share of his earning in establishing this Naatshala which provides free basic theatrical requirements for rehearsals and staging of high quality plays. When, in March 2018 twenty years of completion were celebrated, this Naatshala presented a number of plays and started new programmes. These new programmes included nurturing of special talent. Jitender Brar stated that “Keeping to our tradition or promoting the cause of theatre, Punjab Naatshala will inaugurate its studio theatre, an intimate space created exclusively to teach theatre and drama to special children and artistes”. Known for nurturing artistes alike Kapil Sharma, Bharti Singh, Rajiv Thakur, Chandan Prabhakar and Anita Devgan, the Naatshala will for the first time officially commence teaching in theatre and performing arts. The Naatshala, in the course of these celebrations, also observed World Theatre Day when Bharti Singh and the famous Punjabi poet Surjit Patar were invited.

Virsa Vihar, Amritsar

Virsa Vihar, located in Amritsar is also a society Registered at PB/2009/0020703, which is headed by a noted personality of Punjabi drama, Sh. Kewal Dhaliwal who also encourages and organises Punjabi plays and festivals. Kahn Singh Pannu is the Chief functionary of this organisation with Baljeet Kaur Johal as the Secretary. The contact details of the organisation are, address: Gandhi Ground, Near Guru Nanak Auditorium, Amritsar, Punjab 143001, Phone: 09988175811.

Punjabi Drama in Foreign Countries

In addition to the Punjabi drama activities in Amritsar, Punjabi plays are also staged in other cities like Bathinda, Patiala, Chandigarh, Delhi, Mumbai etc. In foreign countries also we have organisations which promote Punjabi theatre. For example, we have Punjabi Theatre Academy in U.K. This academy aims to promote awareness and to educate younger generations within the Asian and non-Asian community of the rich heritage and history of Punjabi culture, Through Punjabi based art and theatre productions to bring together all Asians and non-Asians, regardless of religion/race/culture, whether they be Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jew, Buddhist or Hindu. Thus, they aim to break down these religious barriers and cultural tension that exist within society by bringing these communities together, To empower ethnic minorities, younger generations and the disabled by creating new platforms for them to express themselves creatively with one another and within mainstream society, To train and encourage disadvantaged people within the community to participate in theatrical and music/dance productions and hence improving their confidence in becoming achievers and successful and stable members of society and to improve social and economic links with other communities and community run organisations locally, nationally and internationally. S. Bhupinder Singh is the Chairperson of this organisation and S. Tejinder Singh Sindra is the Project Director.
S. Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, who had remained associated with the Amritsar Theatre for a long time is now settled at Sydney in Australia. He has also setup a Naatshaala, Theatre of Peace in Sydney. His group has staged certain Punjabi plays like Faasle, Payedaan, Nazdeeki Doorian, Ek Nayee Subah and also English play ‘Sins of Father’ written by S. Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia himself. One of the plays ‘Faasle’, written by S. Jatinder Singh Brar was staged in Sydney when S. Jatinder Singh Brar visited the town. In Northern America, we have considerable Punjabi drama activities in State of Ontario (in Canada). We have Ontario Punjabi Theatre and Arts (OPTAA) organization which has staged a number of Punjabi Plays in the recent years. This team of talented actors has shown its talent in all kind of plays, social, religious and even comedy plays. The list of these plays includes Tutan Wala Khooh, Tein Ki Dard Na Aya, Mirch Masala, Sadhe Thee Din, Behja Behja Ho Gai, Roti via London & Hind Di Chadar. This organization can be contacted on contact No 905-799-8088. There is another organization in Toronto which is popularly known as ‘Hats
Up’. This organization has also presented a number of plays at Rose Theatre, Brampton. These plays include all types of plays including comedies. Some of the plays staged by them depicted the life of the people living in Canada. For example, one of the plays written by Late S. Gursharan Singh shows the miserable condition of parents invited by their son in Canada. This play, titled, ‘Santaap’ has been staged many times. There is another play named ‘Karobari Planning’ written and directed by Heera Randhawa which again is based upon life of Punjabis in Canada. A play on the life of Martyr Bhagat Singh written by Pali Bhupinder has also been a great hit. The play ‘Golden Tree’, showing the life of Farm workers in Canada, was based upon a true incident. Written by Kulwinder Khera, it had an affective background music composed by Harinder Sohal (a well known music director from Amritsar). This play has also been staged more than once. It may be mentioned here that all these plays have been directed by Heera Randhawa, who is a well known name in the field of Punjabi theatre and journalism. He is also an actor and has worked in several plays and movies. He is, infact, the main person behind this organization known as ‘Heritage, arts and theatre society of united production’ (Hats up).

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