http://www.apnaorg.com/ad/cyprian.html

"In spite of the fact that it is found on few bookshelves and fewer bookstalls, Waris Shah's "Heer" is one of those rare books in all literature which have been popular for ages without any effort being organized on their behalf. Only a few have seen "Heer" in print, and yet millions in the Northern part of the sub-continent hear of it, quote it and refer to it, more often than to any other non-religious work. Written commentaries on "Heer" are rare, and critical introductions rarer. It does not form part of any regular curricula. But despite these disadvantages-perhaps because of them-Waris Shah's long poetic drama has been certain of its audience for generations.
The audience of "Heer" have not been as certain of it-at least they have rarely asked themselves if they were. General opinion-more on the sophisticated than on the popular level-prefers to classify "Heer" as a tragic romance. Another section of opinion likes to think of the work as a mystical allegory. And a highly respectable minority regards it an exercise in conventional morality-this despite the fact that the work has been for long thought fit for adults only. Still another section of opinion, which too is highly respectable, prefers to combine all the different notions and considers "Heer" as a work of vast and varied potentialities, containing high romance and deep pathos, with a spattering of moral aphorisms and spiritual allegory."

You are right that these isn't much here for formatting. In the beginning, I wasn't sure what kind of response we will get, so we began with a simple program. We may later convert this forum to a more sophisticated and thread-based discussion groups. You can always use any HTML command to format the appearance of your text.

APNA firmly believes that the medium of education in West Punjab's government schools must be changed from Urdu to Punjabi. Without going into much detail, let me state a few reasons as to why we have come to this conclusion:

1. We firmly believe that Punjabi is among the most viable languages in the world. It is a true statement based on all pertinent criteria that one may use to judge the viability of a language including but not limited to: the different stages of its natural development that it had gone through over more than two thousand years; number of native speakers; vastness and depth of vocabulary; richness and variety of literature, etc.

2. We concur with the consensus of experts in the field of formal education that primary education for children must be provided in their native language. There is absolutely no reason why the majority of West Punjabi children should be unfairly disadvantaged by forcing them to learn, speak, write and think from grade 1 on in a language that is not spoken in their homes.

3. We also believe that language, more than anything else, is the primary vehicle in the continuation of any culture. Words of any language have many and different connotations that can only be understood and appreciated by the native speakers and they carry with them the life experience of all past generations. Break the language link, and you end up in transplanting a child in a totally different cultural and social environment. A graduate of an Urdu medium school can better relate with the life experience of 18th and 19th century Delhi and Lakhnow residents that he learned through exclusively reading the poetry of classical Urdu poets than with his own forefathers.

4. We also believe that the native language is the only genuine and true medium of expression for any nationality, in particular for communicating their emotions and feelings to each other. Millions of Punjabi sons and daughters who even today write letters to their Punjabi speaking parents in Urdu are missing something so vital that if we sit down for a few moments and ponder on this phenomena, we will soon come to the conclusion that it is a crime against a whole nation to deprive them the proper training in written and/or spoken expression in their own language.

I invite anyone who wants to explore this point further to carefully read Shiv Kumar Batalvi's poem "Bhatti Waliye." Like the poetry of any great poet (and Shiv was not doubt one of the greatest poets of the second half of 20th century), Shiv's poetry also has many layers of meanings and expressions. At one level, one may compare him with generations of Punjabi poets who through formal training had only learned to express themselves in Urdu and Persian symbols. Shiv doesn't have to go beyond his natural environment. A Bhatti Wali of his native village could convert his raw pain into something so meaningful that he can then have the courage to travel the tough road of his destiny.

5. We also believe that lack of primary and secondary education has created a vicious circle that is the main impediment in the growth of Punjabi language in West Punjab. One can easily see this direct relationship between the medium of school instructions in a certain language and the viability of published media in that language. In West Punjab, where Urdu and, to some extent, English are the medium of instruction, these languages dominate the published media. On the other hand in Sindh and East Punjab where native languages are the medium of instruction in schools, there is a large circulation of newspapers, etc., that are published in native languages.

6. Oue view is that the current situation where generations of Punjabis have been required to learn Urdu instead of their native language Punjabi in the schools for the last 150+ years is not an Act of God. Rather, it is the result of conscious (and wrong) decisions made by various administrations that have ruled over Punjab, beginning with the earliest British administrators of Punjab after 1849.

One can disagree on many of the points I have raised above. We can argue about the history of who is responsible for imposing Urdu on West Punjab, whether it is Punjabi's themselves or some aliens. Regardless of one's views about the historical and political reasons, the fact remains that for all the good or bad intentions and right or wrong reason's Punjabi is not the medium of instructions in West Punjab.

We believe that it is wrong.

N = noon n = noon ghunna r = Re R = Are e = aey

Assaan aap na akhhiaan laaiaan
Sade laikhhaan likhhiaan saaiaan
Ishq holariaan hosh bhulai
Yaar bahjoon kai she na bhaai
Akko sorat akhhiaan chaai
phhir di jaaiaan jaaiaan
Pei phhir jaaiaan jaaiaan
Saade laikhhaan ----------
Zehr iklapa tun mun khhaae
Kis it jaanvaan samjh na aae
Ja sajnaan koi haal sonaae
Sassi roop rachaiaan
mein sassi roop rachaiaan
Saade laikhhaan ----------
Waang roahi mera under bulda
Be-parvah koi saar na ghalda
kih bhar-vaasa pal do pal da
Magroon lehn judaiaan
Saade magroon lehn judaiaan
Saade lakhhaan likhhaan saaiaan