Having myself considering a semi input person to this discussion forum for few years. lately I've seen a lot of regular folks are stepping back from what they have to say. Duniya de Jhanjat I can understand but EISI V KI GALL HAI KE KOI TOHADE DIL VICH KOI VAL-VALE HI NAHI UTHDEY so com'on people SPEAK SPEAK SPEAK. like a saying in punjabi JAD TAK ROVO NA MAA VI DUDH NAHI DINDI. so stir up something SOCHAAN DE TAAKRE HI KOI SUJH DI CHINAG CHADANGE JIS TON ILM TE AQAL DA BHAMBAD UTHEYGAA. right now is the need is for this fire to be kept ALIVE.

PUNJABI ZINDABAD

A very interesting Article re: Punjabi Boli hare is the Link. It is in Gurmukhi I hope some one can convert it into Shahmukhi

http://www.5abi.com/gyan-vigyan/bhasha-vigyan/280903_punjabiay-rakanay_gurmeet-V2.htm

Today's Dawn, Karachi published the views of Dr. Muhammed A. Shahid on Punjabi not Shahmukhi.

ARTICLE: Punjabi not Shahmukhi

By Dr Muhammed A. Shahid

Punjabi is a language that has been in existence since pre- Sanskrit and pre-Vedic times. Punjabi is, however, a relatively recent name for this ancient language. Late Mohammed Asif Khan did extensive research on the word Punjab, and concluded that the first written evidence of the use of the word Punjab is to be found in the 12th century. He quotes some verses in Persian from Shah Ne'mat Allah Wali (1152AD) in support of his claim:

Punjab shehr Lahore hamm

deraah jaat choon Kashmeer

mulk Mansoor geerand ghaibana

He also refers to a portion of a letter in Persian from Shahab-ad-Din Ghauri (1193AD) to the Rajas in Hindustan:

Ba shumaa sulah kunem keh

sarhind, Punjab wa Multan ba

maa shud wa baqi mamaalik

Hindustaan ba shumaa

Muslims now have a distinctly different and well-established script for writing Punjabi and it is very old. It is the same script in which Baba Farid left his writings for us (Baba Saheb reportedly died in about 1265, and was a contemporary of Maulana Rumi, d.1273). The Persian-based Punjabi script/Imla' has a long history and has been used for centuries for writing Punjabi. A brief account of the history of this script can be found at http://www.nawaiwaqt.com.pk/daily/may-2003/15/index.htm

This is a historical fact that the official language during the Raj of Ranjeet Singh was Persian. Shahmukhi is an illogical misnomer for the written script, which is claimed to be the only one for Punjabi.

There is a very good reason why the Muslim Punjabis have adopted the script that they have. The nature of social forces in Pakistan is such that any suggestion of even remotely linking the written Punjabi language in Pakistan with Gurmukhi will hurt the larger cause of Punjabi in Pakistan. No one wants that to happen.

Users of a language are at many different levels. Expert linguists have to learn many different languages and scripts to do their job effectively. Late Mohammad Asif Khan, a Punjabi scholar, and Annemarie Schimmel, a German scholar, are two such excellent examples. But the majority of ordinary users of any language, and Punjabi is no exception, have much simpler needs and those needs are driven by social, cultural, religious and other regional factors specific to their environment.

"Jagg Nachda menooN Vekhey"

Lo laali merey aadarshaaN di
Tann-mann mera sekey
AkhhiaaN vehRe sooraj magde
Surt sojha merey lekhey
Shala Shah Hussain theevaN meiN
MagroN lehn bolekhey
....Jagg nachda menooN vekhey

Koee surt sonehaaN ban ke
gehr gehr ja meN vassaN
RaNjhan theevan vich keeh chus e
Jagg saare nooN dassaN
Ishq di ramz pachhanaN Moala
Eh likh merey lekhey
....Jagg nachda menooN vekhey

Javed Zaki,

I feel that in the second 'baNd' of the geet, the world "hoor" may be "hook OR kook". The word 'hook Or kook' with 'mashook' appears to be the most appropriate in establishing the lyrical melody of the 'baNd'.

UchiaN LamiyaN TahliaN ve Mahiya
Vich Gujri di (hook)
PeeNgh CchuteNde do jane oe
Aashiq te Mashook

Javed Zaki

You are absolutely right Baljit Pa'a. Thanks for posting this bit of information. I did come across other variants of the same song. If I retrieve them from my somewhat chaotically maintained records, I would feel privileged to share them with the larger readership of APNA. Cheers Sukhbir

Uchian lamiyan Tahlian ve mahiya
Heth vage dariya
Main Darya Di macchli ve Mahi toon
Banke Bagla Aa.

Uchian Lamiyan Tahlian ve Mahiya
Vich Gujri di hoor
Peengh Cchutende do jane oe
Aashiq te Mashook

Baljit

If Shafqat Tanvir Mirza’s list of Punjabi Poets left out some names, I would strongly assume that it was not intentional, as I know him. Secondly, he is least of a person to be labeled as a communalist. To me, these are just trivial issues when analyzed in the overall context of the article. Moreover, according to my understanding, the ethics of literary criticism demand that a critic must point out both ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ aspects of a piece of literature, rather just indulging in to tear it apart on a subjectively assumed disqualifications. I personally believe that there was no need to write so severe criticism to demean Shafqat Sahib.

Javed Zaki

Lafzaali

Roahi= Thhal da ilaaqa (Sussi da Illaqa)
SaaNwal = Saajan (Saraiki) Soani= Saawan
Deh= Jussa
Bajjal= Aib wali, be-kaar
Aogunn= Jidde vich koee khoobi naaN hove
Sukhh-saar= chiNgi khabar den wala
Sochajjal= chuj de kam karan wala

Mr Shafqat Tanvir Mirza makes the following comments in his article adduced here by Mr Zaki:

"The Sikh writers like Dr Mohan Singh, Amrita Preetam, Davinder Sathiarthi, Darshan Singh Awara, Takht Singh, Kartar Singh Duggal, Balwant Gargi, Prabhjot Kaur, Ajeet Kaur, Shiv Kumar Batalvi, Daleep Tiwana, Kulwant Singh Virk, Sheila Gujral, Harbhajan Singh Hundal and many others made brilliant contributions to Punjabi."

I do not know what the possible politics behind such a ludicrous inventory of the so-called "sikh writers" could have been, I am not a little amazed at how uncannily this inventory reads like another such "scroll of honour" from an article written by another literary luminary carried out in the Dawn. It is indeed sad to note how little effort people are willing to make to actually substantiate their scholarship. I make bold to say here that this inventory is outrageously funny.

First, I would like to take up minor inaccuracies not that it matters much. Devinder Satyarthi, Balwant Gargi, Shiv Batalvi and Sheila Gujral are not Sikh but Hindu writers. But, of course, this will be a highly objectionable classification - dividing poets in terms of their communal identities unless their ouevre is specifically infused by a religious ideology and is crying to be identified as such. I would have the greatest of difficulty in accepting Shah Hussain, Bulle Shah, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Najm Hussain Sayyed as Muslim poets and likewise I would be very uncomfortable in slotting Mohan Singh (incidentally, he was not a Dr unless of course the author is confusing this Mohan Singh with Dr Mohan Singh Diwana), Amrita Pritam, Satyarthi, Gargi or Batalvi along communal identities.

And now very briefly a comment about the lesser unfortunate fact of the complilation of this scroll of honour: how on earth someone could identify the so-called Sikh poets as a phenomenon beginning only from the early 40s is something that defies all credible logic. How someone in his/her critically well-honed mind could place both Amrita Pritam and Sheila Gujral in a list of literary giants remains an impregnable enigma. Prabhjot Kaur likewise would have the greatest of difficulties in finding acceptance as a writer of even modest consequence. And how does Mr Mirza eke out the critical space to so movingly accomodate both Mr Takht Singh and Harbhajan Hundal? And how does he ignore a literary giant like Harbhajan Singh? This list is exasperatingly misleading. There is no space in it for Puran Singh (arguably the greatest poet of the 20th century Punjab), no space for Bawa Balwant, no foothold for contemporary poets like Misha and Jagtar, no mention of Harnam, Pash, Amarjit Chandan, Lal Singh Dil, Waryam Sandhu and Surjit Pattar. But it showcases, of all people, a Sheila Gujral - an absolutely an inconsequential figure. And, yes, what about the so-called "Sikh poets" from the 15th century onward? Sukhbir

By Shafqat Tanvir Mirza

Punjabi poets and writers' efforts in this period were directed towards removing the sense of alienation the people felt towards the language.

For a very long time local languages of the subcontinent and their literature remained totally neglected in relation to the official languages like Arabic, Sanskrit, Persian, etc. We hardly find any reference to local poets and writers in these languages. For instance, Shah Husain, a 16th century Russali poet who was the pioneer of the kafi genre has not been mentioned in any of the Persian accounts of his period. This great malamati saint of Lahore was mentioned casually by Maulvi Abdul Qadir Badayuni in his rare book Nijatul Rasheed not as a poet or sufi or a learned man but as a friend of a Mughal prince.

Given this approach, education was imparted in the mother tongue but to be called a literate one had to read and write Persian or Urdu. Proficiency in Punjabi was no qualification for a job. Not surprisingly this was a very barren period for Punjabi literature.

Meanwhile, the three religious communities living in Punjab found themselves searching for their linguistic identity. The Sikhs stood for Punjabi which was not adopted as the official language even by Maharaja Ranjeet Singh and his successors. The Hindus identified themselves with Hindi while the Muslims enthusiastically turned to Urdu which had deep links with Punjabi, but had been ignored by the generation of those times. Punjabi, however, still served the cause of the sufis.

As the Sikhs adopted Punjabi as the language of their religion theirs was the major role in its enrichment. The only difference was that all their work was in the Gurmukhi script which was not accepted by the Punjabi Muslims. The Sikh writers like Dr Mohan Singh, Amrita Preetam, Davinder Sathiarthi, Darshan Singh Awara, Takht Singh, Kartar Singh Duggal, Balwant Gargi, Prabhjot Kaur, Ajeet Kaur, Shiv Kumar Batalvi, Daleep Tiwana, Kulwant Singh Virk, Sheila Gujral, Harbhajan Singh Hundal and many others made brilliant contributions to Punjabi.

In the beginning of the twentieth century Punjabi poetry lost its three major poets Khwaja Farid, Mian Muhammad Bukhsh and a little later Maulvi Ghulam Rasul. They belonged to three different regions where different dialects were spoken. Mian Muhammad Bukhsh was from Mirpur (Azad Kashmir) confluence of Pahari, Potohari and Lehnda, Ghulam Farid was from Seraiki-Lehnda belt and Maulvi Ghulam Rasul was from Mahja-Malwa belt. But all of them wrote in Lehnda-oriented language which had been the medium of all the classical poets from Baba Farid to Najm Husain Syed.

Under the changed political conditions of the twentieth century, the Muslim Punjab now produced Allama Iqbal, Maulana Zafar Ali Khan and Khushi Muhammad Nazir. It would be wrong to believe that all Punjabi Muslim writers had abandoned the language and the field had been surrendered to the Sikhs.

In the first stage people like Maula Bukhsh Kushta, Saeen Ahmad Ali and Sanian Peshawri made substantive contributions to Punjabi literature. Some important political events invited their attention notably the Khilafat Movement, the Jallianwala tragedy, the struggle for independence, the demand for a separate Muslim state and the communal riots of 1947.

The Punjabi Muslim writers who had been writing in languages other than Punjabi became conscious of the literary assets of their mother tongue. This realization led teachers and scholars like Prof Fazl-i-Haq, Sir Shahabuddin, Barrister Abdul Aziz, Prof Zia Muhammad Zia and Maulvi Muhammad Shafi to seriously ponder the relevance of Punjabi literature. This trend began in the twenties and even Allama Iqbal, while appreciating the mystic and nationalistic contents of Punjabi poetry, said he regretted that because of his training in other languages he could not write in Punjabi. He exhorted Punjabis to write in the language of their people. He was all praise for the poetry of Khwaja Ghulam Farid.

During the independence struggle Punjabi poets made notable contributions but most of these could not be preserved. Among them were Ustad Ishq Lehr, Muhammad Din Joneka, Zaheer Niazbeg, Abdul Kareem Mujahid and Daim Iqbal Daim. Until then no serious attention was paid to prose by the Muslims, while the Sikhs had brought out many newspapers and magazines in Punjabi, which had become their political language as well. Apart from literature, they were producing hundreds of books on religious, political and historical themes.

The language was taught in government schools and the script was Gurmukhi which separated the two Punjabi communities. The language was made the medium of instruction at the primary level in Patiala state. The other Sikh states had also patronized the language. The prose written in the central Punjab was mainly in Mahji dialect in contrast to the richest tradition of poetry in Lehnda dialect. In the thirties and the forties the All-India Radio, Lahore Station and the film industry also came to the help of Punjabi writers, particularly playwrights.

The major factor which helped revive the interest in Punjabi was the partition of the subcontinent in 1947 which shook the roots of the Punjabis. Amrita Preetam's poem "Aj aakhan Waris Shah mon" played a pivotal role in stirring the emotions of the people. Two prominent poets, namely Ahmad Rahi and Munir Niazi, came to dominate the scene. Both of them belonged to East Punjab and suffered the trauma of being uprooted from their home. They, along with Sharif Kunjahi, are undoubtedly considered the pioneer of modern Punjabi poetry.

The progressive writers from Punjab made a big impact in reviving interest in Punjabi when they realized that they owed something to their land and its people. Moreover writing in Punjabi had not been favoured by the Establishment. Many intellectuals had kept themselves away from their mother tongue. But once the language and literature were introduced in the university and colleges, they immediately responded and dominated the newly-opened Punjabi department in educational institutions.

The main thrust of twentieth century Punjabi literature is towards a quest for political and cultural identity. It is rich in themes such as the tradition of resistance by the Punjabis against foreign invaders and rulers, feudal domination, post-colonial influences and western hegemony. The heroes like Dullah Bhatti, Ahmad Khan Kharal, Mehran Lak and Bhagat Singh were idolized by a prominent group headed by Najm Husain who has written plays on them. Major Ishaq Muhammad of the Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case also wrote plays on the Musallis of Harappa and Dullah Bhatti.

From the older generation Dr Faqir Muhammad, Chaudhry Afzal and his father, Maula Bakhsh Kushta, Joshua Fazluddin and Akbar Lahori played a dynamic role in the promotion of Punjabi language.

On the ideological-linguistic front Safdar Mir, Asaf Khan and Afzal Ahsan Randhawa made a significant contribution. Chaudhary Shahabuddin, Barrister Abdul Aziz and Dr Baqir were also not far behind while Sharif Kunjahi, Sajjad Hyder, Anwar Ali ('Nanna' of The Pakistan Times cartoons) Pir Fazal Gujrati, Hakeem Nasir, Abdul Majeed Bhatti, Baqi Siddiq, Sufi Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum, Ferozuddin Sharaf and many others also had a big share in the promotion of Punjabi literature.

All of them did their best to eliminate the general feeling of alienation with the language, which was the biggest problem of that period. Najm Husain Syed and his followers interwove national and literary themes which slowly changed the attitude of the Punjabi readers towards their mother tongue and their motherland. Faiz Ahmad Faiz, who made a name for himself for his poetry and prose in Urdu and English, turned to Punjabi when he said: Hovey fajr tey aakhiay Bismilla aj doltan saadey ghar aayanain.(Let there be dawn and we say in the name of God our wealth has come back to us).

Waris Shah de naal naal Mian Mohammad Bakhsh waalee kitaab da vee Romanian wich translation ho geyaa ey. Eh donoN kitaabaaN cheti ee chaapey chaRh jaawan giyaaN. Halaa sheri dewan da shukriyaa.

Javed Zaki

"Shah Hussain di Vel"

Lo laali meray aadarshaaN di
Tunn munn mera sekay
AkhhiaaN vehRe sooraj magde
Surt sojha meray lekhe
MeiN vi Shah Hussain thaya waaN
Maadhu aa koi wekhe

Javed Zaki

Lafzaali

Aadarsh= ideal
Magde= Kolay jiddoN bakhh ke laal soohe hoNde neiN
Surt Sojha= Samjh aavani
Lekhhe= Qismat vich

"Ik AvalRee TaahNg"

O Sajna, O sajna
TuN meray suNj mosaan aNder vich
AlhaR Heer da haasa
Jaan kaNdal jei be-aasi vich
Nirmal aas, dilaasa
...Yaa fir sikhhar dopehr nooN jiveeN
Saon baddal di chhaaN
Aa ja kidhroN chham chham kar da
ThhaNd cha pa akhhiaaN

Aa O Sajna
Kisay sevair di laali ban ke
Meray munn nooN raNgla kar de
Madh chhalka ke mast akhhiaaN da
Meray looN looN da mudh bhar de
Kamla kar de
JiNdRi poah di raat de waaNgar
Chup chapeet
ANg aNg seet
TuN koi nighhee bukkal ban ke
Apna mann ke
Meri jiNd garma
JiveeN nit shala

Javed Zaki

Javed Zaki

Shukar ey tusi merey naaN de naal h da waadhaa naheeN kar ditaa naheeN taaN sidhaa sidhaa Shaheed ho jaaN*aa see. Danwaad.

Shahmukhi lessons waalaa kam waikh ke sawaad aa geyaa ey.lafzaaN te fiqriyaaN dee choN* vee Theek keetee ey. Hashke bhai hashke. Bravo.

************Ghazal*****************

chan taray bolday

geet gaan dholday

teray kole aan lai

par pae tolday

sajnaaN nooN sajnaaN

inj te nain rolday

terayaaN isharyaan te

dil kinay dolday

payar da ae sauda chan

poora poora tolday

Sikandera ae shear teray

bhaet pae kholday

******Altaf Sikander Busal*****

Aayah sada lee Mor
Nafrat, talak,talak,talak.
Rab, ma kee ehnaadaa Bigger rai ah?
Shaad Geer ghai ahh Sirhaa?
RS Dhillon, 5th Sept 03

Sutto
Thale lao
Wich pao
Syapa mukao
Miti pao

It is regarding the last post under Rupe's Name. who is actualy Khalsa Collage(north campus delhi)alumni. because I am the proud grad from the same. it feels so good about reading about MERI ROOH MERI JIND MERI JAAN offcourse my collage. there are so many yaadaan tagged along with it. I was political Science major. but hang out always with punjabi major class fellows. it was something about that class or just my plain love to just read or hear punjabi that drives me to that class. Sitting in that class drives me to go to punjabi university patiala to do my MA in punjabi. ANYWAY just wanted to write something about my dearly beloved collage.

Kabhi Turanioon ne ghar luta
Kabhi Duranioon ne zar luta
Kabhi Nadar ne qatal-i-am kiya
Kabhi Mahmud ne ghulam kiya
Sab se akhir me lai gai bazi

Aik shaista qaum maghrib ki.

Safir Rammah Ji, I want to say a big thank you for adding Shahmukhi lessons to the APNA homepage. I will spread the word about the Shahmukhi lessons which are the first i have come across on the internet.

So here goes in Punjabi SHUKRIYA!!!

Akhilesh

p.s. If there are any plans to publish Shahmukhi text books i would be glad to make some donations. (I am a student so as much as i can give i will).

This is of course if there is a demand for Shahmukhi text books, otherwise it is not worth printing them yet.

If computere windows were in Punjabi, we could have used
Send - Sutto
Insert - Wich pao
Download - Thale lao
Trash - Miti pao
Ctrl+Alt+Del - Syapa Mukao

Rupinder, DAWN is a Karachi based newspaper. I seriously doubt they would be interested in Punjabi language or Shahmukhi script. Read some of the letters sent to them which they print of their website, half of them of anti-Punjabi stuff calling for the braking of Pakistan's Punjab province into 3 parts, or even more. They also send letters crying about "Punjabi hegemony" and "Seriaki language", which doesnt even exist. I have Punjabi in-laws who were Multani speaking and there is no difference between them and us (according to my father). He can understand everything they say and vice-versa.

People of Sindh are frustrated that they come from a desert waste-land and that no one in the world gives a damn about them or their cooked-up stories about being a "10,000" year old civilization (Complete lie). They sound exactly like the right-wing Hindus of India who scream and shout day-in-day-out about being the people who invented science, civilization, astronomy, mathmatics etc etc All total BS! Bunch of liars and frauds...

Because no one in the World buys their mumbo-jumbo and even laugh at these people, they (frustrated Sindhis from Pakistan and frustrated Indian Hindus from Bharat) try and take out their inferiority complex on the Punjabis. We are obviously an easy target for these people to blame everything on (Pakistan because Punjabis are the majority, India because Punjabis are a highly successful minority.)

Anyway, i believe the only newspaper published in Pakistan which is in Punjabi is http://www.bhulekha.com/

Good luck!

Is Dawn an Urdu paper or Punjabi? Would it be able to print these in Panjabi (Shahmukhi) Script?
Would it be interested in my ideas for new Panjabi words?
Who to contact if so?

Rupe

Ayeh’aa Kala Vaqt, Ayeh’ aa Kala Vaqt.
Bahadoor Chu’eea Bun ge’eh,
Looche Sher Bun ge’eh,
Zamana Hai barra Saqt, Zamana Hai barra Saqt.

Kala Thel lahee masoon noon vad de,
Kala Thel lahee kiss ‘ eh noon nahin shad de.

Oukab dee chunjh choote jaal vich
Sabh dee akkaah annee’ah kar dee,
Lele dee jisam jaal ke, lahoo choos dee.

Baagdaad Khuddaa Tuhanoo Nan gha kar ge ah!
Baagdaad Ounna da passa le ge ah!

Insanyaat kitha ga hee?
R.S.Dhillon

Kala Thel lahee masoon noon vad de,
Kala Thel lahee kiss ‘ eh noon nahin shad de.

Oukab dee chunjh choote jaal vich
Sadh dee akkaah annee’ah kar dee,
Lele dee jisam jaal ke, lahoo choos dee.

Baagdaad Khuddaa Tuhanoo Nabgha kar ge ah!
Baagdaad Ounna da passa le ge ah!

Insanyaat kitha ga hee?
R.S.Dhillon

Please contact
Janmeja Singh Johl
2920, Gurdev nagar, Ludhiana, Punjab
India- 141001
email janmeja@email.com
Tel +91-161-2426246

******Ghazal*******

door na honda nalay rehnda

kidhray aal dawalay rehnda

ohnooN tatti wa na lagdi

main wich dhupaaN palay rehnda

aa janda jay yaar bulanda

bhaweeN panni kallay rehnda

jeewan ji kandh dheh wi jandi

tera payar sanbhalay rehnda

rozi day jay dukh na honday

altaf busal busalay rehnda

jeewan janda saur siknder

jay kar yaar kawalay rehnda

Altaf sikander busal

UchchRa burj Lahore da ve sonNeyaa
Heth vage dariya
Mall mall naavanN goriyaaN ve
Lai ke GuraaN da naaN
Ve sonNeyaa...lai ke GuraaN da naan

The play, Caucasian Chalk Circle was adapted into Punjabi by Amarjit Chandan and Amitoj in mid-seventies and was staged in Chandigarh and New Delhi during emegency before being banned by Giani Zail Singh. The play was directed by MK Raina and the music was rendered by the inimitable Kamal Tiwari. The play was briefly revived by MK Raina post-anti-Sikh-riots and was readapted by Madan Gopal Singh and also musically rendered by him along with three new compositions in additions to the earlier ones. Two of his lyrical adaptations that I only half-remember today are:

Maaye ni maaye mere vatanaaN di dhart jehi
dukhaaN laddi hoyioN pareshaaN
maare gaye putt tere haakmaaN di juNg vich
putt tere gabbroo jawaan

and

sauN gaye aajRi gawaache vachheyaaN de
hunN koi nayioN nikhReyaaN di haak sunNdaa
baajh paanNiyoN kumlaa(h)e booteyaaN nu
madadgaar darkaar sarkaar sunNdaa

TureyoN aap tuN juNg nu d'holnNa ve
bolLi juNg peyaa eh baalL rulLdaa
chuk os nu j'hakhRaaN theeN laNg gayi meiN
paak mohabbataaN nu bas eho raa(h) khuldaa

The paly had used an incredible range of Punjabi folk music - Heer RaNjha, Mirza SahibaN, Puran B'hagat, Jaggaa, Keima Malki, KaliyaaN, HekkaN, SiftaaN, NaataaN, Vidaayi, naqalaaN, soz, qawwali, manqabat...

Sukhbir

Sukhbir Jee. MenuN chete piya aaNde je Bresht di eh kevita kise neN thhoRi jayi tabdili kar ke 'Maahye' di soorat gaee e.

Uchche burj Lahore de ve
HeThh vegge darya ve Maahya
MeiN darya te kapRe peyi dohvaaN
TuN kise bahane mill jaa ve Maahya

Teesra baNd vi hoo-bahoo (with the addition of Maahya)

UchchiaaN lammiyaaN TaaliyaaN ve beliyaa,
Vich ve vage dariyaa
MeiN dariyaa te kapRe payi d'hovaaN
Kise bahaane mil jaa
Ve sajnNaa kise bahaane mil jaa
kise bahaane mil jaa

Sargi vele dil de vehRe sooraj banN chaR aa
ShaamaaN vele dil de banere chann banN ke chaR aa
Ve sajnNa chann banN ke chaR aa

MeiN dariya di machhali ve haanNiyaa
Baglaa banN ke chaa
Jind meri di beRi chaRh ke
Paar pattanN ghar aa
Ve sajnNaa paar pattanN ghar aa

Another of Brecht's poems in Punjabi

Sukhbir

Sargi vele dil de vehRe sooraj banN chaR aa
ShaamaaN vele dil de banere chann banN chaR aa
Ve sajnNa chann banN chaR aa

MeiN dariya di machhali ve haanNiyaa
Baglaa banN ke chaa
Jind meri di beRi chaRh ke
Paar pattanN ghar aa
Ve sajnNaa paar pattanN ghar aa

Another of Brecht's poems in Punjabi

Sukhbir

Bertolt Brecht diaaN 120 nazmaaN da Punjabi tarjma Mushtaq Sufi horaaN neN vi kita e, jeRha 'Gora Publishers-Lahore' neN 1996 vich chhapiya si.

Javed Zaki

sunN yaar mere, gall rakhkhiN chete,
vekhiN aisaa vee zamaanaa kadi aayoo,
fasal vaddoo ohi, jehRa ohnu beejoo,
khet ose da hi, jehRa ohnu vahoo,
jadoN maareyaa lokaaN ne haa da naara,
vadde vadde oh munaareyaaN nu d'haayoo,
sach supnNe lokaaN de ohdoN honNge Shaavaa,
jadoN ghamaaN waali raat laNg'h jaayoo.

From a Brechtian ballad (Chalk Circle) translated into Punjabi by either Amitoj or Amarjit Chandan.

Sukhbir

Aao ral-mil karye waadhiaaN
JeRhiN beejaaN ge, oh saadhiaaN
Saade bohlaaN nuN hathh laana naN
SaadiN baNhwaaN baRyaaN dadhiaaN

Javed Zaki

......GEET.......

SajnaN wachhoRe tere maarya
AkhiaaN nuN jhole paiNde
Tere ee khiyaal rehNde
Aa ja mere dil de saharya
....SajnaaN wachhoRe tere maarya

TeriaaN odeekaaN vich, akhiaaN charagh neeN
TaariyaaN de waaNg mere, seene wale daagh neeN
BirhuN neeN tan man saaRya
....SajnaaN wachhoRe tere maarya

SamyaaN de bullaaN utte, hoake neeN te HaaNwaaN neeN
Patt jhaR loosdi e, tatiaaN hawawaaN neeN
Sussi wala thhal kiyooN osaarya
....SajnaaN wachhoRye tere maarya

SochaaN te khiyaalaaN utte, yaadaaN wali chhaaN eeN
Wasal gulabaaN wali washnaa jawaaN eeN
PhhullaaN da shabaab tethoN waarya
....SajnaaN wachhoRe tere maarya

Dr. Javed Zaki

Juddho Bachchaa Janam daa,
Khubsoorat Kamal lag daa.
Eis to ko’hee nahin vaddaa sach.
Mumta da moti ha
Mumta da moti ha
Bapu da harekh sapnaa ha
Bapu da harekh sapnaa ha
Suchee piaar dee nishanee
Khuddaa dee merbhanee
Eis to ko’hee nahin pal piaaree
RS Dhillon

Shahid Ji, I see your point. I guess there is perhaps no need for an official name. People who are comfortable with "Shahmukhi" or "Panjabi" can call the Persian based script either one.

I have heard Urdu script refered to as "Urdu", "Nastaliq" and "Perso-Arabic", the name is not so important.

Rupinder Ji, Try here http://www.pu.edu.pk/

I once emailed someone at the University of Punjab out of curiosity, i got this email in reply:

From: puarshad@wol.net.pk

To:HiTMaN9497@aol.com

Sent from the Internet (Details)

Sir,  

Your e-mail dated 21-04-2003 on the above subject, refers.  

You are hereby informed that M.A. Punjabi class are held at this University levels. For which proper admission required by the candidate to attend classes regularly.  Basic qualification for admission to M.A. class is Graduation with the subject of Punjabi.  

Faithfully,  

P.A. to Vice-Chancellor

Hope they can help you!

head_punjabi@pbi.ac.in

Please can someone find out who to contact in Punjab University Pakistan?

I wrote the poem as a test of my Punjabi ability. I also consider myself unpaar in Punjabi, but as I am self taught, and as my website demonstates can write simple stuff to teach others like me. But I now want to write stories in Punjabi
I started off writing in English, and have had soem poems published and am presently half way through a novel in English.

I would like to do the same in Punjabi. So please let me honestly know the standard of my poem Piaar.
I am british born, and probably amongst the first generation that will be influenced by English styles of imagery, which will be different from tradtional Punjabi literature, and possibly an exciting style to introduce to it.
I am reading a book called Shareek, in Punjabi, and so far have not found any of the techniques I woould use in English. However being British born, my writings will be about the experinces of Punjabees born in a culture outside of India or Pakistan, and not writtern by an NRI or NRP, and therefore may be of interest to Punjabi readers.
But to begin this journey I must now be confident in Punjabi writing. AT my level I find Bullah Shah and Waris too sophiticated
But perhaps I can start by writing simple stuff
Anyway, Can some one give me critical feedback about Piaar? It is influenced by my English learning, and I can see it is very different from Sukhi's entry

dhoondhte aaye haiN maNzar
kaarvaaN dil ke lutaa
door tak saaye khicheN haiN
kin charaaghoN ke khudaa
hain nishaaN se benishaaN
hum ho ke aaye khastaajaaN
ai mere maulaa dikhaa de
raah koi laamakaaN
maahroo ai mere khwaajaa
ek bas teraa jahaaN

bekhudi kaa aisaa aalam
hum rahe naa hum khudaa
saaye me rehmat ke teri
hosh kisko kya pataa
gum huye hum gum huye hum
sehar chhaayaa prem kaa
teri hi galiyoN me maulaa
tumko paayaa laapataa

rahiyo khwaajaa more saNg saNg
more aNg more piyaa
khwaajaa basiyo more har raNg
roohi kalbi tum sadaa
tuMhi baatin tuMhi zaahir
tum pe ye tan man fidaa
tuMhi andar tuMhi baahar
zikr har su ho rahaa
sehar bhi tum tuMhi saahir
kaisaa jalwaa kyaa adaa

As they say: boojho to jaane! Sukhbir

the above is a quote from an article in APNA and proves my point. I am not powerful enough on my own, and need support here
Rupe

Kee Piaar tu ha kitha?
Ous lee jar pitha?

Sadeea to Sadeea Aadmee Piaar lee Martha
Vadee to vadee khataar to nee dartha.

Piaar lee lakko ho’ee Jung
Piaar de hagee hazaar Rang.

Pannee to begaar ma ra sak daa,
Rotee to begaar ma jee sak daa.

Khudda to begaar dozukh bardassh kar sak daa,
Dolaath to begaar guzer sak daa.

Rab, sabh la joo metho,
Kevel, Piaar nahin laanaa,
Ous to begaar ki’oo duniieea vich rannaa?

Es to chungga ha, maut dee goudh vich saunaa.

Piaar to begaar ma jee nahin sak daa,
Piaar to begaar ma mar nahin sak daa.
Piaar ha mera mata, Piaar ha mera Pita,
Eis to kus nahin ha mita.
Piaar ke sharab ma pindaa,
Piaar to door nahin jindaa.

Rupinderpal Singh Dhillon, 28th August 2003

Chandigarh, August 27 In a passionate invitation extended to his counterpart in Pakistan Punjab, the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, has invited him and his Cabinet colleagues to visit City Beautiful, in the first week of November, if possible. Capt Amarinder Singh has also expressed a desire to visit Pakistan Punjab.

The invitation has been extended through the Ministry of External Affairs. Capt Amarinder Singh has written a demi-official letter to Mr Kanwal Sibal, Foreign Secretary. A request has been made by the Chief Minister to Mr Sibal to get the letter delivered to Mr Parvez Elahi, Chief Minister of Punjab in Pakistan.

While inviting Mr Elahi and his colleagues to Chandigarh, Capt Amarinder Singh has expressed concerned over “artificial barriers” that divide the two Punjabs.

Capt Amarinder Singh, has requested Mr Elahi to “let me know when it would be convenient for you to come to Chandigarh. The best time would be after the first week of November. After your visit, perhaps, I could then come to you along with my colleagues to meet you and the people of Punjab”.

Though Capt Amarinder Singh has not made any mention there seems to be bigger purpose of inviting Mr Elahi to Chandigarh. Pakistan is interested in importing wheat from Indian Punjab. Recently, Mr Lal Singh, Punjab Food and Supply Minister, had sought permission of the Union Government to export two million tonnes of wheat to Pakistan through Markfed. An other purpose seems to pave the way for opening the Wagah border for promoting trade with Pakistan, Afghanistan and certain Arab countries.

(Corrected post)

Shahid Ji, Thanks for the date of that post. I have read both sides but tend to lean more towards Safir Rammah Ji's argument regarding the naming of Persian based script as "Shahmukhi". I think calling Persian script as "Punjabi" somehow will suggest that it is more official or legitimate than Gurmukhi. Having similar sounding names for both scripts makes them equally valid as eachother. Just my opinion.

P.S Kahlon Sahib, I agree that spoken language is more important than the use of any particular script.

I read one of your old posts regarding Sikhs in the NWFP and FATA areas of Pakistan who did not know that there had been a partition.

Although these Sikhs know about the partition of Punjab, i thought these videos may interest you and other readers of this forum. I found them on Tribune - Chandigarh, Punjab. One is about opening of a Gurdwara in Pakistan and the other is about Sikhs in the NWFP who want to visit Amritsar and the Golden Temple:

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030708/jul7icev1-56k.ram - Kartarpur Sahib

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030709/jul8worv1-56k.ram - Frontier Sikhs

These are other (brief) videos which may be of interest:

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030705/jul4worv2-56k.ram - Stranded Sikh Youths in Pakistan

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030714/jul13feav3-56k.ram - Punjab's Folk Dance

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030803/aug2icev7-56k.ram - Samjhauta Express

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030806/aug5feav1-56k.ram - Kalasha Tribe (Interesting video on Tribal peoples of the Hindu Kush)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030816/aug15icev1-56k.ram - Hussianiwala Border

Rupinder Ji Is this the Punjab Heritage Foundation you were thinking of? http://www.ukpha.org/

Shahid Ji, Thanks for the date of that post. I have read both sides but tend to lean more towards Safir Rammah Ji's argument regarding the naming of Persian based script as "Shahmukhi". I think calling Persian script as "Punjabi" somehow will suggest that it is more official or legitimate than Gurmukhi. Having similar sounding names for both scripts makes them equally valid as eachother. Just my opinion.

P.S Kahlon Sahib, I agree that spoken language is more important than the use of any particular script. I read one of your old posts regarding Sikhs in the NWFP and FATA areas of Pakistan who did not know that there had been a partition.

Although these Sikhs know about the partition of Punjab, i thought these videos may interest you and other readers of this forum. I found them on Tribune - Chandigarh, Punjab. One is about opening of a Gurdwara in Pakistan and the other is about Sikhs in the NWFP who want to visit Amritsar and the Golden Temple: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030708/jul7icev1-56k.ram - Kartarpur Sahib http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030709/jul8worv1-56k.ram - Frontier Sikhs These are other (brief) videos which may be of interest: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030705/jul4worv2-56k.ram - Stranded Sikh Youths in Pakistan http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030714/jul13feav3-56k.ram - Punjab's Folk Dance http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030803/aug2icev7-56k.ram - Samjhauta Express http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030806/aug5feav1-56k.ram - Kalasha Tribe (Interesting video on Tribal peoples of the Hindu Kush) http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030816/aug15icev1-56k.ram - Hussianiwala Border

Rupinder Ji Is this the Punjab Heritage Foundation you were thinking of? http://www.ukpha.org/

It matters not what script Punjabi is writtern in, only that the language is kept alive and evolving.
I agree that common words are adopted as they are daily used and then become part of language.
But I have to say that in the cases I am talking about, no one to my knowledge has considered animals et cetra not familiar to Punjabis. How else will we able to acurately describe these animals in our literature or to general punjabi population?
I am born in Uk and therefore the day I decide I am okay enough to attempt writing noveles in Punjabi , they will be about the experince of western Punjabis, which the Pakistani and Indian communities may find interesting, but will need to understand what I refer to at times.
Thus my case.

Dear Akhilesh Ji

, I will see SOAS. I don't think it matters which language words are asimmulated from. Like PS Kahlon, it depends upon common use, I believe or my specialty approach, which requires tsill, acceptance from others.

Sajid Chaudhry Sahib has posted an article in Shahmukhi and I was trying to read . It seems that Guru Angad's name is written as "Angar". Am I reading wrong or is it misspelled? Any comment?

Akhilesh and Rup:

I think the commonly used words in our daily life should be adopted regardless of their origin. Language cannot be polluted by foreign words. Language evolve as culture evolve. What do you think regarding this thought? As you know I am very proud of our heritage and Punjabi language likr all of us are but I don't feel threatend by the commonly used words in our language whether they come from Urdu/Hindi or any other language as long as they are not used to show the superiority by the user. Some of you may remember my story about a Person like me from a village goes to FC college Lahore and try to speak Urdu to show that he comes from an "educated" family. " Meree MaNjee pay Kaun Baitha hai and his father turned around and said, aapp key Pitta jee baithey hain".

What about if we don't wory about the script also whether it is Gurmukhi or Devnagri or Shahmukhi? I happened to believe though,that my spoken Punjabi can only be written in exact sounds in Gurmukhi. It may be that I dont know proper Shahmukhi or Devnagri scripts. But that is my preference. In my family every body older than me wrote Punjabi in Shahmukhi. This is just " food for thoughts" as they say. Keep up the good work we need young people like you to carry our banner. Best wishes.

Shahid Sahib, I was just wondering why you feel that "Shahmukhi" is a misnomer for the Persian based script of Punjabi language. Also, unfortunately the link you provided does not work.

Rupinder Ji, Have you tried getting in touch with the School of African & Oriental studies? (SOAS - http://www.soas.ac.uk/) I think they are perhaps the best place in the UK as far as Punjabi language is concerned, they may show interest in your project.

I have found that they hold evening classes in spoken Punjabi and Punjabi in Gurumukhi script. It's a bit expensive, £220 per term (10 weeks) but i need a good place to learn Punjabi and SOAS is probably the best.

p.s, Is it possible to borrow words from Persian? Many Punjabi words are of Persian origin (S and Sh sounds). Or is this something most Punjabis are against?

Abdul Ji, I totally agree with you that Punjabis should not rely on Urdu/Hindi but should develop their own words to fill the gaps that are present in our language as it relates to science, technology, even animals.

As for the rooting out of Persian etc words from Hindi, not only have people been doing this but they have been trying to change words with the "Z" sound and replace them with the "J" sound, which is supposed to be more "Indian Hindu" or some ridiculous reason like that. I hope Punjabis do not fall into this kind of idiocy.

Regarding the teaching of Punjabi in schools in Punjab province of Pakistan, is there any news on this? Someone posted a little while ago a news article that CM Pervez Elahi was keen on promoting the Punjab language and culture in the Punjab, does anyone know the latest on this?

Rupinder Ji, Im sorry to hear that the universities in East Punjab have not shown much interest in your project, perhaps there is some sort of bias going on. Lets be honest, there are a few Punjabis out there who are great listeners and are quick to steal someone else's ideas and put their name on it. I think this is a negative trait found in some Punjabis.

About Punjabis in the UK. I cam across the figure "500,000" somewhere, but i cant remember if this is the number of Sikhs (including Punjabi Hindus) or if this is the figure for the number of Punjabi speakers in the UK. Do you know the statistics? Also, i thought that most Pakistanis in the UK were not really Punjabis, but originate from Mirpur region in Azad Kashmir and speak "Mirpuri" which is more of a dialect or broken from of Punjabi, sort of like Creole is with French, correct me if im wrong.

Im totally opposed to replacing Shahmukhi and Gurmukhi with a new script, sorry to say. Both scripts are official, legitimate, and should be preserved in my opinion. I dont know if people in Haryana and Himachal use devanagri to write Punjabi, but if they do then i wouldnt be opposed to them ditching hindi and using the correct Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi scripts, as they should do.

Finally, not that my opinion carries any weight, but i think your list of names for animals is fine. I was surprised to read that Punjabi language has no word for turkeys, dont we have turkeys in Punjab? Lol... I thought we did... guess i was wrong.

......Shah Hussain di Dhamaal.......

GallaN gooRhiaaN gooRhiaaN
GallaaN goRhiaan
...HoyaaN akhiaaN rutiaaN laal
...SaanooN aape aan saNbhaal
...Tere balde rehn charaagh
...Shala jeviN Maadhu Laal
.......GallaaN gooRhiaan goRhiaan
.......GallaN gooRhiaan

JinHe ishq di jhok wasaai e
Ohne jaan tali te chaai e
Ohdi arshaaN teek rasaai e
Ohne chhoee hadd kamaal
...Shala jeviN Maadhu Laal
......GallaaN gooRhiaaaN goRhiaaN
......GallaaN gooRhiaaN

AssaaN nach nach yaar mananaN eeN
Sach ishq de bhet nuN paana eeN
Ohdi zaat ich aap samana eeN
Ohdi paani nit dhamaal
...Shala jeviN Maadhu Laal
......GallaaN gooRhiaaN gooRhiaan
......GallaaN gooRhiaaN

JinhaaN ishq di ramz pachhaani eeN
Ohne baat aNder di jaani eeN
Ohdi rooh thei rajj mustaani eeN
Ohne lei e surt saNbhaal
...Shala jeviN Maadhu Laal
.......GallaaN gooRhiaan gooRhiaan
.......GallaaN gooRhiaan

Javed Zaki

A Pakistani theatre group has brought together two grand dames of south asian theater in "A Granny For All Seasons", a play about their divided lives for more than four decades in India and Pakistan.

In a sign of the improving relations in the subcontinent, Ajoka, a Pakistani troupe working for social change, travelled on the regular 'friendship bus' linking the nuclear rivals to put on two shows in New Delhi this week. First staged in 1993, the play centers on the lives of two sisters who play themselves on stage: Indian actress Zohra Sehgal, 92, and her sister Uzra Butt, 86, who migrated to Pakistan in 1960.

Director Madeeha Gauhar said the real-life story tells of the trauma of families divided by artificial boundaries and also tackles the politically sensitive issue of Pakistanis being forced to shed their cultural and historical links with india.

Adab te Philsapha
Sufism
Classical Shaa'iri
Jadeed Shaa'iri
KahaniaaN te Novel
Drame
Lok Adab
Ilmi KitabaaN
Area Studies
Tareekhi Adab
Siyaasit
Tib
In addition, visit "Kitaab Trinjin-Book Store" and "Rutt Lekha Publications." I think both are located on Temple Road- Lahore.

As for your reference to the common use of Urdu and Farsi vocabulary in Punjabi is concerned, it has become a reality of far reaching consequences, as you rightly pointed out. However, we must remember that Punjabi as a language can fulfill all the requirements of any developed language.

Before Urdu was imposed by the British Colonialists on Punjab in late-19th century (1880s), all the so-called serious subjects such as, Ilim-i-Tahrir, Ilm-i-Tib, Philsopha and Taarikh, Tafsir, Logic were taught in "Madaaras." Moreover, Commerce etc. were taught in "Mahajini Schools" in Punjabi. Anyways, despite of all existing factors ( most importantly, the governmental patronage, our own indifferent attitude, the so-called altruistic nationalism based on dogmatic religiosity and the unhindered penetration of capitalist relations, its tools and organization etc.), which tend to restrict the evolution and the growth of Punjabi, many Punjabi Scholars are striving hard to preserve and promote Punjabi’s original character and substance. Najam Husaain Syed is one prominent name among these scholars.

Javed Zaki

For people who can read Punjabi in Gurmukhi and are interested in the Shahmukhi Punjabi newspaper "Bhulekha" (http://www.bhulekha.com/) i received this email from one of their members of staff: "Salam Thanks for showing intrest in punjabi language shahmukhi for you information we are publishing Bhulekha International which contains Half Of Its Tolal pages in Gurmukhi and Halg pages in Shahmukhi you can get Bhulekha International Copy From our Lundon Office = 31-Alcester Road South (First Floor) Kings Heath Birmingham Post Code B147jQ Thanks Again"

Thats good news to me, i hope Punjabi news papers in Punjab state can also introduce some Shahmukhi pages along with Gurmukhi and English pages. (If they havent already).

Rupinder Ji regarding your email - http://www.cftech.com/BrainBank/COMMUNICATIONS/TopLanguages.html - I would have thought that the number of speakers of which Punjabi is their mother-tongue would be a bit higher than 70 million speakers. I checked some official population statistics on the entire Punjab region and found the populations to be:

1) Islamabad, National capital of Pakistan (West Punjab) - Area - 906sq km. Population - 805,235 (1998 Census)

2) Punjab, Province of Pakistan (West Punjab) - Area - 205,345sq km. Population - 72.85 million (1998 Census) Capital - Lahore.

3) Punjab, State of India (East Punjab) - Area - 50,362sq km. Population - 24.29 million (2001 Census) Capital - Chandigarh.

4) Haryana, State of India (East Punjab) - Area - 44,212sq km. Population - 21.08 million (2001 Census) Capital - Chandigarh.

5) Himachal Pradesh, State of India (East Punjab) Area - 55,673sq km . Population - 6.08 million (2001 Census) Capital - Simla.

6) Chandigarh, Union Territory of India (East Punjab) Area - 114sq km. Population - 900,914 (2001 Census). Serves as the capital to both the states of Punjab and Haryana.

I know that there are many non-Punjabis (probably millions) who have migrated to different parts of Punjab after partition but still im sure the correct figure is quite bit higher than 70 million. There are also many Punjabis who live in New Delhi and a few million Punjabis in diaspora.

As for the language not being in danger, i thought it was in danger of losing out on development and keeping the same on both sides of the internationally divided Punjab rather than becoming an extinct language.

p.s, Hows the classification of animals going? My spoken Punjabi is way below basic because it is only within past couple of years that i have taken an interest to learn it. Being a full time student i havent been able to put much time into my Punjabi and have only so far learned the basics of Gurmukhi script. The Gurdwara doesnt really have spoken Punjabi classes so im stuck....

Regarding your comment "Glad you can get back onto the forum because it is in a comatose state these days." If i may take a 'stab' at why this has happened, i think it is because some people are a bit reserved, shy perhaps? To express their real feelings/opinions on certain issues.

Maybe some people are a bit too careful and trying hard not to say something which they feel might offend someone else.

I am open to all forms of fair criticizm as it relates to Punjab, Punjabi, Punjabis, India, Pakistan etc...

Who better to speak openly with than people from your own ethnic group who share same love for their culture, history and identity?

I havent seen any Punjabi movies. I've heard they havent been all that good, but i'll decide for myself when i see one or two...

Im pleased to hear that this particular movie has had much praise in the international scene. That is something historic indeed..

Akhilesh

Dulla Bhatti Veer ji, the film is a 100% Punjabi film. Its original title was Veero and was shot in a place called Wah - a small village close to Gurudwara Punja Saheb in the Pothohar region. The confusion is caused by the new title Khamosh Pani which sounds a lot closer to Urdu than Punjabi. The director of the film, Ms Sabiha Sumar, is a Sindhi lady from Karachi married to a Tamilian Hindu Brahmin from Sri Lanka.

The narrative is woven around a woman, Veero, from a village called Charkhi where Sikh women had jumped into a well at the time of the 1947 partition of the sun-continent. One woman, Veero, however refused to jump and tearing herself ran away to stay back in the village as Ayesha.

The script of the film takes off from the late Bhisham Sahni's Tamas initially but develops into a very different story eventually. It deals with the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Pakistan in the aftermath of Bhutto's assassination and the irresistible rise of Gen Zia-ul-Haq. It was developed jointly by Sabiha Sumar and the Mumbai based Ms Paromita Vohra - a feminist filmmaker -whose family migrated to Delhi from Lahore in 1947.

The music of the film was mostly done by Madan Gopal Singh but there is one song from an old Pakistani film which Arshad Mehmood rerecorded. Arjun Sengupta - a Delhi based music arranger - helped polish the background score. Voices of Shri LK Pandit of the Gwalior gharana and his highly talented daughter, Ms Mita Pandit; of Madan Gopal Singh; of Rekha Raj; and, Bhai Baldeep Singh were used in the film.

The performers from India included Kiron Kher of Mumbai-Chandigarh who also won the Best Actress for the film; Navtej Johar whose parents migrated from Rawalpindi; Shilpa, who is a Delhi based actress from Bihar and can barely speak Punjabi (and it shows in the film) and Madan Gopal Singh whose work I have often taken the liberty to put on the APNA website.

This is absolutely the first Punjabi film to win such a big Inernation Award and that in the Best Film category. This is something historic.

Sukhbir

and how is summer treating everyone? Suman ji, I was in the south for 2 days visiting disney and universal with some visiting family members but it was very tiresome experience. Wished had more time to swing by to say kiddaN.

Punjabis always had a major input in Hindi cinema and Bollywood. But Punjabi films always attracted meagre investments (hence poor technologies/ sets/ equipments) and ended up comparable with the serials or plays from regional TV (Plays from PTV were grand). May be now Punjabi producers are getting big money from their music business or from overseas sources and Punjabi films are being revived.

Overseas producers have been depicting Punjabi culture in various Englih-hindi-Punjabi hybrid movies and had made very strong statement about financial and artistic potential of our movies, by altering the technical treatment to the movies. In recent past, the partial urbanisation of film plots, scripts, sets, technologies, and marketing, has produced some excellent movies. In recent past Punjabi films have changed their flavour from rural/ traditional/ religious themes to more realistic themes. It is also easy for people to relate to a well-prepared cinematic documentation of our progressive looking urbanised life imbibed in traditional roots, as it falls much in line with our quickly modernising life style. These films have imparted a facelift to the image of Punjabis, besides giving a new direction to Punjabi cinema. Khuda hafij

Punjabis always had a major input in Hindi cinema and Bollywood. But Punjabi films always attracted meagre investments (hence poor technologies/ sets/ equipments) and ended up comparable with the serials or plays from regional TV (Plays from PTV were grand). May be now Punjabi producers are getting big money from their music business or from overseas sources and Punjabi films are being revived.

Overseas producers have been depicting Punjabi culture in various Englih-hindi-Punjabi hybrid movies and had made very strong statement about financial and artistic potential of our movies, by altering the technical treatment to the movies. In recent past, the partial urbanisation of film plots, scripts, sets, technologies, and marketing, has produced some excellent movies. In recent past Punjabi films have changed their flavour from rural/ traditional/ religious themes to more realistic themes. It is also easy for people to relate to a well-prepared cinematic documentation of our progressive looking urbanised life imbibed in traditional roots, as it falls much in line with our quickly modernising life style. These films have imparted a facelift to the image of Punjabis, besides giving a new direction to Punjabi cinema. Khuda hafij

The film has also won the Best Actress Award for Kiron Kher the Mumbai based Indian actress. In fact, the film is somewhat of an Indo-Pak Cultural Coup for the music of the film has been composed by Dr Madan Gopal Singh and Mr Arshad Mehmood.

The film also features the well-known Bharat Natyam dancer Navtej Johar, Delhi-based Shilpa and Madan Gopal Singh in important roles.

Kudos!

Sukhbir

Anyways..have small story to tell. Some one who came from Punjab after a long visit told me this story he heard from a witness. There was someone's wedding...wedding happened. gall aayee gayee ho gai. Few weeks later girls parents went to visit their married daughter. they took their second younger daughter about 18/19 yrs old with them to the visit...mann lao ohda naa ay Raano. vihahe hoye munday de ikk bhra si chhoTa..mann lao ohda naaN ay ...hmm..Jagga...18/19 saal da Jagga and Raano had met each other on the wedding but not after that. This was their second meeting. When family was to leave after the visit..both Jagga and Raano started crying. Raano kahe mera hunnay viaah karo Jaggay naal,...main nai wapis jaana...Jagga kahe je ajjay viah na keeta te main chaleya je marn. kehnday ne kaafi raunaq laggi. elders in the family were really upset but it happened so quickly and unexpectedely that gwaanDi vi saare tamaasha vekhan aa chukke sann. ghar waale khafa sann..rou kurla rahe sann..par ainnee duniya de sahme kar vi kujh nai si sakday...eh tamaasha kujh ghanTay chalda riya te phir hazir lokkaN ne vi kehna shuru kar ditta ghar walyeaN nu bai ki harz ay..ikk kuRi tusi aggay viahi ay aithey je eh zidd karde ne ehna da vi kar dao. hor vi kitay karna ee ay..ehna nu ki hoyea...with this commotion going on some people made preparation for the laawaN(wedding) and brought Bhai ji and finally elders agreed and married them right there..Raano reh gai othey ee. te Jagga maare chiTRaN nu addian...lokk vi khush...kuRi de ghar waale vi wicho wich khush bai waDDi de viah te 2 lakh lagg giya si eh muft ch kamm saur giya.

dasso hunn zamaana badl riya ke nai?

First on religious grounds they split Punjab into two, pitting Muslim , Sikh and Hindu neighbours against each other as enemies. Then In India they split Punjab into three states decreasing the East Punjab state to a sliver. Now they impose Hindi in schools.

Sound to me that the Punjabis in Pakistan better take a stand, else the same will happen there too.

Javed Zaki Ji. Although not really my place to say, but i would not like to see the West Punjab divided into 3 parts, how is that beneficial to anyone other than local politicians?

Im sorry, i may be out of place here since i do not know much about Seriaki, but can someone please explain to me what is "Seriaki culture", who are the "Seriakis", and what is this "Seriaki nation".

Firstly, i am going to refuse to call it "Seriaki" since that is a Sindhi word and from reading opinions on DAWN etc it is quite clear that the Sindhis will do anything to brake Punjab.

First question. Are the speakers of Multani who live in Punjab ethnic Punjabis? Or are they a separate ethnic group?

2 - Does Multani have its own standard written form with its own alphabet?

3 - Would a Punjabi speaker from Majha area understand anything a speaker of Multani says?

4 - If 40% of all speakers of Multani live in Punjab, than why do they call this language/off-shoot language "Seriaki", which is a Sindhi word, why not Multani which is the proper name?

5 - If the Sindhis are so enthusiastic to brake Punjab and create a separate "Multani province", why then, are they seemingly not willing to brake Sindh also and include the Serikai parts of Sindh in the new Multan province?

Sorry Safir Rammah Ji if this is too political, but attempts from Sindhi organizations to divide the Punjabis and created cooked-up myths about the "Seriaki nation" from Mars who are "oppressed" by the Punjabis is an attack on our Punjabi people and culture.

I dont expect anyone to answer these questions...

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/sangat/sang0497.htm#b2

Javed Zaki

People not familiar with my ideas, not the objective was to develop or adopt nouns for animals not in INDIA or PAKISTAN , and thus the Panjabi experince, into Punjabi, instead of blindly following English

The words are:,
Orca-Vehl for Killer whale
Otsounate for Rattlesnake
Espaada for Swordfish
Bokeroness Muchchi for Herring
Dhuddaa for Toad
Tara Muchchi for starfish
Talada for Cricket, so as to separate from Tiddha for Grasshopper
Dhuddee for Tadpole
Jeengha Muchche for Crayfish
Dallo for Squid
Langosta for Lobster
Mero Muchchee for Sea Bass
Ghambass for Prawns
Troocha for Trout
Robalo Muchchee for haddock
Toona for Tuna
Faissan for Pheasant
Pavo for Turkey
QuoQuo for Robin
Jiodaga for Mink
Golanv for Raven
Valelu for Hummingbird
huhu for mockingbird

These are just a small sample. please provide your opinions, and if anyone actively wants to be involved, let me know
Rupe

The following is the edited text of Mr Haneef Ramay's Dawn Dialogue interview:

QUESTION: Let's start from your latest thinking about Punjab. When the province was being criticised by other provinces, you had written a book to present Punjab's point of view. It was quite helpful in blunting the assault. But now, in a departure from your previous stand, you have started talking of a division of Punjab. This sounds like a defence counsel becoming the prosecutor. How do you explain the change?

ANSWER: Yes, it's an important question. When I wrote "Punjab Ka Muqaddama", it was not just Punjab's case that I was fighting. Actually, I had articulated the whole issue of provincial autonomy. Unfortunately, as a matter of general practice, we don't nip an evil in the bud, and then we have to pay the price. I think when the 1973 Constitution was unanimously adopted, the best course for the then government would have been to go the whole hog and grant autonomy to the provinces, whose contours had been very explicitly explained. And since the then prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, himself came from a smaller province - Sindh - it was a very appropriate time to allow the provinces to work within the parameters laid down in the Constitution. But, somehow, this was not to be. The provinces felt that even when a Sindhi leader was at the helm, most of the powers rested with the federal government and what was mentioned in the Constitution was not being followed.

The governments of Balochistan and the NWFP felt upset because they were being denied their due rights. I, as chief minister of the biggest province, also came to the conclusion that though Punjab was blamed for encroaching upon the rights of the other provinces, in actuality it was the federal government which was denying the provinces their rights and Punjab was no exception.

Then, when I became a senator, I felt it my duty to highlight the question of provincial autonomy and let everybody know that it was the federal government, not the Punjab, which was taking away the rights of the provinces. I realized that there was little change in the authority of the centre no matter which province the prime minister came from. When the Constitution was framed, the federal government had made an unwritten promise to revise the concurrent list of legislative powers after 10 years. When the time came to honour the commitment, the country was under Gen Zia's martial law, and no one bothered to revise the list.

It's a strange fact that the 1935 Government of India Act and the 1956 Constitution of Pakistan contained an exclusive list of rights of the provinces, but in the so-called federal constitution of 1973, there is no such list. If one looks around and sees what is happening in the various provinces, one shivers at the possible shape of things to come. The NWFP, for example, is going in a separate direction from the rest of the country. I have just been in Balochistan and participated in a workshop on provincial autonomy. The general feeling there is that Balochistan is only politically connected with Pakistan; socially and economically, the people of Balochistan say, they are more a part of Iran than Pakistan.

In Sindh, the water dispute has poisoned the situation to an extent that Sindhi leaders are calling for international arbitration to settle the dispute. This clearly means that the provinces are now unable to settle matters between themselves. The writ of the federal government, if at all it is there, works only in Punjab.

Having seen all this, I have come to the conclusion that the sense of deprivation in the three smaller provinces can only be stemmed if Punjab is divided into three parts. What I am proposing is not a novel idea nor should anyone be alarmed by it. In India, as you know, they have divided East Punjab into three provinces according to their needs. In more than 15 European countries, the population is less than 10 million each and they have many provinces. There is no hard and fast rule on how much population should have a separate province. Everything depends upon the situation and requirements of the people. We have 150 million people. In principle, we can easily make 15 provinces. But the beginning has to be made here in Punjab. Then, it's for Sindhis, the Balochs and the people of the NWFP to decide whether they want to keep their provinces in their existing form or divide them for the convenience of their people.

Javed Zaki: Kih Aakhde neN Punjab, Punjabi te Punjabiat de soojhwaan es baare. Es te koee gal-baat, koee raaye.

Javed Zaki

24 July de Dawn wich eh ik dardnaak sachi kahani paRhee. Tusi MinTo da afsana KhiRkee Khol do paRhyaa honaa ey. Eh es khitey dee badqismati ey ke ethy inj de qissey roz da maamool neyN. Kujh press wich aa jaaNdey neyN te kujh naheeN. Aj de Punjabi samaaj dee his be-his hoee paee ey. Te aj vee ehnaaN da raveyaa dariNdeyaaN toN badtar (worse) ey. Eh smaaj kit wal jaa rehyaa ey te hor kinnaa ku badshakal hoN*aa ey. Eh report paRh ke tusi aap andaazaa kar sakdey o.

MULTAN: Gang-rape victim admitted to DHQ Hospital <

By A Correspondent <

MULTAN, July 23: The 22-year-old girl, gang-raped in the chamber of a lawyer on the premises of Alipur tehsil courts on July 11, was admitted to the Muzaffargarh DHQ Hospital on Wednesday for complete medical examination. Earlier, the Muzaffargarh police approached the Alipur THQ Hospital medical superintendent to get opinion about her mental health. The MS referred the girl to the DHQ Hospital. The girl was reportedly raped by several people on July 11 last in the chamber of advocate Akhtar Leghari, situated in front of the court of additional district and sessions judge Safdar Saleem after the Friday prayers when usually the premises wear a deserted look. It is learnt the girl has been 'mentally retarded' since birth. She has eight sisters and a brother. Her father had died several years ago and her mother earns a living by sewing clothes. The only brother of the girl is also said to be a special person and had been missing for the last several years. It is learnt that the victim used to come out of her house without informing any member of the family and wander aimlessly in streets. On July 11, she again came out of her house and reached the tehsil courts where she was gang-raped allegedly by the clerks of the lawyers and court officials. The matter was hushed up initially, but someone informed the additional district and sessions judge. The AD&SJ directed civil judge/area magistrate Haji Muhammad Aslam to inquire into the matter. The inquiry officer constituted two committees comprising lawyers and their clerks to assist him in the prob e. Both the committees verified the crime, but according to the area people some of the main culprits were not included in the list of accused presented to the inquiry officer. On July 17, the Alipur city police registered a case under section 10/7/79 of Islamic laws against 13 people on the orders of the AD&SJ. Alipur Anjuman Tajran President Munawar Bokhari alleged that names of the court officials involved in the crime were omitted from the list of 13 people sent to the police. Residents of Alipur and people took out a number of protest processions to demand exemplary punishments for the accused who did not spare an 'insane' girl. The Alipur lawyers observed a strike on Tuesday against the incident. They had earlier got three days from police to surrender all the culprits who mostly were their clerks. After three days they expressed their inability to 'spot' the culprits and to hand them over to the law-enforcers. By that time it had been too late and the accused had fled way. Police could arrest only one accused - Allah Wasaya - while the attendant of the chamber where the crime was committed, Nazim (14), was handed over to police by advocate Akhtar Leghari on Wednesday. Investigation Officer Sub-Inspector Ameer Ahmad Qureshi said the 'arrest' of Nazim would help resolve the 'mystery' of the case that actually how many people committed the crime. The Nazim told this correspondent that six men who snatched keys of the chamber from him committed the crime. SI Ameer Qureshi said that the victim had been admitted to the Muzaffargarh DHQ hospital to determine her mental health. Talking to this correspondent in the hospital, the girl correctly pronounced her name, her mother's name, her town and number of siblings she had. About the happening, she said "they were too many people." The victim's mother broke into tears while saying "my daughter has been criminally assaulted at the place where people go for justice."

23 July de Dawn wich eh ik dardnaak sachi kahani paRhee. Tusi MinTo da afsana KhiRkee Khol do paRhyaa honaa ey. Eh es khitey dee badqismati ey ke ethy inj de qissey roz da maamool neyN. Kujh press wich aa jaaNdey neyN te kujh naheeN. Aj de Punjabi samaaj dee his be-his hoee paee ey. Te aj vee ehnaaN da raveyaa dariNdeyaaN toN badtar (worse) ey. Eh smaaj kit wal jaa rehyaa ey te hor kinnaa ku badshakal hoN*aa ey. Eh report paRh ke tusi aap andaazaa kar sakdey o.

MULTAN: Gang-rape victim admitted to DHQ Hospital By A Correspondent

MULTAN, July 23: The 22-year-old girl, gang-raped in the chamber of a lawyer on the premises of Alipur tehsil courts on July 11, was admitted to the Muzaffargarh DHQ Hospital on Wednesday for complete medical examination. Earlier, the Muzaffargarh police approached the Alipur THQ Hospital medical superintendent to get opinion about her mental health. The MS referred the girl to the DHQ Hospital. The girl was reportedly raped by several people on July 11 last in the chamber of advocate Akhtar Leghari, situated in front of the court of additional district and sessions judge Safdar Saleem after the Friday prayers when usually the premises wear a deserted look. It is learnt the girl has been 'mentally retarded' since birth. She has eight sisters and a brother. Her father had died several years ago and her mother earns a living by sewing clothes. The only brother of the girl is also said to be a special person and had been missing for the last several years. It is learnt that the victim used to come out of her house without informing any member of the family and wander aimlessly in streets. On July 11, she again came out of her house and reached the tehsil courts where she was gang-raped allegedly by the clerks of the lawyers and court officials. The matter was hushed up initially, but someone informed the additional district and sessions judge. The AD&SJ directed civil judge/area magistrate Haji Muhammad Aslam to inquire into the matter. The inquiry officer constituted two committees comprising lawyers and their clerks to assist him in the prob e. Both the committees verified the crime, but according to the area people some of the main culprits were not included in the list of accused presented to the inquiry officer. On July 17, the Alipur city police registered a case under section 10/7/79 of Islamic laws against 13 people on the orders of the AD&SJ. Alipur Anjuman Tajran President Munawar Bokhari alleged that names of the court officials involved in the crime were omitted from the list of 13 people sent to the police. Residents of Alipur and people took out a number of protest processions to demand exemplary punishments for the accused who did not spare an 'insane' girl. The Alipur lawyers observed a strike on Tuesday against the incident. They had earlier got three days from police to surrender all the culprits who mostly were their clerks. After three days they expressed their inability to 'spot' the culprits and to hand them over to the law-enforcers. By that time it had been too late and the accused had fled way. Police could arrest only one accused - Allah Wasaya - while the attendant of the chamber where the crime was committed, Nazim (14), was handed over to police by advocate Akhtar Leghari on Wednesday. Investigation Officer Sub-Inspector Ameer Ahmad Qureshi said the 'arrest' of Nazim would help resolve the 'mystery' of the case that actually how many people committed the crime. The Nazim told this correspondent that six men who snatched keys of the chamber from him committed the crime. SI Ameer Qureshi said that the victim had been admitted to the Muzaffargarh DHQ hospital to determine her mental health. Talking to this correspondent in the hospital, the girl correctly pronounced her name, her mother's name, her town and number of siblings she had. About the happening, she said "they were too many people." The victim's mother broke into tears while saying "my daughter has been criminally assaulted at the place where people go for justice."

Pervez for promotion of Punjabi language, culture

By Our Staff Reporter

LAHORE-Punjab Chief Minister Ch Pervez Elahi Tuesday announced a comprehensive project for promoting Punjabi language, culture and history. In this connection, an authoritative institute would be set up to give practical shape to various suggestion and proposals to galvanize Punjabi language and literature in the province, he said addressing a meeting of writers, poets and intellectuals held at Chief Minister's House, here. Besides Chief Secretary Hafeez Akhtar Randhawa, the meeting was attended by well-known intellectuals, including Shafqat Tanveer Mirza, Shehzad Ahmed, Raja Rasalu, Amjad Islam Amjad, Afzal Tauseef, Col. Nadir, Iqbal Qaiser, Saleem Shahid, Zahid Hassan, Qazi Javed, Irfan Ahmed, Abdul Rashid Bhatti, Shaista Nuzhat, Tanveer Zahoor and Jamil Ahmed Pal. Ch. Pervaiz Elahi said that in the past, negligence has been shown in respect of promoting and protecting Punjabi language and culture in the province, whereas a great deal of work in regional languages is being done in other provinces of the country, especially Sindh.

Today's Jang published the column of Hasan Nisar with the title "Punjabi Zuban aur Pervaiz Ilahi". He wrote in favour of Punjbi. Though it is not carried in the net site of Jang but Sajid Ch. should try to fit it in some how. Bhaee Sajid Jee, koee toR kadho eys daa.

There is another news regarding Punjabi in today's Daily Dawn. It is the statment of another Choudhry of Gujrat, Fakhar Zaman. Here is the link: http://www.dawn.com/2003/07/23/nat29.htm

Today (23rd July, 2003) there is good news about Punjabi language on the front page of the Daily Jang. Three column news with the statement of Punjab's Chief Minister Ch. Pervaiz Ilahi as "Pervaiz Ilahi ney Punjabi zubaan-o-saqaafat ke farogh ke liyey mansoobey kaa ilaan kar diyaa" and just go through the link: http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/index.html

I have over fifteen books on Baba Farid, in Punjabi, Urdu and English. Most of them wrote the date of birth as 1173 but it is not any criteria. I am also writing the date 1173 in my book on Baba Farid. Anyhow, our main focus is on the teachings and wisdom of Baba Jee. Thanks for sharing my comments. Rabb Raakhaa.

Galtee naal Baba Farid jee da janam din 1171 likhia gia si. Asal vich Sahib Singh ne 1173 de tariq likhi si. Type karan vich methoN galti ho gai si.

Mein vi eh sawal kise nooN puchhia si Par koi khass patta nhiN si laga. Eh dasia si ke Baba Jee da janam bahut thawaN te hijree maheene de Naal likhia hai par har admee jadon ehnooN Issvi vich badal denda hai taN wakharee wakharee tariq kadh lainde neN. Ho sakda hai ke eh karan hove . Par menooN patta nahiN.

Prof. Sahib Singh inj likhde neN.

Baba Jee Hijree 569 (1171)maheena ramzan dee pehli tariq nooN paida hoe si. Te Hijree 664 (1266)de maheene moharram dee panj tariq nooN 93 saal dee ummar vich apne Pind Ajhodan (Pakpattan)vich chalana kar gae si. Eh tusin aap hee socho ke 93 saal taaN naN hijree de hisaab naal baNhde neN te naN Issvi nal. JadoN mein eh sawal keeta si tan jawab si ke Hijree luner calander naal Issvi NahiN milde. par menooN eh gall changi taran samjh nahin aee. Changa hoya ke tusiN sawal keeta hai te koi sajan jawab devega. Rabb Rakha.

......KAFI......

Peyee wassaaN meN raNjhan de naal
Rubba kar de muraad e poori
....Meri kar de muraad e poori
Howe jaNdRi kujh chaNga hall
Rubba kar de muraad e poori
....Meri kar de muraad e poori

Hijar azaab meN jardi phhir di
RaNjhan RaNjhan kardi phhir di
Kalma eho bas bhardi phhir di
..............bhardi phhir di
Mukk cha waNje hun doori
Rubba kar de muraad e poori

MeN RaNjhan da saak awalla
MeN jhalli te oh vi jhalla
EveeN nibhe cha kheri salla
................kheri salla
Ley ley phhiraaN nit choori
Rubba kar de muraad e poori

Krishan kanihyya chohlaaN karda
Raadha da munn, dubda tarda
Oh te sajjan e jug vich harda
...............jug vich harda
Roop saroop ohda noori
Rubba kar de muraad e poori

JAVED ZAKI

Anyone knows the exact date of birth of Baba Farid Jee. The articles given in the front page of our site apnaorg.com inform different dates of birth of Baba Jee. One writes 1173 and other writes 1175. Which is correct? Thanks.

A sad news I just read on the ajiweekly.com that a punjabi Sajjan a prominent writer in hindi and brother of late Balraj Sahni in no longer with us. His name is BHISHM SAHNI(writer of famous novel TAMAS)He was demised on July 10th 2003. He was a very famous writer in hindi but his stories had a solid background of punjab and punjabiat. May god bless his soul. Sincere thoughts to the demised family.

Punjabi nu delhi vich raajsi darja ditey jaan di gall baare meri v kujh observation hai jo ke aap sabh naal saanjhi karn lageyaa haan. bohut changi gall hai ke punjabi nu status mill geya hai. par mainu eh sabh kujh SHOSHE-BAAJI lagdi hai. khon ke main punjab aaonda-jaanda rehna haan. te othe ja ke vekhda haan ke in actual vich aam lokaan de har din de vartaare vich punjabi di kitni ku varton hai. te vekh ke te sun ke dil nu bari udaasi hundi hai ke jis dharti di maa boli punjabi hai. Ose dharti de school systems vich bacheyaan nu punjabi bolan te Dann(fine)laaye jaande han. It is a fact. if you are a school going kid and if you want to communicate to your teachers you should use english if any other language is used there is a fine of Rs.25.00 if it get repeated the punishment got more severe. Mere kehan da matlab hai ke Achi gall hai ke state lavel te ya pher delhi vich siyasi lavel te bhaaven jo marji punjabi da maan-taan hove par aam lokaan de har roz de vartaare vich bara hi maara haal hoi jaanda hai maa-boli da.

RABB kare ke kise tarah naal eh laazmi kita jaave ke schools vich eho jeha maahol na hove ke aapni boli bolan te tohanu Dann na dena pave. Kyon jo eh te known fact hai ke mudhli school di parhaai tohadi maa boli vich na hove te navi paneeri vich oh confidance nahi aaonda jo ke ik Kaamyaab bande di mudhli LorH hai.

Ajay, thats good news about Punjabi being declared as the 2nd official language of Delhi. I had also read about that on Tribune - Chandigarh.

Do you know what the official status of Punjabi is in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh???

p.s. I was listening to the "Desi Duo" show on Panjab Radio last night (www.panjabradio.co.uk and SKY Digital channel 880) and they asked for listeners to send in internet sites which they would check out in the studio. So i sent them a txt message so that they could visit APNA. They got my message but by mistake i sent them "www.apna.org" which they read out on air and found that it was a site for an American nursing home. After this i phoned in and gave them the correct site address, which they went to and obviously liked. They then went on air and told all of their viewers to go online and log on to APNA website.

Just thought it would interest you to know about this little bit of free advertising for APNA on Panjab Radio. The more support and awareness for APNA the better!

Those of U who have not already got the information, it is a matter of joy that Delhi Government has recently adopted Punjabi and Urdu both as official languages of the state. Both the languages already figure in the list of 17 official languages of India.

People involved in promotion of the languages may like to consider this as a clear milestone achieved. Cheers

Bye for now

........GEET.........

Dukhh raataaN nuN jaagan wale
Soch de panchhi de paNkhaaN te
Apne dard soneheeN likh ke
Duur geye sajnaaN nuN ghalde
...Rehn akhhaaN de deeve balde

KaaliaaN raataaN tayre chan mokhRe da jhoala payNda
Tayre peraaN di aahat chaare paase sunn-da rehNda
Tayre binaaN mayra pal neiN laNgh-da, soch khiyal ne jalde
...Apne dard soneheeN likh ke
...Duur geye sajnaaN nuN ghalde
...Rehn akhhaaN de deeve balde

Ghupp henairiaaN di chaadar di bokkal maar ke behnaN
TayriaaN vich odeekaaN ghulnaaN, iklapa iNj sehnaN
Tayre aan di aas ich sajnaaN, mayre saah ne chalde
...Apne dard soneheeN likh ke
...Duur geye sajnaaN nuN gkalde
...Rehn akhhaaN de deeve balde

JAVED ZAKI

I came across these articles after i did a search on "Bhulekha" and thought they may be of interest to some of the members here.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010424/world.htm#2

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030622/world.htm#2

Hello Suman. I am not very knowledgeable on Sufism or Punjabi Literature, i just thought that the article may be of interest to APNA.

Ghazal pasand karn da buhat shukria.

Altaf Sikander Busal

Ghazal pasand karn da buhat shukria.

Altaf Sikander Busal

Saeed bhra ji: main Shauna Singh da novel parheya ay angraizee wich...hun dair ho gai ay 2-3 saal pehlay jad ayea si nawan nawan parheya si. The story is about this Sikh family living in poThohaar area in a village called Pari-darwaaza. It portrays very well the multi-religious and multi-ethnic community of even a small village like Pari-darwaaza in pre-parition era. Then the story deals with second marriage to a younger woman of the sardaar ji who is engineer. Later part of the novel deals with the pre-partition tentions and riots and violence following it. In my view it is a very good novel detailing the social set up punjab during that time period. I certainly recommend it. I don't know if they have a Punjabi version of it. I doubt it.

1. "Alfo Peerni di Vaar". Price Rs. 30 (P. 202)

2. "AhyaaN VichoN NahyaaN". Price: Rs. 38 (P. 235)

3. "RaNg (FaridoN Nanak, NanakoN Farid). Price: Rs 19 (P.128)

Publisher: Abbas Ali Siddiqui for "Rutt Laikha"
Distributor: "Kitab TriNjan", 22-MiaN Chambers-
Temple Road, Lahore. Pakistan.

Chandigarh, July 7 In some months from now, the rich Sufi tradition of Punjab will be awarded its rightful place in the scheme of cultural progress of the state once the Sufi Foundation India, a voluntary organisation formed by some culturally-inclined people, including some top Punjab police officials, is launched with the objective of preserving the glorious heritage of Punjab.

Formed some time ago under the chairmanship of the ADGP, Law and Order, Punjab, Mr A.A. Siddiqui, an ardent lover of the Sufiana tradition, the organisation has a mentor in the celebrated film maker Muzaffar Ali, who was in the city on a special invitation from the organisation yesterday. With his strong Sufiana leaning and rich knowledge of the field, Muzaffar Ali could possibly have been the best ‘counsellor’ for the organisation.

Some years ago, Ali floated his own music company through which he had released four cassettes on Sufi love, the latest being ‘Jahan-e-Khusro. The earlier ones were ‘Paigham-e-Mohabbat’, ‘Jaam-e-Ishq’ and ‘Raqs-e-Bismil’. Not just this, Muzaffar Ali is also working on an international film based on the life of a renowned 13th century poet Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi. To be made on a budget of $ 10 million, Ali wants Al Pacino and Robert De Niro to work in this film. Another acclaimed project of Ali ‘India, Garden of Saints’ is a film on Sufi saints in India.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030708/punjab1.htm#38

sapaaN nooN maiN doodh pilaya panni ditta akkaaN

apni wekh kmayaan aj main keweeN athroo dakkaan

sadday chowk chobaray behkaaN sunjay sunjay lagan

khoweray kehRRi Daien phiri ae sadday pinDaaN chakkaaN

aedooN waddi hore saza ki yaro menooN mildi

oha manzar roz maiN wekhaaN jehrra soch na sakaan

jwan wala yar Sikander halay teek na aya

raat deharri aeweeN main tay aDiaaN chuk chuk takkaaN

Altaf Sikander Busal

Kal meyN Lahore see. DineyN Mustansar Hussain Tarar ney ghar dawat dittee see. Ohdey naal Punjab te Punjabi barey tin ghanTey wachar taakraa hoyaa. Ohney Bibi Shauna Singh Baldwin de navel "What the Body Remembers" dee das paee. balkey sachi puchho taaN kan wich bhin paaee. eh navel partition 1947 de unwaan te likhyaa geyaa ey. Eh navel meyN LahoroN naheeN labh sakyaa. Ehda Gurmukhi wich tarjamaa je kisey dost kol hovey yaaN eh Angrezi wich ee labh sakey taaN koee baNdaa mehbaani karey. Je eh shahmukhi wich naheeN chhapyaa taaN ehnoo apnaorg.com waloN chhapan da sarbaNdh keetaa jaway. ehdey laee meyN khidmat karan laee tayaar aaN. Baqi saathyaaN de mashwarey naal. Je kisey neyN eh navel paRhyaa howay taaN ehday barey das paey. Shukriyaa.

by FATIMA IQBAL [The Nation, Lahore}

After a few instructions from Madeeha Gohar to a seated audience at Alhamra, the play, in connection with Ajoka's 20th Anniversary, opens with a group of followers carrying in Bullah's funeral bed. The then mullahs of Kasur, shown standing in the court, declare his burial 'na-jaiz' for living a life of a kafr.
Set in the eighteenth century, the 2 1/2 hour play without an interval, looks back into the life of Bulleh Shah (1680-1758); how he becomes Shah Inayat's disciple and is forced to leave his hometown, Kasur. And against all odds, he continues his search for truth.
His sittings with khusras, Muradi Begum - a prostitute and the downtrodden, who later became his followers, comes as a rude shock to the so-called clerics of the religion. Time and again they pass fatwas and declare him an outcast. Sarfraz Ansari outplays his character as Bullah. Throughout his rendition of Bullah's kafis is imposing.
It should be noted that the era shown, not much different from today, is one of political disorder, decline of the Mughul Empire and civil rebellion. Bullah saves the life of Banda Bahadur Singh who is out to avenge the blood of his family. He persuades him to stop the insanity and preaches him tolerance. The Sikh is moved by Bullah's manner and they meet again towards the end under similar circumstances. While Bullah is told to leave Kasur, Singh is caught and taken to Delhi.
The tide is against him when the intolerant Nawabs severly criticise him for his obsession for music and compel his murshad to give a fatwa on his qawali. The mullahs come out truly exposed when they misinterpret Bullah's statement "Mein illah waan" (meaning I am immature) as Mein Allah waan. This is quite reflective of our times where mullahs point fingers at others to cover their misdoings. Two narrators who double as Bullah's devotees, Sona and Chandi in the play continue to impress the audience. It has moments of supreme devotion laid out side by side with scenes of inhumanity and ruthlessness. Probably what makes the play all the more interesting and uncluttered are the sets and simple costumes. Bullah's brown malung gown symbolises his bond with the commonfolk. Shah Inayat's all white garb has a spiritual air about it while Bahadur Singh's blue kurta with a contrasting yellow belt goes well with his personality.
There is distinctive Punjabi twang in the dialogues uttered, somewhat difficult to understand in the beginning but then one soon gets the hang of it. The script is punctuated with beautiful kafis, notably, Bullah's whirling dance on Terey Ishq Nachaya.
Being one of Ajoka's best Punjabi play, written by Shahid Nadeem and directed by Madeeha Gohar, it has seen an increase in its following for the last five years. A must-see for all those who have missed it out in the past. And a chance to see Asim Bokhari and Sarfraz Ansari in one of their best performances.

Suman ji, mere koll Chandan ji di koi kitaab nai ais veile. weekend te time lagga te APNA site ooper ohna dian jo nazmaN ne ikk do Roman wich paawaNga tuhade lai.

AseeN likhan waaley

LikhtaaN karan

Kitey (kirey) naa apRey

AseeN likhan waaley

saarey musaafir

kallam kalley

saaDaa paRhyaa likhyaa

sabh kujh geyaa beykaar

DangaaN waley

laNgh gaey aggey

suT key

payraaN heyTh

qalmaaN de

sajrey armaan

Dr. Laeeq Babri saaree hayaatee Punjabi da Dukh apney man wich paaldey rahey. Babri Marhoom nooN SufiyaaN naal ishq see. Shah Husain de baRey aashiq san. Aksar Shah Hussain da ey bol gunganaoNdey: Maey ni meyN kehnooN aakhaaN dard wachhoRey daa haal nee. Waris Shah siraaN dee raat waaNgooN dunyaa khaab khiyaal ee jaaN*yaa je.

......GEET......

GallaN kar le piyaar diaaN, piyaar diaaN
Sohne yaar diaaN, dildaar diaaN

Is raNg reNgeele moasam vich
Teri khoshboo e meyre dam dam vich
Meri jaan phhullan te aaee e
Kih siftaaN neiN meyre yaar diaaN
....GallaN kar le piyaar diaan, piyaar diaaN

Teri zulfaaN di kih mehak jhulli
MeinuN tann-mann di sub hosh bhulli
Teyre mokhh chaanan da lashkara
PiyaaN chan rashmaaN jiNd waar diaaN
....GallaN kar le piyaar diaaN, piyaar diaaN

RaNg nenaaN da makhmoor disse
Mera aNg aNg piyaar theiN choor disse
Meinun maahi mille, ohde naal karaaN
GallaN piyaar diaaN, iqraar diaaN

Javed Zaki

Javed Zaki

Meri kih wadyaaee loko, Meri kih wadyaaee

............KAFI..........

Meri kih wadyaaee loko, Meri kih wadyaaee
MeiN te yaar nuN labh'di phirdi, jhaNjhar ohdi paaee

ANg sharir nuN mal-mal dhota, hatheiN mehNdi laaee
AkheiN kajjal naal sajayaaN, hoNTaaN surkhi laaee
chola arq gulaab dholaaya, chunni laal raNgaaee
Saajan nuN phir vi naN bhaNdi, sajjan di shedaaee
...Meri kih wadyaaee loko, meri kih wadyaaee

MeiN gunn haari, sharmaaN marri, akhiaaN mool naN chaNwaaN
Meyl aNder di kala kita tunn, saaloo kih paNwaaN
Je saajan e aNg naN laawe, sohre ghar kiNj jaNwaaN
MeiN bus geeTe khed'di reh gei, shoah di surt bholaaee
...Meri kih wadyaaee loko, meri kih wadyaaee

Mein jis de laR lagna chah'waaN, oh meinuN dhutkaare
Meri koee gal neiN sunda, keete quol wasaare
ANder wassoN rutt birha di, sillhe nain kinaare
Ohde hath e doar asaadi, sanuN soojh naN kaaee
...Meri kih wadyaaee loko, meri kih wadyaaee

Saak sa'heRan sayyaaN sabhne, meiN mat maari jogan
Oh te wasdiyaaN sajnaaN de saNg, hus hus jiNdRi bhogan
MeinuN taahNg milan di her pal, meiN sadhraaN di rogan
MeriN akheeN sofne ohde, darsan di dharyaaee
...Meri kih wadyaaee loko, meri kih wadyaaee
...MeiN te yaar nuN labh'di phir di, jhaNjhar ohdi paaee

"UThh waNgaaran, dhaaRweaaN nuN ja ke".

DhaaRweiN= Maar-dhaaR karan wale, loteray.

Javed Zaki

"Fir SheehaaN pattan Malle"
(Nabhar Sajjan 'PASH' da Dhola)

Kaal GhateNdi geyRe,
..cha saaNg nokeli haththe.
Naarad OThhya gujj ke,
..te dhar kaawaR nuN maththe.
SheeNhaaN de wagg pichhe la ke,
..shehraaN jhokaaN laththe.
Rutt(Moasam) chaRhi fir oho bhaari.
Waahri, rut(khoon) chatiari.
..Te khalqat karmaaN maari.
Trotti trotti, lotti lotti,
Saah sat seene ghotti.
Sehmi sehmi, truThhi truThhi,
Surt sojha toN maThhi.
..Khoare keRhe saaoo waile,
NaveN aadarshaaN de chan sooraj,
AkhiaaN de veRhe chamka ke,
Be-aasi di jhul nuN laah ke,
ApniaaN sooliaaN modhe cha ke
Surt de jognoaaN de chaanan theeN,
..raah lashka ke.
Nabhar soch vachaar sujha ke.
Jaa waNgaaran, dhaaRweaaN nuN jaa ke.

Lafzaali (vacabulary)

"Dhola"= Punjabi adab vich 'Vaar' shairi di ik qisim e, jide vich 'Nabhar'(revolutionary OR rebel who fights for the cause of down-trodden) te bahaadar lokaaN de kaar-naame biyaan kite jaaNde niN, jinhouN SaaNdal baar de ilaaqe vich "Dhola' vi aakhiya jaaNda e. Vaar shaairi vich amooman mukhaRe diaaN lenaaN 'Kaal' te 'Naarad' de zakar naal shoroo hoNdiaaN neeN.Kaal te Naarad, Hindu mythology de do khooni characters neeN.

GhateNdi= PaaNdi
SaaNg Nokeli= Nokdaar Barchhi
KaawaR= Ghossa, KoaR
SheeNh= sher, Lion
Bhaari= moshkil, masibat maari
Waahri= ghusse tuN be-qaabu
Rut chatiaari= khooni
TruThhi= khoaf-zada
Surt sojha tUn maThhi= Samajh boojh tuN dhili
Saaoo= chaNga
Aadarsh= Ideal
Jhull= Chaader (kambal) naal apne aap nuN chhopana
WaNgaarana= Lalkaarna

"Fir SheehaaN pattan Malle"
(Nabhar Sajjan 'PASH' da Dhola)

Kaal GhateNdi geyRe,
..cha saaNg nokeli haththe.
Naarad OThhya gujj ke,
..te dhar kaawaR nuN maththe.
SheeNhaaN de wagg pichhe la ke,
..shehraaN jhokaaN laththe.
Rutt(Moasam) chaRhi fir oho bhaari.
Waahri, rut(khoon) chatiari.
..Te khalqat karmaaN maari.
Trotti trotti, lotti lotti,
Saah sat seene ghotti.
Sehmi sehmi, truThhi truThhi,
Surt sojha toN maThhi.
..Khoare keRhe saaoo waile,
NaveN aadarshaaN de chan sooraj,
AkhiaaN de veRhe chamka ke,
Be-aasi di jhul nuN laah ke,
ApniaaN sooliaaN modhe cha ke
Surt de jognoaaN de chaanan theeN,
..raah lashka ke.
Nabhar soch vachaar sujha ke.
Jaa waNgaaran, dhaaRweaaN nuN jaa ke.

Lafzaali "Dhola"= Punjabi adab vich 'Vaar' shairi di ik qisim e, jide vich 'Nabhar'(revolutionary OR rebel who fights for the cause of down-trodden) te bahaadar lokaaN de kaar-naame biyaan kite jaaNde niN, jinhouN SaaNdal baar de ilaaqe vich "Dhola' vi aakhiya jaaNda e.

Kaal te Naarad= Hindu mythology de do khooni characters
GhateNdi= PaaNdi
SaaNg Nokeli= Nokdaar Barchhi
KaawaR= Ghossa, KoaR
SheeNh= sher, Lion
Bhaari= moshkil, masibat maari TruThhi= khoaf-zada
Surt sojha tUn maThhi= Samajh boojh tuN dhili
Saaoo= chaNga
Aadarsh= Ideal
Jhull= Chaader (kambal) naal apne aap nuN chhopana
WaNgaarana= Lalkaarna

"Fir SheehaaN pattan Malle"
(Nabhar Sajjan PASH da Dhola)

Kaal GhateNdi geyRe,
..cha saaNg nokeli haththe.
Naarad OThhya gujj ke,
..te dhar kaawaR nuN maththe.
SheeNhaaN de wagg pichhe la ke,
..shehraaN jhokaaN laththe.
Rutt(Moasam) chaRhi fir oho bhaari.
Waahri, rut(khoon) chatiari.
..Te khalqat karmaaN maari.
Trotti trotti, lotti lotti,
Saah sat seene ghotti.
Sehmi sehmi, truThhi truThhi,
Surt sojha toN maThhi.
..Khoare keRhe saaoo waile,
NaveN aadarshaaN de chan sooraj,
AkhiaaN de veRhe chamka ke,
Be-aasi di jhul nuN laah ke,
ApniaaN sooliaaN modhe cha ke
Surt de jognoaaN de chaanan theeN,
..raah lashka ke.
Nabhar soch vachaar sujha ke.
Jaa waNgaaran, dhaaRweaaN nuN jaa ke.

Lafzaali "Dhola"= Punjabi adab vich 'Vaar' shairi di ik qisim e, jide vich 'Nabhar'(revolutionary OR rebel who fights for the cause of down-trodden) te bahaadar lokaaN de kaar-naame biyaan kite jaaNde niN, jinhouN SaaNdal baar de ilaaqe vich "Dhola' vi aakhiya jaaNda e.

Kaal te Naarad= Hindu mythology de do khooni characters
GhateNdi= PaaNdi
SaaNg Nokeli= Nokdaar Barchhi
KaawaR= Ghossa, KoaR
SheeNh= sher, Lion
Bhaari= moshkil, masibat maari TruThhi= khoaf-zada
Surt sojha tUn maThhi= Samajh boojh tuN dhili
Saaoo= chaNga
Aadarsh= Ideal
Jhull= Chaader (kambal) naal apne aap nuN chhopana
WaNgaarana= Lalkaarna

ShearaaN nooN pasand karn da tay hausla afzai da buhat shukria.

***Sikander**

Javed Zaki

Dear P'aa DullaBhatti Ji

Once again, I wish to clarify that Shiv's "greatness" isn't what I am discussing. I find him to be culturally significant and, my personal prejudices about his poetry apart, I cannot write him off as a poet no matter how hard I may strive. I thought I was doing something else - to look at Shiv without the irresistible impulse to fetishize that informs much of deification that passes off in the name of critical discourse. I am in no way trying to de-Shaivify Shiv's admirers. But , obviously I do not seem to have had much success in communicating myself clearly.

You are right about Tagore's age. But, then, what does age have to do with creative excellence? (Perhaps it does!) Rimbaud, the famous French poet, had finished his poetic career in early twenties. Keats and Shelley are other examples. Closer home Pash, Lal Singh Dil produced their finest work in their twenties as indeed did Shiv.

Cheers!

Sukhbir

Apropos de article by Jafar Wafa cut and pasted by Javed Veer Ji from the Dawn for the readers of APNA, allow me to begin with a quote from Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi:

Che tadbir-e-Musalmaanaan ki man khud ra nami daanam
Na Tarsa na Yahudam man na Gubram na Musalmaanam

In my view there could not be a clearer and categorical negation of Mr Wafa’s thesis of the so-called “Muslim” poetry than this couplet. This dissolution of the ‘self’ is more in line with Bulle Shah’s “Ki Janna MaiN Kaunn” than anything that Allama Iqbal may have attempted. The idea of ‘khudi’ is too assertive and too strong in Allama’s poetry – especially his “ShaaheeN” poems – for him to be clubbed with the Great Sufi traditions of either the Indian sub-continent or elsewhere. He comes across as simply too deeply steeped in the rhetoric of the self :

1. Khudi Ko kar buland itna
2. Kargas Ka JahaaN aur hai ShaaheeN ka JahaaN aur
3. ShaheeN kabhi parvaaz se thak kar nahiN girtaa
4. Tu ShaaheeN hai baseraa kar pahaardoN ki chattaanoN par
5. Ai aabrood-e-Ganga who din hai yaad tujhko
Utraa tere kinaare jab kaarvaaN hamaaraa

One can go on adding verses.

What is the great point in insisting:

“It was the pre-Islamic poet-king of Arabia, the famous Imraul Qays, in the sixth century after Christ, who composed poems based on personal-feelings and 'experiences', a millennium before England produced its Shakespeare.” What about the personal experiences of, say, Kalidas (4th C AD) about two hundred years before the writer mentioned above put ink to paper? Such combattive statements are not only inconsequential but childish. For each statement made so assertively by the Mr Wafa, one could faithfully produce two to take the winds out of sails. I am also dismayed to note that Mr Wafa’s understanding of “Western” does not go beyond English poetry. Why pick on poor Shakespeare? Why don’t you remember Abelard and Heloise (France, 1079-1142); RabelaisFrance, (b. 1483) and Chaucer (English AD1340-1400) ; and Dante(Italy 1265-1321)?

Do we need to remind ourselves of a very strong pre-Christian poetic tradition – of Homer (Greek, 800 BC - 700 BC), Seneca (Roman 5BC-65AD), Virgil (Roman 70 BC - 19 BC), Sophocles (Greek, 496 BC - 406 BC), Aeschylus (Greek, 525 BC - 456 BC), Euripides (Greek, 480-406 BC) and many others. And one isn’t merely speaking of the great Epics alone. One is also thinking of the Greek tragedies, comedies and satires. There is absolutely no merit in the argument that the lyrical poetic tradition, the garden poetry and the genre of satire had its origin in the so-called “Muslim” poetry. How I wish the prestigious Dawn did a little editorial homework before letting such articles through.

Sukhbir

Rammah Ji. I am sorry that I did not know the new policy of the APNA’s management about not posting even articles like above. I did not receive your email regarding downloading InPage. Can you send me again? I will greatly appreciate. Javed Zaki

What is Islamic Poetry? Was it also invented by Gen Zia with his invention of Islamic Science?

Were you able to download InPage from the web page I sent you?

Poetry through the Ages

By Jafar Wafa

From lyrical poems, to Qasidas, the true worth of Muslim poetry spans many traditions.

Many, who may have heard the names of Saadi, Hafiz or Omar Khayyam, know little about the excellence of their poetical compositions bequeathed to us, and the times they lived in.

Before the Renaissance burst upon Mediaeval Europe in the wake of the Muslim conquest of Constantinople in AD1463 poetry was considered profane and frivolous by the European court and clergy alike. It was the direct consequence of Muslim influence that lyrical poetry, distinct from religious poetry, took birth in Europe.

It was the pre-Islamic poet-king of Arabia, the famous Imraul Qays, in the sixth century after Christ, who composed poems based on personal-feelings and 'experiences', a millennium before England produced its Shakespeare. Imraul Qays wrote against Fate: "We are birds, flies and worms and yet bolder than ravening wolves. The roots of nobility reach deep into the earth, but death robs me of my youth ...." These lines remind the reader of Shakespeare's blank verse uttered by a tragic character in one of his plays: "We are to the gods as flies to the boys; they kill us for their sport."

While mentioning lmraul Qays and quoting his verses. it would be improper if a significant fact - the poetic genre of Qasida (or ode) - is not taken note of "The Qasida has nothing in common with the English odes ('Ode to the West wind' or 'Ode to a nightingale'). The Arabic Qasida was a long poem beginning with 'Tashbib', recalling the exploits of youth, meeting the loved one (wisal), then facing the agony of love and pangs of separation (hijr). It ended with the glorification of the poet's tribe or patron. This particular kind of poetry was peculiar to the Arab taste and talent.

'Political' as well as satirical poems originated during Banu Ummaya's so-called 'golden age' under Abdul Malik and Hajjaj. Al-Akhtal, the court poet, the leader of this genre, was outdone by his rival Farazdaq. It was only in the 18th century that satirical poems composed by Dryden and Alexander Pope gained recognition as poetry, proper, in England.

In 740 A.D., Abdul Malik's successor Walid II, reported to be not given much to piety, patronised drinking songs ( like 'Saqi Nama' in Persian). Adi Ibne Zayd, a Christian started composing such songs. An independent form of love poems was also introduced at this time to the Arab connoisseurs of poetry which were composed by Umar ibne Abi Rabiah. These love songs are different from the 'Tashbib' of the old Qasidas.

The Abbasid caliphs, particularly during Harun-ur- Rashid's 23-year rule (786-809 A.D.) particularly cultivated this form of poetry .In his time love poetry, composed mainly by the by non-Arab residents of Baghdad, became popular. Abu Nawas of Persian parentage, Marwan Ibne All Hafsah, a Khorasanian Jew, Khalaful Ahmar of Farghana and Abul Alahiyah, a Christian who later became an ascetic were famous poets of these lyrics.

After the sacking of Baghdad by the Mongol Horde in 1258 A.D., Iran came under Mongol rule. During this period under the Persian ruler Saad ibne Zangi, who recognizing Mongol authority retained his kingdom, the poet Saadi (d.1291), taking his name from his patron, wrote original works of a moralising nature of mingled verse and prose. The Gulistan (Rose Garden) and Bostan (Pleasure Garden) are still regarded as classic expressions of Islamic morality and ethical conduct. Half a century after Saadi, came the most celebrated of all Persian poets, Shamsuddin Mohammad Hafiz from Saadi's city of Shiraz. His 'Diwan' was first published in 1868 A.D. His poems centre on praise for nature's beauty , on flowers blossoming in spring, on the nightingale's song of yearning (like that of the English Romantic poets), on the joys of youth and the pleasures of drinking. These poems of Hafiz are the precursors of our extremely sensuous and secular love lyrics, or Ghazals. But they have been invested with a sacred significance and are admired by pious people as allegorical verses, their inner meaning being about not a physical love but about the love of the Creator - Ishqe Haqiqi.

Omar Khayyam (d.1132) lived and wrote before the Mongol tempest. Although a mathematician of great worth, his real reputation is based on his poetry. He composed his Rubaiyat, or quatrains, in Persian. These are witty, hedonistic wine songs preaching a carefree enjoyment of life. But even these quatrains are given a mystic meaning, as it was unthinkable that a Muslim would write profane things so openly and publicly.

But the greatest mystic (Sufi) poet of Islam, who wrote his Masnavi in Persian, although he was brought up in Konya, Turkey, was Jalaluddin Roomi, or Maulana Room. His Masnavi, or stanzas of eight verses (like Omar Khayyam's Rubaiyat of four-verse stanzas) is a masterly exposition of Islamic mysticism through fables, stories and metaphysical reflections centring around his main philosophical theme - the dissolution of the ego ('khudi').

He anticipated our own poet-philosopher Allama Iqbal, who acknowledges him as his source of inspiration.

Bohat Bohat Shukriyaa. 6 saal baad ajj Randhawa Sahib dee likhat paRhan nu mili hai. Thank you so much. It made my day!

Harvinder

Safir Veer Ji

Dr Madan Gopal's composition in question was sung for the first time at the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru's 39th Death Anniversary Concert held at the Teen Murti Auditorium on the 27th of May 2003. The concert was telecast live on DD International and was extremely well received.The recording I have managed to borrow is from this concert and is not a proper studio recording. It exists on both DAT and simple audio formats. The concert has now been re-edited as "Bas Tu Hi Tu". I learn that this composition along with a few of his other recent works will soon be recorded separately in a proper studio. It will certainly be possible to upload the same at that time. In addition he has done two river songs - one on Beas and the other on Chenab - which are equally moving listening experiences.

Sukhbir

On launch of a new PTV channel, namely PTV National, i would like to congradulate all the Deewanas & Parwanas of Punjabi culuture. since this channel would be telecasting a wide array of programmes in the " indegenous languages of pakistan" including Punjabi. With the launch of this new channel the cultures & languages of the land of Pakistan would get their long over due share of projection in media which they deserve. Finally some recogition granted by our official mandarins to the local & indegenous cultures of the land of Pakistan. It is a historic moment in the cultural history of Pakistan and this will usher in to a new era of brotherhood & national integration in the real sence.

Any chance you could convert Dr Madan’s new composition of Shah Hussain’s “Ghum Charakharda” in Raag Sohni to MP3 or Real Audio format? If that is possible, I will then request you to upload it to APNA web.

Dear Pa’ah Dulla Bhatti Ji,

I am somewhat reassured by the succinct doubt you have expressed with regard to my rejoinder on Janaab Safir Rammah’s detailed essay on the life and poetry of Shiv Batalvi. This rejoinder, I may point out, was more an attempt at expressing my somewhat deviant views on Shiv (a project doomed to fail given Shiv’s awesome cultural reputation and an ever-growing, almost phenomenal, deification but then as they say the khalsa is not deterred by loneliness or failure so here I am holding on to my views like a perpetually losing warrior) than about convincing people vis-à-vis the ‘greatness’ or otherwise of Shiv as a poet. In any case the onus of proving Shiv’s greatness as a poet – if that is at all a desirable goal of critical discourse and I do not think it is – falls upon scribes who proclaim his greatness to the exclusion of all else. Allow me to quote from their article the following sentence:

“Shiv’s popularity has now reached a point where ignoring it as a yardstick to measure the significance of his poetry will amount to a contempt of the collective mind of Punjabis.”

The view harbours an ill-concealed intolerance of the other. Even Commisar Zhdanov did not express himself so unambiguously. Popularity is not an amorphous monolith – it expresses itself differently through different recepients / consumers of the popular icons.

I would like to give here an example or two :

During a string of concerts given by the young anti-pacifist and pro-war Rabbi Gill recently, I was not a little amused when before embarking upon “Ik Kurdi Jihda Naam Mohabbat”, he would invariably begin by proudly comparing Batalvi to Tagore. For, this was not just a travesty but stark ignorance. Tagore rode the Bengali culture like a colossus: he was a poet, novelist, short-story writer, dramatist, essayist, composer, painter, choreographer, educationist, filmmaker, and a traveller – in short an astounding cultural phenomenon. Despite all this, he was not necessarily the most significant poet of his time. Jibnanand Das was a poet of far sharper and saturated sense of the land. His imagery was compelling without being esoteric… deeply emotional without being artefactual and primitive. In this sense, he had moved with the times without surrendering any of the Bengali resonance. Nevertheless Tagore was preponderant, spread all over culturally and comparable ever so mildly in his orientalist-utopian drive to, if anyone, Prof Puran Singh. But was there any sense in comparing our Batalvi with their Tagore? A pro-war, anti-pacifist Rabbi Gill singing Shiv with utmost feeling and dedication was a very strange happening indeed!

Recently, I also came across encyclopaedic entries on Shiv in which he had been compared to, for instance, Shelley by the likes of Duggal and Amrita. This took the cake absolutely. Now anyone who knows his/her romanticism ever so slightly will recall the political resonance from where the English Romantic Poetry sprang. Could Shiv ever conceivably write an Ode to Liberty? Oh, the pity of it all… !

And how much of this “collective mind of Punjabis” admire Shiv for his critically acclaimed masterpiece “Loonna”?

And, where would you place Shiv’s:

1. Mainu Tera Shabaab Lai Baithaa

2. Jaach Mainu Aa Gayee Gham Khaan Di

and many other similar poems seeped unabashedly in lachrymose sentimentality. I am not into a game of minimising the poetic persona of Shiv Batalvi. After all, he did capture the imagination of a certain section of the Punjabi decision-making class. But that does not necessarily make him a more significant poet culturally than say Sant Ram Udasi whose constituency of listeners is disinherited from the field of decision-making power politics. The same holds true for another poet from the Malwa belt – the legendary Rajab Ali. Even while sleeping, these two could not ever think of penning the two poems I have referred to above.

I have already expressed my views on the aesthetic layerings in Shiv’s poetry albeit ever so succinctly. I am in the process of, ever so slowly unfortunately, of doing a closed textual and cultural analysis of some of his better known poems. Hopefully, I shall have an article ready in about a couple of months. I do not wish to denigrate Shiv’s poetic genius – I am at pains to point out that I am fascinated by the cultural phenomenon that he was. If you read my rejoinder a little sympathetically, I am making an altogether a different point which has nothing to do with his “greatness” as a poet.

I must point out that personally I am very uncomfortable with poets who recreate their existential anxiety through a descriptive string : “JaaN oh Bot… ”; “Jaan oh chandri… ”; “Jaan Uddadi Badloti koi…” – like Javed Akhtar’s “Ik lardki ko dekha to aisa laga JAISE…” This, to me, seems like a falsification of one’s very personal experience. See, for instance, how the image expands in an experiential continuity in Gulzar. That for me is the hallmark of a poet. But then I am no arbiter in the matter of aesthetic taste.

Within critical discourse, one tries to eschew as far as possible the highly emotive and volatile domain of adjectives. ‘Greatness’, a measure as blind as the furies, functions mostly like a vaavraula or a tornado (or is it a cyclone?) and one should steer clear of such elemental energies unless of course one wants to fly in the eye of the big wind with an inexplicable desire to dare and self-destruct. One also has to put the matter of personal taste and preferences aside and look at a given cultural, creative phenomenon from as wide a range of critical/philosophical passion as is possible. The field of cultural memory is the other significant ground of reference. And as is evident, Shiv does not come across as a culturally insignificant poet. On the contrary.

And finally, these days I am completely overwhelmed by Dr Madan’s new composition of Shah Hussain’s “Ghum Charakharda” in Raag Sohni and set to Teen Taal. It is simply mesmerizing.

Cheers!

Sukhbir

Gursharan Ji, meharbani towadi bahut, haun je ho sake ik chota jhai benti hor, tusi je eh thodi jahi samjha devo mainu?

Sukhbir ji, arguments on Shiv's personality aside you have not convinced me yet on why Shiv is not a great poet.

Bali, toon ajay jiyondi ain? chal changa Rabb teri lambi ummar kare...120 di howeiN te sau sau saal de bache vi mai Bali mai Bali keh ke balaun.:-)

Mai keha ke chir baad teri farmaish aayi hai tainu khush kar deyiye

hazir hai SAAVE PATTR waale Mohan Singh Di ik rachna

Pyare pyare Nanney Taarey
Sooraj de Pighley Sone vich Khabr nahin kyon dhalde,
APPA CHALDE
Motiaan vargi Traail Savargi,
Vaayu(breeze)di nighi Bukal vich,
Khabr nahin kyon Lukdi
AIWEN MUKDI
Lehraan waali Nadi Suchali(sohni tor waali)
Khabr nahi kyon khaar Saagar wich,
Garak Hai kyon Ho jaandi
AAP GAVAANDI
Mainu te je Rabb vi Aakhe:
Aa mere Chorepan de vich Rall Ja
Kadi Na Rallan
VAKH HI KHALAAN
Rabb Vich Rall ke Aapa Chhal(Decieve)Ke,
Haaye!Sakkaan ga Maan Kiven Main,
Eh Duniya De Nazaare
RAS RANG SAAREY
Oh Ki Banda?Changa Ja Manda,
Rakh na Sakey Jo Sab Duniya Ton,
Vakhra Apna Aapa
KAL KALLAPA

Thanks a lot. I will truely treasuer your help. I can't read Shahmukhi, so I will appericiate it if you could send Randhawa Sahib's poems in Roman Script. Thank you so much.

Harvinder