By: Safir Rammah

DAWN, Feb. 15, 2004

While surveying Punjabi publications of the year 2003, it is hard to ignore a noticeable positive change in the prevailing adverse environment for Punjabi language in Pakistan. Since Punjabi language has been deprived of any official patronage, recognition or status by the federal and provincial governments, publications in Punjabi language not only represent creative talents of the writers , they also signify the struggle against all odds of a handful of activists, writers and publishers to keep the Punjabi language alive at the literary level. Any discussion on Punjabi books will be incomplete without a review of the overall atmosphere in which these books are written and published.

The year 2003 had all the indications that a turning point may have finally arrived and better days may be ahead for Punjabi language and literature in Pakistan. In the backdrop of rising hopes for improvement in bilateral relations between India and Pakistan, Punjab's government made a number of announcements during 2003 to take some key steps for the promotion of Punjabi language, including the establishment of a well-funded institute for the promotion of Punjabi language and culture and the formation of Punjab Heritage Committee. Punjab's Chief Minister, Chaudhri Pervaiz Elahi, held a couple of well-publicized meetings with representatives of Punjabi writers to listen to their demands. After one such meeting, he announced that his government would give practical shape to various suggestions and proposals to promote Punjabi language and literature in the province.

More recently, the chief minister has not only agreed to chair the opening session of the next Punjabi World Conference to be held in Lahore, but has also invited the chief minister of East Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, to attend the conference as his guest. The Punjab government also announced that it would establish the Baba Guru Nanak University at Nankana Sahib, which would cater to the Sikh students from all over the world. The university would provide opportunities of research and study on Sikh religion and Punjabi language and culture.

Whether Punjab's government will take some serious steps for the promotion of Punjabi language or not is yet to be seen. For Punjabi activists and writers who rarely hear any mention of Punjabi language in official circles, these series of pronouncements by Punjab government are very encouraging.

Punjabi writers - in both West and East Punjab - are fully aware of the many drawbacks of growth and development of the Punjabi language and literature in almost complete isolation from each other on both sides of the border. This isolation is further exacerbated by the use of two different scripts, Gurmukhi in East Punjab and Persian or Shahmukhi in West Punjab.

One way to overcome this lack of communications between the writers and readers of Punjabi language is cross-border visits by writers of both sides and other cultural exchanges. Year 2003 saw a dramatic increase in such cultural and literary events. The first ever conference of Indian and Pakistani writers was held in two Pakistani cities, Lahore and Islamabad, from October 17-24, 2003. The Indian delegation of Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi writers was headed by famous Punjabi novelist and short story writer, Ajeet Kaur, who received standing ovations from the audience after reading one of her Punjabi short stories in a session of the Islamabad conference.

Shahid Nadeem and Madeeha Gauhar of the Ajoka Theatre group from Lahore staged their Punjabi play "Bullah" in various cities of East Punjab during the later part of 2003. The play was received very well and was still a talk of the town in Amritsar and Ludhiana when this scribe visited East Punjab a month after the play was watched by packed audiences in those cities.

A number of new initiatives were launched during 2003 to bridge the gaps between Punjabi writers and readers of both scripts. The trend to publish Punjabi books in both scripts is on the rise. Mushtaq Sufi's latest poetry collection, Din Pani, was one of the books published in both scripts during 2003. Besides a few pages of material in Gurmukhi, the editor of the Punjabi monthly magazine Lehran, Akhtar Husain Akhtar, has also started Gurmukhi lessons in his magazine. Another Punjabi monthly, Sver International, which is published by an old crusader for the rights of Punjabi language and literature, Jamil Ahmad Paul, will soon start publishing an edition of this magazine from London in both scripts.

Poetry collections, as usual, dominated the list of more than 75 Punjabi books published during 2003. A number of prominent Punjabi poets published their latest poetry collections, including:Kale Baddal Goorhi Chaan by Ramzaan Shakir, Wajaan Bajh Wachorey by Dr Wazir Agha,Bailey Wich Chiryaan by Ghulam Hussain Sajid, Bolaan Keh Naa Bolaan by Salim Ahang, Yusaf Khoh by Ashiq and Din Paani by Mushtaq Sufi.

The healthy tradition of carrying out research in Punjabi literature by prominent Punjabi scholars continued during 2003. A number of books on literary research and criticism, covering a wide range of subjects, were published. Najm Hussain Syed in his latest book, Ahian Wichon Nahian,presented an in-depth study of Moulvi Ghulam Rasool's (1849-1892) poetry. Amin Khial's Naraan Tille Dian Taaran is a detailed review of women's contributions to Punjabi literature. Sinawar Chaddhar in his Akhaanan Raheen Tawareekh presented a remarkable study of the historical background of Punjabi proverbs. Muhammad Sadiq Seyal collected the poetry of Kashmiri poets in his book Jammu Kashmir De Moti. Dr Syed Akhter Jaafri's Punjabi Adbi Sinfaan is a detailed classification and description of various Punjabi literary genres. Another noteworthy book of Punjabi literary criticism is Akhra Akhra Bashna by Akram Bajwa.

Over the last couple of decades, Punjabi writers from East and West Punjab have produced brilliant short fiction. Punjabi short story has now gained a distinct identity and place among Urdu, Hindi and other regional languages. Some of the notable books of short stories that were published in 2003 are Aman Wailey Milaan Ge by Afzal Tauseef, Batti Wala Chowk by Tauseef, Titlee by Karamat Ali Mogul, Apney Balad Da Paich by Ali Anwar Ahmad, Dhundh by Hameed Razi andAjeet Preetan by Sofia Naz. Azra Waqar's novel Baagan Wale Raah was the sole Punjabi novel published in 2003.

While the number of religious books written in Punjabi is increasing each year, many other categories of non-fiction books, history; biography, travelogue, etc., hardly ever get the attention of Punjabi writers. In this regard, Jamil Paul's travelogue London Lahore Warga Aey is a rare treat for the readers of Punjabi books.

Saeed Farani published two more books, Baba Farid and Saiful Maluk, in his Great Sufi Wisdom series. Including his first book, Waris Shah, 16,000 copies of these books have been published and sold, which is another indication of the growing interest in Punjabi language and literature.

Punjabi magazines are playing a major role in introducing East Punjabi literature in Pakistan by publishing Shahmukhi transliterations of Gurmukhi writings. Monthly Pancham, edited by Maqsood Saqib is on the forefront of fulfilling this need. During 2003, Pancham published a special number on Devendar Sathiarthi, a major Punjabi poet, novelist and short story writer from East Punjab who passed away on February 15, 2003. This 300-page special number includes some of the best selections of Devinder Sathiarthi's writings and provides a comprehensive overview of his life and work.

Punjabi magazines that published regularly during 2003 include Pancham, edited by Maqsood Saqib, Sver International, edited by Jamil Paul, Lehran, edited by Akhtar Husain Akhtar, Punjabiedited by Mohammad Junaid Akram, Pakhairoo an educational and recreational magazine for children, edited by Ashraf Sohail, quarterly Punjabi Tamahi, edited by Shafqat Tanvir Mirza and Punjabi Language Department of Punjab University's quarterly Khoj, edited by Dr Asmatullah Zahid, the Chairman of the department.

That a wind of change has started blowing and decades of apparently futile efforts of Punjabi writers and activists have finally started paying dividends was also evident from the survival during 2003, of a Punjabi newspaper Bhulaikha that is published by Mudassar Butt from Lahore. Despite its small circulation and questions about its journalistic standards, continuous publication of Bhlaikha stands out as a symbol of defiance and will of the Punjabi journalists to fill the void created by the absence of any Punjabi newspaper in Punjab. Even more encouraging is the recent announcement by Zia Shahid, publisher and editor of a major Urdu newspaper, Khabrain from Lahore, about his plans to publish a Punjabi newspaper by the same name from Lahore and Islamabad.