PUNJABI POETS

JASBIR SINGH AHLUWALIA

AHLUWALIA, JASBIR SINGH Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia,(1935 - ) born in 1935, is a leading radical Punjabi poet. He had a post-graduate degree in English and got his doctorate for his thesis on New conception of Reality, and got into the Punjab Civil Service. He came on deputation to Punjabi University, Patiala for some time as Director, Planning and Development (Punjabi). He worked as Director, Punjab State University Text Book Board, and Secretary, Punjab Education Board for brief terms. He knocked his way into the field of experimentalist as a departure from the dominant school of Punjabi poetry, the Progressives, the leaders of which, Mohan Singh and Amrita Pritam, received his particular attention.
Denigrating the progressive poetry of his school as a mixture of romanticism and socialist propaganda, he declared it to have became outworn with the achievement of independence and the subsequent launching of the Indian Government's five-year plans, to build an industrial society. The imagery and the use of figures of speech like metonym of the Mohan Singh-Amrita Pritam school depended, as he correctly noticed, too much on the humanisation of nature, in the way of the English romantics of the early 19th century, to which socialist slogans were added. Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia pointed out that poetry in the new industrial economy building up in the Indian Union needed a new imagery and a new rhetoric, and the new human being was no longer a romantic dreamer of independence, freedom and social equality, but a split personality torn between the old feudal mode of living and thinking and the new conditions taking shape in the process of industrialisation.This society needed a poetry that should not make man look back towards a pastoral age but bring him to grip with the rapidly spreading industrial milieu.
He called the kind of verse that he was himself experimenting with the suit the new age Prayogvadi (experimentalist), taking its imagery from life in the factory, the commercial establishments and from the mental situation created by its compulsions. He made a powerful impact on his immediate and younger contemporaries who seemed to be in a rush to unite under the new banner. He sought to strengthen the new imagery by connecting it with old and pristine legend, thus eliminating the pastoral, feudal age altogether. His first collection of poems was entitled Kagaz da Ravana (The Paper Demon), which was followed by Koor Raja Koor Par/a (False King False Subjects) and Sach ki Bela (The Moment of Truth). The last two title are taken from Guru Nanak's hymns which are in their own by repudiations of the ethos and thinking of the feudal age.
Of these poems, the main characteristics are intellectual irony and a cynical attitude towards progressive and popular political and social ideas and movements. He chooses to call his mode and manner of writing radical realism, to distinguished it from the more prevalent progressivism often confused by its critics with socialist realism. AHLUWALIA'S WORKS ENGLISH: Marxism and Contemporary Reality, Punjabi Literature in Perspective. Tradition and Experiment in Modern Punjabi Poetry. Trends in Modern Literature. The Sovereignty of Sikh Doctrine. PUNJABI: Anubhav-te-Alochana (Experience and Criticism, 1961). Miri-Piri da Sidhant (The Doctrine of Temporal and Religious Power.) Prayogsil Punjabi Kavita (Experimental Punjabi Poetry). Sikh Falsfe di Bhumika (A Preface to Sikh Philosophy).

CANADIAN SIKHS

SARDAR GIAN SINGH KOTLI

S.Gian Singh Kotli a prominent canandian from Surry (Canada) who's services to the cause of Punjabi language and literature are widely acclaimed, both in Canada and outside who is credited with propagating Sikhism among the white youth in canadian school, colleges, churches and universities, was introduced to the audience and presented with a memento and Siropa of honour. S.Gian Singh Kotli has been teaching Punjabi and Sikhism to the Mayor of Vancouver Sam Sullivan for the last 3.5 years and he speaks Punjabi when ever goes to Gurdwara and Punjabi functions and says if I can learn Punjabi why not your kids?

PUNJABI POETS-7

BAWA  BALWANT

'Garden of beautiful girl' in ruins 
Punjab's most ancient village lies neglected
Varinder Walia

[The  Sad  Story  Of  Bawa's Village]

A ruined building in Neshta villlage,  near which was the house of Bawa Balwant. There is now no trace of  Bawa’s house.       — Photo by Rajiv Sharma Most of the invaluable artifacts, associated with the ancient  border village, Neshta, the name derived from Nashisht-Gah  (meaning garden of beautiful girl), situated near Attari / Wagah  border, have virtually disappeared. Residents claim  that Neshta is the first village of the state that is older than Amritsar.Once a hustling-bustling place situated near  the Indo-Pak border, it was a big trade centre. Partition  brought ruin to this town, now reduced to a tiny village.  Maharaja Ranjit Singh had allotted hundred acres of land  to the ancient temple of the village. From progressive village to the one hit by indifference,  Neshta has become a victim of circumstances. Its location- specific disadvantage is much responsible for its rise and  fall. The village is situated at equidistance from Amritsar  and Lahore. Over the years, government policies and unforeseen events  like Partition and decade-old terrorism influenced the  fortunes here and the village faced many ups and downs. Neshta was also the native village of Bawa Balwant, a  versatile Punjabi poet and prose writer. Today, the house  of Bawa Balwant has become a victim of indifference and  there is no trace of the building left. According to  Dr Kulbir Singh Kaang, a renowned Punjabi critic, the  land of Neshta was allotted to the forefathers of  Bawa Balwant by great Sikh warrior, Sardar Sham Singh  Attariwala. Vaid Misher Mool Chand, grandfather of Bawa  Balwant, was the court physician of Sardar Attariwala  who earned a lot of respect in the royal family. The Hindu and Muslim dominated Neshta and houses of both  communities had peculiar architectural designs. The rich  Khatri and Brahmins used to live inside the big quila- type structure, having separate wells. The four big  doors of the quila would be closed after the sunset with  a view to protect its occupants from any outside mischief.  The majestic building was demolished and only ruins of its  portion have been left. Today, cattle are tied where the  house of Bawa Balwant once existed and the site presents  a pitiable picture. Mr Chander Shekhar Juj, cousin of Bawa Balwant, claims that  Raja Nal, of Rajasthan, founded this village. Many people  from the drought-hit areas had migrated to the fertile  lands of Punjab in those days. To substantiate his point  that the village is an ancient one, Mr Juj took the Amritsar  Plus team to his house where more than five-century-old  Devi Dawara, a small but beautiful temple, made of  Nanakshahi bricks, has been preserved with personal efforts.  He said he did not flee from the village even at the peak  of militancy because he considered it his moral duty to  up-keep and preserve the temple. The holy tank of the local  Tap Asthan was famous in far-flung areas and many residents  of Pakistan used to bring ‘wonder waters’ from here many  years after Partition. Mr Gurdev Singh Randhawa, a retired Executive Engineer,  says that significance of the village could be judged  from the fact that Sunil Dutt and Nargis had staged a  play, Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai here in 1962. He said the  village had never seen any communal tension even  during the heydays of militancy. Even as the invaluable heritage buildings in the  countryside could have become a tourist attraction,  no efforts have been made to preserve this heritage.  The place has witnessed the destruction of many  heritage buildings, and there has also been a colossal  damage to the residential buildings of historical  significance (like the one belonging to the family  of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s famous warrior Sham Singh  Attariwala in his ancestral town, Attari). Following the annexation of Punjab, the British crushed  the near and dear ones of Sham Singh Attariwala, who  embraced martyrdom while fighting the last battle with  them (British forces) at Mudki (Ferozepore district). The Archeological Survey of India and the state  government have failed to tap the tourism potential by  preserving such heritage buildings. The historical  towns of Attari and Neshta, which are just short of the  Pakistan border, could be of great attraction for  curious visitors who come in thousands to see the daily  Retreat Ceremony at the Wagah Joint Check Post.  Ironically, no effort has been made to preserve  Punjab’s architectural marvels to engage the tourists  for a day or two in the border belt.Legend has it that  the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind, had camped in the area  along with his follower, Mata Kaulan, a Muslim lady,  during one of his sojourns. Agriculturally fertile  village developed into the most populated village, but  everything changed for the worse with the passage of time.  The SGPC has constructed a big Gurdwara, Mitha-Sar, to  commemorate the visit of the fifth Sikh Guru. Two wells  of the time of the Guru are still intact. Courtesy Tribune News Service Bawa’s first Urdu book untraceable The most important aspect of the great poet, Bawa Balwant, who had made a contribution in the Freedom Struggle, has been ignored by historians. His first book in Urdu Sher-e-Hind was banned by the British government. The book is untraceable now. Dr Kulbir Singh Kaang, who remained close to the poet, says that Bawa Balwant became a Congress volunteer when the War of Independence was at its peak. He studied the ideologies of Gorky, Lenin, Lala Hardyal, Tolstoy, Munshi Prem Chand, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.  Bawa Balwant’s sad saga

Bawa Balwant was born with a wooden spoon in his mouth at his ancestral village Neshta in August 1915 and died due to the scorching heat of June on the melting roads of New Delhi in 1972. He was a true representative of the progressive movement in Punjabi poetry. Greatly influenced by great poet Mohammad Iqbal, he initially started composing poetry in Urdu but later switched over to his mother tongue Punjabi.
Socialism was the guiding principle of Bawa’s poetry. He is at his lyrical best in his love poems. His collections are Maha Nach (Grand Dance), Amar Geet (Immortal Songs), Jawala Mukhi (Volcano), Bandergah (Port) and Sugandh-Sameer (Fragrance and Aroma).
After martyrdom of Sardar Sham Singh Attariwala, Bawa’s family was deprived of all feudal glory. They came back to their ancestral village Neshta, having no support except petty medical practice.
Bawa had got his schooling from his parents. He learnt ledger of transactions through the medium of Lande (a Mahajni script). Dr Kulbir Singh Kaang, who had remained the companion of the poet, said that Bawa’s father taught him Urdu, Hindi and a little of Persian script at home.
Amritsar, the city of nectar, provided him a secular background with lyrical and spiritual poetic tradition. He got the job of muneem at a shop for Rs 7 a month. His father shifted to Amritsar and rented a house for Rs 2 per month. Music became his passion, as great musicians used to live in his neighbourhood at that time.
Poverty became an inseparable part of the family. Their rented house in Bazaar Kaserian, with its noisy surroundings, would disturb his poetic mind. This house, too, has now been demolished by the landlord.
Except for literary works, nothing belonging to the progressive poet Bawa Balwant is traceable today. They were three brothers. Two of them were chronic bachelors, while Bawa had married once. But his marriage was followed by a quick separation. The whereabouts of Bawa’s two sisters are also unknown. Bawa’s cousin, Chander Shekhar Juj, says he has no idea where the real sisters of Bawa live. Juj said that he had once seen Bawa Balwant when he (Juj) was only five years old. He, however, agreed that not raising a memorial in the poet’s name was a blunder on the part of villagers.Mr Gurdev Singh Randhawa, president of local historical gurdwara, however, said that he would make personal efforts to raise the memorial, if Punjabi literary societies, Guru Nanak Dev University or educational institutions extended help.

PUNJABI POETS-6

Dhani Ram 'Chatrik'

Born in a village of Amritsar in 1876, Dhani Ram Chatrik continues to be one of the most popular poets who wrote about the life of Punjabi community. He worked all his life in Bhai Vir Singh's printing press and called himself his disciple but he does not continue in his tradition of poetry. Deeply rooted in the soil with painful awareness of the social conditions of the Indian people under the British rule, the spirit of patriotism and nationalism that was rising like a tide dominates his poetry. In direct opposition to the elite tradition nurtured by the British colonial rule in India, Dhani Ram Chatrik goes to the folk traditions of the Kissa poetry, explores narratives like Damyanti a legend from the Mahabharata and the tradition of romance between Radha and Krishna to emphasize the richness of national traditions. Written in folk form, with images and symbols drawn from the real life in a village and a town, Dhani Ram Chatrik's poetry is a beautiful expression of the well-knit, integrated life of the vibrant Punjabi community, the land and the people, in all its colors and hues, loves and joys, pains and sufferings, fairs and festivals and song and dance.