By Ashish Khokar | India Today |
Punjab, land of the five rivers, is a bit like the rivers themselves. Patchy, flowing, full or dry in places, and at a crossroads often. At an intersection of strife and contentment, the urban rich and rural poor. Four geographical regions—Amritsar-Majha, Doaba-Jalandhar, Malwa-Patiala and Puadh-Chandigarh—define the state and its history.
The patchy part, one may argue, comes in culture. No real gharanas left, no real patronage, no real direction so to speak. A Hollywood-meets-Bollywood hybrid film industry exists even though, ironically, so much of the Hindi film talent in Mumbai is from Punjab. The film stars are pop stars too—like Daljit Sona and Diljit Dosanjh. Gold indeed.
In literature, Punjabis, many argue, do not love their language the way, say, Bengalis, Malayalees, Tamilians or Kannadigas do. If not for the efforts of Punjabi writers and teachers… The vocabulary of the language has expanded. Punjabi writers, teachers and scholars have opened up avenues for intellectual growth by engaging in dialogue with global perspectives.
However, there appears to be little interest among the general public in their writings. Many Punjabi people now draw greater pride in using English or Hindi over their mother tongue. Despite all this, Punjabi writers remain engaged in their creative work and are striving to connect Punjabi readers with a refined literary understanding.
To read the full article, click here.
Prof. Ashish Khokar’s father Mohan Khokar was a legendary dancer and guru, the event honored his enduring legacy. Ashish continues to carry forward his father’s legacy through lectures, demonstrations, and performances worldwide.
RELATED STORY:
A man’s quest to preserve Punjabi heritage and culture – The Star (Asia Samachar, 16 April 2022)
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
