|
The
Problem
of
Punjab's Language
and
Script*
By
Shaheed Bhagat Singh
[The
Punjab
Hindi
Sahitya
Sammelan
had
organised
an
essay
competition
on
the
above
subject
in
1923.
It
was
for
that
competition
that
Bhagat
Singh
wrote
this
article.
The
General
Secretary
of
Sahitya
Sammelan,
Shri
Bhim
Sen
Vidyalankar
(now
expired)
liked
the
article
much
and
preserved
it.
Bhagat
Singh
got a
prize
of Rs.
50
for
this
article.
Subsequently,
it
was
published
in
Hindi
Sandesh
on
February
28,
1933]
"An
acquaintance
of
the
literature
of
society
or a
country
is of
prime
importance
for
the
understanding
of
that
society
or
country,
because
the
consciousness
of
the
soul
of a
society
or
country,
because
the
consciousness
of
the
soul
of a
society
gets
reflected
in
its
literature
also."
History
is
witness
to
the
authenticity
of
the
above
statement.
Countries
have
followed
the
direction
determined
by
the
flow
of
their
literature.
Every
nation
needs
literature
of
high
quality
for
its
own
upliftment.
As
literature
of a
country
attains
new
heights,
the
country
also
develops.
Patriots
- be
they
merely
social
reformers
or
political
leaders-pay
highest
attention
to
the
literature
of
their
country.
If
they
do
not
create
new
literature
to
meet
the
requirements
of
the
contemporary
issues
and
situations,
all
of
their
efforts
will
fail
and
their
work
will
prove
unstable.
Perhaps
Garibaldi
could
not
have
succeeded
in
mobilising
the
army
with
such
ease
if
Mazzini
had
not
invested
his
thirty
years
in
his
mission
of
cultural
and
literary
renaissance.
The
revival
of
Irish
language
was
attempted
with
the
same
enthusiasm
along
with
the
renaissance
in
Ireland.
The
rulers
so
much
wanted
to
suppress
their
language
for
the
ultimate
suppression
of
the
Irish
people
that
even
kids
were
punished
for
the
crime
of
keeping
a few
verses
in
Gaelic.
The
French
revolution
would
have
been
impossible
without
the
literature
of
Rousseau
and
Voltaire.
Had
Tolstoy,
Karl
Marx
and
Maxim
Gorky
not
invested
years
of
their
lives
in
the
creation
of a
new
literature,
Russian
revolution
would
not
have
taken
place,
leave
alone
the
propagation
and
practice
of
communism.
The
same
applies
to
the
social
and
religious
reformers.
Kabir's
ideas
have
a
stable
impact
because
of
his
literature.
Till
date,
the
sweetness
and
sensitivity
of
his
poems
prove
captivating
to
the
people.
Exactly
the
same
can
be
said
about
Guru
Nanak
Devji,
When
the
Sikh
Gurus
started
establishing
their
new
order
along
with
the
preaching
of
their
beliefs,
they
felt
the
need
of a
new
literature
and
this
inspired
Guru
Angad
Devji
to
evolve
the
Gurumukhi
script.
Centuries
of
continuous
warfare
and
Muslim
invasions
had
dried
up
the
literature
of
Punjab.
The
Hindi
language
was
at
the
verge
of
extinction.
He
adopted
the
Kashmiri
script
in
his
search
for
an
Indian
language.
Later
the
Adi
Granth
was
compiled
by
Guru
Arjun
Devji
and
Bhai
Gurudasji.
They
took
a
far-reaching
and
useful
step
in
this
act
of
creating
their
own
script
and
literature
to
perpetuate
their
beliefs.
Afterwards,
as
situations
changed,
the
flow
of
literature
also
changed.
The
ceaseless
sacrifices
and
sufferings
of
the
Gurus
changed
the
situation.
Whereas
we
find
devotion
and
self-oblivion
in
the
preaching
of
the
first
Guru,
and
experience
a
sense
of
self-effacement
in
the
following
couplet:
Nanak
nanhe
ho
rahe,
jaisi
nanhi
doob.
Aur
ghas
jari
jaat
hai,
doob
khoob
ki
khoob
(Nanak
asks
all
to be
as
humble
and
insignificant
as
the
doob
grass.
While
all
other
grasses
are
burnt
down,
dood
continues
to
flourish.)
We
find
a
sense
of
fellow-feeling
and
helpfulness
for
the
oppressed
in
the
preaching
of
Guru
Shri
Teg
Bahadurji:
Baanhi
jinhan
di
pakadiye,
sir
dijiye
baanhi
na
chhodye,
Guru
Teg
Bahadur
bolya,
dharati
pai
dharam
na
chodye.
(Whomsoever
you
provide
protection,
you
should
be
prepared
to
sacrifice
yourself
but
not
that
protection.
Guru
Teg
Bahadur
asks
you
not
to
forsake
your
religion
on
this
earth.)
After
his
sacrifice,
suddenly,
we
sense
a
warrior
spirit
in
the
preaching
of
Guru
Gobind
Singhji.
When
he
realised
that
a
mere
spiritual
devotion
could
not
do
anything,
he
started
Chandi
worship
and
turned
Sikh
community
into
a
community
of
worshippers
and
warriors
by
synthesising
spiritualism
and
fighting.
We
find
in
his
poems
(literature)
a new
spirit.
He
writes:
Je
tohi
prem
khelan
da
chav,
sir
dhar
tali
gali
mori
aav,
Je
it
maarag
pair
dharijai,
sir
dijai
kaan
no
dijai.
(If
you
are
interested
in
playing
the
game
of
love,
put
your
head
on
your
palm
and
then
only
enter
my
lane.
In
case
you
put
your
feet
on
this
path
don't
fall
back,
even
if
you
have
to
loose
your
life.)
And
then:
Soora
so
pahchaniye,
je
lade
deen
ke
het,
Purja-purja
kat
mare,
kabhu
na
chhade
khet.
Next
|
