E-Paper
Ludhiana: Poet Gill’s melodies now in Shahmukhi
Gurbhajan Gill shared that in 2001, he realised the lack of literary exchange between India and Pakistan was creating several misconceptions; since then, Punjabi writers have worked to change this, leading to the translation of around 2,500 books from Shahmukhi to Gurmukhi
The Punjabi Lok Virasat Academy, Ludhiana, has published the complete collection of eminent poet Gurbhajan Gill’s songs in Shahmukhi under the title ‘Mere Panj Darya’. The book has been lauded as a pivotal step in strengthening Indo-Pak relations through the shared heritage of Punjabi literature.
Padma Bhushan awardee SS Johl, former president of Punjabi Sahit Akademi and ex-vice chancellor of Punjabi University Patiala and PAU Ludhiana, praised the academy for its efforts. He stressed the importance of more literary exchanges between Indian and Pakistani Punjab. Johl suggested that literature from Indian Punjab should be published in Shahmukhi for readers in Pakistan, while works from Pakistani Punjab should be available in Gurmukhi. “This initiative will help bring Punjabis closer and strengthen cultural ties across borders,” he said.
At the event, Gurbhajan Gill shared that in 2001, he realised the lack of literary exchange between India and Pakistan was creating several misconceptions. Since then, Punjabi writers have worked to change this, leading to the translation of around 2,500 books from Shahmukhi to Gurmukhi. He further noted that Pakistani writers like Baba Najmi, Afzal Sahir, Sugra Sadaf, and Bushra Naz are now widely read in Indian Punjab. This year, the selected works of Tanvir Bukhari and Zafar Iqbal will also be published in Gurmukhi.
The event was attended by several literary and cultural figures, including KK Bawa, chairman of Malwa Sabhyacharak Manch, Jagtar Dhiman, pro-vice chancellor of Guru Kashi University, Ranjodh Singh, president of Ramgarhia Educational Institutions, and Guriqbal Singh, general secretary of the Punjabi Lok Virasat Academy.
