It has been rightly said that books are the best friends. Drawing inspiration from this age-old adage, Punjab Agricultural University's (PAU) Centre of Communication and International Linkages (CCIL) has come up with a special book dedicated to farmers which holds collection of hundreds of songs and poems related to various
aspects of agriculture and life of farmers.
Entitled 'Kheti Vich Geet Ate Kavita', it has been compiled by CCIL's assistant director (TV and radio) Anil Sharma who took about two and a half year to collect the best examples of various Punjabi lyrists and poets that could strike a perfect chord with farmers of the state.
Talking to Hindustan Times, Kumar shared that it was not his but vice-chancellor Baldev Singh Dhillon's idea to compile a book of this kind, who has always believed that such a book can be one of the best gifts to the farmers from the PAU.
"Our V-C has always given a lot of importance to literature and books and it was after his inspiration and motivation, I took up this assignment. It involved a lot of research, meetings and correspondence to make the final choices. Besides songs and poems, the book also stands inundated with many traditional 'bolis' and 'tappas' associated with farming,"he expressed.
He underlined that there are some songs and poems in which a farmer talks to his crops or crops talk to him followed by his wife and children giving him support during hard times and so on. They also touch different crop seasons and concerns that bother a farmer the most such as debts or unfavourable weather. At the same time, many examples also paint his joy and cheer to keep his spirits high, explained Kumar who later revealed that in the coming months, a CD of these songs may also be prepared.
{{/usCountry}}He underlined that there are some songs and poems in which a farmer talks to his crops or crops talk to him followed by his wife and children giving him support during hard times and so on. They also touch different crop seasons and concerns that bother a farmer the most such as debts or unfavourable weather. At the same time, many examples also paint his joy and cheer to keep his spirits high, explained Kumar who later revealed that in the coming months, a CD of these songs may also be prepared.
{{/usCountry}}Some of the writers and poets whose songs or poems have been covered in this book are Prof Mohan Singh, Dhani Ram Chatak, Gurbhajan Gill, Premjit Singh, Ram Singh Albela and Inderjit Hassanpuri to name a few.
The book is available for sale at CCIL and seed shop of PAU for 70. In the coming weeks, it will also reach the book shops, eminent libraries and village panchyats.
Talking to Hindustan Times, PAU V-C Baldev Singh Dhillon said, "I am very happy that we have achieved the aim of coming up with this book. Farmers will surely love it as it is all about them and their world."