Roundabout: Talhan toys tell stories of Punjabi aspirations
The Doaba has since the 19th century been known for the migration of its men to the West. This fascination for foreign shores, which took seed in Doaba, has now engulfed all of Punjab.
Heard of toys being offered at a gurdwara for wish-fulfilment? Well it so happens that people flock to the Talhan village gurdwara near Jalandhar with two precious gifts: toy aeroplanes and prayers. They want to fly Westwards to earn a living.
The Doaba heartland of Punjab has since the 19th century been known for the migration of its men to the West, dreaming of well-paid jobs as the small landholdings they have here hardly make any money. This fascination for foreign shores, which took seed in Doaba, has now engulfed all of Punjab, and as the joke goes, a child is born here with a passport in hand.
Hoardings of IELTS near gurdwara
Punjabi writer Gulzar Singh Sandhu, who also hails from the region, says: “The Moranwali village saw such large migration ‘Westwards ho!’ that local lore has it that mothers give birth to babies looking to the West! The signs are everywhere. Before entering the gurdwara one can see large hoardings for IElTS courses and spoken English. Beneath are shops selling toys to be offered at the gurdwara. My friend Des Raj Kali of Jalandhar tells me that the tradition of offering toys comes from the mazaar (tombs) , frequented by the large Dalit population of Doaba. Plastic potted flowers are offered there when a male child is born to signify the blossoming of the family line.
Guddas are offered for birth of a male child
At the prosperous Talhan gurdwara, dedicated to Shaheed Nihal Singh (a carpenter who built pulleys for wells and died when he fell into a well while fixing its pulley) a wide range of toys are available. Besides the plastic blossoms there are gudda (male dolls) symbolising the desire for a male child, horses for good health and aeroplanes of different sizes and colours. Planes outnumber the other toys as the collective community wants to fly abroad for a prosperous future. Interestingly, the gurdwara, which is housed in a big building saw caste-clashes in 2003 because the Dalit majority was kept out of its management.
Funds from devotees settled abroad
Later, equal representation was given to them. The gurdwara gets ample funds from devotees abroad. Inside the gurdwara a sevadar (helper) is busy collecting the aeroplanes offered there and distributing them to the children accompanying the elders.
Toy planes given with ‘parshad’
“Sometimes 2,000 planes are offered on a single day. We don’t store them but give them to the devotees along with karha parshad.”
Returning with an aeroplane in hand we spot two Phagwara schoolboys Vipin Sehgal and Amanpreet Singh playing with their planes. These two 13-year-old classmates want to go abroad after school. When asked where, their collective response (stars in their eyes) is “Amrika!” (for America).
While returning from the pilgrimage, past the IELTS boards, we spot another set of toys, houses in pastel shades which are offered by those who want a home of their own. Lo! like the palatial homes of the NRIs in the Doaba countryside these have locks on the doors! No one lives in them but these signify the state of having made it.
Well, toys definitely have tales to tell.
nirupama.dutt@hindustantimes.com