Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was sent to live with a Bedouin family soon after his birth; Bedouins were thought to be the pure speaker of Arabic language, while people living in urban center of Mecca were considered too cosmopolitan, and it was felt that language spoken in Mecca was corrupted. It is astonishing how much the ancient Arabs cared about the pureness of their language, and the effort they put into their kids learning the pure form of language.
If we look into the situation of present day Punjabi, it is facing similar sort of problem. The only people who truly speak close to genuinely pure Punjabi are the ones mostly residing in the rural areas of the Province. If you belong to cosmopolitan city of Lahore, it is very likely that either you don’t speak the language at all–even if you do speak it, it is corrupted. The requirement to speaking pure Punjabi is that you should have no education whatsoever. This is because all the education is either in Urdu or English. As literacy increases further, the future of Punjabi becomes doubtful.
The trick to completely wiping out a language, no matter how powerful, is stop any kind of written communication in it; it will slowly die off. This is precisely what’s happening with Punjabi in Punjab. There is no written communication in it whatsoever.
The language and people have deep connection between them—whatever culture I have encountered so far—people belonging to that culture feel very passionate about their language. Ask a Frenchman about French, and you will know what I mean. Interestingly, it is exactly opposite in Punjab Pakistan. The more relatively educated a person is, the more shame that person feels in speaking Punjabi. Speaking Punjabi is considered to be sign of backwardness. The situation has reached such bad level that people can not imagine an educated person communicating in Punjabi. As soon as people become affluent, the first thing they drop is their mother tongue, Punjabi. The only people who speak Punjabi are the ones who have no other choice; they don’t know Urdu. We Punjabis are probably the only people in the world who have such dislike for their own mother tongue.
The situation in other provinces and especially in Sind is completely different—not only a literary tradition of the language is adopted with alphabet, but the language is extensively used by the educated Sindhi elite. The court documents and provincial assembly decrees are issued in Sindhi as well as in Urdu.
It would be too late, unless we realize now, that Punjabi could be a completely dead language in hundred years from now. Although most of us already can not, but it would be disastrous when no one will be able to understand Bulleh Shah, Warsi Shah, Shah Hussain and other literary giants of Punjabi. We can not let our future generations have no idea of these literary giants’ work; and 700 years of historic literature become a souvenir in some museum. These literary giants of Punjabi wrote this beautiful work to be understood forever.
The provincial government in Punjab need to formalize Punjabi with already formalized Urdu in schools. The biggest fear that I notice is that some people think promoting Punjabi somehow undermines national unity. I think it is completely misleading. It would have no affect on Urdu and Urdu will continue to be the language of education and communication. The formalization of Punjabi and education of it in Schools will help people of Punjab understand Punjabi literature and culture better. We need to feel proud of our cultural heritage, not be ashamed of it.
Comments
49 responses to “The Future of Punjabi”
Dear Mr Umar I assume you belong to Punjabi Community, please listen the lyrics/poetry/Lok Katha and tell us the difference between the Punjabi Dialect spoken by the Sikhs or Indian Punjabis and Punjabis living in Pakistan. Best Regards
Punjabi Folklore Puran Bhagat performed by Jagmohan Kaur.
http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2010/03/punjabi-…
Koi farak nahi hai
http://punjabiworld.com/Punjabi-Culture/Literary-…
Look at this…how Sad it is that the comments left behind are all by us Pakistanis and so anti-punjabi! It looks like the politics of language says you have to speak Urdu or you are not refined!!
http://punjabiworld.com/Punjabi-Culture/Literary-…
So sad that these are the comments that Pakistani Punjabis leave!!!
Look An example of modern Punjabi Literature!
I got a man I know in Lahore who can read Gurmukhi to read it to me…it is really good…someone should translate into Shahmukhi…
http://www.rubru.ca/dunghapaani.html
http://www.rubru.ca/
Punjabi language once formalised may turn out to be a phenomenon. The difference in the Pakistani and Indian dialects of Punjabi is not very considerable though it does pose a sort of harmonious diversity. The basic difference lies in the script, Gurmukhi or Shahmukhi, which presents a challenge of mingling between the two.
GO on say it.. its all because of the educated Urdu Speaking who migrated from India in 47 and around 4million of them are still residing in Punjab. Wow!
Just look at the number of Punjabi speakers. There are whole two provinces full of Punjabi native speakers in Indian and Pakistan and Punjabi has TWO WHOLE provinces with the name of PANJAB
We have a culture, no matter it now named as "Paindoo Culture" but yes we have our own identity. Although few Punjabi people have suffered from Language complex. We have great poets in Punjabi. We have great Punjabi singers
On top comparing Arabic ancients with Panjabies is not fare at all. Arabic people were full ego and still they are.
Most people find no prestige in speaking Punjabi.
Urdu is not enough either. People think they have to show English skills to impress their fellow countrymen and that too with a typical Pakistani/Indian accent a la Apu. There is no focus on being honorable.
man i love the punjabi language … its just like perpetual shughal and masti .. when some one starts to speak in punjabi its nothing but happiness all around .. its the language of fun long people .. punjabi forever man
@Umair
Not only fun, but also as serious as poetry….Bulleh Shah etc. 🙂 Great language. I also love to speak it and also love to tease others by consistently answering in "thaith" punjabi though some family members say I make fun of myself, but who cares 😉
Interesting observation regarding the link between education and in that regards I have always felt, being brought up in Islamabad surrounded with Potohari, that Punjabi was a coarse language. Some would argue that it is very informal, and fun loving, as stated above, but that might actually be the reason of its decline.
Considering that being educated or well-bred is a priority since the English, and that Punjabi feels like a 'tu' to 'tum' of Urdu, I can see why more and more of the younger generation is more inclined towards Urdu or English for that matter.
But then a language must always evolve in order to survive. One that doesn't dies out and so does its literature. Punjabi like Urdu doesn't appear to be evolving, they are transforming themselves into a hybrid of languages. No new words are added to the dictionaries and neither is any form of literature. It is only a matter of time I guess.
Language
In the later Mughal period, the language of the nobility was Persian and Urdu and as the British had to communicate with the nobility and common people, they had to learn these languages. There were individuals who, after living many years in India, forgot how to speak their own language properly. One example is that of Thomas George. When Franklin interviewed him to write his biography, he dictated it in broken English while his knowledge of Persian and Urdu was excellent and he spoke both languages as well as the locals did. Skinner’s Persian was so perfect that he wrote his autobiography in this language. It was translated into English by Fraser. Past Present: Symbols of culture By Mubarak Ali Sunday, 21 Mar, 2010 | 01:52 AM PST |
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-…
I am a wondering Indian Punjabi who just happened to type in google the future of Punjabi, and it bought me here.
First I find many of the comments here quite positive about our shared mother tongue.
Secondly I am sad about all the negative comments towards Punjabi I have seen here. It is particularily sad as I know majority of Punjabis are in Pakistan.
Schajee maybe in Pakistan everyone does not take Punjabi seriously, but in India and the Diaspora the 20th Century has shown a huge increase in Punjabi Literature and many new words and genres have been developed, including those that can compete with Hindi, Urdu and English.
Pakistan is in big crisis for many burning issues, like peace,corruption,electricity,fuel,sugar,Atta,health,education,administration,Justice etc etc, and we are discussing about language, Punjabi/Urdu/English/Sindhi/Pushto etc etc. Please think about that poor family who is either dying with hunger or selling his kids to get some food to let the
other mambers of family live.We have time to discuss such irrelevent issues but don't have time to think & solve other important issues.
Its not just punjabi. Most Indian languagues with the exception of Hindi are facing the same issue. The overwhelming dominance of English has left us with no choice. But, as Raza noted, is this a major issue. Should we not focus on basic needs, health, education, peace, and good governance.
you are right…I'm going this subject is irrelevant
Punjabi is dying: It is a sad fact indeed. This is apparently because the Punjabies are not ego-centric about their language as Arabs are about Arabic or UP- waalas are about Urdu. They both consider their mother tongues as supreme and are so ego-centric to call themselves 'Ahle-Zabaan' and others as 'Ajmi' or 'Be-zabaan'. This is perhaps due to the geo-physical position of the land of the five rivers which historically served as a route to all the invaders from the north.
I, however, find it hard to agree to the mythological premise with which it started, i.e., the prophet was sent to live with a Bedouin family soon after his birth to learn pure Arabic. Some say he was sent to Baadia according to the custom of Arabs. Both these premises seem to be baseless. Pure language, especially which has a lot of literature, can be learned by studying any time in life. To proof of this is the great Punjabi writer of today, Syed Najam Hussain Syed. I once served under him as his junior. One day his P.A., belonging to Qasoor, came to me with syed's book in Punjabi ,Saaraan, in hand and said to me,"Shah Sahib, I read ths book but could not understand a word of it as it is written in your Punjabi not ours." I read the book for a while and was surprised too finding its language more like Seraaiki or Hindku than that of the language of central Punjab. I went straight to the Syed and asked him where to he belonged. He told me that he belonged to Hoshiarpur. I asked, "Then how, Sir, you learned this language". "I learnt this by study" he said, "and write in it because it is the literary Punjabi."
I think we Punjabies adopted Urdu just following the economic dictum that bad money drives out good money. We adopting it just as a political and economic convenience though we love Punjabi as our mother tongue. But what would become of Punjabi when our next generation's mother tongue is also Urdu as my both Punjabi daughters-in-law speak Urdu?
Dear Shah Sahab,
Pakistani Private TV Channels could do a lot to serve the Local Language if they would pay little attention towards the Local Language instead of Promoting Indian Film Industry and senseless Talk Shows. These TV Channels don't give proper attention [intentionally] to our own Culture [All the local languages means Pakistani Culture].
The way forward for all Punjabis is to put their mother language first, despite social, political or religious affiliations. No matter if Pakistani or Indian, it is only Punjabi that can bring these two countries togeather as friends.
The language is not going to die ( it is no 12 in the world) and has a strong written history in India, at least. There are Pakistanis who also write in the Shahmukhi version of it.
It is up to the individual to use it and learn it.
In the Diaspora, there is even high level Sci Fi written in Punjabi…I think the Diaspora love Punjabi more than the Indians…who have given it more of a chance than most of the Pakistannis. But one day Pakistan will also reclaim it…
See links
http://thelangarhall.com/punjabi/are-we-losing-ou…
http://www.apnaorg.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punjabi_literature
http://uddari.wordpress.com/punjabi-writers/
This apna is a bad Pakistani website if it counts Sikhs and Hindus as contributors to Literature
Schools should only teach National Zubaan…Urdu
9. Parveen Malik
8. Mazhar Tirmazi
7. Surjeet Kalsey
6. Najm Hosain Syed
5. Roop Dhillon
4. Amrita Pritam
3. Mansha Yaad
2. Nadir Ali
1. Ajmer Rode
The above are top Punjabi writers who write in a high level Punjabi as, say High Level Urdu writers.
The magical thing is they are a cross of Muslim and non Muslim writers, showing the Sufi embbeded nature of Punjabi
Link below does prove Urdu is higher, but Punjabi is still at no 12, out of thousands of languages. Dying? I don't think so…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_languages_by…
Learn both the Shahmukhi and Gurmukhi scripts and it will open up a huge world of Punjabi Literature…
http://www.apnaorg.com/gurmukhi/
http://www.apnaorg.com/shahmukhi/
Apnaorg is top Pakistani website for preserving written Punjabi
Due to size of comments, had to post on three goes…sorry
Khuda Hafiz
Rana
1. There are many misconceptions about Punjabi. The biggest is that it is ranger, by which I mean rough Pindu Unpaar. It is not. Urdu is truly a foreign language just as is the English I am writing this in, imposed upon us Pakistanis.
Another misconception is that it is a Sikh language. It is not, they are the smallest minority of Punjabis if you exclude Ahmedis. The majority of Punjabis are Muslim, then in India Hindu.
Hindus and Sikhs have adapted Urdu by adding Sanskrit words and calling it Hindi. This has further damaged our mother tongue. Now all city folk in Pakistan and India are favouring Urdu and Hindi instead of their mother Punjabi..We all think that makes us sophisticated…so many more races never lose their language, but we did…Bangladeshis split from our Desh and became independent partly because they refused Urdu and the Arabic script. The Tamils assassinated Rajiv Gandhi, partly because they refuse to have Hindi imposed upon them…
To be fair to those Sikhs, many of their Pindu types have taken over writing in Punjabi in 20th Century, because we have failed to..before the horror of 1947, we muslims could claim almost exclusively to be the kings of Punjabi Literature..
We have given in…
We must start learning Gurmukhi as that is now the accepted face of Punjabi, and re discover Shahmukhi…
Imran you are not a good Pakistani..I think you Indian Agent
We Pakistani Punjabi speak punjabi with our elders and friends but when we talk with our children we start conversation to them in Urdu. This is a trend now a days in middle class living either in rural areas or cities. Though our kids understand the language but cant speak fluently as me or my parents. We cant write our mother tongue. if we write in urdu script some words we can't write and pronuce as easily as in Grumukhi. Thanks to internet that I have learn to write and read punjabi
Muhammad Ji
We simply need to learn to read and write. Like you I find the internet liberating as it allows information that is kept from us, open for us. It is so clear to me that my parents did me a diservice by focusing me on English and Urdu only.
The Sikhs in particular in the last century have written so much in Punjabi. We need to catch up. They are even coining new words..
the key is basic education in schools. Punjabi children must be exposed to Punjabi first, then Urdu
for example I do not understand what the following says, but judging by the image, it is futuristic and not just stuck in Sufi writing…
http://www.kitaban.com/roopd/index.htm
This is a relevant article by the same author
http://www.rubru.ca/august2009/punjabifuture.html
We are Pakistani. We speak Urdu. That is it. End of discussion.
And those who cannot speak Urdu are not Pakistanis???
Jinnah couldn't speak Urdu. So he wasn't Pakistani! If we apply your logic. Similar Logic was applied cheap slogan mongers in All India Muslim League during partition to get quick vote "Muslim Hai to Muslim League Mein AA" If you are a Muslim then join All India Muslim League. What about Hussein Ahmed Madani [Deobandi – Congress], Mawalana Dawood Ghaznavi [Ahle-Hadith – Congress], Abul Kalam Azad [Salafi – Congress and key Congress Leader], Mawlana Badayuni and countless others.
http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Shaping_The_Fu…
This website although Sikh, has some good thoughts
Aaho Ajaz Ji Sikh website. Jay mai internet day raa deewaaraan nu thorkay hor kithay answer tolda, isda ay nahi matlab kay main chunga Pakistani nahi hai. Dujayaa di thali vich vee vekhidaa hunda..
Tu meray khiaal'ch Punjabi nahi ho, jaa ho, tainu galat sikhiaa ditti gayee. Mai taa kainda ti Indian Agent ho, nakay Imran jaa Aamir.
Urdi taa bahut ghut Pakistani bolday nay bephkooph!
Asli Punjabi taa Sufi hai..Asi sabh Pakistani han. Sab apni desh nu piaar karday nay
Teray varga saday vich pharak paunday nay, nalay barlay mulkaan day punjabi nivaasiaan naal
I am proud to be Pakistani…
I am prouder that I love Punjabi Zubaan
For me all Punjabis are brothers, even those stupid Sikhs as you call them..
Main ta kainda ay UP valiaan nay sanu galat raa laikay jandaa
Fact: Most Pakistani's do not speak Urdu..
I learned more punjabi whilst in england.
Being punjabi i feel proud about the language:))
We will survive the language……. for sure!!!!!!!
The Key basis of the existenance of modern Pakistan is dependant on two things
1) Islam
2) Urdu
Take these away and let Sindhi, Pasto, Punjabi have their way, and what keeps us a country? Theses languages are from pre 47 India.
If our children want to learn good history, we can as a second language offer than English or Arabic.
The risk of giving Punjabi prominance is to allow Indian culture to seep in, which is not islamic. Look at how they treat the Muslims in India. Even the Sikhs who falsely call Punjabi their zabaan, have been betrayed by the Indians, time and time again.
Going to teach Punjabi bears the risk , which Imran thinks is a open door, the risk of allowing Gurmukhi into our land…
No, a true Pakistani puts Urdu first. Punjabi is what idiot Sikhs speak.
Oye Idiot,
Jey tenu punjabi changee nahi lagde hai taan Sikhan de bolan te veeh tere thid peer kyun hunde hai.
Jey tuh punjabi nahi bolana chanda hai ta koyi gal nahi hai asi ajeh heyge hai punjabi nuh buland rakhan wale.
Menu te tuh anti propaganda karen wala non punbi lagda hain.
I am confused Ajaz? Which view is yours? One moment you are anti Punjabi? Next you come across as you are writing against yourself?
Are you actually Pakistani, or someone posting provocative messages?
I think Aamir we should all ignore Ajaz's posts. It seems someone is trying to cause problems..
Only thing that worries me is that there are Pakistanis who believe Urdu is what makes you a good Pakistanni.
I hope in long run Punjabi does survive in Pakistan..
I advise all lovers of Punjabi to visit http://www.apnaorg.com
Urdu can be a bridge between several people and not only that but Translation of Literature of the Local Languages of Pakistan in Urdu can make Pakistanis to understand each other culture in a more better way. Urdu language can do wonders in this regard provided proper attention, sources and means.
Dear Mr Aijaz,
If we explain your logic above than sorry to say that Islam and Urdu couldn't keep Pakistan together, remember Fall of Dhaka.
http://www.apnaorg.com/articles/dawn-89/
http://thelangarhall.com/general/punjabiye-zubane…
A fuller debate
Old literature described Punjab as Sept-Sindhu, the land of 7 rivers, Sept in Latin means 7. With Indus (Sindhu) on the western border, 7 rivers included Sw'aan, Jhelum, Chenab, Aik, Ravi, Sutlej and Bias. Some take Bhimber and Daek as substitutes of Sw'aan and Aik. It was bordered with Kashmir in the North, Rajputana and Sindh in the South, Balochistan in the south-west and Indus and beyond in the west.
"Indus Saga" by Aitezaz Ahsan when defines "Pakistan" states that the division of Indian sub-continent should have been done in such a way that "the sources" of all the "west-ward flowing rivers", which are listed above, should have been included in the map of this newly created country (Pakistan), so as to felicitate this land as independent "water-wise". The topographical division is so clear that this model was ideal, if had been followed. This would have given the east-wards flowing rivers Ganga, Jamana and their tributaries to India and there would have been no disputes of water as we face with the fact that Ravi Sutlej and Bias are for Indian Punjab, and Chenab and Jhelum are for Pakistan, whereas India is drying up both by constructing dams on these two, as well as some smaller dams on the part of Indus flowing in Indian held Kashmir. This will eventually create a crisis leading to a major conflict. Water is life and so it may become a matter of life and death, for two nuclear nations.
The part of Indian sub-continent which was in the North East of above defined "Punjab" was readily known as Hindustan, from which we derive the title of Mughal Kings as Shahinshah-e-Hindustan and till very recently, even today we call Urdu speaking brethren of us as "Hindustanis" meaning the people speaking a language called "Hindustani" and having their forefathers' origin in Hindustan. There is nothing wrong, bad or hatred based sense in this word "Hindustani".
The people of the Punjab have been speaking a common language with a variation of dialect which was profound across the rivers. It must be kept in mind that the 5 bigger rivers were so wide and wild that common people were not able to cross them so frequently. This created several colors of the language we call now Punjabi. Very special case was of Pothohari dialect which sometimes seems very alien to other Punjabis. Being between Indus and Jhelum Rivers from west to east and between Salt Range and Margallah Hills from north to south, this arid area remained almost cut-off from the main Punjab, hence the purity of dialect is so profound.
Had there been no desert area between Punjab and Sindh, it was just possible that present day Sindhi and Punjabi would have been a same language. I am convinced that we may call Punjabi as a variant of Sindhi or Sindhi as a variation of Punjabi, because both the languages contain almost 70% vocabulary as common.
Saraikis are insisting on calling their dialect of Punjabi as an independent language. Everybody has the right to love his way of life, as our brethren speaking Hindko claim that Hindko is the mother of Punjabi.
With all these claims, it seems that "Punjabi" language was not a language at all, and that it is a variant form of either Saraiki, or Pothohari, or Hindko, or even Hindustani, as some scholars of last 2 centuries had been preaching. They have said "Hindustani may be taken as 'advanced' Punjabi", whereas they want to tell that "Hindustani is a 'developed' form of Punjabi", I guess.
With all due respect, I cannot call Baba Ghulam Farid as "just a Saraiki" poet. I have a great love for this saintly figure and cannot withdraw myself from his teachings and his poetic wisdom simply because some of my brothers claim to love him more than me. Same is the case of Mian Muhammad Bukhsh, whose most famous master piece "Saif-ul-Molook" is said to be "just a Pothohari" poetic tale. This fantastic literary work may have few countable words from "Pothohari format’’, otherwise it is written in pure "Punjabi".
The language is an organ of expression; it should not be organ of hatred.
At present, we have to come forward from our self-confining circles. Thousand of languages have died and the way we are treating our language, will result in making Chhachhi, Pothohari, Sargodhvi, Jhangvi, Riasti, Jhelumi, Gugrati, Chenabi, Sutleji, Lyallpuri, Chakwali, Sailkoti etc and then Patyalvi, Jalandhri, Amratsari, Gurudaspuri etc on the other side of the border, with everyone beating the drum that "his language" is the mother of all Punjabi dialects and that his local dialect is the richest in the vocabulary. This will eventually divide us to pieces and a day will come that "Shahmukhi" will cease to exist and "Gurumukhi" will prevail and we will be dancing happily ever after. This last sentence should not be translated as "against Grumukhi", no, not at all, what I am saying is that only one dialect will prevail, and that is what is used in the Guru Granth Saheb. Heer Waris Shah, Saif-ul-Molook, Bulleh Shah's work etc, all that is written in Shahmukhi will evaporate in the heat of our debate, based on hatred.
With malice to none,
Regards.
http://www.himalmag.com/The-idea-of-Punjabiyat_nw…
Of interest
It's really great to see a nice blog like this. Keep it up.
Salam.eh sari discussion parh k mainu bara maza aya.shukr kita k haalay lok punjabi baray fikrmand hen.main pind da rehn wala han pr college life tk urdu da jan nisar reha han.M.A english kita,criticism parhi tay main hairan reh gia k sadi punjabi wich oh sabhay khoobiyan ne jo ek aa'la zuban wich honiyan chahidiyan ne.sadi punjabi wich kisay v chiz di thor nahi.bus os ton bad punjabi naal aisa ishaq hoya hai k hun ehdi hayati diyan duawan krdan rehna.
mere khayal wich sirf or sirf schools tay media hi punjabi nu dubban ton acha sakda hai.
punjabi nu moatbar drja na ditta gia tan pakistani punjabi baal dod kaan ban jawan gay.kujh nahi baqi bachna.urdu english mix hon naal punjabi literature nu samjhna hor okha ho jaway ga.
hun halat eh hai k main baalan lei kahaniyan di ek kitab punjabi wich likhi,meri maasi jehri chitti anparh hai akhan laggi "ton punjabi wich kio likhi eh tan sikha di zuban hai." fer main os nu changi tra mutmaain kita.
jad tk punjabi nu asi writing wich ziada ton ziada nahi wartan gay ehdi taraqi di raftar ghat rahay gi.written form wich e ziada asar andaz howay gi.
ehday wastay saray punjabiyan nu apni apni satah tay kamm krna paway ga.
kujh lok akhbaar,tv wasatay dilchasp punjabi add banawan.
kujh children literature likhan.
siyasi tay samaji ikath wastay punjabi slogan banay jawan.
khat,email wich kujh na kujh punjabi wich dostan nu likho ta k punjabi likhan di sharm hatay.
punjabi dubbing v bara important role play kr sakdi hai. funny day nal nal serious dubbing v zaroor kiti jaway.eh boht hi asar paway gi.
asi apnay ballan nu maloomat dasan day bahanay punjabi di importance dasye.
koshash kran gay ta gall banay gi ,eh gall bhul jao k punjabi nay harr hal wich zinda rehna hai(meri jeebh saray).
baqi fer gallan hon giyan.niri discussion nalon es pasay ao k asi hun ehdi bhlai,ehday mustaqbil wasatay karna ki hai?
Wassalam
Bahut Khoob..apnaa sharam manday ay punjabi parhan likhan atay bolan vich…UK daa jampal Roop Dhillon nay taa zabdati naal sadi mitti zubane nu adopt karliya…phir sanu vee karna chahidaa..lo ay usdy lekh daa misaal hai..
لال لہر – روپ ڈھلوں
میرے ہتھ لایا، جتھے ہتھ لاؤنا نہیں چاہیدا۔ لدھیانہ۔ دسّ سال پہلا، بھاویں ودھ۔ رومی دا ویاہ سی۔ گھر وچّ رونکاں پیندیاں۔ میں اپنے بھراں، بھیناں، مسیریاں اتے پھپھیریاں نال دلان وچوں، ادھر ادھر ہسکے کمرے توں کمرے دوڑ دوڑ کے کھیلدی سی۔ رسوئی وچّ دالاں بندیاں سن، بیٹھک وچّ آدمیاں دا رولا- رپا پیندا۔ شراباں پیندے سن، کباب کھاندے۔ مہرلے کمرے وچّ ڈھول دے آلے دوآلے زنانیاں گاؤندیاں سن۔ جد میں ایہناں وچّ کھلوتی، میرے آلے دوآلے رنگاں دا سمندر سی؛ ساریاں، سلوار قمیضاں دپٹے چمکدے سن۔ اس کھپخانے وچّ کوئی کوئی واری لکدی سی؛ کوئی کوئی واری خالی تھاں لبھّ جاندا سی۔ بندیاں'چ لکنا اوکھا سی، کیونکہ میری تاں چمکدی لال لال سلوار قمیض پائی سی؛ پگاں توں چھٹّ رنگ گہر گمبھیر سن؛ نالے پاپے نے مرداں وچّ نہیں رہن دینا سی۔ میں بوہے'چوں بیٹھک اندر جھٹپٹ جھاتی ماری۔ پاپا شراب دا غلام ہویا سی۔ میرے چاچے دی اکھ پھڑ گئی۔
مینوں دراچاری مسکان ملی۔ میں نٹھّ گئی۔ ساریاں توں لکن میں اپر چلی گئی۔ اتھے لانگھے دے دورلے پاسے اک پوڑی سی۔ اس راہ توں چھت اپر چلی جائیدا سی۔ چھت اپر اک نکا جا کمرہ سی۔ سارا زور شور دوجے پاسے سی، کہن دا مطلب پوڑیاں توں پرے۔ میں پوڑی ہیٹھ لک گئی۔ کسے نوں میرا پتہ نہیں لگیا۔ ادھا گھنٹے بعد ، اکّ کے میں پوڑیاں تھلوں نکل گئی۔
میں لتاں وچّ وج گئی۔ میں جد اپر جھاکیا ( ویکھن کسدا سر سریر لتاں اپر سی)، میرا چاچا سی۔ کوئی نکی آواز میرے وچّ چاہندی سی، چیک چہاڑا پاؤن۔ پر موقع نہ ملیا۔ میرے مکھ'تے ہتھ رکّ کے اپر لے گیا۔ اسدے منہ وچوں شراب امڑدی سی۔ پہلی واری مینوں دہشت ہوئی؛ ہور بہر کجھ وی ہویا۔ چاچے توں چڑ آئی، پر نیانی سیانے نوں کی کہہ، کی کرے؟ پاپا تاں ہیٹھا پارٹی وچّ رجھیا سی۔
چاچا تاں غنڈہ سی۔ جد کوئی ولیتی سمپدے نوں خالی رہندا سی، چاچا اس خالی تھاں اتے اکھ رکھدا سی۔ جد ویکھیا کہ اوہناں نے واپس انی جلدی نہیں آؤنا، چاچا خود قابو کرکے ویچ دیندا سی، جاں کندھ کر دیندا سی۔ اسدی خاص خاصیت سی، کہ اداں دے کم وچّ کامیاب ہندا۔ پولیس جیب وچّ سی، پٹواری جیب وچّ، اتے شہر دے سارے وڈے پد والے ادھیکاری۔ موڈل ٹاؤن وچّ اک وڈی حویلی وچّ رہندا سی۔ پاپا اونھاں نوں بہت پیار کردا سی۔ اپنی بچی نوں وی پیار کردا سی۔ پر جے میں کدے کجھ کیہا وی سی اس رات وارے، کتھے مینوں مانیگا؟
لگا۔
دو مہینیاں بعد سانوں ماڈل ٹاؤن چھڈنا پیا۔ میں جانا نہیں چاہندی سی، پر میری کسے نہیں سنی ۔ پنجابی ماں-پیوں کدے اپنے نیانیاں دی سندے آ ؟ اس ٹائم چاچے نے اک چلاکی کھیڈی۔ اپنے منڈے نال میرے ویر نوں کرکیٹ کھیلن بھیج دتا؛ پھر چچیری بھین نوں چاچی نال گھمار منڈی بھیج دتا۔ میں 'تے گرلین ہی گھر رہے گئے سی۔ پھر گرلین نوں نوکر نال مجھّ توں دودھ چون لا دتا۔ مینوں اپر لے گیا اوہ ، اپنی دھی دے کمرے وچّ۔ میں تاں ڈر نال سہمی ہوئی سی۔ نہ کجھ کر سکی تے نہ کہہ سکی۔ شبد منہ وچ ہی مر گئے تے پھر………. میں وی۔ میری معصومیت ہمیشہ لئی مٹ گئی۔ میرے لئی سبھ کجھ اجڑ گیا۔ اوہ تے ماہر کمینہ سی۔ بعد 'چ مینوں باتھروم لجا کے گرم گرم پانی وچّ بیٹھا دتا۔ بار بار مٹھی آواز وچّ ایہی کہی گیا، " ساڈی گجھی گلّ ہے۔ کسے نوں نہ دسنا۔ جے ماں نوں دسیا، ربّ نے اوہنوں مار دینا، جے پاپے نوں دسیا، پاپے نے تینوں مار دینا۔ راز رکھنا اے" ۔ میرے ساہمنے لال پانی وچّ کمسنی ڈلھ گئی۔ لال لہراں نے مینوں اپنے آپ توں دور کر دتا۔
اس دن توں بعد، میرے ٹبر دے ساہمنے مینوں بہت لاڈ-پیار کردا سی۔ بہت کجھ خرید کے دندا سی؛ گڈیاں، کھیلاں، تے آئس کریم، برفی لائلپر توں۔ میں ہریک شادی-ویاہ جاں پارٹی 'چ اس توں پرے رہندی ساں۔ پاپا دے وی کدے کوئی گلّ پلے نہیں پئی۔ مینوں ورن لئی اوہ ہتھ لاؤندا رہا۔ ماں نوں وی میں کدے ڈردی نہ بولی۔ سمجھنا تاں کتھے سی؟ الزام تاں میرے سر دھر دینا سی۔ چاچے کرکے میں مرد-ویری بن گئی۔ کدے کسے منڈے نیڑے نہیں جاندی ساں | چاچا پھر وی نہیں ہٹیا۔ اک دن، میں شراب پی کے پولیس ( میں ہن وڈی ہو گئی سی) کول چلے گئی۔ حولدار نے چاچے نوں فون گھماکے دسیا،میرے پیوں نوں نہیں فون کیتا| چاچا مینوں لین آ گیا۔ پولیس نوں اپنیاں گلاں دے جال 'چ پھسا لیا کہ ایہہ (میں )شراب دے صرور وچّ گلاں بناؤندی اے، ایسا کجھ نہیں ہے | میں ایہنوں اپنے نال گھر لے جانا تے سویرے نشہ اترے توں مینوں گھر چھڈّ دیویگا۔
پر اوہ مینوں اپنے گھر نہیں لے کے گیا، اک ہوٹل لے گیا۔ مینوں پلنگھ 'تے بٹھا کے کجھ کہن لگّ پیا، "..پگّ تے داغ…ماں مر جاوے گی…جو ہو گیا، ہو گیا…گھر دی عزت…لوک کی کہنگے؟"، پر مینوں کجھ نہیں سنیا۔ بسّ اوہ لال لہراں چیتے آ گئیاں۔ میرا لہو………. مینوں چڑاؤندا سی؛ مینوں نتاکتی آکھدا سی، میری بدقسمتی ولّ رج رجکے ہسدا سی۔ پیڑ دیاں عجیب جہیاں ترنگاں پینے نوں جھنجوڑ سٹیا |
ربّ جانے ! پھر کی ہویا۔
میں اپنے ہتھ نوں اسدے سر اپر رکھ دتا۔ میری تلخی 'چ کوئی دھوڑ، کوئی سمرتھا آئی، بدن وچوں بجلی دیاں طرحاں دوڑ گئیاں، ہتھوں لنگھکے اسدے سر ولّ چلدیاں دھاراں بھیجن لگیاں ۔ کرنٹ نال اسدے وال مچّ گئے، پھر منہ دا ماس سڑ گیا، سر توں جویں کجھ نکلدا سی، بہت چیکیا، بہت رویا……… جداں میں سالاں دی روندی ساں۔ حیران دی گلّ سی کسے نے کجھ سنیا نہیں۔ کی پتہ لوکاں نوں تاں ہور کجھ ہندا لگدا سی۔ والاں نوں اگّ لگّ گئی ( مینوں تاں حالے وی لال لال پانی ہی دسدا سی)، ماس سڑ گیا۔ سریر کرنٹ وچّ پسر گیا سی۔ سوخم لہر نے سور دے ماس دا بھڑتھا بنا دتا۔ اکھاں سر 'چوں گھل کے باہر آ گئیاں۔ جتھے دسّ منٹ پہلا چاچا جی بیٹھا سی، بسترے دے غلاف اتے کالا کلنک رہِ گیا سی۔
میرا ہتھ بھنجے آگیا۔ میں اک دم تھکّ گئی ساں۔ میرا وجود سنّ سی، جتھے چاچا سی، ہن ڈھیر سی بھسم دا۔ میں چپّ چاپ سواہ ولّ تکی رہی سی۔ گھنٹے بعد میں سائے وانگ کمرے وچوں نکل گئی۔ پر گھر واپس نہیں جا سکدی سی کیونکہ پولیس نے پاپے نوں سبھ دسّ دینا ہی سی ۔ اس رات میں ریل گڈی پھڑھکے پنجاب 'چوں نکل گئی ۔ پر حالے وی لال لہر، گوتر-گمان تے گواہ میرے مگر نسے۔ تردی پھردی لوتھ سی، بدلے نے میرا سبھ کجھ نشٹ کر دتا|
ختم
Mein sab nonn kahna wann punjabi nonn mukan toun bachao.It is a very good language.If we will be against punjabi language,no one will come from Karachi or peshawar,to save punjabi language.Some punjabi people are against punjabi,Infact traitors are found in every nation.It is terrible to talk against punabi.
Punjabi zindbaad!!
پنجابی 18 کروڑ پنجابیاں دی ماں بولی اے تے ایہہ صدیاں توں اک سانجھی وسیب تے رھتل نال راج کردی پی اے،سرائیکی،ہندکو تے پہاڑی وی ایھدا ھی حِصا نے ساہنوں مان اے اپنی پہچان پنجابی تے اسی پنجاب نوں اُھدی پنجابیت پرتاواں دے۔جیوے پنجاب!