Punjabi literature, specifically literary works written in the

Punjabi language Punjabi (; ; , ), sometimes spelled Panjabi, is an Indo-Aryan language of the Punjab region of Pakistan and India. It has approximately 113 million native speakers. Punjabi is the most widely-spoken first language in Pakistan, with 80.5 ...

, is characteristic of the historical

Punjab region Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising a ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

and

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

and the

Punjabi diaspora The Punjabi diaspora (''pajābī pravāsī'') mainly refers to the descendants of ethnic Punjabis who emigrated out of the Punjab region before Independence of Pakistan and India. The Punjabis who migrated after the independence of both countries ...

. The Punjabi language is written in several scripts, of which the

Shahmukhi Shahmukhi (, ) is a Perso-Arabic alphabet script used historically by Punjabi Muslims (primarily in present-day Pakistani Punjab) to write the Punjabi language. It is generally written in the Nastaʿlīq calligraphic hand, which is also used f ...

and Gurmukhī scripts are the most commonly used in Pakistan and India, respectively.

History

Early history

Hindu Nath Yogis were the first poets to use Punjabi language in praise of God. They referred to God with various names such as "Alakh Nirajan" which are still prevalent in Punjabi vernacular.

Medieval

The Punjabi literary tradition is popularly seen to commence with

Fariduddin Ganjshakar Farīd al-Dīn Masʿūd Ganj-i-Shakar ( ; – 7 May 1266) was a 13th-century Punjabi Sunni Muslim preacher and mystic, who was one of the most revered and distinguished Muslim mystics of the medieval period. He is known reverentially as B� ...

(1173–1266). whose Sufi poetry was compiled after his death in the ''

Adi Granth The Guru Granth Sahib ( pa, ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the r ...

''.

Early modern period

The ''

Janamsakhis The Janamsakhis ( pa, ਜਨਮਸਾਖੀ, IAST: ''Janam-sākhī'', ''lit.'' ''birth stories''), are legendary biographies of Guru Nanak – the founder of Sikhism. Popular in the Sikh history, these texts are considered by scholars as imaginar ...

'', stories on the life and legend of

Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also referred to as ('father Nānak'), was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated w ...

(1469–1539), are early examples of Punjabi prose literature. Guru Nanak himself composed Punjabi verse incorporating vocabulary from

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...

, Persian, and other

South Asian South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...

languages as characteristic of the

Gurbani Gurbani ( pa, ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ) is a Sikh term, very commonly used by Sikhs to refer to various compositions by the Sikh Gurus and other writers of Guru Granth Sahib. In general, hymns in the central text of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahi ...

tradition. Punjabi Sufi poetry developed under

Shah Hussain Shah Hussain ( pa, ; ; 1538–1599), also known as Madhoo Lal Hussain, was a 16th-century Punjabi Muslim Sufi poet who is regarded as a pioneer of the Kafi form of Punjabi poetry. He lived during the ruling periods of Mughal emperors Akbar ...

(1538–1599), Sultan Bahu (1628–1691), Shah Sharaf (1640–1724), Ali Haider (1690–1785),

Saleh Muhammad Safoori Saleh Muhammad Safoori Miana ( pa, ميانا صالح محمد الصفوري) was a Sufi poet from southern Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitica ...

and

Bulleh Shah Syed Abdullah Shah Qadri ( pa, ; ; 1680–1757), known popularly as Bulleh Shah ( pa, ; ) and Bulleya, was a Punjabi philosopher and Sufi poet during 17th-century Punjab. His ancestors had migrated from Bukhara (modern-day Uzbekistan) ...

(1680–1757). In contrast to Persian poets, who had preferred the ''

ghazal The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...

'' for poetic expression, Punjabi Sufi poets tended to compose in the '' Kafi''. Punjabi Sufi poetry also influenced other Punjabi literary traditions particularly the

Punjabi Qissa A Punjabi Qissa ( pa, (Shahmukhi), (Gurmukhi); plural: Qisse) is a tradition of Punjabi language oral story-telling that emerged in South Asia with the fusion of local Punjabi people and migrants from the Arabian peninsula and contemporary Iran ...

, a genre of romantic tragedy which also derived inspiration from Indic, Persian and Quranic sources. The Qissa of ''

Heer Ranjha ''Heer Ranjha'' (or ''Heer and Ranjha'') ( pnb, , ਹੀਰ ਰਾਂਝਾ ) is one of several popular tragic romances of Punjab, other important ones being "Sohni Mahiwal", " Mirza Sahiban" and " Sassi Punnhun". There are several poetic ...

'' by

Waris Shah Waris Shah ( pa, ; ; 1722–1798) was a Punjabi Sufi poet of the Chishti order, known for his contribution to Punjabi literature. He is primarily known as the author of ''Heer Ranjha'' . Background Waris Shah was born in Jandiala Sher Kh ...

(1706–1798) is among the most popular of Punjabi qisse. Other popular stories include ''

Sohni Mahiwal Sohni Mahiwal or Suhni Mehar ( pa, , ਸੋਹਣੀ ਮਹੀਂਵਾਲ is one of the four popular tragic romances of Punjab including Sindh. In Sindh Sohni's shrine is in Shahdadpur Town of Sangar District. The others are Sassi Punnun, Mirz ...

'' by Fazal Shah, ''

Mirza Sahiba ''Mirza Sahiban'' ( pa, ਮਿਰਜ਼ਾ ਸਾਹਿਬਾਂ, , ') is one of the four popular tragic romances of the Punjab. The other three are ''Heer Ranjha'', '' Sohni Mahiwal'' and '' Sassi Punnun''. There are five other popular folkl ...

'' by Hafiz Barkhudar (1658–1707), ''

Sassi Punnun Sassi Punnuh or Sassui Punhun ( sd, سَسُئيِ پُنهوُن) is a love story from Punjabi, Sindhi, and Balochi folklore. The story is about a faithful lover who will endure any difficulty while seeking her beloved husband who was separat ...

'' by Hashim Shah (1735?–1843?), and ''Qissa Puran Bhagat'' by

Qadaryar Qadir Yar (1802–1892), born Qadar Baksh, was a Muslim Sandhu Jatt and a poet of the Punjabi language. Born in Gujranwala, he wrote Punjabi Qissa like ''Qissa Purana Bhagat'', ''Raja Rasal''. Life Qadir Yar was born in the village Machhik ...

(1802–1892). Heroic ballads known as ''

Vaar The var, in Punjabi poetry, is a heroic ode or ballad which generally narrates legend such as stories of Punjabi folk heroes or a historical event.''The Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature (Volume One - A to Devo)''. Amaresh Datta, ed. Sahitya Akadem ...

'' enjoy a rich oral tradition in Punjabi. Prominent examples of heroic or epic poetry include

Guru Gobind Singh Guru Gobind Singh (; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708), born Gobind Das or Gobind Rai the tenth Sikh Guru, a spiritual master, warrior, poet and philosopher. When his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was executed by Aurangzeb, Guru Gobind Sin ...

's in ''Chandi di Var'' (1666–1708). The semi-historical '' Nadir Shah Di Vaar'' by Najabat describes the invasion of India by Nadir Shah in 1739. The Jangnama, or 'War Chronicle,' was introduced into Punjabi literature during the Mughal period; the Punjabi ''Jangnama'' of

Shah Mohammad Shah Mohammad ( pa, ; ; 1780–1862), was a Punjabi poet who lived during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780 – 1839) and is best known for his book '' Jangnama'' (Book of War) written around 1846, which depicts the First Anglo-S ...

(1780–1862) recounts the

First Anglo-Sikh War The First Anglo-Sikh War was fought between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company in 1845 and 1846 in and around the Ferozepur district of Punjab. It resulted in defeat and partial subjugation of the Sikh empire and cession o ...

of 1845–46.

Colonial period

The Victorian novel, Elizabethan drama, free verse and

Modernism Modernism is both a philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, an ...

entered Punjabi literature through the introduction of British education during the Raj. The first Punjabi printing press (using Gurmukhi font) was established through a Christian mission at Ludhiana in 1835, and the first Punjabi dictionary was published by Reverend J. Newton in 1854. The Punjabi novel developed through

Nanak Singh Nanak Singh, (b. 4 July 1897 as Hans Raj – 28 December 1971), was an Indian poet, songwriter, and novelist of the Punjabi language. His literary works in support of India's independence movement led the British to arrest him. He published nov ...

(1897–1971) and Vir Singh. Starting off as a pamphleteer and as part of the Singh Sabha Movement, Vir Singh wrote historical romance through such novels as Sundari, Satwant Kaur and Baba Naudh Singh, whereas Nanak Singh helped link the novel to the storytelling traditions of Qissa and oral tradition as well as to questions of social reform. The novels, short stories and poetry of

Amrita Pritam Amrita Pritam (; 31 August 1919 – 31 October 2005) was an Indian novelist, essayist and poet, who wrote in Punjabi and Hindi. A prominent figure in Punjabi literature, she is the recipient of the 1956 Sahitya Akademi Award. Her body of wo ...

(1919–2005) highlighted, among other themes, the experience of women, and the

Partition of British India The Partition of British India in 1947 was the change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: India and Pakistan. T ...

. Punjabi poetry during the British Raj moreover began to explore more the experiences of the common man and the poor through the work of Puran Singh (1881–1931). Other poets meanwhile, such as

Dhani Ram Chatrik Dhani Ram Chatrik (4 October 1876 – 18 December 1954) was an Indian poet and typographer. He is considered one of the pioneers of modern Punjabi poetry. He promoted Punjabi culture, language and publications through his life. In 1926, he bec ...

(1876–1957),

Diwan Singh Diwan Singh Kalepani (1894–1944) was a Punjabi poet. He participated in the Indian freedom movement and the Non-cooperation movement in the 1920s.Singh, Atamjit. "Twentieth Century Punjabi Literature" (249-288) in Handbook of Twentieth Century L ...

(1897–1944) and

Ustad Daman Ustad Daman (Punjabi, ur, , (born as Chiragh Deen), Punjabi, ur, ), (3 September 1911 – 3 December 1984) was a Punjabi poet, writer and a mystic.Indian freedom movement The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947. The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged from Bengal. ...

. Chatrik's poetry, steeped in Indian traditions of romance and classical poetry, often celebrated varied moods of nature in his verse as well as feelings of patriotism. Brought up on English and American poetry, Puran Singh was also influenced by Freudian psychology in his oftentimes unabashedly sensuous poetry. Modernism was also introduced into Punjabi poetry by Prof. Mohan Singh (1905–78) and

Shareef Kunjahi Sharif Kunjahi ( pa, (Shahmukhi)) (1914 – 2007) was a leading writer and poet of Punjabi. He was among the first faculty members of the Department of Punjabi Language at University of Punjab in the 1970s and contributed to Punjabi literatur ...

. The Punjabi diaspora also began to emerge during the Raj and also produced poetry whose theme was revolt against British rule in '' Ghadar di Gunj'' (''Echoes of Mutiny'').Gill, Tejwant Singh, "Reading Modern Punjabi Poetry: From Bhai Vir Singh to Surjit Patar" in ''Journal of Punjab Studies'' (Spring-Fall 2006, Volume 13, No. 1 &2).

Post-Independence

Western Punjab (Pakistan) Najm Hossein Syed, Fakhar Zaman and Afzal Ahsan Randhawa are some of the more prominent names in West Punjabi literature produced in Pakistan since 1947. Literary criticism in Punjabi has also emerged through the efforts of West Punjabi scholars and poets,

Shafqat Tanvir Mirza Shafqat Tanvir Mirza – known by many as STM (6 February 1932 – 20 November 2012) was a Pakistani writer and a journalist. He was also a journalist union leader and was sent to jail twice because of his activities on behalf of newspapers ...

, Ahmad Salim, and

Najm Hosain Syed Najm Hosain Syed (born 1935) is a Pakistani writer of Punjabi language. He has written poetry and plays in the Punjabi language as well as literary criticism on Punjabi literature in his ''Recurrent Patterns in Punjabi Poetry'' (1968). Early li ...

(b. 1936). The work of Zaman and Randhawa often treats the rediscovery of Punjabi identity and language in Pakistan since 1947. Ali's short story collection ''Kahani Praga'' received the Waris Shah Memorial Award in 2005 from the Pakistan Academy of Letters. Mansha Yaad also received the Waris Shah Award for his collection ''Wagda Paani'' in 1987, and again in 1998 for his novel ''Tawan TawaN Tara'', as well as the ''Tamgha-e-Imtiaz'' (''Pride of Performance'') in 2004. The most critically successful writer in recent times has been

Mir Tanha Yousafi Mir Tanha Yousufi (1 January 1955 26 August 2019) was a Pakistani Punjabi and Urdu writer, best known for his Punjabi literature. He produced two short story collections and five novels in Punjabi. Most of his work was transliterated in Gurumu ...

who has won the Massod Khaddar Posh Trust Award 4 times, and has had his books transliterated into Gurmukhi for Indian Punjabi readers. Urdu poets of the Punjab have also written Punjabi poetry including

Munir Niazi Munir Ahmed Niazi, ( pa, ) (9 April 1923– 26 December 2006) was an Punjabi and Urdu poet from Pakistan. He also wrote for newspapers, magazines and radio. In 1960, he established a publication institute, ''Al-Misal''. He was later asso ...

(1928–2006). The poet who introduced new trends in Punjabi poetry is Pir Hadi abdul Mannan. Though a Punjabi poet, he also wrote poetry in

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' Ali Arshad Mir Ali Arshad Mir ( pa, ; January 1, 1951 – October 16, 2008) was an epic Punjabi poet and writer, sometimes described as the "Homer of Punjab". His works have been translated into languages such as Urdu and English. In the 1970s, his ''Internati ...

was an epic poet whose works gave voice to the voiceless - the downtrodden and the oppressed, his role is considered crucial in 20th century Punjabi literature. Eastern Punjab (India) Surjit Patar

(1919–2005),

Jaswant Singh Rahi Jaswant Singh Rahi ( pa, ਜਸਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਰਾਹੀ; 16 March 1913 – 11 April 1996) was a Punjabi poet, writer, communist and freedom fighter. He was born in and lived his whole life in Dera Baba Nanak town of Gurdaspur ...

(1930–1996),

Shiv Kumar Batalvi Shiv Kumar Batalvi (23 July 1936 - 6 May 1973) was an Indian poet, writer and playwright of the Punjabi language. He was most known for his romantic poetry, noted for its heightened passion, pathos, separation and lover's agony, due to that he ...

(1936–1973),

Surjit Patar Surjit Patar is a Punjabi language writer and poet of Punjab, India. His poems enjoy immense popularity with the general public and have won high acclaim from critics. Biography Patar hails from village Pattar ( pa, ਪੱਤੜ) Kalan in Jala ...

(1944–) and

Pash Pash (9 September 1950 – 23 March 1988) was the pen name of Avtar Singh Sandhu, one of the major poets in the Punjabi literature of the 1970s. He was killed by extremists on 23 March 1988. His strongly left-wing views were reflected in his ...

(1950–1988) are some of the more prominent poets and writers of East Punjab (India). Pritam's ''Sunehe'' (''Messages'') received the Sahitya Akademi in 1982. In it, Pritam explores the impact of social morality on women. Kumar's epic ''Luna'' (a dramatic retelling of the legend of Puran Bhagat) won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1965. Socialist themes of revolution meanwhile influenced writers like Pash whose work demonstrates the influence of

Pablo Neruda Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto (12 July 1904 – 23 September 1973), better known by his pen name and, later, legal name Pablo Neruda (; ), was a Chilean poet-diplomat and politician who won the 1971 Nobel Prize in Literature. Nerud ...

and

Octavio Paz Octavio Paz Lozano (March 31, 1914 – April 19, 1998) was a Mexican poet and diplomat. For his body of work, he was awarded the 1977 Jerusalem Prize, the 1981 Miguel de Cervantes Prize, the 1982 Neustadt International Prize for Literature, and ...

. Punjabi fiction in modern times has explored themes in modernist and post-modernist literature. Punjabi culture. Moving from the propagation of Sikh thought and ideology to the themes of the Progressive Movement, the short story in Punjabi was taken up by Nanak Singh, Charan Singh Shaheed, Joshua Fazal Deen, and Heera Singh Dard. Women writers such as Ajit kaur and Daleep Kaur Tiwana meanwhile have questioned cultural patriarchy and the subordination of women in their work. Hardev Grewal has introduced a new genere to Punjabi fiction called Punjabi Murder Mystery in 2012 with his Punjabi novel "Eh Khudkushi Nahin Janab! Qatl Hai" (published by Lahore Books).

Kulwant Singh Virk Kulwant Singh Virk (20 May 1921 – 24 December 1987) was an author who wrote mostly in Punjabi but also extensively in English. His short stories were translated into several other languages, including Russian and Japanese. Kulwant Singh Vir ...

(1921-1987) won the Sahitya Akedemi award for his collection of short stories “Nave Lok” in 1967. His stories are gripping and provide deep insight into the rural and urban modern Punjab. He has been hailed as the “emperor of Punjabi short stories”. Modern Punjab drama developed through Ishwar Nanda's Ibsen-influenced ''Suhag'' in 1913, and Gursharan Singh who helped popularize the genre through live theatre in Punjabi villages. Sant Singh Sekhon,

Kartar Singh Duggal Kartar Singh Duggal (1 March 1917 – 26 January 2012) was an Indian writer who wrote in Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi, and English. His works include short stories, novels, dramas and plays. His works have been translated into Indian and foreign lan ...

, and

Balwant Gargi Balwant Gargi (4 December 1916 – 22 April 2003) was an Indian Punjabi language dramatist, theatre director, novelist, and short story writer, and academic. Early life On 4 December 1916, in Canal House in Sehna, Barnala (Punjab), Balwant Gar ...

have written plays, with Atamjit has also been awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2010 for his play ''Tatti Tawi De Vich''.

Diaspora Punjabi literature

literature has developed through writers in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and the United States, as well as writers in Africa such as Ajaib Kamal, born in 1932 in Kenya, and Mazhar Tirmazi, writer of famous song "Umraan Langhiyan Pabhan Bhaar." Themes explored by diaspora writers include the cross-cultural experience of Punjabi migrants, racial discrimination, exclusion, and assimilation, the experience of women in the diaspora, and spirituality in the modern world. Second generation writers of Punjabi ancestry such as Rupinderpal Singh Dhillon (writes under the name Roop Dhillon) have explored the relationship between British Punjabis and their immigrant parents as well as experiment with surrealism, science-fiction and crime-fiction. Bhupinder kaur Sadhaura (1971-)have biography of

peer Budhu Shah Ji Peer may refer to: Sociology * Peer, an equal in age, education or social class; see Peer group * Peer, a member of the peerage; related to the term "peer of the realm" Computing * Peer, one of several functional units in the same layer of a netw ...

, book name is

Guru Bhagat Peer Budhu Shah Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverential ...

( hanoured by

Haryana Punjabi Sahitya Academy Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ar ...

). Other known writers include Sadhu Binning and

Ajmer Rode Ajmer Rode is a Canadian author writing in Punjabi as well as in English. His first work was non-fiction ''Vishva Di Nuhar'' on Albert Einstein's Relativity in dialogue form inspired by Plato's ''Republic''. Published by the Punjabi University ...

(Canada),

Mazhar Tirmazi Mazhar Tirmazi (born September 26, 1950) is a London-based Punjabi poet and journalist. His poem, ''UmraN LangiaN PabaN Bhaar'' (A Lifetime on Tiptoes — Healing the Wounds of Partition), was adapted for a Ghazal rendition by Asad Amanat Ali Kha ...

Amarjit Chandan Amarjit Chandan (Punjabi: ਅਮਰਜੀਤ ਚੰਦਨ, born 1946) is a Punjabi writer, editor, translator and activist. He has written eight collections of poetry and five collections of essays in Punjabi. He has been called "the global fac ...

, Avtar Singh Sandhu ( Paash) (1950–1988)and Surjit Kalsi. The most successful writer has been Shivcharan Jaggi Kussa.

Genres

Currently Punjabi writing can be split between the following genres *

(Waris Shah) * Traditional poetry (

Surjit Paatar Surjit Patar is a Punjabi language writer and poet of Punjab, India. His poems enjoy immense popularity with the general public and have won high acclaim from critics. Biography Patar hails from village Pattar ( pa, ਪੱਤੜ) Kalan in Ja ...

) * Naxalite poetry (Paash, Amarjit Chandan) *

Lyrical poetry Modern lyric poetry is a formal type of poetry which expresses personal emotions or feelings, typically spoken in the first person. It is not equivalent to song lyrics, though song lyrics are often in the lyric mode, and it is also ''not'' equi ...

(Rajvinder Singh) * Punjabi haiku (Amarjit Chandan) * Yatharthvaad (Realism) * Pachmi Paryatharvaad (Surreal, Fantasy, Imaginative) Roop Dhillon * Parvasi (émigré) Sadhu Binning * Viang (Satire) Jagjit Singh Komal

References

External links

{{Pakistani literature
Panjab Digital Library
- houses digital versions of Punjabi manuscripts covering several centuries.
Punjabi Literature website
- A collection of young and lesser known Panjabi Authors. P Literature by language Pakistani literature