Calgary: The last monthly meeting of Punjabi Sahitya Sabha Calgary for the year 2024 was held at Koso Hall under the chairmanship of Surinder Geet and Jagdev Sidhu. Jarnail Singh Taggar, Senior Vice President of the Sabha, played the role of managing the stage. The gathering was dedicated to the week of Martyrs and it also started with the poetic lines spoken by General Taggar;
Arshon Dade Shaheed took a look
How righteous is my family.
Singer Sukhmandar Gill created a nostalgic atmosphere by presenting a song narrating the saga of sacrifice of Sarbans by Dasmesh Pita Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Sardul Singh Lakha narrated his story under the title ‘Ghund-Chukai’. The style, language, idioms and subject matter of the story were commendable. The story telling style was unique. Sarabjit Kaur Uppal sang a folk song. The lyrics of the song were;
Hatti by putting in our village
Jatti like Bulbul for Moha.
Prof. Baldev Singh Dulat recited the Bir-Rasi poem describing the history of Chamkaur war. Gurraj Singh Virak gave a message to stay young even at a tender age. He said that dark colors keep us feeling young. Manjit Brar presented the pain arising from migration through his words. The lyrics of the song were;
I speak behind closed doors, Manjitya
Sometimes go around
One day I will sell my parents
All of the capital
Take bags full of rupees
I will go and fly!
Suridar Geet confirmed this fact and said that the most difficult thing is to open the door of a house that has been closed for a long time. To be seen with eyes full of grass and knee grass grown in the yard on fallen roofs and say nothing. He shared information about his literary activities during his recent visit to India and described his joy and satisfaction when his first collection of short stories ‘Tohfa’ was translated into Hindi and English. Apart from this, Surinder Geet presented three of his short poems.
Jagdev Sidhu said that the publication of five books by eminent critics on the literature written by Surinder Geet is an extraordinary achievement of the writer. His poetry collection ‘Shabad Sunakhe’ is part of the syllabus (MA Punjabi) in Central University Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala and Maharaja Ganga Singh University Bikaner, Rajasthan. Punjabi Sahitya Sabha Calgary congratulated him on this achievement of Surinder Geet.
Apart from this, Jagdev Sidhu presented the martyrdoms in a new perspective by connecting the beginning and fall of the Mughal period with the beginning and development of the Guru period. Goodbye to the year 2024 and wishes for the coming year 2025 Dr. Done with these lines of Gurminder Sidhu;
The new year came like a new year
Do not repeat the previous day!
News Source: Punjabi Sahitya Sabha Calgary