There is no dearth of books on Punjab these days. History, politics, culture — you name it, it’s there. Still, no matter how much you read about it, Punjab remains a tricky beast. Talk to any Punjabi, and the conversation inevitably ends with a sigh and, “You just don’t understand Punjab. It’s different. It’s different from the rest of India, it’s different from the rest of the world.” Whether it’s the fiery politics, the booming (or struggling?) economy, the ever-changing landscape, or the deep-rooted religiosity, Punjabis have a way of making you feel like an outsider peering in.
This is exactly what sent me searching for an insider’s view on Punjab. And who better to guide than the legendary Khushwant Singh? So, I grabbed his book, “Punjab, Punjabis and Punjabiyat,” and began to read. What does it have to say? Let’s find out.
Before we begin, it’s important to note that when discussing Punjab in this book, the author focuses specifically on the Indian region (as opposed to Pakistani Punjab). Additionally, the primary cultural lens explored is that of the Punjabi Sikh community. While this provides a rich and detailed perspective, it’s worth keeping in mind the that the book would also miss out on many key aspects of Punjab and its identity.
With that in mind, let’s turn the pages of this book and see what it has to offer.
Punjab and Punjabiyat
The first section begins with the geographical and cultural identity of Punjab. Punjab, except for the salt range at its centre, is an extensive plain sloping gently down from the mountains in the north and the west towards the desert in the south. Across this monotonously flat land flow six large rivers: the Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. In the intra-fluvial tracts or doabs between these rivers and in the western half of the tract between the Sutlej and the Yamuna, live people who speak Punjabi and describe themselves as the people of Punjab.
Although these people have been divided into Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, the evolution of one common tongue has given rise to Punjabi consciousness over many centuries.
Origins of Sikhism
The book really goes into the history and evolution of Sikhism in Punjab. For those who don’t know, Sikhism is a religious group started by Guru Nanak Dev and developed by four succeeding Gurus whose writings were compiled in the holy book, the Adi Granth, by the fifth Guru, Arjun, around 1600 CE. The Adi Granth comprises over 6,000 hymns composed by five Gurus (mainly those of the compiler Guru Arjun) and includes compositions of Hindu and Muslim saints as well as some bards.
In the final version, the one compiled by Guru Gobind Singh, he inserted hymns composed by his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur. Guru Gobind Singh compiled an anthology of his own, the Dasam Granth. While the Adi (first) Granth is essentially a distillation of the Vedanta in Punjabi, the Dasam (tenth) Granth is a compilation of tales of valour of Hindu goddesses, some composed by the Guru himself, others by the bards of his court. Thus there are two parallel scriptures, one extolling the virtues of peaceful submission, the other of combating oppression with force.
Punjab Bleeds
This is perhaps the most important part of the book. As mentioned earlier, Punjabis often complain about the inability of the outsiders to understand the pain that they have suffered, especially in the last seventy five years.
The first event was the partition of India, which led to the creation of Pakistan. It was a horrible time to be in Punjab. The riots had assumed the magnitude of a massacre and it had become clear that the Sikhs and Hindus would have to get out of Pakistan. Similarly, Muslims in Indian Punjab had to leave their homes behind and leave for Pakistan. Hundreds of thousands people lost their lives. Millions lost their home. The scars were not going to be healed for a long, long time. And then arrived 1984.
When Indira Gandhi, then Indian prime minister, was gunned down by her two Sikh security guards, riots erupted between Hindus and Sikhs. Frenzied Hindu mobs, driven by hate and revenge, killed nearly 10,000 innocent Sikhs across India.
It happened forty years ago, but it would be fair to say that the wounds have not been healed. Much of the narrative in Punjab, whether in politics or popular art and culture, has been shaped by this traumatic event.
Famous Punjabis
In the concluding section of the book, Khushwant Singh provides a brief portrait of some famous Punjabis ever since the Sikh empire emerged. Below is the list of them.
- Ranjit Singh
- Baba Kharak Singh
- Giani Zail Singh
- PC Lal
- Manzur Qadir
- Nanak Singh
- Bhagat Puran Singh
- Veeran Bai
This book (just like any other book by Khushwant Singh) avoids the dense style of textbooks. It uses personal stories instead of academic explanations to explore Punjab’s history and culture, with a particular focus on the Sikh community. This straightforward approach makes it a good starting point for anyone interested in learning about this region.
Kalampedia 