Title: Punjab, Punjabis & Punjabiyat- Reflections on a Land and its People
Author: Khushwant Singh
Editor: Mala Dayal
Publisher: Aleph Book Company
Pages: 192
ISBN: 978-9387561403
Source: Publisher
Punjab, Punjabis & Punjabiyat is a compilation of various articles written by the author at various points of his life. These pieces of writing, collected here by his daughter Mala Dayal, represent Khushwant Singh’s Punjab.
Divided into three parts, the book deals with several aspects of the land and its people. The first part, Punjab and Punjabiyat- comprising of 17 short chapters, spans over more than half of the book. These chapters focus primarily on the geography & culture of Punjab. A considerable space is devoted to Silkhs and the history of Sikhism. Writings on Punjabi language & literature, the langar tradition, the Namdhari movement, etcetera are also included.
The second section shifts the focus on the dreadful events that have taken place in Punjab. Partition, the Khalistan movement, the riots of 1984 are the issues that this section deals with. The third section, titled Punjabis, contains eight pieces of writing on famous personalities of Punjab.
My Verdict
I enjoyed reading this book. I loved the first part in particular. While reading those chapters, I had a smile on my face. Being a native of Punjab, I could conjure up all that I was reading. So, it was certainly a very delightful experience.
It was also interesting to read about the issues of the recent past as discussed in the second part. These chapters, however, were not as I expected them to be. I was very much looking forward to read about the riots of 1984. But to my dismay, what I found here were brief summaries of the events of each month of the year, as recorded by the author. These are certainly not sufficient if anyone wishes to know about the actual events.
I enjoyed the third section the least, for the portraits belong not to those who are generally hailed as the prominent figures of Punjab, but to those who are perhaps Singh’s own favourite. These can be still enjoyed and read as portraits of the unsung heroes. Of all the writings, the best one was that about Singh’s native village. It is a very compelling piece.
All in all, this is a lovely book. But I won’t recommend it if one wants to read about Punjab. This is a book to be cherished only by those are Singh’s fan or already have read about Punjab. But then that’s thing about the compilations done posthumously.
My Rating: *** (3.5/5)
What do you think about this book? Have you read any of non-fiction written by Khushwant Singh? Do share your views. Thanks.
*I received a copy by the Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Views expressed are entirely personal & unbiased.*
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