At a time when the world has evolved into a global village and usage of English language in Pakistan is putting the non-English speaking inhabitants under a tremendous complexion, Muhammad Saleem Pasha feels utmost pride at a launching of his travelogue titled ‘Niagara De Des Wich’ – a travelogue of journey to Canada, written in Punjabi language.
The travelogue, comprising 135 pages with the friendly price tag of Rs 200 and published by ‘Lehran Adbi Board’ Lahore, was launched on Wednesday at South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) in association with Islamabad Cultural Forum (ICF) and Panchayat.
A galaxy of Punjabi writers and intellectuals including Prof Ashfaq Saleem Mirza, Jaleel Aali, Ali Mohammad Farshi, Hameed Shahid, Dr Azhar Mahmood Chaudhry, Waseem Gardezi and others, addressed on the occasion congratulating the author on preferring Punjabi as a medium of expression over other languages like Urdu or English.
Talking to this scribe, the writer said, “It is an age of ‘English’ and our next generation is not familiar with its mother language (Punjabi); consequently, the Punjabi language is on the verge of decline because of rapid influence of Urdu in the country and English as a medium of education that is also borrowed from the West.”
“We feel complex if we are not familiar with English. However, If we do not speak or write Punjabi, and unable to keep this asset alive, we will soon be deprived of from our mother language – that is one of the wide-spoken languages in the world,” Pasha said in his typical Punjabi accent.
Hailing from Gujrat (to which he pronounced Gujrat Shareef), and living and working in the federal capital for the last 2 decades, Saleem Pasha warned if younger generation did not show their interests in promotion of Punjabi language, they would be rotten soon.
Talking about the ‘Niagara De Des Wich’, Pasha said as he was a Punjabi writer and a poet, he preferred to express his experience while staying in Canada for over 20 days on a trip he was invited to attend for ‘World Punjabi Conference’ in August 2011.
Dedicating the travelogue to his spouse, Samina Akhtar, Pasha said Ibn-e-Insha and Mustansar Hussain Tarar were the leading names in writing travelogue and he was sure that he did not have the calibre to match their in expression.
“But this is, nevertheless, a serious effort in promotion of Punjabi language here in Pakistan as well as aboard. Canada is one of the beautiful places in the world, where everyone is treated equally. Peace and justice is the core issues that differentiate the social atmosphere of both the country. We have no peace and justice here but it is available for each individual in Canada. This is actually the crux of my travelogue – based upon my candid personal experiences in shape of this book,” Pasha explained. Pasha says he is basically a painter and his exhibitions have been put on display countrywide.
“Currently, I am working as a publication in-charge in the Ministry of Commerce. My first publication in form of poetry book titled ‘Wakh Hon To Pehlan’ has been acknowledged widely in 2005. I have attended a number of conferences abroad including India in promotion of Punjabi literature,” he maintained.
Addressing on the occasion, Prof. Ashfaq Saleem Mirza, Jaleel Aali, Ali Mohammad Farshi, Hameed Shahid, Dr Azhar Mahmood Chaudhry, and Waseem Gardezi said people often considered Punjabi language as a ‘satirical language’ but as Pasha mentioned in his travelogue it was the fifth widely spoken language in a developed country of Canada.
“Literacy organisations and Punjabi writers in Pakistan have done extensively for the promotion of Punjabi over the years, but due to lack of access of Punjabi language to international sphere, Punjabi is dwindling. However, Pasha has been doing it since decades to push this language on a larger spectrum writing this travelogue,” speakers said.
excellent effort by salim pasha.nowadays the overwhelming majority of punjabis are too ashamed of being punjabis,they don't speak their mother tongue,punjabi isn't taught in punjab's schools,there are no punjabi language newspapers,everyone in lahore reads urdu papers.there are only 3 punjabi tv channels whereas other languages having lower provincial populations have many times the no. of their channels.nothing can be done about a people who feel ashamed of their language,culture and ethnicity.
a people ashamed of their language, culture, ethnicity? says who? the only punjabi speakers who harbour shame are the pakistanis. DO NOT conflate punjabi identity with pakistan! Punjabis from India are the most ardent proponets of the language, regardless of their religious affiliation or stately location. they speak it with pride, and continue to cultivate and enrich it. and i would certainly know! i was born to pakistani parents who claim to be 'punjabi', albeit only when it's convenient.
their loss i suppose. learning punjabi was one of the most liberating endeavours i have undetaken. and the poster below is correct, outside the cesspool that is pakistan, Punjabi is revered by Indians and non-indians alike. it is shameful and truly pathetic that pakistanis don't valorize this rich, radiant language. bulleh shah and baba farid would be sickened to know this is the fate of their beloved language of love and poetry.
In an effort to preserve language I have written an application that will be posted on the internet in the next few months that allows you to preserve your language. It preserves the language by allowing you to record in English and in your lost language. What makes this so wonderful is the fact that you can then incorporate the recordings into Chapters, Sections, Tests, and quizes, and design a classroom setting for your students to begin learning the language before it dissapears.
Please look for it, it will be free for all to use.
Not just the "fifth widely spoken language in Canada" but also the second most spoken language in the most multi-cultural mega city on earth : London. Part of the official school curriculum in both England and parts of Canada. A language learned in school by all races. In fact, as I understand it, it has been Chinese students that have been scoring the highest marks in Punjabi exams at school in Canada. A language the rest of the world respects as the language of poetry, love and music. An ancient language far older than it's modern counterparts of Urdu and Hindi. Unique in that it is the only tonal language in the Indo-European family of languages. A language so valued that 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation western born Punjabis speak it fluently without knowing a word of Hindi or Urdu.
I find it strange how Pashto and Sindhi get so promoted but Punjabi doesn't, there are schools where they are not only taught in the language but it's part of the curriculum in khyber pakhtunkhwa and sindh. Yet despite being an overwhelming majority, Punjabis are taught only urdu and taught to get anywhere in life Urdu is the language to speak.
Many of us identify as Punjabi, yet don't speak the language of our forefathers. A language that yes, I too think will eventually die out in Pakistan. Diaspora Punjabis speak it, yet when I go back home and see my own urban city relatives speaking to each other in Urdu, I am told that Punjabi is vulgar sounding (the same vulgar language that my ancestors spoke? the language of Bulleh and Waris Shah?) and Urdu is beautiful. What happens when they go back to the pinds/villages and their relatives are speaking in Punjabi? Well despite living in the same country, my cousin's young children have to reply in Urdu for they do not speak their own mother tongue!
If I can walk down the street in Toronto, New York, Birmingham or Glasgow and hear a Punjabi speaking more Punjabi than a Punjabi living in Punjab themselves? Something is seriously wrong!
To clarify I think Urdu is a beautiful language, but if things were different we could be speaking Farsi instead! Both beautiful languages, but nothing beats your maa boli!
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