LIKHTUM PAASH

[Sumail Sidhu]

Dear All,

Sending you the invite-cum-poster for an evening to remember Paash on his birthday, also to reflect upon his concerns and our times.

Avtaar Singh 'Paash' (b. Sep. 9, 1950-d.Mar 23, 1988) would have been 63 on this Sep. 9th had he not succumbed to militants' bullets at his tubewell in Talwandi Salem, his native village. Poet, activist, social educator, cultural commentator,literary critic- he created a rupture in the Punjabi literary tradition. 

Profoundly perceptive of quotidian concerns, he strove for a seamless fusion of high theory, aesthetics, politics and the existential conditions of the rural Punjabis. Known for his exceptional command over language, his works have been translated in many languages. His prose however, has remained an understudied field.

25 years have passed since his assassination but he remains relevant as ever, inspite of academic attempts to tame his oeuvre; to declare him as loud, violent and formulaic. 

The Punjab Sanjhiwal Jatha has been conducting a campaign, the Punjabi Boli Morcha for the last 60 days in protest against the anti-language FYUP adopted by Delhi University. Joining the struggle for our vernaculars and theirconceptual universe, 'Adara 23 March' is organising an evening LIKHTUM PAASH on Sep. 9, 2013 [at 5:30 pm, Punjabi Bhawan, Rouse Avenue (Near ITO)] to revisit Paash and his manifold layers of engagement with his times.

Eminent Punjabi poet and playwright Swarajbeer will speak about his work,vision and distinction. Historian of ideas,Rakesh Pandey will deliberate on intersecting Paash with the Hindi poetic tradition. The foremost Punjabi novelistJaswant Singh Kanwal has kindly agreed to chair the session. A slide show on the ongoing movement to implement the Punjabi Charter for Delhi would be followed by readings from Paash's works. 

Please make it convenient to attend.

Regards,

 

Sumail Singh Sidhu
Mob:9868366820