Mahin Zia

Growing up, I was taught in school that Punjabi is a language of ignorant people and of the layman. This instilled in me a deep-seated disdain for the language, which persisted until I began studying English literature.

Literature as a universal expression of human experiences breaks ideals and bias. I began to see beauty in all cultures, thoughts and perspectives. When I reached Urdu literature I experienced a sense of ownership and connection.

This feeling intensified when I began reading Punjabi literature. It was an extraordinary experience, as if all along I had been wandering in a Museum of the World, gazing at and admiring all these objects from everywhere else, and had finally come to stand still in front of a mirror where I recognized my forgotten self. I gazed at it for a long time, seeing my own pain, my own ancestry.

My father often shares Punjabi texts with me. Through these, I discovered this poem by Tajjamul Kaleem, written in the Gojri dialect, which, despite being different from my native Pahari dialect, resonated with me deeply. I found myself reading the poem multiple times, and with each reading, I felt a sense of depth and connection that I had never experienced with world literature. The reason for this lies in the fact that Punjabi literature speaks directly to my culture, society, traditions, and experiences in a way that no other literature can. 

The poem’s verse about brothers distributing inherited wealth among themselves, leaving sisters empty-handed, is a stark reflection of my own society. Our pain, our struggles, and our experiences are all expressed in our mother tongue. Punjabi literature has a unique ability to envelop you in its world, a world that is inherently yours.

I was concerned that translating the poem, written in a classical style, would be a daunting task. However, Jasdeep’s translation has done justice to the original, capturing its essence perfectly. This fills me with delight, knowing that there are individuals and platforms dedicated to promoting Punjabi literature.

As a teacher, I’ve encountered students who complain about their peers speaking Punjabi. My response is always, “Let them speak; Punjabi is ours.” This reply often surprises them, as they expect me to react with annoyance. Instead, I persevere, hoping that one day they will understand the value of their mother tongue and embrace it with pride.