123-year-old Khalsa Diwan leads the way in Punjabi literary efforts
Though formed to provide Anglican knowledge with a blend of Sikh religious education, the 123-year-old Sikh educational body — Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD) is rendering yeoman service to the Punjabi language.
A majority of people think its aim is solely restricted to providing modern education to Sikh youth. However, among its six objectives, one is to promote Punjabi language and literature.
In its vast repository lies the Khalsa Tract Society, which is even older than the CKD itself. Constituted way back in 1853, it published, through its wing, Khalsa Advocate, Nirguniara and Khalsa Samachar. Over a century old, these Punjabi magazines continue to be published by the Khalsa Tract Society and have acquired heritage status.
Among these magazines, Nirguniara is the oldest. A quarterly magazine started in 1893, it highlights the messages of the Guru Granth Sahib for humanity, world peace, Sikhism, Dalit consciousness, and other subjects concerning Sikhism.
The monthly periodical Khalsa Advocate, started by legendary Punjabi poet Bhai Vir Singh in 1903, highlights historic Sikh religious matters and current issues. The third, a bimonthly magazine, Khalsa Samachar, started in 1899, covers Sikh religious matters.
Registered in 1904, the CKD came into existence in 1902. In 1908, the first Sarv Hind Sikh Vidyak Conference was held in Gujranwala, which is now in Pakistan, to promote the Punjabi language. In the recent past, its 68th edition was held at Anandpur Sahib in 2024. Out of the total 68 conferences held so far, 33 were held in Punjab, Pakistan, before the Partition.
The CKD has published 20 books, among which Gurbani Da Sahi Ucharan, Gurmat Prakash and two books on Bhai Vir Singh were extremely popular among readers of Punjabi.
Abridged religious books containing 30 to 60 pages have been introduced for students studying in classes 6 to 9.
Retired from the Punjab Education Service in 1995, Santokh Singh Sethi, senior vice-president of the CKD, informed that the Diwan — as the CKD is fondly called — is operating 45 schools across Punjab and seven educational institutions, including six schools and a college in Jharkhand, besides a school in Kanpur and one in Chandigarh, where special arrangements have been made to teach Punjabi to students. The CKD sends reading material in Punjabi to these institutions.
CKD president Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar said the Bhai Vir Singh Sahit Adhyayan Kendra at the CKD headquarters is another attempt to serve maa boli — Punjabi.
