Book launch ceremony at GNDU

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 3

The Literary Club of Guru Nanak Dev University hosted a book launch and interactive session on “Rural Romance: Pre-Partition Punjab”, which was attended by Vice-Chancellor Jaspal Singh Sandhu, along with the family of late Hazara Singh.

Dr (Col.) BS Cheema, son of late Hazara Singh and his daughter Dr (Col) Sumeet Cheema, addressed the audience and shared insights into the laborious journey they undertook to materialise the book into its present form. “Hazara Singh Cheema’s literary creativity found its supreme expression in the novel Rural Romance: Pre-Partition Punjab, which he began in 1929 and finished in 1937. Written in his early legal career, the novel is a marvellous specimen of Victorian era English. Unfortunately, the manuscript of the novel went missing for several decades and was discovered during the last years of the author who expressed his desire that the book be published,” he shared.

It is a romantic fictional novel written in Pre-partitioned India, which uncovers various social, cultural, political and administrative issues of 1930s. It is an epitome of village life discussing concept of love and the institution of marriage. The culture of Punjab, thoughts of people, the approach of individuals of 1930s towards life and their perception is clearly conveyed by the author.

The prevalent issues of the time like dowry, ignorance, lack of education, subjugation of women, exploitation, superstitions and many more are portrayed through the reference of a tale of love. The novel becomes an important document of the 1930s as it captures images of different angles of the pre-partition Punjab, thus, promising to transport readers to a bygone era filled with intrigue, passion, and profound human experiences. Against this backdrop, the novel intricately weaves together the lives of its characters, offering a rich tapestry of emotions, relationships, and historical events.

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