Books are best companions of this Punjabi author these days

Charanjit Singh Teja

Advertisement

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 20

Punjabi author and social activist Swaran Kaur Bal of Butala village has been utilising her free time effectively during the lockdown. A retired government schoolteacher, who still heads the Majha Punjabi Saath, an NGO that works to promote Punjabi culture, folk singing and language through various events, she has been using the lockdown period to write and read her books.

“The nature may be wanted the world to take a break since it was in a hurry. In the same pace, many of us got lost. Ironically, we also forgot the nature, because of which we survive,” she said.

“The current times have made me write about those old simple days when despite no comforts or luxuries, the life was much better and easier. I often feel people these days have become so busy that they have forgotten to live life, which is why a majority of the people are always stay in stress and even depression,” she said. “Why not wake up now to leave many wrong paths, which have been chosen by us? Let’s not forget that human life is very simple, but some have made it complex,” she added. Writing on such topics has become a priority for her and she mainly chooses early mornings or evenings to scribble them down.

Besides writing, she has pulled out all the books —new and old ones — from her cupboards. “I had collected many books through many literary events I attended, but never got a chance to read of all them. Now, the very same books have become my favourite companions, especially in the afternoons. I have been enjoying the

feedback sessions too directly to their authors over phone. I must say all these conversations remain so rich,” she underlined.

The author said, “Let’s not consider ourselves as caged because of the lockdown. We should rather value its every day to enrich our mind and promise ourselves to bounce back with better versions of ourselves.”