‘Chain of Love’ still unbroken

Generations of Punjabi literature students drew inspiration from Preetlari — a monthly Punjabi magazine. It was once common to see students walking through college corridors clutching copies of the magazine.

Throughout its 92-year journey, Preetlari has weathered many storms and continues to be a steadfast flag-bearer of Punjabi literature. Its two sister publications, which were published in Hindi and Urdu, were discontinued over the years for various reasons.

In a letter to novelist Nanak Singh, Gurbaksh Singh Preetlari once wrote, “The press is ready.” When the first copies of Preetlari were published in 1933, few could have imagined that it would go on to become the front-runner in the Punjabi literary magazine movement.

Founded by Gurbaksh Singh, a US-educated engineer who later became a prominent writer and activist in Punjab, Preetlari, meaning “chain of love,” quickly evolved into more than just a magazine. For many, it became a way of life.

Charanpreet Singh, a veteran reader of the magazine, says, “People read each word of the magazine and imbibed them in their lives. They looked up to the magazine and it defined certain values for people.”

Once published in four languages, Preetlari ignited a cultural revolution among the Punjabi community across both India and Pakistan.

Hriday Paul Singh, son of Preetlari’s founder, shares that renowned Hindi writer Upendra Nath Ashq once served as editor of the Hindi edition, while celebrated Urdu poet Sahir Ludhianvi edited the Urdu edition, which continued until the late 1970s. The Urdu edition was eventually discontinued after General Zia-ul-Haq’s regime in Pakistan banned the import of all newspapers and magazines from India. By that time, most Urdu readers had migrated to Pakistan post-Partition.

The magazine was a regular platform for contributions from leading Punjabi, Hind, and Urdu writers, artists and intellectuals.

Today, the Punjabi edition of Preetlari continues to hold its ground, even as the digital age and changing reading habits challenge the relevance of print media. Yet, it stands as the oldest surviving Punjabi literary magazine, carrying forward a rich legacy against the tide of time.