Mantav magazine marks new chapter in Punjabi literary movement

In Amritsar, the Punjabi literary landscape has witnessed several revolutions and evolutions over time. When the first copies of Preetlari were published in 1933, few could have imagined that it would go on to become a pioneer in the literary magazine movement in Punjab. Founded by Gurbaksh Singh, a US-educated engineer who later emerged as a prominent writer and activist in Punjab, Preetlari soon became a way of life for many.

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Over the years, more literary magazines followed. Publications like Akhar, Ekam and more recently Wagah, have continued to shape and reflect the cultural and literary ethos of the region. One such notable magazine, Akhar, launched in 1975, is among the few Punjabi literary periodicals that have survived the challenges of the digital age.

During a time, when the survival of Punjabi weeklies and magazines became difficult due to the growing impact of digital media and globalisation, Akhar and many survive, carrying forward the literary legacy of Punjab’s revolutionary writers.

“They survived the Emergency, militancy and numerous socio-political upheavals until just a few years ago. Regional languages across the world have been overshadowed by global languages and Punjabi magazines, especially those published on a small scale, have not been immune to this trend,” said eminent poet Vishal, who is a former executive member of the Akhar Sahit Manch and editor of the popular Punjabi quarterly magazine.

He believes literary magazines are a measure of a language’s vitality. “They are the voice of a language’s ever-evolving creative consciousness,” he said. “Such magazines not only capture the pulse of their time but also reflect the social, cultural and ideological conflicts, struggles and challenges occurring within the linguistic landscape of a region.”

While launching the Punjabi periodical Mantav, Vishal said it is an indication for a continued need for such platforms, one he hopes will only grow stronger. To him, Mantav is a responsibility. As a poet and literary critic for over two decades, he views the selection and structuring of content as part of a movement.

“There is also a silent echo of logic and asceticism that only the editor can hear,” he said. “Major regional institutions must include serious discussions about literary magazines in their programmes. Unfortunately, many leading Punjabi institutions do not engage with these magazines seriously. This silence is not just apathy, but a sign of a policy that is a political conspiracy to marginalize art and writing. When institutions that consider themselves the guardians of the language do not take literary magazines seriously, it becomes a painful reminder,” he added.

Still, editing literary magazines is a laborious task, a struggle in which personal interest, social responsibility, and the dependence of art work together. In this sense, Mantav is not merely another publication. It represents the powerful emergence of a new movement in literature.