Book on five legendary Punjabi women released

Jalandhar, November 23

“Maa nu suneya karo, Rajj ke suneya karo. Aj da sangeet te lyrics badal gaye ne (listen to mother, listen to her intently. Today’s music and lyrics have changed).” Singer Dolly Guleria, daughter of Punjab’s legendary folk singer Surinder Kaur, made this exhortation to people yesterday as she shared the nostalgic memories of her mother during a book launch event.

‘Overcome and Become – Portraits in Words of Five Heroic Punjabi Women’, a book which includes short biographies of five legendary Punjabi women, was released in Jalandhar yesterday. The book includes the biographies of acclaimed IPS officer and leader Kiran Bedi, Dr Inderjit Kaur, patron and president of Pingalwara, acclaimed folk singer Surinder Kaur, who is called the ‘Nightingale of Punjab’, revolutionary author Amrita Pritam and pioneering painter Amrita Sher-Gil.

Penned by England-based author Preet Inder Dhillon, the book is the second publication of Dhillon whose previous book ‘Rags to Ragas’, which came out four years ago, was a biography of singer and political leader Hans Raj Hans.

Dhillon said: “I am a great fan of the life and struggles of women. I had this project in my mind for a long time. While these are legendary women with big achievements, I wanted to look at the tiny little parts which escape us, and which make them who they are. That’s how the book came out.”

Besides Dolly Guleria (with whom the author had several conversations and session during research), Pingalwara president Dr Inderjit Kaur, who is also featured in the book, poet Surjit Patar, filmmaker Dr Harjit Singh and Dr GC Mago were present. Inderjit Singh Paital conducted the stage.

Shared histories and memories of Dr Inderjit Kaur (and the Pingalwara legacy initiated by Bhagat Puran Singh which she carries forward with responsibility) and Surinder Kaur were evoked at the event today. Dr Inderjit Kaur also discussed the visionary ideology of Bhagat Puran Singh, a humanitarian, ecologist, scholar and founder of Pingalwara, who saw the present water and ecology crisis back then. Both Guleria and Dr Inderjit Kaur raised concerns regarding the degeneration of Punjabi music today. Guleria also recalled that Amrita Pritam and Surinder Kaur, both vice-presidents of Indian People’s Theatre Association, sat together and ate together and shared a lovely bond. They were both secretaries of the IPTA.

Surjit Patar and Dr Harjit Singh compared the five women personalities with five rivers. Dr Singh said Pingalwara was akin to a special children’s university. — TNS