Farmers pen songs to lift spirits

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 7

Some farmers have turned to writing songs and poems amid curfew restrictions, expressing their concern on the Covid pandemic and motivating people to remain in high spirits in tough times.

Take the case of Jagtar Singh Sahota, a farmer from Faridkot district. In his song, he appeals to people to take precautions.

The first stanza goes like this: “China vich dekh lo, te Italy vich vekh lo, ihne agg laayi, kite tusi vi na sek lo, iss to bachan layi khich lo tayariyaan, bhul jao rishte naate, bhul jao yaariyan.”

“After the lockdown was announced, I wrote a song and shared it with my friends to make them aware,” Sahota says. He has made a video with his sons singing the song.

Sahota, who gives training to farmers on organic farming, says he will be happy if his song helps anyone sail though the tough times.

“Hath na milao bai, japhiyaan na paao bai, door door reh ke isnu maar mukaao bai, chhuhn naal faildiya eh mahamariya, aa gaya Corona bai, laa lo buhe bariyaan.”

Gurtej Singh, a farmer from Mehatpur in Jalandhar, has expressed his gratitude to the nature in a poem. He writes, “Mainu Jalandhar toh Dalhousie dikh gayi si, rabba mainu maaf kari, main taan kudrat bhula ditti si.”

He believes that everyone must be hopeful as this time too shall pass. “Baazi palt deyaan, bahuti der na lagdi, din oh na rahe te eh vi nai rehene, rakhi hausla tu, jit tere dar te ve.”

“I am not a writer, but I try to write some lines which can motivate people to stay positive in tough times. Last year too, I had written a poem when deluge had washed away crops,” Gurtej Singh says.