CHANDIGARH, Jan 25: Siraiki was the language spoken during the regime of Chandragupta and more recently in the Western provinces of Pakistan. So, for the migrant families in India it has become a binding factor. And the Delhi-based,``Federation of Migrant Groups'' organised a date with this beautiful and ancient language in the form of a Mushaira at the auditorium of Panjab University's Department of Evening Studies this evening.The Federation was founded by J.C Batra, himself a poet, and though it was restricted to mere get-togethers and community lunches in the earlier days, it has now become a centre for the revival of the language. The language was earlier called Multani but since it was spoken in many other districts like Bahawalpur, besides Multan, it was decided to restore its ancient name, Siraiki.
The language, which has its script in Devnagiri, was one of the classic languages of yore in the same league as Sanskrit and Pali. The Mushaira was attended, among others, by Dr M.L Hasija of
the Language Department of the Punjab government, Batra and Atam Prakash Nandvani, the literary advisor of the journal, Siraiki Shobha. Many present in the audience had one thing in common, countenances which had seen the trauma of uprooting. The poets were all veterans who, unfortunately, did not have the glamour of an Azmi or an Akhtar but their lines had the sweet-bitterness of memories and struggle.
There was Naz Sonipati singing ``Uthi jeeven bahvan di hun lod kaini'', Shabab Lalit reciting ``Safar tede shahar da thoda na hui'' and Rana Pratap Singh Gannouri pouring out ``Theda dard medi dava thinda veinde.'' It was an evening well-spent and worth cherishing.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
