Punjabi Studies

Ik Sikh da Budh nu parnam (A Sikh's Salutations to Buddha) is a book by Sirdar Kapur Singh containing essays on Buddha and his philosophy, advocating for interfaith respect and tolerance by highlighting the universality of spiritual values across religions. The book compiles essays from Sirdar Kapur Singh's previous works, including sections from his books 'Sapt Sring' and 'Pundreek', and explores the wisdom of Gautama Buddha from a Sikh perspective, emphasizing spiritual enlightenment and humanistic values found in both traditions.

Rani Tatt is a 2015 Punjabi poetry and prose book by Harmanjeet Singh that explores the culture, heritage, nature, and timeless struggles of Punjab. Divided into two parts, it offers an immersive journey into Punjabi life and traditions, symbolizing the interconnectedness of life through the metaphorical "queen" of the elements. The book, a bestseller and winner of the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar, blends ancient Punjabi vocabulary with contemporary storytelling to capture the essence and beauty of the region.

Pinjar (The Skeleton) is an Indian novel by Amrita Pritam set during the Partition of India, focusing on the suffering and trauma of women through the story of Puro, a Hindu girl abducted and forcibly married to a Muslim man, Rashid. The novel explores themes of loss of identity, human rights, love, sacrifice, and forgiveness, depicting the devastating personal and societal consequences of religious division and communal violence during that tumultuous period.

Kothe Kharak Singh is an award-winning Punjabi novel by Ram Sarup Ankhi, published in 1985, that spans three generations of a Punjab village. The epic narrative explores the socio-economic and cultural transformations of the village, from the pre-Indian independence era and the Partition of Punjab, through the 1970s Janata Party rule, to Indira Gandhi's subsequent return to power. The novel delves into the changing human values, the impact of politics on culture, and the complex interplay between politics and religion within the distinctive village setting.

Pinjar (The Skeleton) is an Indian novel by Amrita Pritam set during the Partition of India, focusing on the suffering and trauma of women through the story of Puro, a Hindu girl abducted and forcibly married to a Muslim man, Rashid. The novel explores themes of loss of identity, human rights, love, sacrifice, and forgiveness, depicting the devastating personal and societal consequences of religious division and communal violence during that tumultuous period.

Punjabi has faced challenges in gaining recognition as an academic and official language and respect as a spoken language in its homeland, the Punjab. Paradoxically, despite being one of the most developed and educated provinces in Pakistan, a significant portion of the population remains illiterate. According to a basic definition of “literacy,” an individual is considered “literate” if they can read and write in their native language, which makes this situation particularly alarming.

Lohri, a festival that has almost disappeared from Lehnda (western) Punjab in recent decades, was once celebrated in many cities (including Lahore, Rawalpindi and Lyallpur-now Faisalabad), towns and villages on January 13. This year the celebration received massive coverage on social media. Netizens, even those who could not celebrate it, hailed and appreciated the celebration and its coverage. This kind of celebration, greeting and appreciation marks the beginning of the revival of a lost cultural festival in the region. Despite its celebration in several parts of the province and its popularity on social media, many young people do not know Lohri's history and significance. Umair Abbas Ranjha, an enthusiastic advocate of the Punjabi language, culture and tradition, is one of my long-term close friends. He hails from a village in Sargodha district in central Punjab. He recently shared a video on WhatsApp showing Indian cricketer-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu celebrating Lohri with his family. Responding to this video, I explained some aspects of Lohri's background and significance. Ranjha thanked me for educating him on this subject. This induced me to write a piece on Lohri's history and importance, particularly to inform the youth unfamiliar with this cultural festival of the land of five rivers.

"Kaafla" can refer to two different books: one by Mittar Sain Meet about the Naxalite movement in Punjab and the struggles of a landless woman; and another, sometimes spelled "Kafila," a memoir by an author recounting the heartrending experiences of their family during the 1947 India-Pakistan Partition from Jhang to Hisar. Another book with a similar name is Kalleyan Da Qafla by Narinder Singh Kapoor, which explores social, cultural, and psychological issues in Punjab.
KAAFLA by Mittar Sain Meet

"Alvida" isn't the name of a specific work by Shiv Kumar Batalvi, but "Alvida" (farewell in Urdu) is a common word and a theme in his poetry, which is characterized by heightened passion, pathos, separation, and the agony of lovers, earning him the title "Birha Da Sultan" (King of Separation). He was a celebrated Punjabi poet known for his emotional depth, lyrical beauty, and cultural richness, who became the youngest recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award for his epic play Loona.

This study examines the initial stage (1947-1953) of the Urdu/Punjabi controversy in Pakistani Punjab and the concomitant production of distinct language ideologies by different groups. I argue that three linguistic ideologies emerged in Lahore's intellectual scene in the post-partition years. One was a pro-Urdu ideology defended by Maulvi Abdul Haq and Maulana Salahuddin Ahmad, backed by the provincial government, and based on an assimilation between language and nation. The other two ideologies contested it: one was a Marxist ideology structured around the master binary of Bourgeoisie/People ('Avām), opposing the hegemonic use of Urdu and promoting Punjabi as a language of the people; and the other was an ideology supported by Pakistani nationalists mobilized by Faqir Muhammad Faqir and Abdul Majeed Salik, structured around the binary of Urdu-speaking settlers versus Punjabi natives and promoting Punjabi as a language of an ethnic community facing cultural and linguistic invasion.

Since the last decade, the violent lyrical content of Punjabi pop songs has immensely gained the attention of the stakeholders, living in the country or abroad. Albeit the issue has been enormously discussed and debated on social platforms and the civil societies and the government bodies, time and again, have also raised their concerns against such lyrics to curb them, but there seems to be an absence of substantial academic work providing a comprehensive analysis on the issue. Moreover, the present study has conducted a lyrical content analysis of the most viewed Punjabi pop songs on YouTube between 2011 to 2020, which claims that almost 61% songs are jampacked with the lyrical content on violence and aggression. The titles, lyrics, beat, narratives, and video visuals are taken into cognizance to ascertain the elements of violence in the lyrics of contemporary Punjabi pop songs. The researcher has applied the narratological investigation method to analyse the presence, meanings, and relationships of narrative's structure and components to understand the relation between the aggressive lyrical content and the narratives of the violent hero and the heroism of violence that is glamorizing the hero for his ideals of violence, aggression and criminal adventurism. Furthermore, the study adopts a qualitative and interpretive analysis approach to examine the aggressive lyrical content of Punjabi pop songs. The analysis focuses on the interpretation of the lyrical content of the songs in combination with narratological investigation to examine their structure and function, to identify categorization, and to quantify the content.

1980 ਦੇ ਦਹਾਕੇ ਤੋਂ, ਇਹ ਫ੍ਰੈਂਚ ਸਮਾਜ ਸ਼ਾਸਤਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਤੇਜ਼ੀ ਨਾਲ ਮਾਨਤਾ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਹੈ - ਪਰ ਅੰਤਰਰਾਸ਼ਟਰੀ ਪੱਧਰ 'ਤੇ ਵੀ - ਕਿ ਰੇਮੰਡ ਬੋਡਨ (1934 - 2013) ਦਾ ਕੰਮ, ਪਿਅਰੇ ਬੋਰਡੀਓ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ, ਸਮਕਾਲੀ ਫ੍ਰੈਂਚ ਸਮਾਜਸ਼ਾਸਤਰ ਸਿਧਾਂਤ ਦੀ ਸੱਚਮੁੱਚ ਮਹਾਨ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤੀ ਦੀ ਨੁਮਾਇੰਦਗੀ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ. ਹਾਲਾਂਕਿ, ਦੋ ਸਮਾਜ ਸ਼ਾਸਤਰੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਸਿਧਾਂਤਕ ਸ਼ੁਰੂਆਤੀ ਬਿੰਦੂਆਂ ਵਿਚਕਾਰ ਇੱਕ ਵੱਡਾ ਅੰਤਰ ਹੈ. ਹਾਲਾਂਕਿ ਬੋਡਨ ਨੇ  ਬੋਰਡੀਓ ਤੋਂ ਕੁਝ ਸਾਲ ਬਾਅਦ ਈਕੋਲ ਨਾਰਮਨ ਸੁਪਰੀਅਰ ਤੋਂ ਗ੍ਰੈਜੂਏਸ਼ਨ ਵੀ ਕੀਤੀ  , ਉਹ ਮਾਰਕਸਵਾਦ ਨਾਲ ਭਾਵਨਾਤਮਕ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ ਪੂਰੀ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਨਹੀਂ ਸੀ ਅਤੇ ਬੁਨਿਆਦੀ ਕੰਮਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਦੂਜਿਆਂ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਇਕ ਸਿਧਾਂਤ ਵਜੋਂ ਅਪਣਾਇਆ. ਸ਼ਾਇਦ ਇਹੀ ਕਾਰਨ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਬੋਡਨ ਫ੍ਰੈਂਚ ਸਮਾਜ ਸ਼ਾਸਤਰੀਆਂ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਇਕਲੌਤਾ ਅਪਵਾਦ ਹੈ ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਅੱਜ ਆਪਣਾ ਨਾਮ ਬਣਾਇਆ ਹੈ, ਜੋ ਹਾਲ ਹੀ ਦੇ ਦਹਾਕਿਆਂ ਵਿਚ ਪੈਰਿਸ ਦੇ ਬੁੱਧੀਜੀਵੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਤੋਂ ਪੂਰੀ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਬਾਹਰ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ, ਸਿਰਫ ਅਕਾਦਮਿਕ-ਯੂਨੀਵਰਸਿਟੀ ਦੀ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਵਿਚ ਕੰਮ ਕਰ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ. (ਬੇਸ਼ਕ, ਅਸੀਂ ਸ਼ੁਰੂਆਤੀ ਅਧਿਆਇ ਵਿਚ ਦੇਖਿਆ ਕਿ ਕਮਿਊਨਿਸਟ-ਉਦਾਰਵਾਦੀ ਦਬਦਬੇ ਅਧੀਨ ਇਕ ਗੈਰ-ਮਾਰਕਸਵਾਦੀ ਪੈਰਿਸ ਦੇ ਬੌਧਿਕ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਦੇ ਵਿਆਪਕ ਮੰਚਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਇਕ ਹਾਸ਼ੀਏ ਦੀ ਸ਼ਖਸੀਅਤ ਵਜੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਭੜਕ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ, ਇਸ ਲਈ ਬੋਡਨ ਦਾ ਅਕਾਦਮਿਕ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਵਿਚ ਕੈਦ ਹੋਣਾ ਇਕ ਨਤੀਜਾ ਹੋ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ.) ਬੇਸ਼ਕ, ਇਹ ਨੋਟ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਬੋਰਡੀਓ ਆਪਣੀ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਦੇ ਜ਼ਿਆਦਾਤਰ ਸਮੇਂ ਲਈ ਪੈਰਿਸ ਦੇ ਬੁੱਧੀਜੀਵੀਆਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਜਨਤਕ ਬਹਿਸਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਿਰਫ ਅਰਧ-ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਸੀ, ਅਤੇ ਇਹ ਸਿਰਫ 1995 ਦੇ ਅਖੀਰ ਤੋਂ ਸੀ ਕਿ ਉਹ ਸਿੱਧੀ ਰਾਜਨੀਤੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ, ਹਾਲਾਂਕਿ ਉਸ ਸਮੇਂ ਪੈਰਿਸ ਦੇ ਬੁੱਧੀਜੀਵੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਪੱਖ ਵਿੱਚ ਨਹੀਂ, ਬਲਕਿ ਜ਼ੋਰਦਾਰ ਢੰਗ ਨਾਲ "ਮਜ਼ਦੂਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਖੱਬੇ" (ਲੂਟੇ ਓਵਰੀਅਰ) ਦੇ ਪੱਖ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੀਗਲੋਬਲ ਪੂੰਜੀ ਦੇ ਵਿਰੁੱਧ। ਇਸ ਸਬੰਧ ਵਿੱਚ, ਦੋਵਾਂ ਵਿਦਵਾਨਾਂ ਵਿਚਕਾਰ ਅੰਤਰ ਇਸ ਤੱਥ ਤੋਂ ਹੋਰ ਮਜ਼ਬੂਤ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਬੋਰਡੀਓ ਦੀਆਂ ਰਚਨਾਵਾਂ ਫਰਾਂਸ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਹਰ ਬੌਧਿਕ-ਵਿਚਾਰਧਾਰਕ ਸੰਘਰਸ਼ਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਿਆਪਕ ਤੌਰ ਤੇ ਵਰਤੀਆਂ ਜਾਂਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ, ਜਦੋਂ ਕਿ ਬੋਡਨ ਦੀਆਂ ਰਚਨਾਵਾਂ ਅੰਤਰਰਾਸ਼ਟਰੀ ਪੇਸ਼ੇਵਰ ਹਲਕਿਆਂ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਹਰ ਲਗਭਗ ਅਣਜਾਣ ਅਤੇ ਅਣਵਰਤੀ ਰਹਿੰਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ.

Science fiction (SF) writing in Punjabi began sometime in the 1970s. In the last four decades, only a few original books and translation works have been published in this field of Punjabi literature. However, in recent years, a new vigor has been observed; many Punjabi writers have published many science fiction stories in various magazines and newspapers within India and abroad. A few writers have also contributed to the development of this field by writing original books and translating the SF works of various eminent authors of other languages.
This article elaborates on the contributions made by various persons/organizations to the development of SF writings in Punjabi. The role of different institutions, NGOs, and government agencies in this field is also reported. Furthermore, the state of art report for SF literature in  Punjabi is presented. Finally, the role of print/mass media in developing Punjabi SF writings is discussed. It is pointed out that SF writing in Punjabi is still in its infancy, but it has excellent potential for authors to make outstanding contributions.

Sukhmandar has a brilliant academic record with Masters in Civil Engineering from IIT, Delhi and a Doctorate from University of California at Berkeley (UCB). After serving as a Senior Project Engineer in a top Consulting Company of San Francisco, he joined Santa Clara University (SCU) and currently holds the position of Professor of Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering. Sukhmander Singh Endowed Professorship in Civil, Environmental, and Sustainable Engineering has been created recently in Santa Clara University, California by the family of one of his former students in honour of his beloved and benevolent Professor.

The field of Punjabi music is marked by an interaction between Punjabi music as contemporary practice and Punjabi music as people imagine it. In order to understand the state of vernacular music in Punjab it is instructive to devise a classificatory schema consisting of a few objectively determined, yet liberally conceived, musical subtypes. Following such a framework, this paper will describe how Punjabi musical activity manifests within each category, as well as how it has changed over time. Special note is taken of how ideas held about Punjabi vernacular music have themselves affected the development of music to its present form. Through a review of existing scholarship on Punjabi music it will be possible to delineate areas of future research. ______________________________________________________

The field of Punjabi music is marked by an interaction between Punjabi music as contemporary practice and Punjabi music as people imagine it. In order to understand the state of vernacular music in Punjab it is instructive to devise a classificatory schema consisting of a few objectively determined, yet liberally conceived, musical subtypes. Following such a framework, this paper will describe how Punjabi musical activity manifests within each category, as well as how it has changed over time. Special note is taken of how ideas held about Punjabi vernacular music have themselves affected the development of music to its present form. Through a review of existing scholarship on Punjabi music it will be possible to delineate areas of future research.

ਸਾਹਿਤ ਦਾ ਸਰੋਕਾਰ ਅਰੰਭ ਤੋਂ ਹੀ ਸਮਾਜ ਅਤੇ ਸਭਿਆਚਾਰ ਨਾਲ ਜੁੜਿਆ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਦਾ ਕਾਰਣ ਬਹੁਤ ਸਪਸ਼ਟ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਇਨਸਾਨ ਇਕ ਸਮਾਜਕ ਜੀਵ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਇਸ ਸਮਾਜ ਵਿਚ ਵਿਚਰਦਿਆਂ ਉਹ ਸਭਿਆਚਾਰ ਦੀ ਪਾਲਣਾ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਇਸਦਾ ਨਿਰੰਤਰ ਨਿਰਮਾਣ ਵੀ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਨਜ਼ਰੀਏ ਤੋਂ ਵੇਖਦਿਆਂ ਅਸੀਂ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਦੇ ਸਮਾਜ ਅਤੇ ਸਭਿਆਚਾਰ ਨਾਲ ਸਨਾਤਨੀ ਰਿਸ਼ਤੇ ਨੂੰ ਵਧੇਰੇ ਭਰੋਸੇ ਨਾਲ ਸਮਝ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਾਂ। ਸਮਾਜ ਅਤੇ ਸਭਿਆਚਾਰ ਦੇ ਹੱਦਬੰਨਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਆਰ-ਪਾਰ ਹੁੰਦਿਆਂ ਸੂਝਵਾਨ ਅਤੇ ਚੇਤਨਾ ਭਰਪੂਰ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਆਪਣੇ ਮਨੋਭਾਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਸਤੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਸਿਰਜਣਾਤਮਿਕਤਾ ਨੂੰ ਕਾਰਜਸ਼ੀਲ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਸਾਹਿਤ ਦੀ ਰਚਨਾ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇੰਝ ਸਾਹਿਤ, ਸਾਮੂਹਿਕ ਮਾਨਵੀ ਸਿਰਜਣਾ ਦੇ ਸਮਾਜਕ ਅਤੇ ਸਭਿਆਚਾਰਕ ਉਸਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਭਾਸ਼ਾਈ ਮੁਹਾਵਰੇ ਵਿਚ ਬਿਆਨ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਇਕ ਸਾਧਨ ਬਣ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਹੋ ਪ੍ਰਕਿਰਿਆ ਸਮਾਜ ਅਤੇ ਸਭਿਆਚਾਰ ਦੀ ਰੂਪਰੇਖਾ ਨੂੰ ਬਿਆਨ ਕਰਦੀ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਇਸ ਦੇ ਨਿਵੇਕਲੇ ਤੱਤਾਂ ਦੀ ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨਦੇਹੀ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ  ਇਸ ਨੂੰ ਪਰਿਭਾਸ਼ਤ ਵੀ ਕਰਦੀ ਹੈ।

Dr. Manzur Ejaz, a multifaceted personality, is an eminent scholar of Development Economics, an ardent researcher, a compassionate teacher, an eloquent orator, a passionate poet, and a globe trotter. Besides, he is a renowned Punjabi litterateur, language activist and prolific writer of international affairs. Autobiographical books of Punjabi Columnists are a rare genre. "Life, I'll Weave your Threads" by internationally acclaimed Punjabi writer cum columnist Dr. Manzur Ejaz is a welcome addition to this category. Dr. Ejaz is a firm believer that life can/should be lived through truth, without compromise. This fact comes out very prominently in his works. Describing the inspiration for writing his life story, he reports his encouragement by his friends, especially Najm Hosain Syed. This autobiographical work of Dr. Manzur Ejaz showcases various aspects of his life. The book is divided into fifteen chapters. Deliberations in the first seven chapters focus on his early life, academic and socio-political activities in Pakistan. The remaining part of his book describes the diverse areas of his educational, professional, socio-cultural and political activities in the USA. It also chronicles his trials and tribulations in their pursual.

Canada is a home to over half million strong Punjabi diaspora. Punjabi is spoken primarily by
people who originated from east and west Punjab. Their fine blending of Punjabi sensibilities
and Canadian ethos have kept them ahead of many others in socio-cultural and literary activities.
Though Sikhs form the largest percentage, the other religions who speak Punjabi comprise
Muslims, Hindus, Jains, Christians etc. Punjabi remains the most commonly spoken immigrant
non-official language spoken in the country. This Indo-Aryan language enjoys the distinction of
being the 10th most widely spoken language in the world. It is spoken by over 100 Million people
worldwide. In fact, this language has brought Indians and Pakistani communities together and lot
of collective and parallel literary endeavours are being carried out in Canada in Gurmukhi and
Shahmukhi. Punjabi is one of the very few languages, which is written in more than one script.
Punjabis have been migrating to Canada for over a century now but the bigger influx was noticed
in 1970s. Immigrants arrive in Canada under a well-defined system whose entry criteria are time
and qualifying points dependent. While some of the Punjabis came from India and Pakistan in
search of better life, many others flee their countries to avoid persecution. They applied as
refugees and settled in Canada. Lot of these were the young men and women who were part of
radical moments in their countries. The Khalistan moment and 1984 atrocities on Sikhs also
compelled many to decide to leave the country and settle in Canada. Taking advantage of

Historical Background:
Canada is a home to over half million strong Punjabi diaspora. Punjabi is spoken primarily by
people who originated from east and west Punjab. Their fine blending of Punjabi sensibilities
and Canadian ethos have kept them ahead of many others in socio-cultural and literary activities.
Though Sikhs form the largest percentage, the other religions who speak Punjabi comprise
Muslims, Hindus, Jains, Christians etc. Punjabi remains the most commonly spoken immigrant
non-official language spoken in the country. This Indo-Aryan language enjoys the distinction of
being the 10th most widely spoken language in the world. It is spoken by over 100 Million people
worldwide. In fact, this language has brought Indians and Pakistani communities together and lot
of collective and parallel literary endeavours are being carried out in Canada in Gurmukhi and
Shahmukhi. Punjabi is one of the very few languages, which is written in more than one script.
Punjabis have been migrating to Canada for over a century now but the bigger influx was noticed

Punjab politics always remain enthralling and spellbinding. Multitudinous parties took participation in elections but hegemony was maintained by SAD-BJP alliance and congress party. But after the Lok Sabha election a new party emerged in state politics of Punjab i.e. AAP. Several political pandits give their prophecy of AAP bright future without giving any certitude. After the elections a ignorance was created in the mind of people that after 2014 Lok Sabha elections AAP will won state assembly elections also. So, a type of hegemony was created in the minds of people to vote for AAP because they had a great chance to win but if they don’t vote for AAP then probably they were wasting their vote. Every election shows people aspirations so we cannot take election result of municipality and bye elections for granted. Before we evaluate the prophecy of political Pandits, we must discuss briefly the political parties that were contesting elections in Punjab from several years and after that, a backdrop after 2014 Lok Sabha general election was given.

Eleanor Nesbitt’s introduction contextualises the life of Kailash Puri, Punjabi author and agony aunt, providing the story of the book itself and connecting the narrative to the history of the Punjabi diaspora and themes in Sikh Studies. She suggests that representation of the stereotypical South Asian woman as victim needs to give way to a nuanced recognition of agency, multiple voices and a differentiated experience.

The narrative presents sixty years of Kailash’s life. Her memories of childhood in West Punjab evoke rural customs and religious practices consistent with recent scholarship on ‘Punjabi religion’ rather than with the currently dominant Sikh discourse of a religion sharply distinguished from Hindu society. Her marriage, as a shy 15-year-old, with no knowledge of English, to a scientist, Gopal Puri, brought ever-widening horizons as husband and wife moved from India to London, and later to West Africa, before returning to the UK in 1966. This life experience, and Gopal’s constant encouragement, brought confidence to write and publish numerous stories and articles.

Kailash writes of the contrasting experiences of life as an Indian in the UK of the 1940s and the 1960s. She points up differences between her own outlook and the life-world of the post-war community of Sikhs from East Punjab now living in the West. In their distress and dilemmas many people consulted Kailash for assistance, and the descriptive narrative of her responses and advice and increasingly public profile provides insight into Sikhs’ experience in their adopted country. In later years, as grandparents and established citizens of Liverpool, Kailash and Gopal revisited their ancestral home, now in Pakistan – a reflective and moving experience. The book includes a glossary of Punjabi words and suggestions for further reading.

Punjabi heritage language maintenance and development are rooted in community, identity, and, for many, faith. Various opportunities are available for maintaining linguistic ties to Punjabi (also spelled Panjabi) and for developing proficiency in the Punjabi language. They range from community-based to federally funded programs, available in person and online.

This brief focuses on the use, maintenance, and development of Eastern Punjabi, spoken primarily by the California-based Punjabi Sikh population. In the United States, the most visible variety of spoken Punjabi is Eastern Punjabi, in great part due to the vibrant Sikh community, which uses this variety and seeks to maintain it in both oral and written forms. This community constitutes one of the largest populations of early South Asian immigrants (La Brack, 1988; McMahon, 2001). Furthermore, today the oldest and largest populations of Punjabis in the American diaspora are of Sikh background, particularly in California.