Of Sacred and Secular Desire : An Anthology of Lyrical Writings From the Punjab

The fertile land of the five rivers (punj+ab in Persian) has persistently stirred the imagination of its peoples. Its story is the story of invasion. In 326 BCE Alexander the Great marched through the Hindu Kush, conquered the verdant plains now divided between India and Pakistan, and stamped Greek cultural and linguistic influence on the region. Over the centuries the lure of the Punjab attracted further waves of outsiders: Scythians, Sassanians, Huns, Afghans, Turks, Mughals and - closer to our own times - the British. Many savage battles were fought. But at the same time, as different ethnic and religious groups came together and melded, the collective psyche of the Punjab was coloured by vibrant new patterns, new worldviews and new languages. Punjabi poetry is the dynamic result of these cross-cultural encounters. In her rich and diverse anthology, Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh makes a major contribution to interfaith dialogue and comparative literary studies. Covering the entire spectrum of writers, from the artistic patterns of the first Punjabi poet (Baba Farid, 1173-1265) to feminist author Amrita Pritam (d. 2005), the volume serves as an ideal introduction to the three faiths of Sikhism, Islam and Hinduism. Whether focusing on Sikh gurus or Sufi saints, it boldly illuminates the area's unique character, linguistic rhythms and celebrations, and will have strong appeal to undergraduate students of religion, literature and South Asian studies, as well as general readers. --Bloomsbury Publishing. 1 Poetry From Sikh Scripture 15 -- Guru Nanak 34 -- Guru Arjan 52 -- Sheikh Farid 54 -- Namdev 59 -- Ravidas 63 -- 2 Beloved Sufi Poets 70 -- Bullhe Shah 88 -- Waris Shah 109 -- 3 Modern Poets 119 -- Bhai Vir Singh 137 -- Dhani Ram Chatrik 154 -- Firoz Din Sharaf 174 -- 4 Postmodern Female Poet 191 -- Arnrita Pritam 205. Nikky-guninder Kaur Singh. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [245]-252). Translated From The Panjabi. CONTENTS 7 GLOSSARY 9 PREFACE 17 INTRODUCTION 21 1. POETRY FROM SIKH SCRIPTURE 35 Guru Nanak 54 Guru Arjan 72 Sheikh Farid 74 Bhagat Namdev 79 Bhagat Ravidas 83 2. BELOVED SUFI POETS 90 Bullhe Shah 108 Waris Shah 129 3. MODERN POETS 139 Bhai Vir Singh 157 Dhani Ram Chatrik 174 Firoz Din Sharaf 194 4. POSTMODERN FEMALE POET 211 Amrita Pritam 225 CONCLUSION 253 NOTES 257 BIBLIOGRAPHY 265 Introduction -- 1. Poetry from Sikh Scripture - Guru Nanak - Guru Arjan - Baba Farid - Namdev - Ravidas -- 2. Sufi Poets - Bullhe Shah - Waris Shah -- 3. Modern Poets - Bhai Vir Singh - Dhani Ram Chatrik Firoz Din Sharaf -- 4. Postmodern Woman Poet - Amrita Pritam -- Conclusion