Ahisas – a collection of Punjabi Ghazals of
Roop Sidhu
Roop
Sidhu’s maiden literary venture – Ahisas, a collection of Punjabi ghazals was
released on August 16, 2017 at Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall in Jalandhar at a solemn
function. The function was attended by the who’s who of the Punjabi literary
elite located in and around Jalandhar. Though I stand nowhere in this galaxy of
literary personalities yet Roop Sidhu was kind enough not only to invite me to
the function but also made me sit on the high-table
I
have gone through the book – Ahisas as a layman. I do not know the fine nuances
of poetry. But I enjoy good poetry. Roop Sidhu’s excellent contribution fits
the bill with 110 ghazals in the book. I have been reading Sidhu Sahib’s poems
and ghazals, off hand, on Facebook and enjoyed myself. In the process, I
suggested to him to come out with a book for wider appreciation which he did
and did it with aplomb. It is a matter of great satisfaction. I have observed
that Roop Sidhu is a poet of life, life in its all shades. The ghazals
Roop
Sidhu has candidly admitted in one of his compositions that he has full
realization – Ahisas – that his ghazal would naturally find a mention of spades
and sickles, the tools of a poor farm labourer:-
ਗ਼ਜ਼ਲ ਕਹਿ ਨਾਜ਼ਮ ਕਹਿ ਜਾਨ ਜੋ ਭੀ ਦਿਲ ਚਾਹੇ ਇਨਾਨੁ ਕਹਿ;
ਮੇਰੀ ਲਿਖਤਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਰੰਬੇ ਦਾਤੀਆਂ ਹੋਣੇ ਸੁਭਾਵਿਕ ਹਨ !
While
making a mention of the functioning of our parliament, the author says:
ਸੰਸਦ ਵਿਚ ਹੋ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ ਇਨ ਬਿਨ ਓਹੀ ਵਤੀਰਾ;
ਇੱਲਤਾਂ ਸ਼ਰਾਰਤਾਂ ਜਿਓਂ ਗਲੀਆਂ ਚ ਬਾਲ ਕਰਦੇ!
Narrating
the economic condition of a common man who finds it difficult to earn enough to
meet his needs, Roop Sidhu says:
ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ
ਦੇ ਆਮਦਨ ਤੋਂ ਖਰਚ ਵੱਧ ਹੁੰਦੇ; ਊਨਾ ਦੇ ਘਰ
ਸਦਾ ਮੂਧੇ ਪਏ ਛਾਵੇ ਫਾਟੇ ਪੋਣੇ ਸੁਭਾਵਿਕ ਹਨ !
An
advice to exercise control on unbridled speech is timely:
ਰਹਿਣ ਬਚਕੇ ਨਵਾਂ ਕਿਧਰੇ ਕੋਈ ਕਾਰਾ ਕਰਾਵੇ ਨਾ;
ਜੋ ਰੱਖੀ
'ਰੂਪ' ਆਪਣੀ ਜੀਭ ਏਨੀ ਬੇਲਾਗਾਮੀ ਤਾਈਂ !
Humility
is a family trait with Roop Sidhu. I can say this safely after meeting his
family. One of the ghazals in the book amply demonstrates this much needed
attribute:
ਜੇ ਗ਼ਜ਼ਲ ਅਜੇ ਤੇਰੀ ਚੱਜ ਦੀ ਨਹੀਂ; ਤਾਂ ਰੋਸ਼ ਕਾਹਦਾ
'ਰੂਪ' ਜੀ ਚੁਕੋ ਕਲਮ; ਕੁਜ ਹੋਤ ਚਾਰਾ ਕਰ ਲਾਵਾਂਗੇ
These
were some of the examples to appreciate Roop Sidhu’s meaningful and thought
provoking ghazals which would ultimately be availed of as food for thought by
the connoisseur of good poetry.
Roop
Sidhu has dedicated the book to his mother Smt. Swaran Kaur and rightly so. She
witnessed the release of the book of his worthy son from the high table and was
visibly moved when Sidhu Sahib rendered one of the couplets as a word of
gratitude to the mother. Hardial Sagar, a renowned poet and ghazalkar himself,
sitting by my side, instantly commented that this ‘Sher’ will remain as a much
acclaimed Sher in the years to come.
ਕਾਸ਼ ਰੱਖ ਕੇ ਅਕਾਸ਼ ਨੂੰ ਖੜਮਾਂ;
ਉਸ ਵਿਚ ਤਸਵੀਰ ਮਾਂ ਦੀ ਜੜ ਲੈਂਦੇ !
The
foreword of the book has been written by no other than the literary guru of
Roop Sidhu, Amrik Ghafil who taught Sidhu Sahib the nuances of poetry and
ghazal and turned a raw talent into an expert handler of the sophisticated art
of penning excellent poetry. Sidhu Sahib and Ghafil Sahib met in Dubai where
they both went for greener pastures. They not only registered success in
respective professions but also created good social and community life for
themselves. Amrik Ghafil is a recognized poet by his own right. He recited his
own poetry at the function which touched the audience. He quotes Sidhu Sahib to pay rich tributes
his style and matter and involves “Ahisas”:
ਤੋੜ ਹੀ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਜਦ ਰਿਸ਼ਤਾ ਵਫਾ ਦਾ;
ਫਿਰ ਕਿਸੇ ਅਹਿਸਾਸ ਦੀ ਹੁਣ ਲੋੜ ਹੀ ਨਹੀਂ!
Commenting
on the egalitarian outlook of Roop Sidhu, his literary mentor quotes him:
ਕਦੇ ਜੇ ਤਿੱਤਲੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਖੰਭ ਗਿਣਨੋਂ ਵੇਲ ਮਿਲ ਜਾਵੇ;
ਅਦੀਬਾ ਕੌਮ ਮੇਰੀ ਨੂੰ ਜਗਾਉਣੇ ਦੇ ਲੇਇ ਵੀ ਲਿਖ !
He further quotes the author:
ਮਾੜਾ ਹੀ ਘਬਰਾਈ ਜਾਵੇ; ਏਦਾਂ ਥੋੜੀ ਹੁੰਦਾ
ਐਂਮੇ ਝਿੜਕਾਂ ਖਾਇ ਜਾਵੇ; ਏਦਾਂ ਥੋੜੀ ਹੁੰਦਾ !
The
publisher Gurdial Roshan has rightly commented on the book and said, “It is the
next phase of the Punjabikaran of ghazal, to my understanding, as in these
ghazals one finds the heartbeat of the villages of Punjab. Roop Sidhu has
started his own style of Punjabi ghazal.”
Roop
Sidhu and I came to know each other from our common interest and concern in
some of the community matters pertaining to the weaker sections of the society
particularly dalits. He is a knowledgeable man with all positive traits to
contribute to the social well being of the community and the society at large.
I take this opportunity to congratulate my friend Roop Sidhu and wish him all
the best in the years to come.
