Punjabi Sahitya Cultural event was organised here on Wednesday at Ravindra Bhavan Auditorium. Organised by Punjabi Sahitya Academy, the event was commenced to observe academy’s first anniversary.
The programme began with Punjabi Poetry Recital. Poets like Surjeet Patar, Sukhchain Mistri, Kamalpreet, Harpreet Kaur, Mohan Jeet, Gulcharan Singh and Jaswinder Kaur recited their creations before the audiences.
After the poetry recital a mono-act was presented by Alok Gutch. He performed and directed Bhishm Sahani’s written story ‘Chief Ki Dawat’.
The story is about Shamnath, a middle-level executive eager to ingratiate himself with his boss to climb the corporate ladder. He invited his American boss and some senior colleagues for dinner at home.
He and his wife are busy making preparations for the perfect evening. Shamnath is a fastidious person and wants to make the most perfect arrangement for the party. However, there is a problem, his mother.
Shamnath thinks she is backward, inarticulate, and clumsy and he is keen to avoid any contact of his mother with the guests.
He thinks it would be severe embarrassment for him if the guests, specially his American boss chance upon her. Instructions are given to her to hide during specific times during the evening depending on where the guests would be at that time. She is forbidden to go to her room and sleep as her snores would disturb the party.
As her misfortune would have it, despite all her efforts she falls asleep. The chief sees her and engages her in small chat about Punjabi folk traditions, music and handicrafts.
He is interested in Phulkari, the traditional embroidery from Punjab. Mother feels very guilty at having come in the way and she regrets spoiling the chances of Shamnath’s career with her rustic ways. After that what happens formed rest of the story.
The mono-act was performed wonderfully leaving the audience watch it rapt attention.
The programme concluded with Sufi Gayan. The artists Neely Khan and group performed the Sufi poems and creations of renowned poets like Bulleh Shah, Amir Khusro, Hazrat Shah Hussain, Hazrat Baba Shiekh Fareed, Surjeet Patre and Shiv Kumar Batalwi.
The group presented songs like Ranjha Ranjha Kerdeni, Chhap tilak Chap Cheeni and more leaving the audience enthralled.