Dhani Ram Chatrik
Encyclopedia
Dhani Ram Chatrik is considered the founder of modern Punjabi
poetry.
He worked all his life to lift the status of the Punjabi language. He was the founding president of Punjabi Sabha (a Punjabi Literary Society). He worked relentlessly to get Punjabi its due status amongst people as well as government.
He was the first person to standardize the type set for Gurmukhi script, publish Guru Granth Sahib
and Bhai Kahn Singh’s Mahan Kosh
, the first Punjabi dictionary by using modern technique at his Sudarshan Printing Press.
He was a highly creative writer. He used his composing skills to experiment with different genres of Punjabi. He used simple and fresh vocabulary. His use of metaphor, tone, and style were easy to understand by the masses. It was more a descriptive or Qissa style. This refreshing style is evident from the following lines depicting peasantry written in narrative style:
His creations Himala, Ganga, Rat are well known. Another one of his poems, Kora Qadir, where we hear his passionate cry against the divisions of humanity through diversity of creed is as follows:
He has been called "Punjab’s greatest lyricist and poet". In 1988, Surinder Singh Narula published a book in his honour called "Dhani Ram Chatrik, Publisher: Sahitya-Akademi". Punjabi University Patyala honoured Chatrik by dedicating their annual diary to him.
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
poetry.
He worked all his life to lift the status of the Punjabi language. He was the founding president of Punjabi Sabha (a Punjabi Literary Society). He worked relentlessly to get Punjabi its due status amongst people as well as government.
He was the first person to standardize the type set for Gurmukhi script, publish Guru Granth Sahib
Guru Granth Sahib
Sri Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Granth, is the religious text of Sikhism. It is the final and eternal guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
and Bhai Kahn Singh’s Mahan Kosh
Mahan Kosh
Guru Shabad Ratnakar Mahan Kosh, known by its more popular name of Mahan Kosh, is a Punjabi language encyclopedia which was compiled by Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha over fourteen years...
, the first Punjabi dictionary by using modern technique at his Sudarshan Printing Press.
He was a highly creative writer. He used his composing skills to experiment with different genres of Punjabi. He used simple and fresh vocabulary. His use of metaphor, tone, and style were easy to understand by the masses. It was more a descriptive or Qissa style. This refreshing style is evident from the following lines depicting peasantry written in narrative style:
- Toorhi tand saamb haarhi vech watt ke
- Lambrhaan ‘te shaahaan da hisaab katt ke
- Kachhe maar vanjhli anand chhaa gya
- Maarda damaame jatt mele aa gya
His creations Himala, Ganga, Rat are well known. Another one of his poems, Kora Qadir, where we hear his passionate cry against the divisions of humanity through diversity of creed is as follows:
- Let us bury caste and creed,
- Let us erase this sorrow indeed,
- You a Sayyid, I a Brahmin,
- Let us finish this foolish din.
- We have to bear each other, say
- We are not here for eternal stay,
- Let there be laughter in our meeting,
- Let our hearts be one this evening
He has been called "Punjab’s greatest lyricist and poet". In 1988, Surinder Singh Narula published a book in his honour called "Dhani Ram Chatrik, Publisher: Sahitya-Akademi". Punjabi University Patyala honoured Chatrik by dedicating their annual diary to him.
Partial bibliography
- Chatrik authored Fullan Di Tokri (1904)
- Bharthri Hari Bikramajit (1905)
- Nal Dmaayanti (1906)
- Dharmvir (1912)
- Chandanwari (1931)
- Kesar Kiari ( 1940)
- Nawan Jahan (1942)
- Noor Jahan Badshahbeghum (1944)
- Sufikhana (1950)