A call from within

While in Amritsar, I got to meet someone who is carrying on a mission which could only be a conceived by a divine soul. “Punarjyot”- The New Light is an initiative for our future generations to remember our culture. An effort to pass on the stories of our common heritage to our children. This is the effort of a visionary couple who believed in holistic integration of school education with heritage studies and cultural renaissance. Punarjyot signifies “rebirth”. It asserts that the path of brotherhood and peace can be kept alive with a common tradition of verse and music in spite of a turbulent history of the land. It is a movement to identify and research dying art forms and ethnic cultural symbols committed to the cause of preservation and promotion of heritage of Punjab.
They organise performances, workshops and training programs of dying art forms. The artists from both the sides of Punjab (Pakistan and Indian territory) come together and perform at various levels. “Saanjh” is one of the platforms that has taken Indian local artists to cities of Pakistan and have brought their folk artists to perform at various places in India. Some of these artists are Arif Lohar (folk singer), Surraiya Khanum- a very famous classical singer from Pakistan with speciality in traditional folk and sufi singing, Arieb Azhar and Lakhwinder Wadali whose singing has a blend of classical and contemporary music. Sai Zahoor one of the last wandering minstrels, who sang in the movie “Khuda Ke Liye”, has been performing in “Saanjh” since its inception. By now “Saanjh” and Sai are inseparable. “Saanjh” was first performed in historical Khalsa College in the year 2004 followed by performances in Dussehra Ground Chhehrta and Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Summer Palace known as company garden.
Punarjyot has been actively researching and hosting events in India and Pakistan since 1993. Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop International Festivals are one big success story in Lahore. These events range from theatre and puppet shows to music and dance concerts. Since its inception, these cultural festivals have seen more than 3900 international delegates representing 76 countries come into Pakistan from all across the globe. Such initiatives provide a global audience to performers from India and Pakistan, thereby, helping them to get recognised across all borders and human barriers.
“Whoever comes here to attend “Saanjh” festival either in Lahore or in Amritsar, he or she doesn’t come here just to be a part of one such programme or a seminar. He rather comes to spread the message of peace and harmony. Everyone wants peace and I have been seeing this since the past five years that so many people have come and become a part of it.” said Ms. Manveen Sandhu.
Dr Shivinder Singh Sandhu said, “Saanjh is a noble effort because it helped people from both the countries to connect with and understand each other better. It shall grow in years to come and will bring people from entire South Asia on one platform. A platform of love, peace, brotherhood and harmony.” Unfortunately, today Dr. Shivinder Singh Sandhu and Mrs. Manveen Sandhu, who pioneered this novel idea, are no longer with us but their work continues. Their children Dr. Kirat Sandhu and Mr. Sahiljit Singh Sandhu are carrying on their humble effort forward.
To know more details about the workshops, performances conducted by their team, you could get in touch with Punarjyot Volunteer Mr. Sameer Arora (mobile: +91 9876107103) ( email- sameer.arora@springdaleeducation.com) .

What’s there for food??

The culinary delights of Punjab are famous across the world but what struck me was the fervour and enthusiasm with which people offer food in homes, local dhabas or restaurants. Their eyes sparkle with pride when they talk about their best recipes like a mother talks proudly about her children. Food, no doubt, is the focal point of lives of people in Punjab and they have made the fact known world over. Ranging from breakfast to meals, evening snacks or yummy desserts, vegetarian or non-veg affair, there is no dearth of real knock-out dishes.

We could blame it on the sweet water, lovely March weather or the relaxed pace which doubled our appetites but who complains when the air is full of sweet, rich aromas. Breakfast varied from Puris and chana to Aloo wala kulcha. A glass of Lassi is a must-try but remember it can put the worst cases of insomniacs to blissful sleep. I tried a breakfast delicacy near Golden Temple i.e. Hot jalebis mixed with milk infused with cardamom and shakkar (non-crystalline sugar) brought to a boil over and over. The combination is lethal. Best puris no doubt were eaten at Kanha sweets whose recipe of “chane ki sabzi” is a family secret being passed from six generations and has exotic ingredients like rose petals and saffron in a mixture of 26 herbs and aromatics, no wonder people are so addicted to it that the place throngs with hundreds of patrons every morning. Lassi in Amritsar is served in a lot of places, my favourites are Munim and Ahuja. Another very famous breakfast delicacy of which Amritsaris are proud of are Aloo wala kulcha at Maqbool Road. Kulchas are unleavened bread with a filling of spicy potatoes, onion, cottage cheese or even mutton mince, cooked in Tandoor (clay oven) and liberally coated with white butter or ghee. At Maqbool Road, they serve kulchas with potato filling along with a spicy accompaniment of chana and onions with mint and coriander chutney. It’s a bliss to savour each bite of dishes made in Desi Ghee (We ended up gaining a few pounds). I marvel at how they get the same with so much consistency.

The food joints have equal respect for vegetarians and the non-veg veterans so there are equal number of amazing places for foods of both categories. If we looked for vegetarian meal, the place that tops my list is “Kesar ka Dhaba” with “Bhrawan da Dhaba” and “Kundan” a close second. At Kesar’s, we were served a lot of stuff but the dish that i could kill for is their Dal (black lentil) and Phirni – a dessert made up of milk, rice flour, sugar, dry fruits and Kesar. The dhaba uses Kesar (saffron) in various dishes from where it gets its name. It gives the dishes a yellowish colour and a creamy rich aroma. The approach lanes for the joint are a little congested but a good way to acquaint with the old city. Another favourite dish of Amritsar is Kulcha-Chana available in a market area called Basant Avenue. The kulcha served here is baked without any stuffing something like a Pita Bread served with a delectable “chane ki sabzi” with radish, raw mango, gooseberries and onions served on top. To make the concoction more deadly, they offer spicy chutney made up of tamarind water.

The phrase “Eyes are bigger than stomach” has a totally new meaning for me now. Even if one cannot eat more, the aroma of the food and the tender love with which people in Amritsar serve the food prompts one to chew a few more bytes of everything. Taking this further I can confidently say that “The Lake of Holy Nectar- Amritsar” also definitely is “The Sea of Culinary Delights and Craftsmanship in recipes”

Our explorations of non-vegetarian Punjabi dishes took us to gastronomic highs. I sure can’t talk about all my favourites but some whose taste will linger in my mind for a long time to come are “Beera Chicken”, a shop that excels in tandoori chicken which is a reddish-brown spicy roasted chicken on top but a bite into the flesh brings out the most tender and juicy insides with the flavours and aromas best experienced first hand. Their keema naan is a speciality but should be called only if you have a real good appetite or have skipped your last meal. A close second in Tandoori chicken category are “Surjit Chicken House”. Another delicacy that we loved was “Kharore” – Goat/ Pork Trotters served in a spicy curry with tandoori naan at “Pal Da Dhaba”.

Something that stands as tall as that dish is Brain Curry (Goat’s brain cooked in spicy tomato-onion gravy) served by Chhaju Da Dhaba at Lawrence Road. Not that the city does not have any other cuisines to offer, Crystal Restaurant has been people’s favourite Chinese food joint since my parents dated. More places have opened recently but what’s the point in going to Amritsar and not having Amritsari Machhli or Sarson Da Saag!! I sure want a second helping.... with some vinegar onions...

The Evening Retreat:

Nothing could have prepared us for the triumphant echoes of the evening retreat parade, the sounds of which are still so alive in our memories. We were amongst the sea of crowd that had gathered on both sides of Wagah border, displaying such sense of belonging to their country, enthusiasm and also a great sense of pride for the soldiers in their smart attire and high-heeled boots shouting commands to their peers. The whole performance was packed with a high sense of drama and a fierce competitive streak.

People started pouring in from as early as 4 PM. Permission is required to go near the gates where the parade is performed. BSF Jawans encouraged children to run down the road with Indian flag with patriotic songs playing in the background. The easy dances by the groups of youngsters on Punjabi folk songs and bollywood numbers did well to maintain a celebratory mood while the BSF and army personnel settled the ever growing crowds. Every eye was on the watch waiting for the parade to start. Finally, with the call of one of the BSF guards, the parade begins with the clanking of boots from both the sides of the border. The actions and expressions of soldiers on both sides of the border are a mirror image of each other. They also performed certain actions that displayed their superiority over their counterpart across the gate, pounding the ground with angry, long strides. And finally, the gates closed with the anthem playing at both sides and flags lowered.

We came back with a heady feeling and a newfound respect at the discipline and grandeur of our defense forces. There was another thought in my mind about people sitting on both sides; sharing the same history, nurturing their fields with the same water and yet having such strong feeling of negativity for each other. I have heard from friends who have visited Pakistan about the warmth and hospitality showed by people living there. They sing the same Bollywood numbers that we sing and they pin up the same posters of actresses that we like. I so much hope that this dramatic display of hostile competition someday changes into a display of mutual respect and trust. I hope someday the clanging of boots give way to showing respect to the other’s national anthem and exchanging flowers. Can we hope for such a day?

The Ultimate Journey

I had heard somewhere that we form unique experiences in our memory by combining scents, sight and sounds of a place. Once, this sensory combination is experienced, it gets stored in our memory cells. I recently travelled back to my land of origin “Punjab” to rediscover the sensory experience as a traveler without adding the bias of my love for the land. But I forgot that the senses not just get stored in the brain but also evoke myriad of emotions inside which make a memory, a face, a shop so special. The final aphrodisiac being the food of this land of warm-hearted people. Be it the divine “rabri-falooda-kulfi” concoction or the devilish “keema naan”.

My friend and I planned to start our journey with an early morning prayer at Harminder Sahib but what we didn’t imagine was its power to engulf everything in it like converging of all energies into one big ocean of peace and tranquility. The Golden Temple awed us as if our eyes had opened for the first time to our inner soul. The “parikarma“ was like giving in to the almighty and leaning on his strength. We were surrounded by thousands and could not make out whether we were all drawn by some external energy or were following our soul’s voice. We were lost in trance and were jolted out of it with the sweet aromas of “Prasad”.

We stayed in Punjab for a fortnight, long enough to indulge our senses and forget that there exists other part of our life on the roads of the metros that we map every day, the world of noise outside and within us and constant worries of our unmet desires. But, here, we were in a place where every face reflected contentment, every smile was genuine and every food served with generous affection. The modes of transport were of all sizes and shapes. Such colours in clothes, food, punjabi juttis that I could never ever imagine. I sure could not get everything back home but what I could get back is beautiful and endearing memories. I shall be sharing our journey with all sensory details and would love to get to know how you feel about it…..so do write back.