ਕਦੇ ਅਸੀਂ ਵੀ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਸਾਂ ਸ਼ਾਨ ਵਾਲੇ

a beautiful poem by Sohan Singh Seetal. do read this poem. this has been taken from his book sikh raj kive gya.

ਕਦੇ ਅਸੀਂ ਵੀ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਸਾਂ ਸ਼ਾਨ ਵਾਲੇ

ਕੋਈ ਦੂਰ ਦੀ ਗੱਲ ਨਹੀਂ ਦੇਸ਼ ਅੰਦਰ, ਕਦੇ ਅਸੀਂ ਵੀ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਸਾਂ ਸ਼ਾਨ ਵਾਲੇ।

ਅਸੀਂ ਪੰਜ ਦਰਿਆਵਾਂ ਦੇ ਬਾਦਸ਼ਾਹ ਸਾਂ, ਤਾਜ ਤਖ਼ਤ ਵਾਲੇ, ਅਣਖ-ਆਨ ਵਾਲੇ।

ਸਾਡੇ ਸਿਰਾਂ ਤੇ ਕਲਗੀਆਂ ਸੋਂਹਦੀਆਂ ਸਨ, ਸਾਨੂੰ ਨਿਉਂਦੇ ਸੀ ਕਈ ਗੁਮਾਨ ਵਾਲੇ।

ਸਾਡੇ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਈ ਕੌਮੀ ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨ ਅੱਗੇ, ਪਾਣੀ ਭਰਦੇ ਸਨ ਕਈ ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨ ਵਾਲੇ।

ਸਾਡੀ ਚਮਕਦੀ ਤੇਗ ਦੀ ਧਾਰ ਅੱਗੇ, ਭੇਟਾ ਧਰਦੇ ਸਨ, ਕਾਬਲ ਈਰਾਨ ਵਾਲੇ।

ਬਿਨਾਂ ਪੁੱਛਿਆਂ ਏਧਰ ਨਾ ਝਾਕਦੇ ਸਨ, ਸਾਡੇ ਸਿਰਾਂ ਤੇ ਹੁਕਮ ਚਲਾਨ ਵਾਲੇ।

ਕੌਣ ਜਾਣਦਾ ਸੀ ? ਰੁਲਦੇ ਫਿਰਨਗੇ ਇਹ, ਆਪਣੇ ਤਾਜ ਵਿਚ ਹੀਰੇ ਹੰਢਾਣ ਵਾਲੇ।

ਸੀਤਲ ਹਾਲ ਫ਼ਕੀਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਜ਼ਰ ਆਉਂਦੇ, ਤਾਜ ਤਖ਼ਤ, ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨ, ਕਿਰਪਾਨ ਵਾਲੇ।

What a beautiful poem this is. Sohan Singh Sheetal was a good writer and Dhaadi but until now I did not know that he was a good poet too. These lines in poetry are the cries of a Sikh today. Basically, Sheetal jee is saying that there was a time when we too had Taajo-Takhat (kingdoms) but today we have been reduced to the state of paupers.

Inspired from Sheetal jee's poem above, this Daas came up with the following poem. The first two stanzas are Shayer style and the last 4 are Chaupai style. A Chaupai is supposed to have 16 Maatras in each line but at many places within the Chaupai, I may have gone off-meter.

ਕਦੀ ਅਸੀਂ ਵੀ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਸਾਂ ਈਮਾਨ ਵਾਲੇ, ਸਾਡੀ ਸੌਹ ਵੀ ਲੋਕ ਨਾ ਖਾਂਦੇ ਸਨ।
ਆਮ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦਾ ਤਾਂ ਕੀ ਕਹਿਣਾ ਜੀ, ਬੇਈਮਾਨ ਵੀ ਸਾਥੋਂ ਵਾਰੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਸਨ।

ਰਹਿਤ ਦੇ ਪੂਰੇ ਧਾਰਣੀ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਸਾਂ, ਨਾਮ ਬਾਣੀ ਆਹਾਰੋ ਆਧਾਰ ਸੀ,
ਦਿੱਲੀ ਵਾਲੇ ਵੀ ਪਾਣੀ ਭਰਦੇ ਸਨ ਤੇ ਸ਼ਾਹੀ ਤਖਤ ਤੇ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਬਿਠਾਂਦੇ ਸਨ।

ਸਮਾਂ ਉਦੋਂ ਬਦਲਿਆ ਸਾਡਾ।
ਕੀਤਾ ਜਦੋਂ ਸਾਡਾ ਤੁਹਾਡਾ।
ਭਾਈ ਭਾਈ ਹੋ ਗਏ ਵੈਰੀ।
ਬੋਲੀ ਹੋ ਗਈ ਸਾਡੀ ਜ਼ਹਿਰੀ।1।

ਰਹਿਤ ਛੱਡਕੇ ਹੋ ਗਏ ਖਾਲੀ।
ਸਿੱਖੀ ਤੱਜਕੇ ਮਾਇਆ ਫੜਲੀ।
ਸਰਬਲੋਹ ਦਾ ਛਡਿਆ ਪਹਿਰਾ।
ਗਲ ਪੈ ਗਿਆ ਫੰਧਾ ਗਹਿਰਾ।2।

ਦਿਲੋਂ ਇੰਨੇ ਹੋ ਗਏ ਭੁੱਖੇ।
ਟਕੇ ਟਕੇ ਤੇ ਅਸੀਂ ਵਿਕੇ।
ਸਿੱਖੀ ਬਦਲੇ ਪੈਸੇ ਖੱਟੇ।
ਬੇੜੀ ਸਾਡੀ ਪੈ ਗਏ ਵੱਟੇ।3।

ਸਾਡੀ ਰੱਖ ਲਾਜ ਓ ਸਾਂਈ।
ਇਹ ਤੇਰੀ ਹੈ ਪੁਰਸ਼ਾਈ।
ਹੁਣ ਤੂੰ ਹੀ ਸਾਡਾ ਰਾਖਾ।
ਤਪੋਬਨੀ ਦੀ ਸੱਚੀ ਭਾਖਾ।4।

Bhul Chuk dee Maafi jee.

Daas,
Kulbir Singh

tapobani?

I could not think of any other pen name at the moment I wrote the poem. Until, a new pen name is found, why not use this?

Kulbir Singh

hahaha

I was just teasing. I love the pen name.

nice poem!!

Hoepfully, better to make it plural (ਤਪੋਬਨੀਆ) , rather than to find a new Pen Name

Guru Sahib Kirpa Karan.



Bul Chuk Maaf !!

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Hoepfully, better to make it plural (ਤਪੋਬਨੀਆ) , rather than to find a new Pen Name

It would be too long if it was made ਤਪੋਬਨੀਆ and won't fit in the lines that are bound by maatra. I don't believe in Khuli Kavita i.e. poetry written without meter.

Kulbir Singh

Wonderful poem Bhai Kulbir Singh ji!

Veer Ji, I liked the Chaupai part. Excellant. Wonderful.

Would you please, someday, tell us about all the poetry forms used in Gurbani, Punjabi and English.

Dhanwaad in advance Ji.

Sometime back, I read the autobiography of a famous poet of Punjab - Amrita Pritam (one who wrote "Ajj Aakha Waris Shah noo"). No doubt, she was bankrupt as far as Sikhe was concerned but one thing that striked me was that early in her age (around 9-10 years), she learned Pingal in great detail from her father. This is why she wrote so well later in her life.

Many today may not even know what Pingal means. Pingal is the study of different forms of poetry e.g. Chhands, Dohra, Chaupai, Pauri, Kaafi etc. Within Chhands, there numerous forms e.g. Bhujang Prayat Chhand (Chhand that walks like a snake), Chachri Chhand etc. In olden days, study of Pingal was essential. We see Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee writing in so many different forms of poetry in his books Darshan Jhalka and Jyot Pragaas. Same way, Sant Gurbachan Singh jee Bhindranwale too wrote the whole life of Sant Sunder Singh jee in poetic form. It is said that once Sant Sunder Singh jee asked all his students to write a summary of Siri Jap jee Sahib. All students tried but Sant Gurbachan Singh jee wrote such elegant summary in form of poetry that Sant Sunder Singh jee was extremely pleased.

The sixth river of Punjab, Bhai Vir Singh jee wrote poetry in many different forms, so did Professor Puran Singh (but he mostly wrote Khuli Kavita, that I don't believe in). Giani Dit Singh jee of Singh Sabha form, always used to have poetry in his articles. He almost always started his books and articles with some poetry and he wrote well too.

Today, the Sikhs who have most of their religious texts in poetry and almost all of their history is written in poetry, have lost this art of poetry. It is important to study Pingal Vidya but from where? Alas!

Kulbir Singh

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BHai Kulbir Singh
I could not think of any other pen name at the
moment I wrote the poem. Until, a new pen name is
found, why not use this?

Bebiha?

Chota veer

Chatrik jee, this name as already been taken (by you). Chatrik and Babiha have same meaning.

And besides, this name is too good for me.

Kulbir Singh

veerjee,

why don't you believe in khuli kavita?

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why don't you believe in khuli kavita?

As per my understanding if there is no rhyming and meter in poetry, then it's not poetry but prose. The thing that sets poetry apart from prose is mainly rhyming and the meter (maatra). Khuli Kavita is an invention of recent times and I guess it started because many modern writers want to express thoughts in form of poetry but don't want to do the hard work of meeting standards of poetry. It is easy work as opposed to expressing within the restraints of rhyming, rythim and and meter.

The above is just my opinion. There are scholars who accept Khuli Kavita too.

Kulbir Singh

I just love the kavita from Sohan Singh Seetal and Kulbir Singh. Punjabi pingal is almost a lost art. No one takes the time to learn it anymore.

pyare jeeo,

how may we learn punjabi pingal?

Not sure what to do. Koi Puraana Bazurg Kavi labhna paina hai.

There is a book on Pingal at Sacha Sauda that you can buy. A book on Pingal has been written by Pandit Kartar Singh jee Dakha too but it is for the advanced student.

I guess, we can read poetry books of Bhai Vir Singh jee, Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee, and old Granths like those written by Maha Kavi Santokh Singh, Sardar Ratan Singh Bhangu and Giani Gyaan Singh. Other than that, I don't know what to say.

Kulbir Singh