hazal has made firm roots in this city where Sahir Ludhianvi started composing his poems and ghazals in the early forties. His contemporaries Krishan Adeeb and Ajaib Chitarkar kept aloft the banner of ghazal in the ensuing period. Gurbhajan Gill is well-known for his poems but his contribution to Punjabi ghazal is no less. Lately his entire collection of 120 ghazals, “Mann de buhe barian”, has been published with a foreword by Dr Jagtar and preface by Sardar Panchhi. On the blurb appear Surjit Patar’s comments on his ghazals.Gurbhajan Gill is nostalgic about the glorious period of Punjab when there was poise in the minds of the people and all communities lived in perfect harmony. Nature played its part in striking a balance between the flora and fauna on the one hand and the human beings on the other. There was no apparent conflict between the outer and the inner worlds. But now:
I wish I could go back to my village
The milky grains of the maize-cobs beckon me
I crave for a splashy bath in the rain
While mumbling senseless nothings.
The dominant theme of his ghazals is the quest for beauty in all its manifestations. The children, birds, flowers and stars are for him the metaphors that highlight the symphony of the universe. He is no dreamer nor does he ever indulge in hazy musings. He is after palpable designs that provide life a solid base. For him the familiar sights and sounds convert life into a memorable experience. The wind laden with the aroma of wet earth, after a spell of dryness, transports him to “the faery lands forlorn”.
The turbulent years that this land of five rivers witnessed not so long ago weigh heavy on his mind. He has yet to come to terms with the changed circumstances. He is still haunted by the ghost of murderous assaults on the unwary persons. Life then had become a nightmare that robbed the peace of mind of the common man. The glory of the past had vanished, leaving behind long stretch of devastation. Distrust and suspicion had taken the place of faith and confidence:
Our wings were curtailed in such a manner
We could never fly back to our homes
The whole city is now asleep under a blanket
Clasping to the heart both dreads and fright.
Gurbhajan Gill is a prolific writer and has published half a dozen collections of poems and ghazals during the past two decades. He is steeped in Punjabi folklore and uses folk motifs in his poetic creations. At the same time he is conscious of the fast-changing patterns of human existence. He wants to restore the splendid image of the land of his birth so that he can hold his head high. With the passage of time, he has steered clear of certain misconceptions and identified the disruptive forces. He pleads for peace and tranquillity but not at the cost of self-respect:
No more
shall we serve as fodder
for the cruel jaws of time.
N.S. Tasneem
