Lyricist’s book on Punjabis’ deep connect with Lahore released

Amritsar, April 30

Hello! Mai Lahore Toh Bolda, a book by renowned lyricist and film artiste Gurvinder Singh Gill Raunta was released at an event organised by the Department of Punjabi at Khalsa College here. A well known face in social media circles, Gill Raunta narrated the journey of writing the book even as he is occupied with writing songs and films.

“It was my first phone call from Lahore when I went there in 2022. I phoned my mother and somehow instinctively said to her: Hello! Mai Lahore Toh Bolda. These five words have ever since stuck with me and forced me to write the book which is basically about how similar the people on both sides of the border are,” he said while addressing the book lovers, students and faculty of the college.

Aatam Singh Randhawa, Head, Department of Punjabi, said, “In times when writers of Punjabi complain of shortage of readers and often say that nobody buys a book, nearly 10,000 copies of Gill Raunta’s book have been sold even before it was officially released.” Randhawa said that the book was published in the first week of April and has since been in high demand.

Principal Mehal Singh said, “The book is unique in the way it is been written, in the everyday language that we use. The writer has not tried to impress the readers by using heavy and difficult words as is the case with most others.” Singh also informed the gathering about the deep connection between the Punjabis and Lahore.

He added that Lahore once used to the cultural centre of Punjabis. “There was a time when Punjabis used to challenge Lahore every now and then as it was the place of the oppressive Mughal empire. And it is the same place which Punjabis later started to adore under Maharaja Ranjit Singh and even continue to do so till this day.”