Literature mirrors society and shows mirror to it: Prof Jaswant Singh Gandam

Tribune News Service

Phagwara, June 17

Maintaining that a writer gives back to society what he gets from it, Prof Jaswant Singh Gandam, author of the book ‘Suttey Shehar Da Safar’, told the audience that writing was like gleaning and garnering grains from chaff.

Answering various queries about his new book at a function ‘Pustak Charcha’ and an interface with the audience organised by Punjabi Virsa Trust, the author further said that a writer gathered his material from his surroundings but he filtered out the crude stuff. “It is like sieving the flour,” he said to hammer home his point.

“A writer gives expression to the experiences and emotions of individuals, humankind as well as his own ones,” he remarked. On his satirical writings, Prof Gandam claimed that his satire was soft and gentle. He said: “Mostly people have the tendency to laugh at others. But sometimes we should laugh at ourselves, too. But the best laughter is the collective laughter which is when we all laugh together.” Calling literature ‘samaj da darpan’ (mirror of society), he said it both mirrored society and showed mirror to it.

Eminent writer, critic and columnist Principal Gurmit Palahi, while speaking on the book, called it a multi-layered book. He said: “The book has total 144 pages and 28 essays — 11 reflective essays, eight satirical ones, four translated stories of classic writers of the world, four write-ups on birds and one piece as a tribute to philanthropist, educationist and entrepreneur Kulwinder Singh Bassi.”

He said writer’s style and the choice of the words was unique. He called the book a new milestone in the prose form. Another writer Ravinder Chot described the book as a piece of poetry in prose. Advocate SL Virdi was all praise for translated stories.

Punjabi writer TD Chawla called it a well-researched book. Social activist Ashwani Kohli called the book a collection of bold essays. Noted poet Baldev Raj Komal regaled the audience with his ghazal. Parwinderjit Singh conducted the stage. A large number of writers and admirers of literature, including girls, attended the function.

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