Number of Punjabi readers decreasing, says Anakhi

Express news service: Wednesday, November 07, 2007 at 12:00:00

“Punjabi language that will never die. It has immense scope for adapting to changes, and will always be as fresh as ever, even after undergoing changes. But while Punjabi is spreading everywhere, the readers of Punjabi literature are decreasing. This is how famous writer Ramsarup Anakhi explains the current trend in Punjabi writing.
In city to interact with the students of Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women, Gujarkhan Campus, Model Town, Anakhi expressed concern over the way readership of Punjabi has been decreasing in the last few years on account of the plethora of media devices today, and also the electronic media.
Citing the reasons for decline in readership, he explained, “There was a time when people used to find time for reading after a day’s work. But these days, the first thing they do when they reach home is to switch on the television. That leaves them with no time for reading.” Anakhi has authored 14 novels and 12 collections of short stories over a span of 37 years.
Anakhi highlights that there is no dearth of Punjabi writers, but the number of writers whose books generate enough curiosity and interest in the minds of the readers to buy the book is not more than 8-10, he points out. “For a writer, the reader is somebody who buys the book from the book store.” Anakhi, who was born in 1932, began his career in writing after he was moved by the changes he observed in the village life.
He admits that many writers are not able to deliver the enriching experience that the readers crave for. “Look at a writer like JK Rowling, who conceived of character Harry Potter. The writers elsewhere in the world too are known to touch the raw nerve of the readers. But even children’s literature in India is not keeping pace with time,” he points out.
After his first novel ‘Parda Te Roshni’ was published in 1970, he went on to receive the Sahitya Academy Award in 1985 for his critically acclaimed book, ‘Kothe Kharak Singh’. “That was the time when things were changing in the state. Today, urbanisation is gradually diluting the essence of village life. The coming up of marriage palaces is one such example,” he explained, “I have always tried to deal with stories that are close to all of us.”
His latest novel ‘Kanaka Da Katna’ was a story about small farmers being forced to part with their land for big industries. “I was so moved by the plight of the small farmers that I had to write this book.,” he points out.