‘Coffee Chocolate Tey Perfume’ is Dr. Aamir Zaheer Bhatti’s latest book published by Sanjh Publications, Lahore. The title, lyrical and catchy, smells good, even delicious. It’s a travelogue delineating his visits to France.

Dr. Bhatti, the biographical note says, teaches French at the National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad. He edits a multilingual research journal ‘Polyglot’ published from his university. He is also an associate editor of different research journals brought out from Algeria and Iran. He got his doctorate from France in the field of Phonetics & Phonology. He has translated a well-known classical French literary book ‘Le Roman de Renart’ into Punjabi titled ‘Lumar di Kahani’. His areas of interest include phonetics & phonology, lexicography, historical and comparative linguistics, and translation. His book details the story of his multiple visits to France sponsored by the government of France and its research institutions.

An interesting thing about this book is that the author takes nothing for granted. He expresses his inner feelings and a childlike sense of wonder whenever he encounters something different or unusual at airports and in France. He appears guileless and seems absolutely free of pretension. He in fact comes out as meek as a lamb showing a mark of culture and education. Such a position enables him to share with the readers the details of his experiences they are not familiar with. He is poles apart from our typical self-obsessed highbrow academics who love to speak down to people from their ivory towers.

Dr. Bhatti can make a simple conversation meaningful with his insightful remark. This is how a receptionist lodges him in the hostel in a small French town: “We have rooms on third and fourth floors. Which one you prefer? She offered me the options. ‘Third floor! It will have easier access,’ I told her my choice… ‘Some rooms have windows that open to a grove of trees and others open to the buildings. Which side you would like?’ she asked me. ‘one with window to the grove of trees,’ I said. ‘On this side we have room no 219, 221, 225, and 228. Which one you would like?’ ‘allocate me 219,’ I concluded the conversation.” Then he makes a silent comment: “So much concern for the likes and dislikes of an individual! In our country no such care is taken even when they decide the fate of an individual.”

He has many small things to report and share which assume cultural or historical significance if you pause and ponder. He tells us how his French teacher told something not generally known about a French bakery item ‘croissant’. “…Turk armies fought their way to Vienna. Christian armies fought a big battle in the vicinity of Vienna which ended in the rout of Turks. Thus their advance was stopped. In their victory celebrations the Christian armies prepared some new sweets which are known in France as viennoiserie. Croissant was one of them. It originally had the shape of a crescent moon which was the Turk emblem. Thus they celebrated the victory by consuming the Turk emblem….” A fascinating thing about this book is its prose; simple, elegant and unencumbered. It steers clear of verbosity and bombast, much loved things in our region. His prose reminds one of Becket. Noting more or less than what is needed. Writing such prose is no mean feat. It demands command over language and clarity of thought.

The book offers useful nuggets of information and insights. It can certainly help experience some cultural cross-pollination.‘Coffee Chocolate tey Perfume’ should hit the shelves of all public and private libraries.

‘Ungaahay raah (Untrodden Paths)’ is autobiography of Giyan Singh Sandhu who is based in Canada. Originally written in English titled ‘An Uncommon Road’, it was later translated into Punjabi and published in Gurmukhi script by the Patiala University, East Punjab. it has now been transliterated into Shahmukhi script by Prof Ashiq Raheel and published by Sanjh Publications, Lahore.

While being an autobiography it tells us the story of socio-economic development of the Sikh community in Canada. Sikh migration to Canada has a long history; they were the first to set foot on Canadian soil in the late 19th century. Anyone who knows the history of Independence is well-acquainted with the incidence of Comagata Maru, a Japanese ship chartered by Indians which was not only denied entry at the Port of Vancouver in 1914 but also attacked by police and military resulting in fatalities.

The book vividly describes the struggle waged by immigrants especially of Sikhs to be recognised as equal citizens and be part of the mainstream in Canada. It’s not a story full of sound and fury but rather one that reflects toils and perseverance needed to make life bearable and worth living on what initially has been a foreign soil with racial tension boiling over.

Giyan Singh has a telescopic sight and broad vision despite being religiously inclined. He looks at mundane things from his individual perspective but he tries to analyse religious, social and political phenomena that attract his attention as a citizen and a member of the Sikh community objectively. He explains what constitutes the notion of Khalistan and its historical background which predates the happening of the recent past. His narration of intra-Sikh conflicts, rise of Gernail Singh Bhindrawala and infamous Operation Blue Star of 1984 seems convincing. His account of storming of the Golden Temple by Indian armed forces and violation of sanctum sanctorum is very moving. The language, as is the case mostly with writers of East Punjab, has a smattering of Sanskrit and Hindi vocabulary. His narrative expresses his feelings and thoughts with poise but it isn’t anodyne. It can rather be biting whenever needed. The book is valuable for the information, insights and analyses it offers regarding Canadian Punjabi immigrant community and East Punjab’s politico-religious situation. It is a window on the contemporary Sikh community at least for us in the West Punjab. Ungaahay Raah is a book not to be missed by serious readers. — soofi01@hotmail.com

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2022