Editing of classical texts has been a serious problem for the last two centuries for editors and scholars in Punjab. Strangely, the most popular text “Heer Waris Shah” has proved the most contentious. The reason are not unfathomable. Firstly, there were differences in texts of hand-written manuscripts available at a time when printed press was introduced in Punjab in the 19th century. Increasing demand for Heer Waris pushed the publishers into the rat race; they began hiring half-baked editors and rooky scholars to edit the text in the name of providing the readers with ‘Asli te Vadi Heer (the original and complete Heer)’. As a result the text was loaded with interpolations baring the uneven quality of the verses.

The poets and editors namely Mian Hidaytallah and Piran Ditta Triggarwala generously inserted their own verses in the text making the mess messier. The process still continues.

Dr. Muhammad Shahid Afzal’s book “Heer Waris Shah / Matan aur Murattebeen (the text and the editors)” published by Ashnak International, Shahkot, Nankana Sahib, precisely deals with the problem the editing of Heer has posed.

Dr. Shahid, an expat, is a physicist by training, and a scientist and technologist by profession. He has already done some remarkable work on the text of Heer Waris Shah and published his version of the text.

In his latest publication the text of Heer Waris edited in the 20th century by some notable editors such as Sheikh Abdul Aziz (Bar-at-Law), Sharif Sabir and Dr. Mohan Singh Diwana come under close scrutiny. His special focus is on the first two. He critically examines and analyses the work done by Abdul Aziz and Sharif Sabir. It’s generally agreed that Abdul Aziz achieved a remarkable feat; he not only collected a score of manuscripts, compared them and painstakingly prepared a version of Heer that surpasses any other till date. His method was reliable as it followed the modern research principles. He points out clearly how and why he selected the stuff which made his version.

Dr. Shahid acknowledges the Aziz’s great contribution but a bit grudgingly. When he examines the text prepared by Sharif Sabir under the supervision of Waris Shah Memorial Committee set up by the Punjab government, his criticism is scathing though not without justification. Sharif Sabir without logic or justification has changed or inserted words and phrases which are obviously extraneous to the original text as shown by Dr. Shahid as well as by other scholars. He quotes concrete examples from the edited texts including that of Sharif Sabir where editors fail either to decipher the words or understand them for being in a language/ dialect not understood by them. The most reliable manuscript, in his opinion, is that of Kirpa Ram presented to Divan Hardev Singh, which is now with the Punjab Public Library in Lahore.

One can agree with Dr. Shahid that language used by Waris Shah is predominantly Lehndi (western dialect) but you don’t have to have Lehndi as your mother tongue to fully understand it. Dr. Shahid is a polyglot and that has helped him to explain some of misunderstood references and allusions rooted in foreign cultures we find in Heer. His book carries a mark of serious scholarship not frequently found either side of the Punjab. It will be a source of delight for editors, scholars and connoisseurs interested in knowing the secrets the text of our greatest bard hides under its veneer.

Amber Hossaeni makes her debut as a novelist with her “Pero” published by Punjab Markaz, Lahore. The title obviously evokes the image of famous Pero Preman, the poet and mystic of 19th century.

Pero in our cultural history represents simultaneously what a woman is reduced to in patriarchy and how she can go beyond the restrictive parameters and become a metaphor of defiance, freedom and spiritual bliss. Her rising from the ashes of prostitution to have become a mystic is a story that has mythical dimension. The novel is divided into 12 small chapters. The main protagonist of the narrative is a young woman named Pero whose emotional relationship with a man in no way can stop her getting involved in things bigger than personal such as struggle for women rights and social causes. “Making the central character a spokesperson of women rights is not something unnatural but looks a bit exaggerated at some places as if there is a little more salt in the dish than needed,” says Jameel Paul in the blurb.

About the structure and the characters of the novel, Dr. Karamat Mughal writes in his introduction: “The novelist while depicting her characters takes care not to unnecessarily paint convoluted pictures of life. She avoids the temptation to expand her narrative with superfluous details as new writers are wont to do. Amber Hossaeni uses dialogues generously to develop her narrative.” The novel offers the readers a contemporary female perspective and is a pleasant read.

Dr. Mohsin Mighiana is a senior surgeon. He is from the land of legendry Heer and Sahiban, and Dr. Abdul Salam, our Nobel laureate. His passion is literature. He is a poet, short story writer and humourist and has a number of books to his credit in Punjabi, Urdu and English. “Making of a Chief Surgeon” is his latest book published by Sangry Publications, Faisalabad. It’s a fascinating story of his long journey as a medical student and practitioner. What could be unusual about it? Unusual is the relentless struggle of a young man to be a highly trained professional from an underdeveloped area where superstition is taken as knowledge and feudal sluggishness is valued as refinement. The story begins when he himself while studying in the college suffers from excruciating pain and is taken to a hospital on a horse-drawn cart, and experiences the pain and the misery of a helpless patient which represents the plight of millions and millions of people in our homeland. The story doesn’t merely epitomise his firm resolve to join and shine in the medical profession but also reflects the economic problems and social and cultural habits of his fellow travelers. His is story of human interest that delineates some important facets of our life in a semi-urban area sandwiched between a frozen past and a fast changing present. It’s an unusual book with unusual insights regarding our individual and social life. — soofi01@hotmail.com

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2023