Orality, also referred to as orature, is understood in the given text as a body of verbal testimonies about the past that are expressed through speech or song and transmitted across generations. Drawing particularly on the work of Jan Vansina, the definition emphasises that oral traditions consist of reported statements - accounts that are passed from one person to another through language rather than direct personal experience. This distinction is important because it excludes material artifacts as well as purely eyewitness accounts unless they enter a chain of transmission as hearsay. Similarly, rumours, although orally transmitted, do not qualify as oral traditions unless they become stabilised narratives about the past. The connotation of orality in the passage evolves significantly. Initially, it appears within a framework shaped by Enlightenment thinking, where it is positioned in opposition to writing and literacy, often associated with less developed or “preliterate” societies. However, scholars such as Jack Goody and Shail Mayaram challenge this binary understanding by arguing that orality and literacy are not mutually exclusive but instead exist in a dynamic and complementary relationship. They stress that oral and written forms of knowledge “intersect and interpenetrate,” meaning that even in literate societies, oral practices continue to shape how knowledge is preserved and communicated. Orality is, therefore, closely tied to performance, collective participation, and the preservation of communal memory. It functions as a medium of cultural continuity, particularly in societies where written documentation is limited or intertwined with oral expression. In this sense, orality should not be seen as primitive or inferior but as a complex epistemic system that operates alongside writing to produce and sustain knowledge.

The importance of orality becomes especially evident when considering its role in historical reconstruction. In societies where written records are scarce or biased, oral traditions assume a central role in preserving the past. As Vansina argues, they “bear the brunt of historical reconstruction,” making it possible to write histories that would otherwise remain inaccessible. Beyond merely filling gaps, oral sources also act as a corrective to written histories. Scholars like Gwyn Prins contend that oral and written accounts should not be arranged in a hierarchy where one is superior to the other; instead, they should be seen as mutually corrective, each offering perspectives that can challenge and refine the other. This is particularly significant in contexts like Punjab, where written histories have largely focused on elite politics, imperial rulers, and state-centric narratives. Oral traditions, by contrast, recover the voices of peasants, local communities, and marginalised groups whose experiences are often excluded from official records. In doing so, they provide insight into resistance movements, everyday struggles, and localised interpretations of historical events. Additionally, oral traditions play a vital role in cultural preservation by maintaining collective identity, pre-colonial cultural patterns, and shared memory across generations. The text ultimately argues that without incorporating oral sources, the history of Punjab remains incomplete and skewed, as it fails to account for the lived experiences of its people. Orality thus enables an alternative historiography that brings to light the “silences” deliberately or inadvertently created in dominant narratives.

Within Punjabi folk literature, the genre of Var stands out as a particularly significant oral source with strong historical value. The term “Var” is believed to have originated from Sanskrit roots such as “ver,” meaning to attack or avenge, or “varit,” meaning to narrate, both of which reflect its dual function as a record of heroic action and storytelling. Traditionally, in Punjab, Vars were composed and performed by professional bards such as mirasis, dooms, and bhats, who accompanied warriors and communities during times of conflict. These compositions typically take the form of ballads that celebrate acts of bravery, resistance, and sacrifice, and they are transmitted orally through performance rather than written documentation. Because Vars are rooted in collective memory and continuously reproduced through singing and narration, they function as living historical records that capture the emotional and social dimensions of past events. Unlike official histories, which often prioritise political authority and archival evidence, Vars reflect the perspectives of the community and preserve experiences that might otherwise be forgotten.

The text provides several compelling examples that demonstrate the historical value of Vars and validate their status as oral sources. One such example is the narrative surrounding Dulla Bhatti, a figure who emerges in oral tradition as a leader of peasant resistance against Mughal authority’s bid to raise land revenue. The Var associated with him presents a version of history that differs markedly from mainstream accounts, highlighting issues such as oppressive taxation, exploitation by the ruling elite, and the active participation of peasants and even women, such as his mother Ladhi, in resisting imperial power. Through its vivid and defiant poetic expressions, the Var captures a subaltern perspective that is largely absent from written histories. Another example is the account of Nadir Shah’s invasion as preserved in the Var composed by the poet Najabat. This narrative emphasises the suffering of the local population and the courageous resistance of regional figures like Mirza Qalander, while also exposing the failure of the Mughal centre to support its peripheries. Such details, which are often overlooked in official chronicles, are preserved in oral memory through poetic narration. Similarly, the Chattian di Var recounts a prolonged conflict between the Chattha tribe and the Sikhs over a period of forty years, shedding light on regional power struggles and political dynamics that receive little attention in written sources. The Var composed by Shah Muhammad, often referred to as Jang Hind Punjab, further illustrates how oral poetry can document major historical developments, including the rise of Ranjit Singh and the geopolitical transformations of the region, along with the growing influence of the British.

Although Var is central to the discussion, the text also points to other genres of Punjabi oral literature that reinforce the importance of orality. Forms such as Dhola preserve narratives of resistance against colonial powers, including the struggle of figures like Ahmed Khan Kharral, while the poetry of Bulleh Shah and Waris Shah captures the social upheaval and devastation caused by invasions. These diverse oral traditions collectively demonstrate that the history of Punjab is deeply embedded in its oral culture and cannot be fully understood through written records alone.

Taken together, the argument in favour of oral sources becomes clear and compelling. Written histories of Punjab have traditionally focused on elites, conquerors, and external centres of power, often neglecting the experiences of local populations. In contrast, oral traditions such as Vars preserve the history of the people by documenting their resistance, suffering, and acts of heroism. They fill the gaps left by archival records and offer alternative perspectives on major historical events. The metaphor of the “prism of orality” aptly captures this function, suggesting that just as a prism reveals hidden spectra of light, oral traditions reveal hidden dimensions of history - particularly those of ordinary people and marginalised communities. Without these oral sources, the history of Punjab remains partial, elitist, and incomplete, whereas their inclusion allows for a more nuanced, inclusive, and representative understanding of the past.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2026