SAHIWAL, Oct 19: The fourth Punjab Lok Boli management committee has distributed 3,000 brochures in Punjabi language to school students asking them to write three essays in their mother tongue.

Essays winning the competition will be announced at Boli Mela to be held on Nov 21-25 in Jaranwala.

Punjab Lok Boli Mela is an annual cultural event organised in rural areas to promote Punjabi language and culture. The essay writing competition ‘Lakh Rachna’ is conducted for high school students wherein two government high schools from each Punjab district can participate.

In the last Boli Mela, 700 students from seven districts sent Punjabi essays on four topics. This year, Lakh Rachna invitation has been sent to 100,000 students. Candidates can write essay on: ‘Is speaking mother tongue a curse?’, ‘Violence against women: cruelty or blessing’ and ‘Agriculture producing hunger or prosperity?’.

A book containing students’ essays will be launched on International Mother Language Day on Feb 21, 2009.