Harcharan Singh
Punjabi Playwright
10 December 1914 - 12 April 2006 (age 92)
Dr. Harcharan Singh
The Man Of All Seasons
Books written
Kal Ajj Te Bhalak (1971)
Ratta Sallu (1953)
Shobha Shakti (1961)
Chamkaur Di Garhi (1966)
Hind Di Chaddar (1975)
Married
Dharam Kaur in 1938
Children[1]
Dr. Amarjit Singh Banwatt
Jasbir Kaur Gahunia
Jagbir Kaur Vaid
Amrit Kaur Gahunia
Harbux Singh Latta

Dr. Harcharan Singh (1914–2006) was an Indian dramatist and writer in the Punjabi language. He dedicated 69 years of his life to Punjabi theater, in which he authored 51 books and staged numerous plays all over the world.[2]

Life

Singh was born in 1914 at Chak # 576, near Nankana Sahib (now in Pakistan) to father, Kirpa Singh, and mother, Rakkhi.[1] He was sent to his ancestral village, Urapar in Jalandhar District, for education. After passing class 8th from the Govt. School, Chakdanna, Singh was sent to Khalsa School, Jalandhar, for Matric (Class 10). Singh enrolled in B.A. at Khalsa College, Amritsar in 1933. Then he obtained his master's degree in Punjabi and history from FC College Lahore. Moreover, he earned his Ph.D. degree in orientalism and oriental history, with particular emphasis on classical, pre-Maurya Indo-Aryan dynasties of the Punjab and Himalayas for his thesis "Theatre Traditions in Punjab" from Delhi University in 1943.[3]

He was the head of Punjabi Dept., Punjabi University, Patiala, for 10 years, from 1965 to 1975. He held the post of chairman at the Punjab Sangeet Natak Academy from 1982 to 1991 and again from 1994 to 1997. He was then appointed the chairman of Punjab Arts Council, Chandigarh, from 1999 to 2002.[4]

Writing

Singh wrote his first play, Kamla Kumari, in 1937, which was first staged in Amritsar on 21 January 1938.[1] He established the Punjab Art Theatre at Lahore in 1939 and popularized theatrical activities in Punjab.[2] He initiated a trend in Punjabi theatre with his wife Dharam Kaur, who dared to act female role in his play Anjorh, staged at YMCA Hall Lahore in 1939. This paved the way for women on Punjabi stage.[5]

Anjorh 1941

Singh authored 51 books in Punjabi.[2] He was an authority on Sikh historical plays.[6] His well-known historical plays are Chamkaur Di Garhi, Punian Da Chan, Miti Dhundh Jag Chanan Hoa, Jafarnama, Sarhand Di Kandh, Hind Di Chadar, Rani Jindan, Kama Gata Maru and Shubh Karman Te Kabh Hoon Na Taron. The play Chamkaur Di Garhi was first staged on the occasion of the tercentenary birth celebration of Shri Guru Gobind Singh at famous Sunmukh Nanda Auditorium, Bombay, in December 1966. For the last 38 years, different theatrical groups have been staging this play in India and abroad. Six of his plays have been translated into Hindi and one into Russian.

About a dozen of his books have won awards.[7] He was given the prestigious Sahitya Academy Award in 1973 for his play Kal Aj Te Bhalak (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow). He was honored by Punjab Govt. as Shromani Sahitkar in 1974. Besides these decorations he was honored by more than a dozen national and international institutions. The feature film Sarbansdani Guru Gobind Singh was based on his famous play Chamkaur Di Garhi.[8] His historical play Rani Jindan was performed by Punjabi Kala Kendra Chandigarh in 20 big cities of Canada and the US in 1981.

Singh wrote the scripts of Bole So Nihal, (a world-famous multimedia Sight & Sound Panorama on 500 years of Sikh History, specially produced for the Birth of Khalsa celebrations,) Sher-e-Punjab (a multimedia Sight & Sound Panorama on 40 glorious years of Khalsa Raj) and Guru Maneo Granth, (another mega multi-media sight & sound panorama dedicated to the 400th centenary of the Prakash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib). These shows have been shown in 50 cities of Punjab and India besides in 54 major cities of the US, Canada and UK since 1999.[9][10]

List of books

No.[11][12]First published inBook titlePublisherISBN
11937Kamla KumariSelf PublishedNA
21938Raja PorusSelf PublishedNA
31939Dur Durade ShahronLahore Book Shop, LudhianaNA
41941AnjorhNANA
51943Khedan De Din ChaarNANA
61949DoshPunjabi Publisher, New DelhiNA
71953Ratta SalluAarsi Publishers, New DelhiNA
81954Tera Ghar So Mera GharSundar Pustak Bhandhar, New DelhiNA
91955Punia Da ChanPunjabi Publishers, New DelhiNA
101961Shobha ShaktiAarsi Publishers, New DelhiNA
111966Chamkaur Di GarhiSingh Brothers, AmritsarNA
121969Mitti Dhundh Jag Chanan HoaSingh Brothers, AmritsarNA
131971Kal Ajj Te BhalakNavyug Publishers, New DelhiNA
141973Lehande Da Noor (Poetic Drama)Punjabi Pyare Publisher, ChandigarhNA
151974Samaaj De ThamNANA
161975Hind Di ChaddarLahore Book Shop, LudhianaNA
171977Dekh Kabira RoyaSingh Brothers, AmritsarNA
181979Sahit Te Sabhyachar De Ambar TareAarsi Publishers, New DelhiNA
191980Maseeha Suli Te MuskurayaLahore Book Shop, LudhianaNA
201981Rani JindhanAarsi Publishers, New DelhiNA
211983Kamagata MaruRaghbir Rachna Publishers, ChandigarhNA
221984Ambar KalaNANA
231989Aag BujaoSingh Brothers, AmritsarNA
241992Shubh Karman Te Kabhu Na TroSingh Brothers, Amritsar81-7205-090-9
251995Mitti Puche Ghumiar TohNavyug Publishers, New Delhi81-86216-70-7
262004Guru Maneo GranthNANA
272005Jene Lahor Nahin Dekhea (Stories)Tarlochan Publishers, Chandigarh81-7914-120-9
282006Udhala (Stories)Tarlochan Publishers, Chandigarh81-7914-135-7
291960Murkhe Di Khusboo (One Act Play)Ludhiana Book Shop, LudhianaNA
30NAMarhian Di PujaNANA
31NAKhet De BaneyNANA
321997Baapu Di GhorhiPunjabi University, Patiala81-7380-262-9
33NAKanchan MattiNANA
341972Zafarnama (One Act Play)Singh Brothers, Amritsar81-7205-104-2
35NASirhand Di KandNANA
361940Jeevan LeelaLahore Book Shop, LudhianaNA
371943Sipiyan (Stories)Punjabi Publishers, New DelhiNA
381957Meri Chonvi IkangiSundar Pustak Bhandar, New DelhiNA
391979Che Rang (Collection of One Act Plays)Singh Brothers, AmritsarNA
401944Panj GeetrhaP.S. Datta, LahoreNA
411942Sapt Rishi (Collection of One Act Plays)Lahore Book Shop, LahoreNA
421989Meri Pratinidh RachnaPunjabi University, PatialaNA
431988Meri Sahitik Save-KeevniPunjabi University, PatialaNA
441979Natak Kala Te Mera AnubhavLanguage Dept. Govt of PunjabNA
451964Punjabi Sahit DharaSurjit Book Depot, New DelhiNA
461977Meri Chonvi KahaniyanLahore Book Shop, LudhianaNA
47NANaat Kala Te Hor LekhPepsu Book Depot, PatialaNA
481971Eshwar Chandan NandaPunjabi University, PatialaNA
491972Punjabi Vartak Da Janam Te VikasPepsu Book Depot, PatialaNA
501949Sanjha Raaj (Collection of One Act Plays)Lahore Book Shop, LudhianaNA
511955Navi SaverPunjabi Publishers, New DelhiNA

References

  1. 1 2 3 Singh Ghuman, Kapoor; Singh Kasail, Kirpal; Singh Lamba, Gobind (eds.). "Introduction". Life History of Dr. Harcharan Singh (in Punjabi). India: Language Dept. Govt. of Punjab.
  2. 1 2 3 Satish Kumar Verma. A Monograph on Punjabi Playwright Dr Harcharan Singh (in Punjabi). Sahitya Akademi. p. 35. ISBN 978-81-260-4593-8.
  3. "Singh, Harcharan (1915-)". The Sikh Encyclopedia. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  4. K. M. George (1992). Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology: Surveys and poems. Sahitya Akademi. pp. 330–. ISBN 978-81-7201-324-0.
  5. Amaresh Datta (1988). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature. Sahitya Akademi. pp. 1097–. ISBN 978-81-260-1194-0.
  6. Nonika Singh (4 October 1998). "Interview with Dr. Harcharan Singh". No. Sunday Review. The Tribune India. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  7. "Sahitya Akademi Award Winners". Sahitya-Akademi.gov.in. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  8. "Sarbans Dani Film". Sikhi Wiki.
  9. Prashar, A.S. (12 October 2001). "Sight, sound, royalty relived". No. Arts Tribune. Tribune India. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  10. "Sight and Sound Shows". Latta Productions. Latta Productions.
  11. Satish Kumar Verma (2014). "List of Books". Monograph on Dr. Harcharan Singh (in Punjabi) (1st ed.). New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. pp. 36–39. ISBN 978-81-260-4593-8.
  12. Singh Ghuman, Kapoor; Singh Kasail, Kirpal; Singh Lamba, Gobind, eds. (1974). "List of Books - Old". Dr. Harcharan Singh - Life History (in Punjabi). Bhasha Bhavan Patial India: Language Dept. Govt. of Punjab. pp. 1–2.
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