Modern Punjabi Fiction

Friday, April 18, 2025 | 6:00 - 8:00 PM | A-12, Academic Block, LUMS

The Gurmani Centre hosted an engaging literary session dedicated to exploring the evolving landscape of modern Punjabi fiction. The event brought together writers, scholars, and literary enthusiasts for a two-part discussion centered around two significant works: Chīk, a novel by Nain Sukh, and Jangal Rakhay Jag dey, a collection of short stories by Shahzad Aslam.

The first half of the event focused on Chīk, with insightful commentary by Iqbal Haider Butt. The conversation began by unpacking the broader methodologies of fiction writing, especially within the context of Punjabi literature. Butt highlighted how Chīk defies conventional linguistic boundaries by embracing an “impure” language—rich with neologisms and layered meanings. He argued that Nain Sukh’s work resists writing Punjabi as a marginal language, instead using it as a powerful medium to critique societal structures. Particular attention was given to how the novel investigates the inorganic making of Punjab’s elite, and how an anthropological thrust drives the narrative. The session concluded with a vibrant discussion on techniques in fiction, especially within the domain of historical storytelling in the modern era.

The second segment featured Shahzad Aslam, who shared his thoughts on the making of modern fiction and its intellectual evolution. Drawing connections from Aristotelian poetics to modernist techniques, Aslam situated his own storytelling within a long tradition of literary experimentation. Notably, he discussed the influence of writers like Virginia Woolf and how techniques such as stream of consciousness allow for deeper introspection and a more nuanced representation of internal realities. Tipu Sultan Makhdoom offered a thoughtful critique of Aslam’s stories, contextualizing them within the author’s personal journey. He emphasized the centrality of perspective in fiction and how literature can help readers grasp the subtle complexities of diverse human experiences.

The event successfully created a reflective space to examine the craft of storytelling in Punjabi, highlighting both its historical underpinnings and contemporary innovations. It also reinforced the importance of regional languages as vibrant, dynamic mediums of literary expression.