​
For decades, Indians and Pakistanis – specially Panjabis, have been partially deprived of a culture that they should have had the liberty to naturally inherit, live, experience and enjoy. In short, many of them have not been made aware or given full and true access to their own Panjabiyat. Often a single contact with another Panjabi from across the border or an introduction to a heart-warming song or piece of literature can trigger this longing for a deeper connection.
What is Panjabiyat?
Punjabiyat means "Punjabiness" and is the rediscovering and revitalization of the Punjabi spirit and its rich language, history and culture, Panjabiyat is completely irrespective of country, race or religion. By nature Panjabis are not a people to exclude anyone from sharing their warmth and culture. Most Panjabis truly believe that Panjabis and humanity at large have had enough of divisions and partitions, and the world needs more unifications, reconciliations and bridges. Through the ages Panjabis have shown how they have co-existed peacefully and their open, warm welcoming hearts is also a key characteristic of Panjabiyat. It is no surprise that it is this region that gave birth to a major world religion, a kind of spiritual bridging of humanity, based upon the Panjabi principles of sharing and deep caring and respect for all.
The Panjabiyat Manifesto
To recognize Panjabiness’ uniqueness, as distinct from description popular narratives, which are stifling, superficial and do injustice to this region’s local people.
To reconnect all Panjabis of their extremely rich Panjabi culture, this Panjabiyat, their natural virasat, irrespective of their country, religion, vocation or current location.
To support and enable the start of a journey of discovery of Panjabiyat.
A journey towards Panjabiyat which is embedded like a Kohinoor jewel in each Panjabi’s soul.
To recognize and celebrate Panjabis’ common characteristics, heritage, upbeat zeal, and love for their own language and the Panjabi speaking people.
To promote the Panjabi’s natural love of all humanity and openness to different cultures and new ideas.
To bring Panjabi speaking groups, whether in Pakistan or India, together with a focus on the promotion and further growth of a shared cultural heritage.
To help Panjabis shed aside their post-partition divisive perspectives and help bring Muslim, Hindu and Sikh and Christian Panjabis together to recognize their common heritage and become a role model for the world on how to co-exist in harmony. (Appreciation of culture and the arts definitely encourages this harmony).
Create opportunities to connect with Panjab’s undivided culture via a library (physical and online), short courses, symposiums and a quarterly magazine (print and online)
The core aim is to take Panjabiyat in general and in interested Panjabis or other Panjabifiles to the next natural level of Panjabiyat.
Birth of the One Panjab Project
The One Panjab Project is an expression of the wishes of many a Panjabi who encounters another Panjabi from across his or her border – usually in Europe or North America and the bond is instant. Thanks to the migration and now the internet these mulakats are truly karamats. In the moment of connection and a joy one forgets that this is so natural: underlying this connection is hundreds of years of common culture and shared heritage.
The respect, enthusiasm - the grace and mutual appreciation is unexpected and yet so natural. There is talk of each other’s parents or grandparent’s original homes (form across the border) and often common folks are identified and an immediate opportunity is created for lifelong friendships. It is this enthusiasm and mutual appreciation of Panjabis for each other and curiosity and love that has led to the One Panjab Project.
The Aim of the One Panjab Project
The One Panjab project aims to understand the history and culture of the undivided Panjab from both sides of the border and share this common un-partitioned culture, and heritage of Panjab with each other and with a global audience. To enable this cultural dialog of common understanding leading to mutual appreciation and community cohesion and peace would be the expected outcome of our work.
How will One Panjab Project achieve goal of ‘Panjabiyat’?
RESOURCE CENTER
Create an online resource center with carefully curated and chosen information of Panjabi cultural artifacts of all types and to share this valuable information with the seeker of Panjabiyat.
​
CONTEMPORARY CULTURAL WORKS
Develop an online space for contemporary upcoming artists and poets to upload their work and share it with a global audience. Every work will be submitted to the Cultural committee who will review and upload it on the One Panjab portal. Regular exhibitions, online, some offline, will be held and artists can host a symposium and share their views and philosophy behind their works.
​
LIBRARY & RESEARCH CENTER
Create a multiple libraries across the world starting with one in Gurgaon, India (physical and online) and one in Lahore. Offer a research space within this library for interested research and scholars. Offer in-house and online short courses; conduct symposiums and conferences.
ONE PANJAB QUARTERLY REVIEW
Publish a quarterly magazine – (Delhi and Lahore).
One Panjab Review is an online journal of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and photography. It boldly pioneers new pathways, while it honors the thousand year history indivisible from the land it treads
The One Panjab Quarterly Review will feature emerging writers, essayist and poets with the aim of introducing upcoming Panjabi writers working in the literary fields relating to their own work or the Panjabi Classics and the introduction of Panjabi literature through poetry, fiction, non-fiction or literary criticism - to the general public.
There will be a section reserved for high school and college students to encourage the love of Panjabiyat in them.
​
EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM
Attract interested students of all ages and qualifications (specially participants with no formal university degree) to gain academic skills and a basic knowledge of the Panjabi culture in the field of their interest via short courses and seminars. Create content in various topics that increase the participant’s knowledge of Panjabi culture and heritage.
​
Participants from the General Public
These wide ranges of courses enable the participant to acquire a basic critical appreciation and help in developing their ability to discuss these subjects in a knowledgeable manner; and in some cases even become serious critical readers and blog writers, depending upon their personal goals and interest.
​
Currently enrolled or University Graduates
Since our syllabus covers topics which are not usually in any standard syllabus even university graduates who are already in these fields can enhance their current subject knowledge to help them find jobs in a variety of fields working as: scholars, editors, teachers, writers, book reviewers / journalists, historians and researchers.
​
The literature discipline explores the interrelations of literature with other kinds of and the visual arts.
Disciplines similar to literature are history, languages and philosophy. Main subjects of courses in literature include: cultural and literature, topics in literary research, reading fiction, poetry, modern drama, classical literature, women's literature.
​
​