Pash

For other uses, see Pash (disambiguation).
Avtar singh sandhu

Pash or Paash (ਅਵਤਾਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਪਾਸ਼; September 9, 1950 – March 23, 1988) was the pen name of Avtar Singh Sandhu,[1] one of the major poets of the Naxalite movement in the Punjabi literature of the 1970s. He was killed by Khalistani terrorists on March 23, 1988.[2] His strongly left-wing views were reflected in his poetry.

He was born in Talwandi Sajjlem, Jalandhar, Punjab, growing up in the midst of Naxalite; a revolutionary movement waged in Punjab against the landlords, industrialists, traders, etc. who control the means of production. He published his first book of revolutionary poems, Loh-Katha (Iron Tale), in 1970. His militant and provocative tone raised the ire of the establishment and a murder charge was brought against him. He spent nearly two years in jail, before being finally acquitted.

On acquittal, he became involved in Punjab's maoist front, editing a literary magazine, Siarh (The Plow Line). He became a popular political figure on the left during this period, and was awarded a fellowship at the Punjabi Academy of Letters in 1985. He toured the United Kingdom and the United States the following year; while in U.S., he became involved with the Anti-47 Front, opposing Sikh extremist violence.

Death

In the beginning of 1988 Pash was in Punjab for the renewal of his visa from the United States.[3] A day before leaving for Delhi, however, he was gunned down by Khalistani militants in his village on March 23, 1988

Literary works

Khilre Hoey Varkey was posthumously published in 1989 after his death, followed by his journals and letters. A selection of his poems in Punjabi, Inkar, was published in Lahore in 1997. His poems have been translated in many languages including other Indian languages, Nepali and English.

References

  1. ↑ Tejawanta Siṅgha Gill (1999). Pash. Sahitya Akademi. p. 1. ISBN 9788126007769.
  2. ↑ "Pash's father passes away in California". Hindustan Times. July 25, 2013.
  3. ↑ Amrita Chaudhry (September 9, 2006). "BJP’s rant against Paash earns it intellectual ridicule". Indian Express.

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