THE PUNJAB AND BENGAL

About THE PUNJAB AND BENGAL

In the course of time the Punjab and Bengal has become very popular with some of the institutions, libraries and the academicians. In the Punjab, Delhi and Kolkata there has been a constant demand of this book which has necessitated the publication of the second edition. Accordingly the second revised edition is being published in order to meet the demand, which I am sure will fulfill the aspiration of the institutions, libraries, academicians, research scholar and students. PREFACE OF THE FIRST EDITION The Punjab and Bengal have been enamoured of each other from quite a long time ago. They span the country's heartland, like the proverbial elephants on a book-shelf, in two corners of this vast sub-continent. They have shared, through ages, their varied experiences inspite of diversities in their ethos yet echoing each others emotional reverberations, proof of which is found in abundance. It was, perhaps, pre-destined that these two regions should have similar circumstances which should not only bring about a kind of closeness between the two but also necessitated the inter-dependence of one on the other for their proper development. And this process has continued over a long period, in peaceful interludes as well as in turbulent times. The Punjab and Bengal continue to interact emotionally even now like nothing else in the world. It was indeed fate which brought these two regions much closer together at the turn of the century in the struggle for independence and the people of these regions fought shoulder to shoulder for the independence of the motherland as 'comrades-in-arms' and, again, it was an irony of fate that at the time of independence of India in 1947 A.D., the Punjab and Bengal were the two provinces that were truncated - their price paid for the country's freedom. Both the provinces had to suffer untold misery for the consequent arson, bloodshed, rape and other atrocities committed by the frenzied mobs which compelled millions of their people to leave their homes and hearths. The people of the Punjab and Bengal, as a result, became 'comrades-in-suffering" and had to face misery and identical problems for the rehabilitation of their uprooted folks who were forced to migrate. The uprooted people have resettled in the rest of the country and it goes to their credit that they are making useful contribution to the over-all development of the country in an admirable way and are now "comrades-in-progress". While it is a fact that there is a large segment of Bengalis in the Punjab as doctors, engineers and in other professional fields, particularly in the teaching profession, there are nearly one million Punjabis living in West Bengal, fifty percent of whom are in Calcutta alone. Many of the Punjabis are settled in Calcutta for the last several generations. They live here, work here, have friends here and are found in all walks of life, thus lending a unique cosmopolitan character to this great metropolis. It is in this context that an attempt is made in presenting this monograph to trace out the links of Punjabis and Bengalis, through the ages, from historical, religious, social, educational, national and commercial points of view to establish the strong bonds which have continued to exist since time immemorial of Punjabi-Bengali affinity of spirit. I take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to my revered professor, Dr. Pratap Chandra Chunder, a scholar extraordinary, who has favoured me greatly by writing a valuable "Foreword" to this book.