Punjab CM releases Sikh literature encyclopaedia

Chandigarh, Dec 1: Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has released the first volume of the 'Encyclopaedia of the Sikh Literature', the English version of ''Gurushabad Ratankar Mahan Kosh'' by Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha here.

Speaking on the occasion, Capt Singh congratulated the team of the Punjabi University who undertook this gigantic task to translate this 'Mahan Kosh' in English, originally prepared in 1926 and published in 1930--12th in the history of encyclopaedias of the world.

''A vast reservoir of profound and varied knowledge this 'Mahan Kosh' has not been best used, particularly by the people in India and abroad, not well versed in Punjabi language'', said Capt Singh.

In his address, Punjabi University Vice Chancellor S S Boparai said that about two years back, that University took the initiative to translate this 'Mahan Kosh' into English language, which was supported by Major A P Singh, grandson of Bhai Kahan Singh, various linguistic experts and 24 translators.

Visualised as Encyclopaedia of Sikh Literature by Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha, this comprises of expositions with illustrations of 64,263 terms relating to Gurmat and Gurbani. Not only this, terms relating to ancient Hindu scriptures, masterpieces of Sanskrit literature, the Indian systems of prosody, music and medicine are explained with the same command.

Head of Punjabi Language Department Dr Dhanwant Kaur also coordinator of this project, while briefing about this translation process said that Late Maj Gurmukh Singh, who translated almost all the words of first three alphabets of Punjabi language, has contributed a lot in the successful completion of this first volume.

Dr Kaur expects the completion of the work on second volume by the end of year 2007 and has the target of completing all the four volumes of this 'Mahan Kosh' by end of year 2010.

UNI