Puran Singh (An Inflamed Heart)

GURBHAGAT SINGH was Professor of English and Dean of Languages at Punjabi University, Patiala. He obtained M.A. & Ph.D. from the University of California. His known books are Western Poetics and Eastern Thought, Transcultural Poetics, UttaradhunikvCEd, Sikhism & Postmodern Thought. At present he is translating Sri Guru Granth Sahib into English.

The intention of this book is to elaborate the vision and thrust of Puran Singh' writings. It has been suggested that his texts, inspired and fired by the ideal of multidimensional Nirvana of the individual, community, and the world, are not mere literary exercises. In the contemporary crisis-ridden context in which Western Imperialism, with greed for cumulating capital, was damaging and interpellating Eastern cultures, the writings were Puran Singh's pious effort to establish the Eastern difference. While remaining open to the West and absorbing its new ideas, Puran Singh constructs a syncretic but essentially Punjabi/Sikh vision that leads to a nirvanic life in which the sacred and the poetic integrate. In this process, the literary forms that he uses: free verse, novel, drama, short story, essay, also get modified. Due to the Eastern hagiological interest that Puran Singh needs to articulate his ideas, these forms do not remain canonical. They become specific and politico-cultural invention of Puran Singh. Here only his representative works have been discussed. I am grateful to the Punjabi University, Patiala for giving me the opportunity to write this book, acknowledging the debt that we Punjabis owe to Puran Singh.

I should also mention here that in all humility and to the best of my ability I have discussed Puran Singh in today's international idiom, intending to make him part of our contemporary discourse.

The main object of Punjabi University has been all-round development of Punjabi Language ever since its establishment in 1962. To achieve this aim quite a large number of projects have been undertaken. It is a matter of satisfaction and pride that the University has already published more than two thousand titles in Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu and English which cater to the aesthetic needs of readers of diverse tastes.

The book Puran Singh : An Inflamed Heart has been written by the renowned scholar Dr. Gurbhagat Singh. The learned writer has tried to give some rare insights into the life, literature and philosophy of Professor Puran Singh, which a common redder may not have come across before. Professor Puran Singh, besides writing in Punjabi, has also written books in English. Having travelled widely, the writer in him grew more mature and experienced and this is reflected in his beautiful creations, be it in poetry, prose or philosophy. Dr. Gurbhagat Singh in this book has explored and found out the basic strength of the writing, philosophy and ideology of the multi-faced and multi-dimensional personality of Professor Puran Singh. The press copy of the book has been prepared diligently with hard work and dedication by Dr. Yog Raj.

I hope the readers will benefit by this hook.

**Contents and Sample Pages**