Punjabi Drama of Haryana

Survey and Evaluation

सार

Drama is a form of literature which is not only studied as a literary work but is also performed or staged on stage. Every playwright creates plays inspired by the nature of his experience, his life perception and purpose. Through drama, the playwright presents most of the contemporary problems to the readers and the audience and guides the society. Punjabi
literary tradition has spread to the modern times passing through spiritual consciousness, cultural values, feudal system and capitalist thinking. Through various forms of literature like poetry, novel, story, prose etc., the writer is fulfilling his duty towards literature and society and the playwright who creates dramatic literature is also not behind in this work. Although
the beginning of modern Punjabi drama is considered to have been with I. C. Nanda in the twentieth century, its roots are very old. Today, the playwrights who compose Punjabi plays may be living in different states of India or in different countries, but being connected to Punjabi cultural values, they are also composing plays like other forms of literature. Apart from Punjab, plays are also being composed in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana in India. Although plays are being composed in lesser quantity in Haryana compared to other forms of literature, still Punjabi plays of Haryana are gradually strengthening their roots. In this research paper, under the topic ‘Punjabi Plays of Haryana: Survey and Evaluation’, an attempt will be made to survey the plays of Punjabi playwrights of Haryana and present their evaluation according to the ability and this research paper will be useful for the needy researchers by providing important information about Punjabi playwrights of Haryana. In the course of this study, discussions will be held on the well-known playwrights of Haryana like Didar Singh, Ishar Singh Tangh and Sukhchain Singh Bhandari as well as on the new emerging playwrights. An attempt will be made to shed light on the state and direction of Punjabi drama in Haryana by presenting details of the plays being composed by the upcoming Punjabi playwrights from different districts of Haryana like Fatehabad, Ambala, Karnal etc. on various problems.