Hamdard Weekly celebrates its 20th anniversary

By Jagdeesh Mann
Mata Press Service

The concepts of 'dukh' and 'sukh' are interwoven in Punjabi culture.
Loosely translated as 'pain' and 'peace', these two intimate states undulate restlessly throughout our lives.
According to Punjabi mystics and saints, their fluctuations induce the formation and demise of relationships while their mastery reveals the inner workings of the Divine.
For two decades, Hamdard Punjabi newspaper has shared in the 'dukh & sukh' of its thousands of readers. The weekly which was launched in 1991 by Amar Singh Bhullar, commemorated 20 years of publishing this previous Friday with a ceremony at the Punjab Banquet Hall in Surrey, BC.
'Hamdard' translates literally as 'sympathy' in English. In Punjabi, it articulates a deeper aspiration however - not only to stand shoulder to shoulder with its readers, but to also light a way forward for its primarily immigrant readership base that is trying to forge new roots in Canada and the US.
"Journalism is the most noble of pursuits and anyone who aspires in this profession is constantly challenged - word by written word - to speak truthfully," said Gurdeep Grewal, Hamdard's Western Canada Managing Editor. "It is our honour to continue walking in the footsteps of those who came before us and launched Punjabi journalism in North America."
The first Punjabi language newspaper was launched in British Columbia 101 years ago when Harnam Singh Kari and Gurditta Kumar published 'Swadesh Sewak' on 10th January 1910. It was followed shortly afterwards by Katar Singh Hundal's paper 'Sansar' in 1912.
A year later, Kartar Singh Sarabha launched 'Ghadar' in Urdu and Punjabi in 1913 from San Francisco.
"Punjabi is our mother tongue and our love for our language resonates from the deepest part of our core," continued Grewal from his Abbotsford office. "This is our 'seva' - community service - but it is our livelihood.
"Today 50 people worldwide earn a living from our media company because our readers believe in us and the sacredness of our written word."
To read an E-edition of Hamdard go to http://www.hamdardweekly.com.