GHUMMAN, KAPUR SINGH (1927 – 1985)

GHUMMAN, KAPUR SINGH Ghumman, Kapur Singh (1927 – 1985), born at Dulcheeke in the District of Sialkot in 1927, was an eminent Punjabi dramatist. He also explored the Punjabi folk-literature. He obtained degrees of M.A. in Punjabi and Munshi Fazil in Urdu, Lahore and started his career as a teacher and worked as a Sub-Editor of Sainik Samachar where he worked from 1947 to 1956. At the end of his career he rose to the position of Director, Language Department (Punjab), Patiala and then Director, Punjab State University Text Book Board, Chandigarh.

He devoted his entire energy to writing and directing Punjabi plays. His full length plays are Jeundi laash, Bandgalli, Putlighar, Manas ki ekjaat, Atit de parchhaven, Vismad nad, Azadi da supna, Noor Jahan, Ucha takht Lahore da and Roda Jalali. His collection of one act plays include Rab de rang, Zaildar,Gait kimtan. Do jotan do moortan, Kavi te kavita, Kach de gajjre, Jhungalmata, Is paar us paar, Man anter ki peed, Narantar chalde natak.

Do kurrian, behran natak. Some of his plays have been broadcast at the national level. While directing and producing his plays on the stage, he inspired and involved his entire family in this dramatic venture. He was one of the inspirers and moving fora in popularising the drama-medium and theater movement in Punjab. He was a dramatist who believed in doing different experiments in his different plays.

He inherited the realistic play tradition initiated by his predecessor Ishwar chander Nanda and wrote some plays in this style. He also explored the folk-literature of Punjab and wrote plays on the basis of this folk-tradition (Rani Koklan and Roda Jalali). He won the Sahitya Akada award in 1984 for his play Pagal lok.

References :

1. Amarjit Singh, Punjabi sahit da itihas ”Qissab Amritsar, 1981.
2. Hamam Singh Shan (ed.), Sufi-Kavya Sangrah 1961.
3. Kohli, S.S. (ed.) Punjabi Sahit Kosh, Vol.1 Chandigarh, 1976.
4. Parminder Singh, Characteristics and Tendend of Punjabi Literature during later Nineteenth Century, Punjabi Sahit da Itihas, Patiala, 1963
5. Sekhon, S.S. and Duggal, A History of Punjab Literature, Delhi, 1992.