Foreign scholars interact on Punjab

Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

There is something in the “blood and life” of the land of five rivers to attract researchers from various parts of the world to come here to study the life, customs and traditions.

At least 10 researchers from the USA, Canada and Germany are participating in a six week summer camp being organised in the city jointly by Columbia University and the University of California, Santa Barbara.

In the mid 1990’s, Prof Gurinder Singh Mann, teaching in the Religion Department at Columbia University, perceived the need for a summer programme. It was planned not only as an intensive language programme but as a focus for study of Punjabi history and culture within the state itself, drawing on academic sources available here, it was pointed out.

The trip has been an annual feature since 1997. This time an advisory note of the US authorities had asked for cancellation of the workshop in the wake of incidents of international terrorism. However, the camp organisers were undeterred and went ahead with the camp programme.

Participants at a summer camp on Punjab being organised by Columbia University and University of California, Santa Barbara, in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph Chandigarh, August 8

Professor Mann specialises in Sikh history. However, the programme gives equal attention to the contributions of Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and other communities during different stages of Punjab history.

Dr Mann accepted newly created professorship of Sikh Studies at University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1998.

A student described his experience as “critical for any student working on Punjab, providing crucial language training, a comprehensive overview of the region, as well the opportunity to follow individual interests”.

One of the most important components of the workshop is visits to various sites in the region. These include ancient Hindu, Jain and Buddhist temples at Baijnath, Jwalamukhi, Kangra, Masroor, Naina Devi and Sanghol, Islamic monuments at Batala, Kapurthala, Nakodar, Nurmahal, Sirhind and Sikh sacred places from Anandpur Sahib to Sultanpur.

The programme includes interaction with leading academic lights from different fields to give more depth to the agenda. Some leading names include Prof Indu Banga, Prof J. S. Grewal, Prof B. N. Goswamy, Dr Rana Nayar and Neelam Mansingh, to name a few.

It has been pointed out that “the programme aims at working towards an educational agenda where traditionally held dichotomies between western scholars and their eastern counterparts are more carefully examined. Both Indian and western scholars with post-modern and post-colonial commitments and research interests meet with traditional scholars, students from the Indian diaspora, graduates from the world over, local activists and leaders.’

Daniel Michon, a research scholar at University of California, said religion being his subject , a visit to Punjab gave him an opportunity to see in person a land which was a common meeting ground of different prominent religions in relation to the Sikhs. Prof Constance M Elsberg, Northern Virginia College, Arlington, said the visit was of immense help in her subject (Sociology). This batch also had a student from Panjab University.