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CHAPTER FOUR.
Sundari and other Novel
Father of Modern Punjabi Literature / 37
SUNDARI was the first novel of the Punjabi langua.ge. Bhai
Vir Singh had conceived the story and written at least a
portion of it while still at school. But it was not published until
1898--anyearbefore hebegantheKhalsa Samachar. He was
an avid reader of poetical texts on Sikh history such as Rattan
Singh Bhangu's and Giani Gian Singh's. His young mind must
havebeenstirredbythechivalrous deedsandsacrificeswhich
fill the entire span of the eighteenth century in the Punjab.
This legacyhe was eagerto bringto the notice of his people to
awaken their sense of pride and self-awareness. Such a wish
he could havewell cherished inthe culturallysensitive school
environment. As for the form, he might have made the
acquaintance at school of some of Sir Walter Scott's historical
fiction. Afew of the English novels like Bunyan's The Pilgrim's
Progress, Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and Johnson's Rasselas
were, in any case, available in Urdu translation at that time.
The plot was suggested bya touching Punjabi songcome
down the generations on young maidens' tongues. In tender
notes it exhumed from the historical psyche of the people the
tragic memory of innocent girl being forcibly abducted from
their homes by marauding Mughal soldiers in the disorderly
decadesofthecenturygoneby. One suchgirl, inBhaiVirSingh's
story, was awaiting to be taken after marriage to herparentsin-laws'
homebythebridegroom. Her homerangwithfestivity
andshesat,herheartinyearning, amid girls, singing, dancing
and laughing. Upon this scene of gaiety there fell the shadow
of tragedy. Laughterturnedinto mourning. The Mughal satrap
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