84-yr-old scripts history,translates Guru Granth Sahib into Urdu

Originally written in Gurmukhi script,the translated version of Guru Granth Sahib,running into more than 14,000 pages,is the first of its kind venture. “Translated versions of the Guru Granth Sahib are available in English,Hindi and even Malayalam. I strongly felt that the holy scripture should be also available in Urdu. I had been working on it for about a decade,” says a proud Devinderpal,a retired patwari who is also a Munshi Fazil,an advanced degree in Urdu.

According to Dr Gursharanjit Singh,head of the Department of Guru Nanak Studies at GNDU,an attempt to translate and interpret the Guru Granth Sahib in Urdu was made at the university around 30 years ago,but the initiative failed to mature. “I have been told by a friend from the Ahmadiyya community in Qadian about Devinderpal Singh. Though I have not seen his work yet,if he has really done it,this is tremendous,” he says.

The Shahi Imam of Punjab,Maulana Habib-ur-Rehman Saani Ludhianvi,is all praise for Singh. “This is a good effort. The basic ideology of Guru Granth Sahib and Quran is common. I think its Urdu version will be very useful,” he says.

“The Guru Granth Sahib tells you how to lead an ideal life. I feel Islam and Sikhism share many things in common,” says the writer,who has been running from pillar to post to get the translated version,completed around six months ago,published in his lifetime.

“I am in love with my work. I am at the last stage of my life and want this in print in my lifetime,” says Davinderpal,who also taught at Ferozepur Patwar Training School during his service. He says he was inspired by Khwaja Dil Mohammed,the then principal of Islamia College,Lahore,who translated Japuji Sahib and Sukhmani Sahib in the early 19th century.

In his twilight years,Davinderpal feels it is now a race against time for him — the reason he does not mind knocking the doors of even the Government of Pakistan in the hope of getting his work published. In fact,he recalls,he even wrote to the Pakistani government in Urdu about this a few months ago,when intelligence sleuths in India rushed to his house with queries,but left after learning the purpose of his letter.

Davinderpal had approached the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC),too. “The SGPC has a budget of several crores and a huge amount is reserved for propagation of religion. They can easily publish my work,” he feels.

“The SGPC said my work has to be cleared by a committee of experts,which may take years,” says Devinderpal. “But I do not think that will be possible,because those who are conversant with what is written in the Guru Granth Sahib will not be conversant with Urdu and vice versa. I am not sure if the SGPC would be able to find a person who could examine and clear my work for publishing,” he fears.

Confirming that Devinderpal came to them,SGPC assistant secretary (Sikh History and Research Board) Balwinder Singh Jaura says: “He (Devinderpal) had been called with his work. I asked him to leave a work sample with us so that we can get the work vetted from experts. But he did not agree.”

Davinderpal,meanwhile,claims he had submitted an Urdu translation work with the SGPC a few years ago and the Sikh body had raised some objections,but they refused to return his work,saying it had become “office record”. “It was only after the intervention of (Akali stalwart) Parkash Singh Badal that they returned it,” says Davinderpal. “I can provide photocopies of my work to the SGPC if they want to verify it,” he adds.

SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar,however,claims SGPC is considering the case on “top priority”. “That is why we had called him (Davinderpal) with work samples. I have checked with (Balwinder Singh) Jaura and he told me that Davinderpal was not willing to leave his work samples,” he adds.

“Since it relates to Guru Granth Sahib,the matter is very sensitive and we need to get the translated work vetted by a committee of experts. And it is bound to take a few months before the SGPC takes a call on publishing it,” says Makkar,adding: “I will ask Jaura to pay a visit to Davinderpal Singh in this connection.”