“Humans have boundless energy inside them. It is up to us how we channelise it. The coronavirus lockdown across the world has introduced many of us to our own hidden talents,” says Satnam Singh Manak, one of Punjab’s prominent journalists.
Having written two Punjabi songs during India’s two-month long lockdown period, Mr Manak may have identified the poet or lyricist hidden inside him, under reams of news reports and editorials that have been his life for over three decades.
Aa Dila, sung by famous Punjabi playback singer Anadi Mishra and Dard Da Dariya by upcoming sufi singer Yaqoob Gill, have been making the rounds on Punjab’s prominent entertainment TV channels.
“I’m a very emotional person. Being a journalist, emotions can’t be expressed in my newspaper editorials. But the visuals of the lockdown weighed in on me a lot and I thought, why not write songs about them,” says the Executive Editor of Daily Ajit, one of the most widely read Punjabi newspapers across the world.
The songs juxtapose the compelling contrast of the two facets of India’s lockdown.
One, where nature seemed to have regained its lost beauty and humans their untapped talent, while the other, echoes the plight of the disadvantaged lot in India, especially the migrant labourers who were seen walking thousands of miles back to their villages from their places of work.
“These are not romantic songs, let’s be clear. But for such social commentary to gain traction on social media in a short time, is satisfying,” says Mr Manak referring to response the songs have got on YouTube and Facebook.
Dard Da Dariya has been particularly received well, with over 65,000 views in under a fortnight. Aa Dila has been viewed nearly 18,000 times since its release almost a month ago.
Listen to this podcast in Punjabi by clicking on the player inside the picture at the top of the page.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Find out what restrictions are in place for your state or territory.
Testing for coronavirus is now widely available across Australia. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.The federal government's coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone's app store.
SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments. News and information is available in 63 languages at http://www.sbs.com.au/coronavirus
Listen to SBS Punjabi Monday to Friday at 9 pm. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
