ਇੱਕ ਨਵੀਂ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਵਿੱਚ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੇ ਆਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਆ ਵਿਚਲੇ ਪਰਵਾਸ ਅਤੇ ਇਸ ਨਾਲ਼ ਸਬੰਧਿਤ ਵਿਸ਼ਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਪੇਸ਼ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ।
ਲੇਖਕ ਹਰਕੀਰਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੰਧਰ ਆਪਣੀ ਪਲੇਠੀ ਕਿਤਾਬ 'ਜਦੋਂ ਤੁਰੇ ਸੀ' ਲਈ ਕਾਫ਼ੀ ਉਤਸ਼ਾਹਿਤ ਹਨ - ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਪਹਿਲੇ ਐਡੀਸ਼ਨ ਤਹਿਤ ਇਸ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਦੀਆਂ 2000 ਕਾਪੀਆਂ ਛਪਵਾਈਆਂ ਜੋ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮੁਫ਼ਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਦੇਣ ਦਾ ਫੈਸਲਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ।
ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਸੰਧਰ ਨੇ ਐੱਸ ਬੀ ਐਸ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਨੂੰ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ 160 ਸਫ਼ਿਆਂ ਦੀ ਇਸ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਵਿੱਚ 80 ਲੇਖ ਹਨ ਜਿਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਭਾਰਤੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਆਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਆ ਵਿਚਲੇ ਪਰਵਾਸ ਦੀ ਕਹਾਣੀ ਅਤੇ ਸਬੰਧਿਤ ਵਿਸ਼ਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਥਾਂ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਗਈ ਹੈ।
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ਕਿਤਾਬ ਦਾ ਇੱਕ ਲੇਖ ਆਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਆ ਦੀਆਂ ਕੁਝ ਖਾਸ ਸੜਕਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਵਾਂ 'ਤੇ ਅਧਾਰਿਤ ਹੈ - ਜਿਵੇਂ ਕਿ ਮਾਲਵਾ ਲੇਨ, ਪੰਜਾਬ ਪਲੇਸ, ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ ਗਲੇਡ, ਲੁਧਿਆਣਾ ਗਲੇਡ, ਸਿੰਘ ਰੋਡ, ਸਿੰਘ ਸਟ੍ਰੀਟ, ਸਿੰਘ ਲੇਨ ਅਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਵੀ ਬਹੁਤ ਸਾਰੇ....
ਹੋਰ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਲਈ ਸੁਣੋ ਹਰਕੀਰਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੰਧਰ ਨਾਲ਼ ਕੀਤੀ ਗਈ ਇਹ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਗੱਲਬਾਤ....
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Sydney-based Punjabi writer and journalist Harkirat Singh Sandhar has presented what he claims his five years of research work, in the form of a book ‘Jadon Ture See’ (Destination Australia).
Mr Sandhar says his book with a title which literally means ‘When We Started’ may serve as a source of information on the immigration history and successful integration of Indians in the Australian society.
The book was launched in the NSW Parliament in Sydney on Tuesday 17 September.
In an interview with SBS Punjabi, Mr Sandhar mentioned that his book consists of 80 different articles covered in about 160 pages.
Source: Supplied
“It is a coffee table book which is easy to read and is supported with relevant images,” he said.
“I must mention that it is not my book, it’s our book. It’s about our ancestors, how they reached Australia, faced challenges and successfully established themselves in the Australian society.
Mr Sandhar said he has also covered stories of Indian hawkers and farm labourers.
“That is the most interesting part of this book. I also had a focus on the early Indian settlements in the NSW town of Woolgoolga and Tallee in North Qld, he said.
A special book chapter aims to explore different street names with a focus on Punjabi, Sikh and Indian significance.
Source: Supplied
“There are many interesting names which are part of Australian road maps – like, Malwa Lane, Punjab Place, Amritsar Glade, Ludhiana Glade, Singh Road, Singh Street, Singh Lane and many more,” he says.
Mr Sandhar has dedicated one chapter on how spices [masala] shaped India’s trade with Australia in older times.
“I wanted to investigate why sometimes our kids are being teased in school, calling them ‘curry munchers’,” he said. “I have found some of the Indian spices references dating back to 1940s in an Australian magazine Women’s weekly.”
Mr Sandhar said that he does not consider himself as a ‘historian but a mere information-collector’.
“It is a tough call to be called a historian. History is a tough subject where things do change based on the sources from where you take references,” he added.
“For this work, I have also spoken to about 25 families who have four-five generations successfully living here in Australia. It was quite astonishing to listen to their stories as their ancestors moved to Australia in 1880-90s.”
The author states that the book is free of cost with around 2000 copies available for the general public from its first edition.
