Shakespeare in Sangrur
Talking about libraries, there is a Dhaba near Mastuana on the Sangrur-Bathinda highway (by-pass) At first, there seems nothing unusual about it but if you happen to be a student of English literature, it stuns you as you look closer. As you are driving at 100 kilometres an hour on the Highway, a signboard intrigues you for it combines two words which you may never ever expect to see in the company of each other. And the words are " Hamlet Dhaba."
Once, travelling with my young friends, Trishneet Arora and Bikramjit Singh Allabaksh I was amused by this strange combination. I thought it was some sort of a joke, or that someone may have got the spellings of Harmit wrong and spelt it as Hamlet. But as I got closer, I noticed something incredible - a painted image of a book. As one got closer, one could notice not only the name "Hamlet' inscribed in small print on the book but even two other words which looked absolutely extraterrestrial in this part of the world. And those words were William Shakespeare.
I immediately realised not only how stupid I had been in concluding that Hamlet on a signboard proclaiming a Punjabi Dhaba may have been a case of funny misspellings but also making fun of it. The joke was clearly on me.
I immediately realised not only how stupid I had been in concluding that Hamlet on a signboard proclaiming a Punjabi Dhaba may have been a case of funny misspellings but also making fun of it. The joke was clearly on me.
Out of sheer curiosity, I decided to stop by and have a quick bite and of course indulge in my greatest luxury in life: tea.
As we walked towards the desk where the boy, maybe in his early twenties, managing this modest Dhaba was busy keeping accounts, I couldn't resist asking him who the owner of this place was. When he introduced himself as the owner, I smiled and gently broke into a relaxed chat with him with the first natural query, " And the name? What is Hamlet and is that really the name of this Dhaba?"
He was an exceedingly polite, softspoken boy. And I noticed that the material he was pouring over was not an accounts register but a book; Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Immediately, the entire narrative unfolded before me. I was talking to perhaps the most unusual owner of a Dhaba in my entire life, a significant part of which - especially my overstaying youth and middle age- has been spent enjoying stop-overs in these Punjabi eateries> Who could have imagined that William Shakespeare would one day find a fan in rugged, rustic Punjabi milieu - and that the incentive for this would come through what is arguably his most " mind" masterpiece, the most intellectual and the most talked-about play, Hamlet.
Anyway, the boy, a typical handsome Jatt Sikh semi-rural youth, seemed pleased by my query. In fact, he said that he has waited and waited for someone to ask him "What is this name, and what does it mean?" Dhabas are more commonly named after prophets (Guru Nanak Dhaba) or wrestlers ( Pehlwan Dhaba)feudal titles (Zamidara Dhaba) and sometimes even after the names of Hindu gods and goddesses, especially goddesses. ( Annapoorna Dhaba) or simply Punjabi Dhaba. The tag line often includes a reference to the hearty Punjabi delicacies - Makki di Roti, Sarson da Saag ( Ghar di Lassi te Makhan free)
He was an exceedingly polite, softspoken boy. And I noticed that the material he was pouring over was not an accounts register but a book; Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Immediately, the entire narrative unfolded before me. I was talking to perhaps the most unusual owner of a Dhaba in my entire life, a significant part of which - especially my overstaying youth and middle age- has been spent enjoying stop-overs in these Punjabi eateries> Who could have imagined that William Shakespeare would one day find a fan in rugged, rustic Punjabi milieu - and that the incentive for this would come through what is arguably his most " mind" masterpiece, the most intellectual and the most talked-about play, Hamlet.
Anyway, the boy, a typical handsome Jatt Sikh semi-rural youth, seemed pleased by my query. In fact, he said that he has waited and waited for someone to ask him "What is this name, and what does it mean?" Dhabas are more commonly named after prophets (Guru Nanak Dhaba) or wrestlers ( Pehlwan Dhaba)feudal titles (Zamidara Dhaba) and sometimes even after the names of Hindu gods and goddesses, especially goddesses. ( Annapoorna Dhaba) or simply Punjabi Dhaba. The tag line often includes a reference to the hearty Punjabi delicacies - Makki di Roti, Sarson da Saag ( Ghar di Lassi te Makhan free)
I know about the etymology of the word ' restaurant' which has a French origin and means foods and " bouillons" or soups that "restaur" - or "restore." But Dhaba? Well, it started with the Punjabi word "Dabba" as they originally used to serve food for truck drivers and the food used to be packed in a box (Dabba)
But what is the Prince of Denmark doing in a "dabba" en route Bathinda ?. Well, when first staged, Shakespeare's Hamlet was a 'box'-office disaster, and the Hindi word for a Bollywood film which bombs at the turnstiles is also "Dabba".. So there is a connection? Not really. ,
When I asked him about the secret behind this unusual name for his dhaba, he said, "Sir, Hamlet was a Prince..."
"Of Denmark?" I added.
"Do you know, sir? How nice ! And you are the first person to stop by just to inquire about the name."
"No, not just for that. We will have our breakfast too, with tea,"
.
Hamlet, the restaurant or Dhaba, owes its name to the passion which this young boy, although a college drop-out, has for English literature, especially for Shakespeare. "And I simply adore Hamlet. But I need Macbeth. I couldn't get a copy that."
.
Hamlet, the restaurant or Dhaba, owes its name to the passion which this young boy, although a college drop-out, has for English literature, especially for Shakespeare. "And I simply adore Hamlet. But I need Macbeth. I couldn't get a copy that."
"Macbeth in Mastuana, Shakespeare in Sangrur- what next? Browning in Bathinda? " I laughed
Talking to him, I noticed something even more unusual for a dhaba: book-racks - a humble library. There was a reasonably good collection of books there in Punjabi, Hindi and English, including of course the plays of WS. And - hold your breath - it even has The Love Song of Alfred J Prufrock, including the greatest masterpiece of "modern" poetry - The Waste Land by T S Eliot.
And the pride of place in this humble library is given to my favourite poet, Shiv Kumar Batalavi.
And the pride of place in this humble library is given to my favourite poet, Shiv Kumar Batalavi.
I have promised to the boy that all the books in my personal library will form a part of this "Hamlet Library." I can think of no better use to which my books could be put than to be available to the commonest of common Punjabis. If I have stopped by this Dhabba today for a literary reason, who knows how many others too will.
And I propose to buy as many books of Punjabi literature and Punjab's history as I possibly can with my meagre means, and donate all of these to this unusual "start-up."
Better a commoner start-up than elitist upstarts.
And I propose to buy as many books of Punjabi literature and Punjab's history as I possibly can with my meagre means, and donate all of these to this unusual "start-up."
Better a commoner start-up than elitist upstarts.
So, I said I would bring some books for this Hamlet Library.
"No, sir, it is not Hamlet Library. That is the name of the Dhaba. It is " Sahir Library "( Sahir Ludhianavi)
"I have Parchhaaiyaan and Tanhaayian, plus Sahir ki Muntakhib Nazme. I also have Ghalib, Faiz , Allama Iqbal and Professor Mohan Mohan Singh. And of course, I have Loona," " I said.
He insisted we must not pay for breakfast.
"Awww, soo sweet. But, listen, you need the money to buy more books," I said, thrusting some money without counting into his breast pocket.
He seemed embarrassed but had more respect for my seniority than many of the supposedly more cultured people show these days to their seniors.
And as for "T S Eliot for Truck drivers" well, this also happens in India.
Jokes apart, I thought the boy deserves a national award for his ingenuity and his sincere passion for reading and , more importantly, for helping others read.
He insisted we must not pay for breakfast.
"Awww, soo sweet. But, listen, you need the money to buy more books," I said, thrusting some money without counting into his breast pocket.
He seemed embarrassed but had more respect for my seniority than many of the supposedly more cultured people show these days to their seniors.
And as for "T S Eliot for Truck drivers" well, this also happens in India.
Jokes apart, I thought the boy deserves a national award for his ingenuity and his sincere passion for reading and , more importantly, for helping others read.
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