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THE ONE PANJAB PROJECT

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Our Aim

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The “One Panjab” project aims to understand the history and culture of the undivided Panjab from both sides of the border and share it with each other and with a global audience. For decades, Indians and Pakistanis - specially Panjabis, have been deprived of a culture that they should have had the liberty to naturally inherit, practically live it and enjoy. This extremely rich Panjabi culture, their ‘Panjabiyat’- should have been their natural ‘virasat,’ irrespective of their country or religion.

  • To highlight the seamless unity of Punjabi culture artificially divided by a Partition - a historical mistake of massive proportions.

  • To promote an awareness especially among youth of the unity of Punjabi culture (and nations) across two sides of the border and build a sense of community.

  • Easy access for people of Punjabi families directly affected by partition to travel to their native areas.

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Who are we?

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We are not a political organization. We cannot solve conflicts but can help to create an atmosphere of peace, friendship and understanding. We believe that the destinies of Panjabis of Pakistan and India are inextricably linked and that we can help break barriers raised by political situations and misunderstanding since we are in fact one people. We are a group of inspired and proud individuals who believe that time is long over to live in a broken half of a culture and the time has come to embrace the full Panjabiyat of the un-partitioned Panjab.

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What really matters to us?

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That the legacy of a thousand years – the songs of Farid, the voice of Shiv Kumar Batalvi, and current poems of Patar and wonderful works of other younger contemporary artists are not limited to an audience in politically created silos: Let these be freely accessible to all Panjabis wherever they reside.

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What do we do?

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Each of us have various professions from teaching to research; from the high Technology development goals to sitting in the corporate board room – we come from all walks of life but with a strong common commitment to peace and friendship across all borders specially across the India and Pakistan border.

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How you can help the One Panjab project?

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You can join our team and we will appreciate your expertise in any field which can contribute to the project. It is, after all, not our project but the project of all Panjabis all over this not so wide world anymore.

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Encourage and support understanding of the culture, heritage and common history of the   unpartitioned Panjab leading to community cohesion and peace. Offer new perspectives on the undivided Panjab – religion, history and politics. Break down misunderstanding and misidentification by addressing negative stereotypes. Attract talented academics and students from around the world. Become a feeder ‘academy’ to funnel a talented pool of youth in this field into serious research. With this intent, the One Panjab Project aims to create a creative learning & resource sharing space in Gurugram with a strong interactive online resource and educational centre. Our goal is clear: to connect individuals worldwide in contemporary times, to the undivided Panjab.

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The absolute core aim of the One Panjab Project is to uncover the bright Kohinoor of the Complete Panjabi Culture so that that its magnificent light can shine across the world and enter the souls of Panjabis and non-Panjabis alike. And like the light of the sun, this light of the One Panjab Kohinoor is the right of all to know about and appreciate without any distinction of religion or boundaries.

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The partition in 1947 leading to two independent states marked some unforgettable memories of culture, solidarity and aesthetic – and also divided the rich culture and aesthetic of Panjab. The new states East Panjab (India) and West Panjab (Pakistan) were not just divided, but people of the respective states were brutally hurt and tortured.  The undivided Panjab is a tribute to the great effort of Muslim Sufis, Hindu Saints and Sikh Gurus through poetry and prose. For decades, we all have been deprived of our boundless treasure  and we all deserve to reclaim the opportunity to have knowledge of our ancestors, history and culture. Thus, the One Panjab Project is that one step towards knowing and understanding the missing pieces.

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The aim is to share our research with a wider audience all around the world. The focus of the project is to set up a creative learning space, and the success of this project is largely dependent upon the support, guidance and mentoring of the network of historians, academia, enthusiasts, and youth.

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