Mahankosh, Urdu Amoz among 80 books to be reprinted due to shortage

The Punjab Language Department has announced the reprinting of 80 important books that are currently out of stock or in limited supply. Among these titles are Mahankosh, Urdu Amoz and several other books. Officials confirmed that the department is actively working to meet the growing demand for these significant publications.

Director of the Punjab Language Department, Jaswant Singh Zafar, told The Tribune that multiple books published by the department will soon be reprinted to meet demand. Notably, while some books on Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji are available, their numbers remain insufficient, prompting efforts for reprints.

One significant publication issue involves the Urdu Amoz book. Urdu classes have been conducted by the department free of cost since 1975, yet until recently, the department lacked its own Urdu teaching book. It was only in 2023 that the department published Urdu Aamoz, a preliminary Urdu learning book using Punjabi as the medium.

The book’s introductory page reads: “Punjabi madhyam rahi Urdu sikhan di mudli pustak” (A preliminary book for learning Urdu via Punjabi medium). Edited by the then Assistant Director Ashraf Mehmood Nandan and Dr Rehman Akhter, Head of the Urdu Department at Punjabi University, the 267-page book was priced at Rs 89. Two thousand copies were printed but quickly went out of stock.

Officials acknowledged that the publication of this book was long overdue. The delay was attributed to a shortage of Urdu teaching staff, which hampered the department’s ability to publish its own material. Until then, students were relying on books recommended by private publishers for their Urdu lessons.

Former Assistant Director Ashraf Mehmood Nandan said, “The book will be helpful and beneficial for those who want to learn the Urdu language.”

Another high-demand book is Mahankosh, a prominent Punjabi language encyclopedia written by Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha, which is currently unavailable.

Regarding works on Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, titles like Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur (in Hindi) and Guru Tegh Bahadur Darshan are in stock but only in limited quantities. The department is making efforts to increase the availability of these books.

Jalandhar