Symbolism in Punjabi Literature: An Exploration of Cultural and Spiritual Dimensions
Keywords:
symbolism, Punjabi literature, charkha, doli, rivers (Chenab, Sutlej, Ravi), peepal tree, tiger, moon, banyan tree, flute, field (khet), lamp (chirag), anklets (jhanjhar), sword/khanda, Sufi poetry, folk narratives, ishq, qissas, Partition, agrarian life, cultural fusion, diaspora, resistance, spiritual awakening, love, separation, identityAbstract
Symbols serve as powerful literary tools, allowing objects, actions, or ideas to carry meanings that extend far beyond their surface-level significance. Through symbolism, writers infuse texts with emotional, philosophical, and cultural layers, linking the physical world to abstract concepts. This paper examines the concept and historical development of symbolism, tracing its presence across global traditions before focusing on its expressions in Asian, South Asian, and particularly Punjabi literature. Special attention is given to the distinctive symbolic patterns in Punjabi works, revealing their deep ties to the region's spiritual, agrarian, and historical identity.
Downloads
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Shabnam Ishaq, Prof. Dr. Nabila Rehman (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
© Author(s). This article is published as Open Access under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
