Chandigarh (Balwinder Singh): The Haryana Sahitya and Sanskriti Academy officially released the Haryanvi literary work “Sakuntala” authored by senior Sanskrit, Hindi, and Haryanvi scholar Dr. Jai Bhagwan Sharma. The formal book launch ceremony was held at the Academy building in Panchkula on Thursday, jointly presided over by the Academy’s Executive Vice-President Professor Kuldeep Chand Agnihotri, Information, Public Relations and Languages Department Joint Director Neeraj Kumar, and Member Secretary Manjeet Singh.
Releasing the volume to the public, Professor Kuldeep Chand Agnihotri stated that the publication represents a major milestone in popularizing classical Sanskrit literature among rural audiences through regional Haryanvi idioms. He commended the structural quality of the emotional and contextual translation, noting that translating a complex theatrical masterpiece requires intense linguistic mastery. Agnihotri emphasized that such initiatives significantly bridge the gap between classical scholarly texts and general public readability.
Elaborating on the creative journey behind the script, author Dr. Jai Bhagwan Sharma explained that the publication is an authentic emotional and situational translation of Mahakavi Kalidasa’s celebrated classical Sanskrit play Abhigyan Shakuntalam. Sharma revealed that the primary academic objective of this adaptation was to revive older, traditional Haryanvi vocabulary and regional phrasing that have gradually faded from everyday modern conversations. By anchoring the classical play firmly within a traditional Haryanvi pastoral milieu, the translation renders the historical narrative highly accessible for contemporary theatrical staging and local script readings.
The literary gathering featured detailed discussions on the preservation of regional languages and ancient dialects in northern India, with scholars stressing that printed adaptations serve as vital lexical archives for fading words. The cultural event was attended by prominent state writers, linguistic researchers, and administrative delegates, including Dr. Bijender, Naresh Kumar, and Raman Harit, who all extended their congratulations to the author for enriching regional dramaturgy.
