It feels like a dream — but could a place like Preet Nagar be created again today in Punjab or Haryana?
Preet Nagar is a village near the India–Pakistan border in Punjab, about 20 km from Amritsar and 20 km from Lahore. It was started by writer and thinker S. Gurbaksh Singh. His dream was to build a colony of love — a place where writers, painters, and theatre artists could live and work together in harmony.
In 1938, about 175 acres of land were bought, and similar houses were built for all. Many great artists and writers lived there — Balwant Gargi, Mulk Raj Anand, Kartar Singh Duggal, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Sahir Ludhianvi, Amrita Pritam, Balraj Sahni, Nanak Singh, Noor Jehan, Upendranath Ashk, Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi, Shiv Batalvi, and Prof. Mohan Singh.
For a few years, Preet Nagar truly became a magical place full of art and love. But over time, many artists left to return to their own paths. Even today, the old memories remain — there’s still a printing press, a magazine, and a few books published from there.
The Life of Sardar Gurbaksh Singh “Preetladi”
Sardar Gurbaksh Singh, also known as Preetladi, was born on April 26, 1895, in Sialkot (now in Pakistan).
He earned a degree in civil engineering from Roorkee Engineering College in 1918 and joined the Army’s engineering branch, serving in Baghdad. Later, he went to Michigan State University (USA) for higher studies.
After returning to India, he worked with Indian Railways (1925–1932). Through his travels and experiences, he developed the idea of creating a place where people connected to writing, art, and culture could live together — and that dream became Preet Nagar.
Before the colony, Gurbaksh Singh had already started a magazine called Preetladi (1933). It helped writers and artists from ordinary backgrounds share their work. His writing, especially his fiction, was widely respected. Even Gandhi and Nehru visited Preet Nagar once, curious about this new idea.
But, as Gurbaksh Singh once said in a 1970 conversation,
“Most writers cannot escape their egos.”
Because of that, many artists couldn’t stay united for long.
His Writings and Legacy
He wrote 24 famous works, including:
Ishq Jinhan Di Haddi Rachaya, Anviyahi Maa, Zindagi Te Kavita, Shabnam, Zindagi Vaaras Hai, Bhaabi Maina, Manzal Dis Pai, Preetan Di Pehredaar, and Khula Dar.
He passed away in 1977 in Chandigarh, leaving behind a legacy as the father of Punjabi prose.
What Happened to Preet Nagar
During the Partition of India in 1947, many residents fled because of violence and fear. Gurbaksh Singh’s own family also left for a short time but returned later with a few other families.
In the 1990s, the Gurbaksh Singh–Nanak Singh Foundation was set up to continue his mission. His son Navtej Singh managed it, followed by his grandson Sumit Singh, and later his daughter Uma Gurbaksh Singh.
When the border was peaceful, theatre groups from Pakistan would come to perform there.
But tragedy struck on February 22, 1984 — Sumit Singh, then 30 years old and editor of Preetladi, was murdered by terrorists near Lopoke village because he wrote fearlessly against fundamentalism. His wife Poonam Singh, also progressive, refused to attend his last rites in protest against religious hatred. His last editorial, written days before his death, became a strong call to fight terrorism.
The Spirit of Preet Nagar
Journalist Nirupama Dutt once wrote that “Preet Nagar was once like Mecca for artists and writers.”
It was a place of shared living and equality. There was:
-
A community kitchen (people cooked and ate together)
-
Shared farming and dairy work
-
A school that focused on experiential learning instead of rote lessons
-
A library, reading room, and theatre activities
The village layout was drawn in 1936, land was purchased in 1937, and on June 7, 1938, sixteen families moved in — the dream came true.
Gurbaksh Singh even brought the first foreign tractor to Punjab, thanks to his education in the US — which his wife had made possible by selling her jewelry to fund his studies.
Novelist Nanak Singh, one of the first residents, remained in Preet Nagar until his death, and in 1999, the Gurbaksh Singh–Nanak Singh Foundation was officially registered.
Today, the fourth generation continues his legacy. Under the Artists Residency Program, run by Ratika Singh and Samia Singh, artists and students from Britain, Colombia, Scotland, Mauritius, Canada, and Bangalore have come to Preet Nagar to write, paint, and make documentaries about Punjabi culture.
Preet Nagar still stands — quieter now, but full of memories.
It reminds us that art, love, and shared humanity can build bridges, even near a border.
