The Public Archive of Revolutionary Culture, Punjab, is a platform dedicated to deepening our understanding of the role of culture for social transformation. This is a collective effort and an open platform for discussion and dialogue. Conceived as a living archive eventually, it’s a work in progress currently, to bring revolutionary cultural material from Punjab under this platform. The beginning is made by bringing Gursharan Singh’s work together in recognition of his immense contribution to building and shaping revolutionary cultural movement in Punjab.
Gursharan Singh began his theatre journey in 1958 and never looked back since. There is a well-known story of how his theatre activity began. In 1958, he was posted in Bhakra Nangal, where he worked on the Dam site as a hydraulic expert, the Dam was dedicated to the people of the country by Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Soviet leaders Khrushchev and Bulganin came to Nangal on this occasion and a cultural show was organized that evening for the dignitaries. Gursharan Singh was in-charge of the show – Gopi Krishan Maharaj; Yamini Krishnamurthy, Pundit Birju Maharaj; Lal Chand Yamla Jatt; Surinder Kaur and many others were invited to perform. The show was open to the visiting dignitaries and Bhakra managers. Gursharan Singh requested the management that workers be invited to view the rehearsal of the cultural show. He was told that it would be a wasted effort, as ‘workers don’t understand fine culture’. This shook him badly and he went around asking artists to stay for an additional day to perform for the workers. Some stayed and others did not for a performance for the workers the next day.