A popular Punjabi writer and poet Dev Tharike Wala was born in the village of Tharike in Punjab. He completed his schooling in Lalton village and did his higher studies from Ludhiana. Encouraged by his teacher Hari Singh Dilbar, he started writing songs and folk lores under the name Hardev Dilgir. He has written 35 books of stories and songs like Zaildarni. Living in Punjab and married to Preetam Kaur, he was inspired by friends to write songs and many of his songs have been sung by popular Punjabi singers, one such record-breaking number sung by Kuldeep Manak is Tere Tille Ton.
Childhood
Dev was born as Hardev Singh, in 1939, to father S. Ram Singh in the village of Tharike in British Punjab. He got his elementary education from the village school where he took admission in 1945. Then he went to High school in Lalton village nearby and then to Ludhiana for higher education. He is married to Preetam Kaur.
Career
While studying in Lalton village high school, his Punjabi teacher, Hari Singh Dilbar, a well known Punjabi writer and novelist, encouraged him to write some poetic and Dev wrote a song for children, as he was a child himself at that time, named Chal Chakk Bhaine Basta School Challiye which was published in a magazine named Bal Darbar. This encouraged him a lot and he continued to writing. Later he started writing stories under the name Hardev Dilgir and till now, wrote about 35 books of stories and songs like Zaildarni Rohee Da Phull, Ikk See Kurhi etc.. He got a job of a teacher in 1960 and his first song was recorded in 1961. His friends encouraged him to write songs and as he was inspired by Inderjit Hasanpuri's song Sadhoo Hunde Rabb Warge, Ghund Kaddh Ke Khair Na Paaiye, he written some songs for singer 'Prem Kumar Sharma', who was selected by HMV. The singer recorded Dev's first songs including Bhabi Teri Dhaun De Utte Gutt Mehladi Naag Ban Kaala and few more. Dev was inspired to write Heer (lyrics) by a painting of Heer by the noted Sobha Singh. He continue songwriting under the name, Dev Tharike Wala. His lyrics/songs was sung by many singers like Karamjit Dhuri, Karnail Gill, Kuldeep Manak, Surinder Shinda, Swaran Lata, Pammi Bai, Jagmohan Kaur, Narinder Biba and many modern Punjabi singers.
With Kuldeep Manak
He met singer Kuldeep Manak and penned many folklores for him. The first songs of Dev recorded by Manak included Jaimal Phatta and Kaulan (Raja Rasalu), both released on 7 inch, 45 rpm EP, Punjab Dian Lok Gathawan, by HMV in 1973. Lyrics of Dev under the genre, Kali, became so popular that people started regarding the singer, Kuldeep Manak, as King of Kalian although Manak sang only 13-14 Kalian in his career. This was due to the record-broken popularity of one of his kali, Tere Tille Ton that was released on Manak's first LP, Ik Tara, by HMV in 1976. Dev has penned almost every Punjabi Qissa (English: Folk story) even those that were not so commonly known in the society including Bego-Inder, Jani Chor, Roda-Jalali, Kehar Singh-Ram Kaur and more.
[edit]Films
He also wrote lyrics for many Punjabi films including Sassi Punnu in which Kuldeep Manak sang his song, Ajj Dhee Ik Raje Di.
On the last journey of Kuldeep Manak Saab
