Thirteen Hindi Poets
! THIRTEEN HINDI POETS
! ! Yesterday, while typing up a poem by Manglesh Dabral for a student, it occurred to me to choose a few more favourites and add them to our website for others to read also. My hope is that this small selection will lead readers to explore modern Hindi poetry, which is so rich in variety and profound in implication. Many works by the poets included here are easy to find online, for example through the very useful (if typographically haphazard) site kavitakosh.org.
In selecting this baker’s dozen of poets and their works, I have been guided by a single criterion: that after reading a poem, the axis of one’s being should have shifted, at least for a moment, by a degree or two. Why thirteen poets? More than twelve, less than fourteen.
The very brief notes on the poets make no mention of the many awards and prizes awarded to each one of them (except Tulsidas), but these rituals are part and parcel of today’s literary world.
I have not provided glossaries, but could do so if this would be helpful. ! ! ! ______!______Feedback welcome: [email protected]
Rupert Snell 24th November 2014 THIRTEEN HINDI POETS
अ eय ! ! ! ! ! रात गा व!
झ गuरी की लोiरया ! सलuा गयी थ गा व को,! झoपड़e iहडोलo-सी झuला रही ! धी -धी ! उजली कपासी ध म-डोiरया ।! ! ! का पती ! छ द! पहाड़ नह का पता,! सभी ओर खuला ! न ड़, न तराई;! वन-सा, वन-सा अप ब द ! का पती ढाल पर घर ! श द री समाई नह होगी! नी झील पर झरी! स ना का छ द ।! iद की लौ की! ! न ही परछाइ ।! ! ! ! ! णाम! ! सहा भोर! उमसती स झ! नील पटल पर एक नाम! iहना की ग ध! ओस िखल आ स य ! iकसी की याद! काश ! णाम ।! ! क -क ाण- वा! ! सहा ! ! जी !! ! Sacchidanand Hiranand Vatsyayan ‘Agyeya’ (1911-87) is virtually the muse of post-Independence Hindi poetry. His many collections were represented in two volumes entitled सदानीरा in 1986; our frst two poems are from its second volume, while the third is from नदी की बा क पर छाया (1981), and the last two are from ऐसा कोई घर आप खा (1986). THIRTEEN HINDI POETS
अशोक वाज यी ! ! ! ! मuझe चाiहए! ! मuझe चाiहए प री प वी! अपनी वन पiतयo, समu o! और लोगo िघरी ई,! एक छोटा-सा घर काफ़ी नह ।! ! एक िखड़की रा काम नह च गा,! मuझe चाiहए प रा का प रा आकाश! अप अस य न o और हo भरा आ ।! ! इस जरा-सी लाल न नह िम गा! रा अ धeरा! मuझe चाiहए! एक धधकता आ वल त स य ।! ! थोड़e- श दo नह बना सकता! कiवता,! मuझe चाiहए सम ची भाषा –! सारी हरीiतमा प वी की! सारी नीिलमा आकाश की! !सारी लािलमा स यoदय की ।! ! ! ! ! ! Poet and administrator Ashok Vajpeyi (born 1941) has been at the hub of many governmental and independent cultural organizations for several decades. Tis poem is from त पu ष (1989). THIRTEEN HINDI POETS
धम वीर भारती ! ! ! ! ढीठ चा दनी! ! आज-कल तमाम रात! ! !चा दनी जगाती मu ह पर - छ ! अधखu झरो ! अ दर आ जाती ! ! !द पा व धो माथा छ ! iनiदया उचटाती ! बाहर जाती ! घ टo बiतयाती ! ठ डी-ठ डी छत पर! िलपट-िलपट जाती ! iव ल मदमाती ! !! ! बावiरया iबना बात आज-कल तमाम रात! !चा दनी जगाती ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Dharamvir Bharati (1926-1997) was a prolifc, well-loved, and highly-regarded writer and editor. He spent nearly forty years at the helm of the magazine धम यuग. Our poem is from सात गीत-वष 2nd edn, 1964. THIRTEEN HINDI POETS
गगन iगल ! ! ! ! ! जा ए! ! एक iदन eम आ गा तu हा घर और घर अ न न होगा । एक iदन eम आ गा तu हा जीवन और भर चu हo सब प । एक iदन eम आ गा तu हा पास और , ! !तu माल म न होगा eम यह । बदल गया होगा उसका मuख इस ज म तक आ -आ । थक गया होगा उसका iसर । ! !भर चuकी होगी उस उ भर की न द । जा ए eम गा तu अजीब ख़ाली आ खo । म यu करीब सपनीली हो !जा गी उसकी आ । और गीली ।! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Gagan Gill was born in Delhi in 1959, and worked as a journalist before turning to poetry and literature as a profession. Each of her collections of poetry has a unique theme, and is imbued with profound insight. Our poem is from यह आक ा समय नह (1998). THIRTEEN HINDI POETS