Harivansh
Rai Bachchan, who passed away on 18 January 2003,
is one of the most defining poets of modern India. His poems, writing styles,
and themes of poetry made him popular as a common man’s poet. He wrote in Hindi
on topics of life and related events. He used to write under the pen-name
‘Bachchan’ meaning child-like. As his pen name got popular, he adopted the surname,
Bachchan.
In his
early twenties, Harivansh had mastered multiple languages including English,
Hindi, and Sanskrit. But he preferred writing in Hindi because of his
nationalist values.
In 1935, he published a collection of
poems under the title Madhusala (wine
house). This book was met with a celebrated response from the readers. His
simple yet thought-provoking wordplay mesmerized everyone. It was also the
Hindustani dialect that got him such a large response. This dialect was equally
popular with the Hindi and Urdu-speaking community. Using his popularity,
Harivansh became a part of the Independence revolution. He along with Mahadevi
Verma, Suryakath Nirala, and more started the tradition of ‘Kavi Manch’. Kavi Manch was a way to motivate people
gathered to participate in the protests. Poets from all over the country would
recite their poems to infuse patriotism in the gathered crowd.
Harivansh Rai Bachchan is a pillar of modern-day Hindi poetry. He and his peers made India fall in love with Hindustani poems once again. His works have inspired a lot of poets. Modern-day poems have hints of his clear and unclouded thought process. His legacy is being carried forward by his son Amitabh Bachchan, who loves writing poems as well as reciting his father’s poems. If the words of Harivansh were not good enough, the enigmatic voice of Amitabh makes it more majestic.
In 1976, he received the Padma Bhushan for his service to Hindi literature.
No comments:
Post a Comment