Nagarjun

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Nagarjun bigraphy, stories - Activists

Nagarjun : biography

June 30, 1911 – November 5, 1998

Nagarjun (Baba Nagarjun, Vaidya Nath Mishra, Yatri) (June 30, 1911 – November 4, 1998) was a major Hindi and Maithili poet who has also penned a number of novels, short stories, literary biographies and travelogues, and was known as Janakavi– the People’s Poet. The Tribune, November 29, 1998. www.revolutionarydemocracy.org.

Languages

Maithili was his mother tongue and he authored many poems, essays and novels in Maithili. He was educated in Sanskrit, Pali, and Hindi. Hindi remained the language of the bulk of his literature. The Hindi of his works varies from highly sanskritized to vernacular forms. He was a poet of the masses, and preferred to write in the language of immediate local impact. Therefore he never adhered to specific bounds of languages.

He also had good grasp of the Bengali language and used to write for Bengali newspapers. He was close to the Bengali Hungry generation or Bhookhi Peerhi poets and helped Kanchan Kumari in translating Malay Roy Choudhury’s long poem JAKHAM in Hindi.

Major literary works

Poetry

  • Yugdharao
  • Satrange Pankhon Wali
  • Talab ki Machhliyan
  • Khichri Viplava Dekha Humne
  • Hazar Hazar Bahon Wali
  • Purani Juliyon Ka Coras
  • Tumne Kaha Tha
  • Akhir Aisa Kya Kah Diya Maine
  • Is Gubare Ki Chhaya Mein.
  • Yhe Danturit Muskan
  • Mein Military Ka Boodha Ghoda
  • Ratnagarbha
  • Aise bhi hum kya
  • Bhool jao purane sapne
  • Apne Khet Mein Chandana

Novels

  • Rati Nath Ki Chachi
  • Balachnama
  • Baba Bateshar Nath
  • Himalaya ki betiya
  • Nai Paudh
  • Varun Ke Bete
  • Dukh Mochan
  • Ugratara
  • Jamania Ka Baba
  • Kumbhi Pak
  • Paro and Asman Mein Chanda Tare.
  • Abhinandan
  • Imaratia

sitA USKO

Essay collections

  • Ant Hinam Kriyanam.
  • Bum Bholenath
  • Ayodhya ka Raja

Maithili works

  • Patrahin Nagna Gachh (collection of poems)
  • citra(collection of poems)
  • paro(novel)
  • navturiya(novel)
  • balchnma(novel)

His work on culture has been published in the form of books entitled Desh Dashkam and Krishak Dashkam.

Awards

Nagarjun was given the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1969 for his historic book Patarheen Nagna Gachh, and the ‘Bharat Bharati Award’ by the Uttar Pradesh government for his literary contributions in 1983. He was also honored by the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, India’s highest literary award for lifetime achievement, in 1994.

Style and influence

The subjects of his poetry are varied. Effects of both his wandering tendencies and activism, is evident in his middle and later works. His famous poems like Badal ko Ghirate Dekha hai (बादल को घिरते देखा है), is a travelogue in its own right. He often wrote on contemporary social and political issues. His famous poem Mantra Kavita (मंत्र कविता), is widely considered the most accurate reflection of a whole generation’s mindset in India. Another such poem is Aao Rani Ham Dhoenge Palaki (आओ रानी हम ढोएंगे पालकी), which sarcastically humiliates the then prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, for the extravagant welcome thrown by him for Queen Elizabeth.

Besides these accepted subjects of poetry, Nagarjun found poetic beauty in unconventional subjects. One of his most astonishing works is a poem based on a female pig (मादा सूअर) called paine daanto wali (पैने दाँतो वाली). Another such creation is a series of poems on a full-grown jack fruit (कटहल).

Because of the breadth of his poetry, Nagarjun is considered the only Hindi poet, after Tulsidas, to have an audience ranging from the rural sections of society to the elite. He effectively freed poetry from the bounds of elitism.

Biography

Early life and education