अकाल और उसके बाद

by Nagarjun

Nagarjun (Yatri, Baba Nagarjun, Vaidya Nath Mishra) (30 June 1911 – 5 November 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 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 Bādal kō Ghiratē Dēkhā hai (Hindi: 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 Āō Rānī Hama Ḍhōēṅgē Pālakī (Hindi: 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 sow called With Sharp Teeth (पैने दाँतो वाली). Another such creation is a series of poems on a full-grown jackfruit.

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.

Unknown Binding

About the author

He was one of the most influential poet of Maithili and Hindi. Besides poems, he also wrote a number of short stories, novels and travelogues. He was awarded with Sahitya Academy Award for his book "Patarheen Nagna Gach". He received Sahitya Academy Fellowship for lifetime achievement which is the highest literary award of India.

Born as Vaidya naath Mishra into a Maithil Brahmin family, he later converted to Buddhism and got the name "Nagarjun". He started his literary career with writing maithili poems and chose the pen name "Yatri". He became a teacher for sometime in Saharanpur, UP but his quest for Buddhism led him to Srilanka in 1935 where he converted to Buddhism following the footsteps of his mentor "Rahul Sankrityayan". There he also studied Marxisim and Leninism. After his return, he travelled a lot in India. He also participated in Indian Freedom Movement and was jailed by British govt. In post independence period, he played an active role in JP Movement.

Nagarjun is regarded as Jan Kavi and it is said that he was the first poet of India who took poems out of the hands of elite and spread it to masses.

सुविख्यात प्रगतिशील कवि-कथाकार। हिंदी, मैथिली, संस्कृत और बांग्ला में काव्य-रचना। पूरा नाम वैद्यनाथ मिश्र ‘यात्री’। मातृभाषा मैथिली में ‘यात्री’ नाम से ही लेखन। शिक्षा-समाप्ति के बाद घुमक्कड़ी का निर्णय। गृहस्थ होकर भी रमते-राम। स्वभाव से आवेगशील, जीवंत और फक्कड़। राजनीति और जनता के मुक्तिसंघर्षों में सक्रिय और रचनात्मक हिस्सेदारी। मैथिली काव्य-संग्रह ‘पत्रहीन नग्न गाछ’ के लिए साहित्य अकादेमी पुरस्कार। उत्तर प्रदेश हिन्दी संस्थान तथा मध्य प्रदेश और बिहार के शिखर सम्मान सहित कई पुरस्कारों से सम्मानित।

प्रमुख प्रकाशित पुस्तकें: रतिनाथ की चाची, बाबा बटेसरनाथ, दुखमोचन, बलचनमा, वरुण के बेटे, नई पौध आदि (उपन्यास); युगधारा, सतरंगे पंखोंवाली, प्यासी पथराई आँखें, तालाब की मछलियाँ, चंदना, खिचड़ी विप्लव देखा हमने, तुमने कहा था, पुरानी जूतियों का कोरस, हजार-हजार बाँहोंवाली, पका है यह कटहल, अपने खेत में, मैं मिलिटरी का बूढ़ा घोड़ा (कविता-संग्रह); भस्मांकुर, भूमिजा (खंडकाव्य); चित्रा, पत्रहीन नग्न गाछ (हिंदी में भी अनूदित मैथिली कविता-संग्रह); पारो (मैथिली उपन्यास); धर्मलोक शतकम् (संस्कृत काव्य) तथा संस्कृत से कुछ अनूदित कृतियाँ।

Reviews

[Rajan]

कई दिनों तक चूल्हा रोया, चक्की रही उदास
कई दिनों तक कानी कुतिया सोई उनके पास
कई दिनों तक लगी भीत पर छिपकलियों की गश्त
कई दिनों तक चूहों की भी हालत रही शिकस्त।

दाने आए घर के अंदर कई दिनों के बाद
धुआँ उठा आँगन से ऊपर कई दिनों के बाद
चमक उठी घर भर की आँखें कई दिनों के बाद
कौए ने खुजलाई पाँखें कई दिनों के बाद।