A Poem a Day: 365 Contemporary Poems 34 Languages 279 Poets

by गुलज़ार

A Poem a Day is a volume of Indian poetry like no other, selected and translated by Gulzar, one of Indias most renowned and respected poets. This prestigious volume showcases 365 memorable poems a poem for every day of the year written over the seven decades since Independence by some of the leading poets of the Indian Subcontinent. Originally written by some 279 poets in 34 Indian languages (including Hindi, Urdu and English), the poems appear in bilingual in English and in Hindustani, as translated by Gulzar himself. This wonderful selection, personally chosen by Gulzar and featuring the work of poets from the north, south, west and east of India, as well as the North-East, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan, presents a kaleidoscopic view of history, human experience and poetic expression since 1947. A true collectors item, A Poem a Day belongs on the shelf of any litterateur.

Genres: Poetry

1067 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2020

About the author

ग़ुलज़ार नाम से प्रसिद्ध सम्पूर्ण सिंह कालरा (जन्म-१८ अगस्त १९३६)[1] हिन्दी फिल्मों के एक प्रसिद्ध गीतकार हैं। इसके अतिरिक्त वे एक कवि, पटकथा लेखक, फ़िल्म निर्देशक तथा नाटककार हैं। उनकी रचनाए मुख्यतः हिन्दी, उर्दू तथा पंजाबी में हैं, परन्तु ब्रज भाषा, खङी बोली, मारवाड़ी और हरियाणवी में भी इन्होने रचनाये की। गुलजार को वर्ष २००२ में सहित्य अकादमी पुरस्कार और वर्ष २००४ में भारत सरकार द्वारा दिया जाने वाला तीसरे सर्वोच्च नागरिक सम्मान पद्म भूषण से भी सम्मानित किया जा चुका है। वर्ष २००९ में डैनी बॉयल निर्देशित फिल्म स्लम्डाग मिलियनेयर में उनके द्वारा लिखे गीत जय हो के लिये उन्हे सर्वश्रेष्ठ गीत का ऑस्कर पुरस्कार पुरस्कार मिल चुका है। इसी गीत के लिये उन्हे ग्रैमी पुरस्कार से भी सम्मानित किया जा चुका है।

गुलज़ार का जन्म भारत के झेलम जिला पंजाब के दीना गाँव में, जो अब पाकिस्तान में है, १८ अगस्त १९३६ को हुआ था। गुलज़ार अपने पिता की दूसरी पत्नी की इकलौती संतान हैं। उनकी माँ उन्हें बचपन में ही छोङ कर चल बसीं। माँ के आँचल की छाँव और पिता का दुलार भी नहीं मिला। वह नौ भाई-बहन में चौथे नंबर पर थे। बंट्वारे के बाद उनका परिवार अमृतसर (पंजाब, भारत) आकर बस गया, वहीं गुलज़ार साहब मुंबई चले गये। वर्ली के एक गेरेज में वे बतौर मेकेनिक काम करने लगे और खाली समय में कवितायें लिखने लगे। फ़िल्म इंडस्ट्री में उन्होंने बिमल राय, हृषिकेश मुख़र्जी और हेमंत कुमार के सहायक के तौर पर काम शुरू किया। बिमल राय की फ़िल्म बंदनी के लिए गुलज़ार ने अपना पहला गीत लिखा। गुलज़ार त्रिवेणी छ्न्द के सृजक हैं।

गुलजार द्वारा लिखे गए पुस्तकों की सूची-

चौरस रात (लघु कथाएँ, 1962)
जानम (कविता संग्रह, 1963)
एक बूँद चाँद (कविताएँ, 1972)
रावी पार (कथा संग्रह, 1997)
रात, चाँद और मैं (2002)
रात पश्मीने की
खराशें (2003)

Sampooran Singh Kalra (Punjabi: ਸਮਪੂਰਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਕਾਲਰਾ, Hindi: संपूरण सिंह कालरा, Urdu: سمپورن سنگھ کالرا) known popularly by his pen name Gulzar (Punjabi: ਗੁਲਜ਼ਾਰ, Hindi: गुलज़ार, Urdu: گُلزار ), is an Indian poet, lyricist and director. He primarily writes in Hindi-Urdu and has also written in Punjabi and several dialects of Hindi such as Braj Bhasha, Khariboli, Haryanvi and Marwari.

Gulzar was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2004 for his contribution to the arts and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2002. He has won a number of National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards. In 2009, he won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Jai Ho" in the film Slumdog Millionaire (2008). On 31 January 2010, the same song won him a Grammy Award in the category of Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.

Gulzar's poetry is partly published in three compilations: Pukhraj, Raat Pashminey Ki and Pandrah Paanch Pachattar. His short stories are published in Raavi-paar (also known as Dustkhat in Pakistan) and Dhuan).

Reviews

[Kanwarpal Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Poem a Day is a volume of Indian poetry like no other, selected and translated by Gulzar, one of Indias most renowned and respected poets. Originally written by some 279 poets in 34 Indian languages (including Hindi, Urdu and English), the poems appear in bilingual versions: in English and in Hindustani, as translated by Gulzar himself and by various artists mentioned in end of every poem belongs to whom and who translated the poem to which language from which language.

This prestigious volume showcases 365 memorable poems a poem for every day of the year written over the seven decades since Independence by some of the leading poets of the Indian Subcontinent. Amrita pritam , Namdeo dasal , Agha Shahid Ali, Sahir Ludhianvi, Faiz ahmed Faiz, praveen sheikh, nida Fazli, Shiv Kumar batalvi.

This wonderful selection, personally chosen by Gulzar and featuring the work of poets from the north, south, west and east of India, as well as the North-East, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan and Tibet, presents a kaleidoscopic view of history, human experience and poetic expression since 1947. A true collectors item, A Poem a Day belongs on the shelf of every literature

[Bhawana Somaaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very impressive book by none other than Gulzar saab. We have heard of the adage an apple a day keeps the doctors away. This book is a poem a day that keeps the psychiatrist away i.e. your mental health is going to be fine. For the last many years whenever I have visited Gulzar saab at his office, his table has been piled with lots of books and dictionaries of different languages because for the last 9 years he has been working on this anthology. It is a labour of 9 years, 900 plus pages, 365 poems, 34 languages, 279 poets and it is dedicated to the Indian language. Such an immense effort.

If you are a lover of Gulzar saab’s songs, lyrics and movies then you cannot miss it. What is wonderful is that at 80 plus age he continues to write, has a discipline, a routine where he spends from morning till tea time at his work on his desk and continues to write every single day. Which is fantastic.

[Alok Bardhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful anthology of poems from all over India, Translated into English, which makes it accessible also to people not having knowledge of the languages of India, especially from the South.

[Jarred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the poems don't translate well without the cultural context. Nevertheless, it remains a valuable source of poems from the Desi culture.