DELIGHTFUL SATURDAYS WITH MY FAVORITE AUTHORS AND POETS (32)

HARIVANSH RAI BACHCHAN

Harivansh Rai Bachchan is a prominent figure in Hindi Literature. He was an Indian Poet representing the Nayi Kavita literary movement (romantic upsurge) of early 20th century Hindi literature. He was also a member of the Hindi Kavi Sammelan. But he is better known as Superstar Actor Amitabh Bachchan’ s father. His wife, Teji Bachchan, was a social activist. He was blessed with two sons, Amitabh and Ajitabh.

He was born as Harivansh Rai Srivastava on 27 November 1907, at Babupatti, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India, (present-day Uttar Pradesh, India). He was born into an Awadhi Hindu Kayastha family. His family was originally referred to as Pandey of Srivastava Sub-caste. He adopted the pen name of Bachchan ( meaning a child) while writing Hindi poetry. He was a professor in the English Department at the Allahabad University from 1941 to 1957. He completed PhD on W.B. Yeats from St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, Cambridge University for the next two years. He received Padma Bhushan in 1976 for his contribution to Hindi Literature. He was also nominated as a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha from 3 April 1966 – 2 April 1972.

His most famous poem is Madhushala from which Amitabh Bachchan used to recite a few lines in Kaun Banega Crorepati and some lines from his compositions were also used in movies like Agneepath.

He left the mortal world on 18 January 2003 (aged 95) at Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. His sheer genius as a great Hindi poet is forever engraved in the history of Hindi Literature.

His best work:

Poems

Chal Mardane

Barsaat Ki Aati Hawa

Tera Haar (तेरा हार) (1932)

Madhushala (मधुशाला) (1935)

Madhubala (मधुबाला) (1936)

Madhukalash (मधुकलश) (1937)

Raat Aadhi Kheench Kar Meri Hatheli

Nisha Nimantran (निशा निमंत्रण) (1938)

Ekaant Sangeet (एकांत संगीत) (1939)

Aakul Antar (आकुल अंतर) (1943)

Satarangini (सतरंगिनी) (1945

)Halaahal (हलाहल) (1946)

Bengal ka Kaavya (बंगाल का काव्य) (1946)

Khaadi ke Phool (खादी के फूल) (1948)

Soot ki Maala (सूत की माला) (1948)

Milan Yamini (मिलन यामिनी) (1950)

Pranay Patrika (प्रणय पत्रिका) (1955)

Dhaar ke idhar udhar (धार के इधर उधर) (1957)

Aarti aur Angaare (आरती और अंगारे) (1958)

Buddha aur Naachghar (बुद्ध और नाचघर) (1958)

Tribhangima (त्रिभंगिमा) (1961)

Chaar kheme Chaunsath khoonte (चार खेमे चौंसठ खूंटे) (1962)

Do Chattane (दो चट्टानें) (1965)

Bahut din beete (बहुत दिन बीते) (1967)

Kat-ti pratimaaon ki awaaz (कटती प्रतिमाओं की आवाज़) (1968)

Ubharte pratimaano ke roop (उभरते प्रतिमानों के रूप) (1969)

Jaal sameta (जाल समेटा) (1973)

Nirman (निर्माण)

Aathmaparichai (आत्मपरिचय)

Ek Geet (एक गीत)

Agneepath (अग्निपथ)

Miscellaneous

Bachpan ke saath kshan bhar (बचपन के साथ क्षण भर) (1934)

Khaiyyam ki madhushala (खय्याम की मधुशाला) (1938)

Sopaan (सोपान) (1953)

Macbeth (मेकबेथ)(1957)

Jangeet (जनगीता) (1958)

Omar Khaiyyam ki rubaaiyan (उमर खय्याम की रुबाइयाँ) (1959)

Kaviyon ke saumya sant: Pant (कवियों के सौम्य संत: पंत) (1960)

Aaj ke lokpriya Hindi kavi: Sumitranandan Pant (आज के लोकप्रिय हिन्दी कवि: सुमित्रानंदन पंत) (1960)

Aadhunik kavi: 7 (आधुनिक कवि: ७) (1961)

Nehru: Raajnaitik jeevanchitra (नेहरू: राजनैतिक जीवनचित्र) (1961)

Naye puraane jharokhe (नये पुराने झरोखे) (1962)

Abhinav sopaan (अभिनव सोपान) (1964)

Chausath roosi kavitaayein (चौसठ रूसी कवितायें) (1964)

W. B. Yeats and Occultism (1968)

Markat dweep ka swar (मरकट द्वीप का स्वर) (1968)

Naagar geet (नागर गीत) (1966)

Bachpan ke lokpriya geet (बचपन के लोकप्रिय गीत) (1967)

Hamlet (1969)

Bhaasha apni bhaav paraaye (भाषा अपनी भाव पराये) (1970)

Pant ke sau patra (पंत के सौ पत्र) (1970)

Pravaas ki diary (प्रवास की डायरी) (1971)

King Lear (1972)

Tooti Chooti kadiyan (टूटी छूटी कड़ियां) (1973)

Meri kavitaayi ki aadhi sadi (मेरी कविताई की आधी सदी) (1981)

So-ham hans (सोहं हंस) (1981)

Aathve dashak ki pratinidhi shreshth kavitaayein (आठवें दशक की प्रतिनिधी श्रेष्ठ कवितायें) (1982)

Meri shreshth kavitaayein (मेरी श्रेष्ठ कवितायें) (1984)

Jo beet gai so Bat gai

Autobiography:

Kya bhooloon kya yaad karoon (क्या भूलूं क्या याद करूं) (1969)

Neerh ka nirmaan phir (नीड़ का निर्माण फिर) (1970)

Basere se door (बसेरे से दूर) (1977)

Dashdwaar se sopaan tak (दशद्वार से सोपान तक) (1985),

In the Afternoon of Time

Bachchan rachanavali ke nau khand (बच्चन रचनावली के नौ खण्ड)

His poem :

Presenting a couple of stanzas from his most famous poem, Madhushala, ( a tavern).

The meaning of these lines is expressed below.

Madhushala ( The Tavern).

Mrudu bhaavo ke anguro Ki

Aaj bana laaya haala

priyatam, apne haatho se

aaj pilaaonga pyaala ;

pehle bhog laga loo tujhko

fir prasad jag paayega

sabase pehle tera swagat

karti meri madhushala.

The author here welcomes the reader to his book by telling him/her that he has made this wine(book) with great care and love just for him/her and that he will himself offer this wine.

Pyaas tujhe to, vishv tapaakar

poorn nikaalonga haala,

ek paanv se saaki bankar

naachunga lekar pyaala

jeevan ki madhuta to tere

upar kab ka vaar chuka

aaj nyochavar kar doonga mai

tujh par jag ki madhushaala

The poet here again is telling the reader that he will go to any extents, like boiling this world to make wine or dance on one leg with an empty cup, to make this collection of Madhushala pleasing to the reader. ( http://www.allpoetry.com) .

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