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[19 Lyrics]
Poet:
DR. MAHENDRA BHATNAGAR
Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar's is one of the significant post-independence voices in Hindi and
Indian English Poetry, expressing the lyricism and pathos, aspirations and yearnings of the
modern Indian intellect. Rooted deep into the Indian soil, his poems reflect not only the
moods of a poet but of a complex age.
Born in Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh) at maternal grandfather's residence on 26 June 1926; 6 a.m.
Primary education in Jhansi, Morar (Gwalior) and Sabalgarh (Morena); Matric (1941)
from High School, Morar (Gwalior); Inter (1943) from Madhav College, Ujjain; B.A. (1945)
from Victoria College, - at present, Maharani Laxmi Bai College - Gwalior; M. A. (1948)
and Ph.D. (1957) in Hindi from Nagpur University; L.T. (1950 ; Madhya Bharat Govt.)
High School Teacher from July 1945. Retired as Professor on 1 July 1984 (M.P. Govt.
Educational service).
Selected once for the post of Professor of Hindi Language & Literature, in Tashkent
University, U.S.S.R. (1978) by UGC & ICCR (NEW DELHI)
Principal Investigator (U.G.C. / Jiwaji University, Gwalior) from 1984 to 1987.
Professor in the IGNOU Teaching Centre of Jiwaji University, Gwalior in 1992.
Worked as one of the members in the Audition Committees of Drama / Light Music of All
India Radio (Akashvani) - Stations Indore and Gwalior. Contracted Song-Writer of All
India Radio \ For all Radio Stations (Light Music Section). Broadcast many poems, talks
and other programmes from Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior and New Delhi (National Channels)
Radio Stations.
Conducted and directed many literary societies in Ujjain, Dewas, Dhar, Mandsaur and
Gwalior.
Appointed as one of the Award-Judges by 'Bihar Rashtra-Bhasha Parishad, Patna' (1981 &
1983), 'Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthan, Lucknow' (1983), 'Rajasthan Sahitya Akademi,
Udaipur' (1991,1993,1994) & 'Hindi Sahitya Parishad, Ahmedabad, Gujrat (2001).
Poems translated, published and broadcast in many foreign and Indian languages.
One volume of translated poems in French ('A Modern Indian Poet : Dr. Mahendra
Bhatnagar : Un Poèt Indien Et Moderne'.)
Works published in seven volumes in Hindi - three of Poems (comprising sixteen earlier
collections), two of Critical articles, one on Premchand ( Research work) and one of
Miscellaneous writings.
(3) The Poetry of Mahendra Bhatnagar : Realistic & Visionary Aspects [forthcoming]
Received awards, four times ( 1952, 1958, 1960, 1985. ) from Madhya Bharat & Madhya
Pradesh Govts.
Edited literary magazines 'Sandhya' (Monthly) and Pratikalpa' (Quarterly) from Ujjain.
Member Advisory Board : Indian Journal of POSTCOLONIAL LITERATURES [Half-
yearly / Thodupuzha-Kerala]
Contact : 110 BalwantNagar, Gandhi Road, Gwalior — 474 002 (M.P.) INDIA
Phone : 0751-4092908 / M-9893409793
E-Mail : mahendra1926@ibibo.com / drmahendra02@gmail.com
POEMS
1 Sing
2 A Wish
3 Who are You?
4 To the Moon
5 The Beauty of the Sleeping Moon
6 Moon Light
7 No Grievance
8 Lust for Life
9 Winter
10 Winter-Wet
11 O, Wind
12 New Life
13 We Know it Well
14 Keep Awake / Remain Watchful
15 Helpless
16 One Night
17 Suddenly
18 Welcome
19 Passion and Compassion
SING
A WISH
TO THE MOON
So care-free physically,
Mentally so free from worries;
And so content with life
Holding somebody's loving 'Anchal'!
Cosy lies the moon on the star-spangled carpet!
NO GRIEVANCE
WINTER-WET
Slowly descended
The dew-drops
All through the night!
An ice-cold silence
Shields the sleeping earth,
On leaves and flowers danced
The love-puppet night,
The artist mist
Constructed a canopied dwelling!
O WIND!
O wind!
Come, tuning a song,
Come, sweeping,
Shaking the boughs
Come, raising the dust!
Lovely fragrance filled
O vital Eastern Wind!
Come skipping
Over the distant mountain-peak!
O Wind!
Mad and over-brimming with youth
Come, kissing
These new green leaves
Come, humming a tune,
Come strewing the shreds of cloud!
Drunk and forgetful of mind,
Drunk and forgetful of body,
With laughter bubbling
Sweet and vivacious,
Vibrating the heart strings
Come, dancing!
O Wind!
10
NEW LIFE
11
KEEP AWAKE
(1)
Keep awake, in this world till dawn!
Fight death,
Do not give up
Move towards the goal, do not stop
Till the savages are broken and defeated!
12
(2)
Remain awake
till it is morning the world over!
HELPLESS
If life is pain,
Then bear its pangs
We must!
If life is a secret,
Then remain silent
We must!
If there is no harbour
Then row on
We must!
If life is a calamity
13
ONE NIGHT
14
SUDDENLY
(1)
Today I remembered you,
My heart resounded with song !
As if the sound of Anhad1 echoed in my heart !
After years,
O, after years!
1The inner sound of the heart which can be heared by yogis.
SUDDENLY
(2)
Your company
was a palpable fact,
your hand a handy armour.
Every thing is lost in the past
frequent infatuation persists.
15
WELCOME
(To my grand-daughter baby Ira)
16
In this way
Let our age go on dwindling,
Let the throbbing breaths in our hearts
Move on!
Let the waving wick of love
Go on burning in both of our hearts!
Let the mutual emotion and compassion
Of our living souls
Go on cherishing!
17