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Classic Poetry Series Shiv Kumar Batalvi - poems - Publication Date: 2012 Publisher: Poemhunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] Shiv Kumar Batalvi(23 July 1936 - 7 May 1973) Shiv Kumar 'Batalvi' (Punjabi: ???? ????? ??????) was a noted Punjabi language poet, who was most known for his romantic poetry, noted for its heightened passion, pathos, separation and lover's agony. He became the youngest recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1967, given by Sahitya Akademi (India's National Academy of Letters), for his epic verse play based on the ancient legend of Puran Bhagat, Loona (1965), now considered a masterpiece in modern Punjabi literature, and which also created a new genre, of modern Punjabi kissa. Today, his poetry stands in equal footing, amongst that by stalwarts of modern Punjabi poetry, like Mohan Singh and Amrita Pritam, all of whom are popular on both sides of India-Pakistan border. Biography Shiv Kumar was born in a Saraswat Brahmin family on 23 July 1936 (though a few documents related to him state October 7th, 1937 as his DOB), in village Bara Pind Lohtian, Shakargarh Tehsil, Sialkot District (now in Punjab province, Pakistan), to Pandit Krishan Gopal, village tehsildar in the revenue department, and Shanti Devi, a housewife. In 1947, when he was just 11, his family moved to Batala Gurdaspur district after partition of India, where his father continued his work as a patwari and young Shiv received his primary education. Allegedly, he was a dreamy child, often vanishing for the duration of the day, to be found lying under trees by the riverbank close to the Mandir or Hindu temple outside the village, lost in a brown reverie. He appears to have been fascinated by local renditions of the Hindu Epic Ramayana, as well as wandering Minstrel singers, Snake Charmers & the like - which feature as metaphors in his poetry, giving it a uniquely rural flavor. Education He completed his matriculation in 1953, from Punjab University, and enrolled in the . program at Baring Union Christian College, Batala, though before completing his degree he moved to S.N. College, Qadian, where he joined the Arts program more suited to his persona, though he left that too in the second year. Thereafter he joined a school at Baijnath, Himachal Pradesh to do a diploma in Civil Engineering, here again he left it in the middle. Next he studied for some time at Govt. Ripudaman College, Nabha. Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 1 Struggles With Conventional Matrimony He fell in love with the daughter of the noted Punjabi writer Gurbaksh Singh Preetlari who was married off to a UK citizen because of caste differences between the two. It was during this time that he turned increasingly to alcohol for solace, allegedly writing the poem :"Ajj Din Chhadeya Tere Rang Varga" [ "Today dawned colored like your complexion..."] while standing outside a "Theka Sharab Desi" [Liquor Vend], waiting for it to open so he could buy his booze. He remained unlucky in love, and bereavement for love loss reflected intensely in his poetry.In early 1967, he got married, to a Brahmin girl, Aruna, of his parents & family's choosing. According to friends, he only agreed because she had a striking resemblance to his youthful love. Youngest Recipient of Sahitya Akademi Award Later in life, his father got a job as patwari at Qadian, it was during this period, that he produced some of his best work. His first anthology of poems was published in 1960, titled Piran da Paraga (The Scarf of Sorrows), which became an instant success. In 1965, he became the youngest recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1967, for his magnum opus, a verse play Loona (1965). His poetry recitations, and singing his own verse, made him and his work even more popular amongst the masses. Soon after his marriage, in 1968, he shifted to Chandigarh, where he joined the State Bank of India, as a PRO. In the following years, bad health plagued him, though he continued to write prolifically. Personal Life On 5 February 1967 he married, Aruna, a Brahmin girl, from Kirri Mangyal, Gurdaspur district, and later the couple had two children, Meharban (1968) and Puja (1969). Struggles With Conventional Life-Span His writings have always been open about his pronounced death wish, and he died at his father-in-law's residence, at Kirri Mangyal Pathankot, due to liver cirrhosis, a result of chronic alcoholism, at a young age of 35 years. Legacy One of his anthology, Alvida (Farewell) was published posthumously in 1974, by Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 2 the Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. 'Shiv Kumar Batalvi Award' for Best Writer, is given each year. In Media Many of his poems were sung by Deedar Singh Pardesi. Jagjit Singh-Chitra Singh, and Surinder Kaur, have also sung many of his poems. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's rendition of one of his poem "Maye ni Maye" is known for its soulfulness and imagery. In a recent album, Rabbi (2004), by Rabbi Shergill features, his poem, "Ishtihar". Punjabi folk singer, Hans Raj Hans also did a popular album, ‘Gham’, on the poetry of Shiv Kumar. In 2005, a compilation album was released, titled, Ek Kudi Jida Naa Mohabbat... 'Shiv Kumar Batalvi, with numbers sung by Mahendra Kapoor, Jagjit Singh and Asa Singh Mastana. In 2004, Punjabi play titled Dardaan Da Darya based on the life of Shiv Kumar was performed at 'Punjab Kala Bhavan', Chandigarh. Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 3 A Borrowed Song Give me, O Lord A few more songs. My fire is dying, Give me a spark. At a very young age I exhausted every sorrow. For my youth Give me a fresh pain. Give me a song, like youth itself, Beautiful, magical. Like the redness of a rising day That sparkles in a brimming lake. Like the first star of the evening That shines in a treeless desert. Night is approaching my desert, Give me a star or two, Or let me sink, like the evening redness, Into the brimming lake. Lord, life is unbearable without a companion, Unbearable without a song. We all know that life has to be lived, That pain has been sewn into it. Do the deer drink the water At every shore? Let the water at my shore Be washed away, undrunk. Or take back the songs That you let me write. Lord, we should never extol beauty Which is empty of fire, Nor praise those eyes Whose tears lack salt. We should not sing a song bereft of pain, Or write a word devoid of fragrance. If my words are without fragrance Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 4 Tear them from the branch, Or give me another song, Like youth itself. At a very young age I exhausted every sorrow. For my youth Give me a fresh pain. Shiv Kumar Batalvi Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 5 A Walk On A Moonlit Night If I walk on a moonlit night, My shadow walks beside me, O my life. Moonlight hides in every lane, Which lane should I take? O my life. The night-scents are vigilant, And the wind is soothing, O my life. I am ignorant about these rays of moonlight, Will I awaken one? O my life. If I awaken a ray of moonlight, I will be branded a sinner, O my life. So I walk in fear, Treading lightly, O my life. Separation was put in our swaddling cloth, By our mothers, O my life. Since the beginning, light has been our enemy, How can I let it touch my limbs? O my life. If I come to you on a moonlit night, My shadow walks beside me, O my life. Moonlight hides in every lane Which lane should I take? O my life. Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 6 Shiv Kumar Batalvi Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 7 Butterflies I catch butterflies, I catch butterflies. From the beautiful Flower-scented garden Of life, I catch Golden-colored, blue, Shimmering and yellow ones! I think that if catch them all, From the entire forest. I will jab their butterfly wings To their shoulder. But whenever I try to catch them, My heart begins to tremble Like a branch of henna That shivers in the breeze. And the butterfly takes flight. Flowers of sin, like some black sun , Bloom in my dreams Their perfume-sodden fragrance Spreading through each heartbeat. A delicate, queenly butterfly Comes fluttering by, Delighted to see the flowers of sin, She alights, intoxicated. I, unaware, pluck all the flowers And put them into my cloth bag. But when I start to leave The cloth tears, And the butterfly takes flight. How foolish I was to think That I could catch a butterfly! The cold winter of grief Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 8 Scorched my flowers of happiness. The green vine of hope Shed its healthy leaves. Seeing this darkness, They slipped back to the valley, they returned, The red birds that had flown far to seek Their desires. It is the evening of life Lotus-hearts lie asleep. The dew drops of my life Have spilled, some sipped Deliciously, by the butterflies. As the night goes by, I think that day will surely dawn, That once again the sun will not err, Regarding darkness. A milky lotus of the evening Will bloom upon this earth again. I hope that once again, In that perfumed garden I will be able to catch butterflies. Shiv Kumar Batalvi Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 9