A Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya
A Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya A Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya
Memoir TO BE BABA NAGARAJUN Bageshri Chakradhar Translated by Nishi Tiwari Everyone is aware of the fact that Baba had adopted Buddhism. This shows that he was not influenced by the Vedic Vaishnav-Sanatan Dharma followed by those in power then. He was more in touch with the aspirations and longings of the common man. Moreover besides being influenced by the different sects of Buddhism, like, Mahayana, Hinayana, Sahajyana and Vajrayana, he was also influenced by the experiences of the Siddhas and Nathas (self realized persons and masters). That is why all his life he remained a wanderer. He saw a reflection of the current form of Buddhism in the leftist movement that shook Russia as a result of the Russian revolution. This made him a leftist. Thereafter his inner consciousness prevented him from flattering those in power and becoming a court poet. He always identified himself with the common man and always defended the poor, the exploited and the deprived. Atrocities against the unprivileged enraged him, and he was filled with indignation. It pained him greatly to witness the inequalities in society: poverty on one hand and the luxurious life led by the rich on the other. Whenever he saw the politician’s indifference to the injustice being done to the poor, he composed poems denouncing it. That is why he did not attain recognition so long as he lived. People feared that, they would be deprived of the facilities they were receiving or could receive. Now, when he is no more among us, his poems are being highly 124 :: January-March 2012
admired and appreciated. In the 70s and the 80s we, who came from Hathras- Mathura found ourselves in close proximity with him. We felt closeness with him which very few must have had the chance to feel. We have been very fortunate to be very closely associated with him for over a number of years. Due to the fact that we were very close family friends, he was very loving to us. But, he never tried to assert his superiority over us. Now, when we turn around and review the past, and go through his poems, we find that he was not only a great poet; but also a great philosopher, thinker and an intellectual. After completing her graduation a 19year old girl came to Delhi from Hathras in 1973. It was a very difficult procedure, because in those days girls were not given so much freedom. Everyone at home objected strongly to this decision. It was because of my brother Mukesh Garg that I could go to Delhi for my post-graduation course from Delhi University. He became adamant. But with kaka giving his approval everyone had to relent and I landed in Delhi in 1973. Unable to get a hostel in the beginning I, along with Shashi stayed with Mukesh bhaiya at 242, Tagore Park. Shashi was doing post-graduation in Sanskrit from Daulat Ram and I took admission in Hindu College, in the Post Graduation, Hindi department. Many teachers of the Delhi University resided in Tagore Park, Model Town during those days. A lot of good-will and friendship existed among them, so much so that there was a feeling of camaraderie among them. 48, Tagore Park, the house where Sudhishji lived was like a commune. Bhaskar Pauchari, Chakradhar Ji, Rajpal, Anil Chaudhari were frequent visitors. And Baba lived among them. We never realized his greatness and eminence as a scholar and a poet at that time. Frequent regular meetings on “Pragati” would be attended by Agyey, Shamsher, Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena, Raghubir Sahay and others. All of them seemed great, but Baba was so loving and familiar, that he never appeared great to us. There used to be an aura surrounding these great poets. They had many admirers who always tried to remain in close proximity to them, attended reverence on them, going to receive them, and making arrangements for their meals, etc, their arrival in room no 22 at the Arts Faculty was considered to be an occasion. But as for Baba! He was very humble and modest,( surrounded by none of this glamour ) He in his pyjamas which ended a little above his ankles, and a dirty-brown kurta, with a bag slung over his shoulders was a familiar sight. Very simple, unaffected and modest among the students, he met them with great love and affection. He listened to them with interest, and read out his poems to them. There was no feeling of discrimination in him. He appeared to be careless, but on the contrary he was not. Rather, he was January-March 2012 :: 125
- Page 73 and 74: long years? Pallav—Did it reflect
- Page 75 and 76: publicising myself and my writing b
- Page 77 and 78: Short Story BUDHIA Ramvriksha Benip
- Page 79 and 80: find her carrying loads of grass on
- Page 81 and 82: pat the other’s back, and with he
- Page 83 and 84: tea break, it would also be a break
- Page 85 and 86: There was a mouth organ in Raka Mas
- Page 87 and 88: He was watching me in a strange man
- Page 89 and 90: and bowed before the engine. I saw
- Page 91 and 92: Climbing down the slope, that girl
- Page 93 and 94: filled their buckets without saying
- Page 95 and 96: clamp of the sounds is gripping him
- Page 97 and 98: The speaker fell silent all at once
- Page 99 and 100: That day, he came down from the off
- Page 101 and 102: sizes of boats of their respective
- Page 103 and 104: in the night?’ ’Yes, you take i
- Page 105 and 106: sound coming from all the flats. He
- Page 107 and 108: got up and came in the balcony. A d
- Page 109 and 110: “Who’s playing on the piano, Nu
- Page 111 and 112: “No, none-none that I know of. Sa
- Page 113 and 114: you are three years older than me.
- Page 115 and 116: He thinks we are fools and will nev
- Page 117 and 118: “Good evening. You may take this
- Page 119 and 120: I want to make sure that everything
- Page 121 and 122: When I went to meet the sisters thr
- Page 123: do not want to starve to death befo
- Page 127 and 128: there, Nishant invited all of us to
- Page 129 and 130: Short Story MANTO IN MY DREAM Musha
- Page 131 and 132: such scenes on TV screen happening
- Page 133 and 134: Discourse WOMEN’S LIBERATION : UT
- Page 135 and 136: woman is repeatedly beaten up, be c
- Page 137 and 138: to an extent, altered it, and allow
- Page 139 and 140: liberation from this ‘gender’.
- Page 141 and 142: at several levels. Instances of vis
- Page 143 and 144: of women’s emancipation will real
- Page 145 and 146: Pursuing rigidly, A fixed desire. I
- Page 147 and 148: Poetry FIVE POEMS Chandrakant Deota
- Page 149 and 150: Why spurn their appeal hidden in, M
- Page 151 and 152: IN A CONFLICTING WORLD Far…far be
- Page 153 and 154: And make it a part of our very bein
- Page 155 and 156: The warning bell does not ring once
- Page 157 and 158: The cremation ground too became sad
- Page 159 and 160: them. The author belongs to an army
admired and appreciated. In the 70s and<br />
the 80s we, who came from Hathras-<br />
Mathura found ourselves in close proximity<br />
with him. We felt closeness with<br />
him which very few must have had the<br />
chance to feel. We have been very fortunate<br />
to be very closely associated with him<br />
for over a number <strong>of</strong> years. Due to the<br />
fact that we were very close family friends,<br />
he was very loving to us. But, he never<br />
tried to assert his superiority over us.<br />
Now, when we turn around and review<br />
the past, and go through his poems, we<br />
find that he was not only a great poet;<br />
but also a great philosopher, thinker and<br />
an intellectual.<br />
After completing her graduation a<br />
19year old girl came to Delhi from Hathras<br />
in 1973. It was a very difficult procedure,<br />
because in those days girls were not given<br />
so much freedom. Everyone at home objected<br />
strongly to this decision. It was<br />
because <strong>of</strong> my brother Mukesh Garg that<br />
I could go to Delhi for my post-graduation<br />
course from Delhi University. He became<br />
adamant. But with kaka giving his approval<br />
everyone had to relent and I landed in<br />
Delhi in 1973. Unable to get a hostel in<br />
the beginning I, along with Shashi stayed<br />
with Mukesh bhaiya at 242, Tagore Park.<br />
Shashi was doing post-graduation in Sanskrit<br />
from Daulat Ram and I took admission<br />
in Hindu College, in the Post Graduation,<br />
<strong>Hindi</strong> department. Many teachers <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Delhi University resided in Tagore Park,<br />
Model Town during those days. A lot <strong>of</strong><br />
good-will and friendship existed among<br />
them, so much so that there was a feeling<br />
<strong>of</strong> camaraderie among them. 48, Tagore<br />
Park, the house where Sudhishji lived was<br />
like a commune. Bhaskar Pauchari,<br />
Chakradhar Ji, Rajpal, Anil Chaudhari were<br />
frequent visitors. And Baba lived among<br />
them. We never realized his greatness and<br />
eminence as a scholar and a poet at that<br />
time.<br />
Frequent regular meetings on “Pragati”<br />
would be attended by Agyey, Shamsher,<br />
Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena, Raghubir Sahay<br />
and others. All <strong>of</strong> them seemed great,<br />
but Baba was so loving and familiar, that<br />
he never appeared great to us. There used<br />
to be an aura surrounding these great<br />
poets. They had many admirers who always<br />
tried to remain in close proximity to them,<br />
attended reverence on them, going to<br />
receive them, and making arrangements<br />
for their meals, etc, their arrival in room<br />
no 22 at the Arts Faculty was considered<br />
to be an occasion. But as for Baba! He<br />
was very humble and modest,( surrounded<br />
by none <strong>of</strong> this glamour ) He in his pyjamas<br />
which ended a little above his ankles, and<br />
a dirty-brown kurta, with a bag slung over<br />
his shoulders was a familiar sight. Very<br />
simple, unaffected and modest among the<br />
students, he met them with great love<br />
and affection. He listened to them with<br />
interest, and read out his poems to them.<br />
There was no feeling <strong>of</strong> discrimination in<br />
him. He appeared to be careless, but on<br />
the contrary he was not. Rather, he was<br />
January-March 2012 :: 125