Big blow to the world of Hindi poetry
LUCKNOW : The world of Hindi poetry has been dealt a big blow after the demise of Atal Behari Vajpayee, the great poet.
Remembering Vajpayee, noted poet Udai Pratap Singh said, “I met Atal ji first in Gwalior during a ‘kavi sammelan’ where he and I recited poetries in 1979. Incidentally, I went on to become an MP in 1989, he was also an MP then and we both worked in Raj Bhasha Samiti. He went on to become the prime minister of country and I remained an MP and despite me being from the opposition party, he always treated me like his brother. He used to talk mostly about poetries when we met.”
Udai Pratap further said, “I remember once when I was sitting with him, a reporter asked him was he in favour of the Ram temple. His reply won my heart. He said that everyone wants Ram temple at Ayodhya but without disturbing the temple of Bharat Mata. This showed his high class thinking.”
Another noted poet, Surendra, Sharma said, “India has lost the best human being. I have shared the dais with him several times during ‘kavi sammelans’ and he always used to pat my back for my comic poetries. Once I went to present him my book when he was prime minister. At that time he was in a meeting with Rajnath Singh but he came out and took me inside and discussed poetry with me for half an hour. This showed how much he loved poetry.”
Well-known ‘shayar’ Sanjay Mishra ‘Shauq’ said, “I have shared the dais with him several times and all I can tell you that his understanding of ‘shayari’ was tremendous. He always used to tell me never to do old fashioned ‘shayari’ but do some something new which depicts hopes of youths and reflects the real picture of society.”
Noted poet Sarvesh Asthana reminisced said, “I shared the dais with him a few times in Lucknow in Rasthra Dharm Prakashan functions . He used to motivate new poets and guide them about the finer points of Hindi poetry . He told me to do poetry which united society and never do poetry which divided society.”
Another well-known poet Kumar Vshwas said, “Hindi poetry has lost two great stars in a month. We will miss their presence.
I think he (Atal ji) was a perfectionist. He was a perfect politician, perfect opposition leader, perfect prime minster and a perfect poet.”