(Published
in Indian Express, November 5, 1988)
[Sohinder Bir’s
poetry reflects the poet’s anguish in increasingly lonely world.
ANIL SARWAL peals away the message of hope that underlines the creative
vision for this promising Punjabi poet]
FOR Sohinder Bir, the upcoming Punjabi poet and critic, poetry is the voice of pain. His poems depict the journey of an individual from the state of ignorance towards knowledge. The path is often strewn with obstacles, yet the self undertakes the journey with the hope of coming across a glimpse of light some day. This dynamism is the essence of life for the poet:
Parbati
rasta te mih hai kahar da
tur
rehan nehren ch, lai bijli mashaal.
(It is raining in torrents on the mountain path; I walk in darkness, guided by
lightning.)
The inner struggle, of course, leaves a deep impression on him. Many a time his glorious dreams are shattered, his hopes are dashed; his struggle attains nothing but sorrow. Yet, there are moments of fulfilment too, though fleeting. The poet deliberates such moments and mourns for them when they are gone. During such moments, the, poet is overwhelmed by the darkness surrounding him and is completely bewildered. He bemoans his helplessness:
Mera pandh
bara si bikhra
Te main kal mukala rahi
Manzil te ki si milni
Ravhan hi mil na hoin.
(The journey was arduous and I was the lone
traveller; What to talk of attaining the goal, 1 could not even find the find
right path).
In the ultimate analysis, though, the poet derives inspiration from the bright
patches of life:
Kade baaz'i
jit laiye.
Kade haar jaida
Zindagi de panda sada aas ch mukai da.
(Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. The loss
should not be allowed to touch our hearts. The journey of life Should always end
in hope).
Thus, in his determination to succeed, the poet takes recourse to an unshakable optimism in his poetry. The essence of his search is to find a moment of redemption when he will be freed from suffering. The wish to find salvation comes through strongly in the following lines:
Raavi
kande aan walea
Lae ja dukh mere palde ch ban ke
Panian ch ror awin wey
Mere sir utte bhonde eh masaan
ban ke.
(0 you, bound for
the banks of the Ravi, take my sorrows along. Throw them into the waters of
the river for they haunt me like burning pyres).
The
abstraction of theme and the concreteness of form combine to produce
aesthetics of rare beauty. The technique reveals the poetic capability and the
creative art of the poet. The imagery is fresh and original, the words are
simple and concerned with everyday life. The thought content, however, is
profound:
Jungle di virangi
ch
Kitna gahra hai khuh
Us khuh di khamoshi ch ruliya mein alna
han.
The well is a symbol of desolation for the poet, a comment on the theme of aloofness in modern life. The bucket is used to retrieve the memories of a glorious past from the inner recesses of the mind, not unlike taking out water from a well.
Ten yaad
khuhe da dol,
Te mur mur jind lamkaie
Khuh de pani wargi jindri,
Pal pal jai dot.
(The drawing vessel of your memory, dipped again
and again, leaves the well of life, badly ruffled).
'One is
immediately able to connect with the metaphor, since in
the modern world there is little use for wells. Its beauty lies in the
realisation that it is difficult to disassociate oneself from the rural life
because these elemants are an integral part of our unconscious mind. The other
images used by the poet convey the increasing loneliness
of modern life
through dark nights, hot dunes, isolated caves and old trees. The images are
closely connected with nature and in this manner,
the poet bemoans his separation from the world of nature. The
restlessness in his soul is depicted by the rushing waters of the river:
Nadi dein panian nun nind na
nasib hove
Umar saari turi jan vedna
chupake wey.
(The river is not
fated to rest. The waters of the river roll long, hiding the inner pain.)
Not
only does Bir write about the individual journey, he is also sensitive to the
social environment in which he lives. He depicts the darkness that surrounds his
native state, Punjab:
Ithe
suraj de udai hon nal din nahin charda
Ateh suraj de ast hon nal din dub nahin janda
He
further calls upon -his countrymen and political leaders to rise and take
immediate remedial action:
Suno!
jinhan de kan hein
Panjab di dharti nun
Viran te
khandhri baanao na
Hun waqt hai apanian kalman ch shakli bharran da
Kore kagazan te sanjh te apantav de kush shabad paun da.
(Listen all those
who have ears. Do not allow the soil of Punjab to turn barren. Now is the time
to strengthen your art and to write a few words of unity and love on the blank
pages.)
Thus, the poetry of Sohinder Bir is elevating and faithfully depicts the realities of life. His message is the message of hope and love. He feels certain that the traditional ethical and moral values of our people are far too strong to be shaken by the present circumstances:
Rahe
pind dian juhan vich
pyar jagda
Kale vavarolian da
jai lang
kaphla.
(May love stay alive
in my village even as the troupe of whirlwind passes by.)
A
modest man, Sohinder Bir lives in Chandigarh where he works as a lecturer at the
local DAV College.
©Anil Sarwal