Mahendra Tiwari
Makhanlal Chaturvedi is such a resplendent star in the sky of Indian literature., Whose aura not only illuminated the world of Hindi poetry, Rather, he offered his pen in the form of Samidha on the altar of freedom struggle. His personality and works Nationality, It is a unique combination of sacrifice and indomitable courage., Who did the historic work of shaking the sleeping consciousness of India which was caught in the chains of slavery. 4 april 1889 Born in Babai village of Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh, the life of Makhanlal ji is a saga of struggles., Where words were not the only medium of expression, Rather, they emerged as a powerful weapon against the enemy.
The flame of patriotism was burning within him since childhood., Which with time turned into a raging fire. At the tender age of just sixteen, he started his career as a teacher., But the revolutionary mind within him could not last long within the walls of the classrooms. The India of his time was surrounded by the dark clouds of subjugation and it was unbearable for a sensitive poetic heart to be satisfied with writing only decorative or traditional poems. This was the time when he made journalism the vehicle of his thoughts and ‘Prabha‘,’Pratap‘ and especially ‘Karmaveer‘ Through this, the foundations of British rule were shaken.
To Makhanlal Chaturvedi ji ‘an indian soul‘ He is known by the nickname of and this noun completely suits his personality because every particle of his poetry is filled with the sweet fragrance of Indian soil and the suffering of the people here. His journalism was no ordinary profession, rather that one ‘Mission‘ Was. He sharpened his writing skills in the presence of great revolutionaries like Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi. when he ‘Karmaveer‘ handled the editing of, So his editorial articles made sharp attacks on the repressive policies of the British. The result of this was that he had to spend several days in the jail cell., But those dank walls of the jail made his enthusiasm more intense instead of reducing it.
Those difficult moments spent in jail gave those immortal works to Hindi literature which are still a symbol of our national pride. One of his most famous works ‘the prisoner and the nightingale‘ It gives a vivid depiction of the tortures of the prison and the yearning for freedom of that time. Addressing the cuckoo, he wrote, “Can’t the jewel of chains see?”? why handcuffs? This jewel of the British Raj, crusher wheel— rhythm of life, Fingers wrote anthems on the ballast!” These lines make it clear that for a true patriot even the chains are like jewelery if they are worn for the freedom of the motherland.
There is subtlety of shadow and depth of mysticism in the poems of Chaturvedi ji., But his basic voice always remained one of vigor and patriotism. His most classic and popular work ‘longing for flower‘ is considered, Which even today remains a source of inspiration in every school and military cantonment of India. In this poem he expressed the feeling of self-sacrifice through an insignificant flower., He is unique. The flower tells a forester that
“I don’t want to get entangled in Surbala’s ornaments.,
I don’t want to tempt the beloved strung in my lover’s garland.,
I don’t want to pour O Hari on the dead bodies of emperors.,
I don’t want to climb on the heads of the gods and flaunt my destiny.
break me vanmali, throw you on that path,
Many brave hearts walk the path to lay down their lives for the motherland.
The culmination of sacrifice contained in these lines creates a lightning-like flash within the reader. Here the flower is neither a symbol of beauty nor luxury, Rather he wishes to dedicate himself in honor of the unsung martyrs who made the supreme sacrifice for the country. This poem became a mantra for the Indian youth during that period.
Makhanlal ji’s patriotism was not limited only to political freedom., Rather, he dreamed of a society where humanity was supreme. The humanization of nature is seen very beautifully in his poems. those mountains, Rivers and clouds were also presented as symbols of patriotism. Another important work of his ‘snow wave‘ Is, on which they 1955 Received the first Sahitya Akademi Award for Hindi literature. The choice of words in his poetic style was very impressive., Where ‘Oz‘ And ‘compassion‘ Such a confluence is found which is rare. He believed that the religion of a writer is not just the practice of art., Rather, we have to listen to the call of the era and give voice to it. That’s why they ‘Yug Charan‘ Was also said. He composed his ‘youth‘ While calling upon the youth it was written that
” door sacrificial shell
Ambulatory, make an earthquake,
a snowflake a head
calculate the
crush it, Our
intentions-like, by picking up,
have two palms
make the earth round?
there is blood? Or is there small water in the veins!
check out, You give and take youth?”
These lines even today have the power to make the blood boil.
Even after attaining independence, there was no decrease in Chaturvedi ji’s activism., Although his concerns had changed. He remained far away from the inconsistencies and greed for office of the then politics. He received offers for many high government posts and membership of Rajya Sabha., But he rejected them with utmost humility and firmness. He believed that a poet’s place was not in the corridors of power., Rather, it should be in the hearts of the public and in favor of the truth. He did not compromise with his principles throughout his life. For them, independence did not just mean the departure of foreign rulers., rather poverty, There was also freedom from ignorance and social inequality. He was a strong supporter of Gandhian ideology and followed simplicity and purity throughout his life. His works show deep reverence for Indian culture and a clear vision for the future of India.
Another famous creation of his “light from lamp to lamp” The voice of inspiration and awakening is also found in—
“light from lamp to lamp, so there will be light in the world,
remove the darkness of mind, May there be light in every house.“
This poem is not just a symbol of light, Rather, it gives the message that the awakening of one person can enlighten the entire society. Similarly, his other poems like “Venu lo gunge dhara” And “path of fire” They are also filled with the inspiration of patriotism and struggle.
There was a wonderful fire in the writings of Makhanlal Chaturvedi which started blazing in the heart of the reader. His poems are not just a set of words, Rather, it was a living experience. ‘Himalaya‘ In his poem titled, he praises the dignity of India and says that the Himalayas are not just mountains of stone., Rather, it is a symbol of India’s steadfast resolve. The scope of his work is very wide, in which ‘era phase‘, ‘Venu lo gunge dhara‘, ‘death tide‘ And ‘literary god‘ Such immortal works are included. ‘literary god‘ In this, the form of his prose poetry where philosophy and poetry mingle together has come to the fore. He did not allow language to remain only a medium of communication, Rather, it was molded according to emotions. At some places in his language, there is also a touch of Bundelkhandi which connects it more to the soil.
Even in his last years, he continued writing and giving direction to the society. 30 January 1968 when this ‘indian soul‘ left his mortal remains, So a golden era of Hindi literature ended, But his legacy still lives on. His poems are as relevant today in the transition period as they were during the British rule. They teach us that a nation is not made just by the lines on a map., Rather, it is formed by the character and spirit of sacrifice of those citizens who rise above their comforts and keep the national interest paramount. His lines “What did you bring?”, These range from philosophical sentiments like “Kya lekar tu jaega” to bold calls like “Balipanth ke yatri”.
Makhanlal Chaturvedi was a visionary who wrote history with his pen and set an ideal with his life. The true tribute to him would be that we do not let the lamp of patriotism lit by him get extinguished and adopt the humanist values contained in his literature in our lives. His name will always be inscribed in golden letters in the history of Indian literature and independence., Because with his pen he sang that song of glory which is immortal and which will continue to burn the light of immense love and self-respect for the motherland in the minds of Indians for generations. His memories will always remind us that the pen has more power than the sword if the hand wielding it is selfless and the heart filled with patriotism.
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