Today on World Hindi Diwas, let’s pay tribute to the great amalgam of history, culture, and aspirations that connects millions of Indians and honor the great language that makes this possible. However, have we ever tried to understand how Hindi as a language was so deeply entrenched in people’s dreams and culture as it is today? What about the unacknowledged stanza makers and writers whose contribution was sacrificial and whose dreams remained unfulfilled? Their artistry prepared the backbone for this richly lauded language and today their contribution is seldom minimized to mere praises, rather most are oblivious to even the names. Today, let’s remember them.
And of course, we are all familiar with Premchand, the master storyteller who gave us the essence of rural India. Or, let’s take a look at Harivansh Rai Bachchan whose words have shaped so many generations. But, do we ever consider the number of poets who spent their lives crafting their works only to not be acknowledged or credited? Writers like Gopal Singh Nepali whose poem ‘Bap Ki Dua’ still tugs at the heartstrings of many, yet his name barely escapes the dust of forgotten libraries. Nirala, whose poetry was filled with revolutionary ideas remains placed in our history books after his great contributions to Hindi literature shimmered out.
Might it pierce your heart, that we barely know of the names of these legends? Their creations were not meant for popularity and recognition; rather, they were born for the love of their language, to give a voice to the voiceless. It is through them that we understand the struggles of the common man – the farmer who plants under the scorching heat of the sun, the worker who is weighed down by the heavy loads on his back, and the woman yearning for her place in a patriarchal world. These writers spoke their truth, even if the world never heard.
In the mores of the people, and of society, is recorded the story of their Peninsular Indian. This book shocked the world because it spoke of the psychological and social realities that people in the northern part of India lived in. But look who it was addressed to, Phanishwar Nath Renu filled his life in “Maila Anchal”, which discussed picturesque India’s villages. But how many of us especially within cities have ever heard of him? They are always powerful, his words. But it is a bit more than his name has become, the fading scent carried by the wind of the forgotten flowers.
Remember Dhumil and Subhadra Kumari Chauhan’s surrealist poems? They could change the world but seemed to have been forgotten throughout history. Their memories still echo in the hearts of those who truly listen, reminding us of our roots, and our humanity.
Why should we care about these forgotten voices today? Well, the reason is simple — their stories are our stories. They had a different way of expressing themselves. They captured the essence of all the emotional tribulations that define life.
Imagine this: If Hindi literature was only defined by the voices we all know? Hindi in its various forms spoken by millions of people would rather remain mute to the many different challenges, happiness, and aspirations that those people possess.
This Hindi Diwas let’s not just honor the language, but also pay respect to the authors whose names we may never see in textbooks, whose works we may never read in school, but whose words shaped us all. Let’s bring their stories to the forefront and remind ourselves that true greatness isn’t always measured by fame but by the lives it touches.
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