Shiv Kumar Batalvi, a Punjabi poet who calls himself lover and Kaaba of pain

Punjabi Poet Shiv Kumar Batalvi: Whenever love-love and sorrow are discussed in Punjabi literature, Shiv Kumar Batalvi will definitely be mentioned. Shiv Kumar, a famous poet of Punjabi language, is best known for his romantic poems. In his songs and poems, the upsurge of emotions takes the tide, if there is depth of compassion, then the pain of the lover overflows in separation. Amrita Pritam called him “Sultan of Birha”. In truth, Shiv Kumar is that humble fakir of the literary world who remains engrossed in the world of love, and just keeps on flowing like the water of a river. When someone asks Shiv Kumar Batalvi about his condition, he calls himself a lover and says – what do you ask about the condition of fakirs, we are like water separated from rivers. We are moved by tears and our hearts burn.

ki puchde haal fakiran da
Sada rivers bichde niran da
Sada hanj di june aaya da
Sada Dil Jalya Dilgiran Da

These lines contain so much pain. Here Shiv Kumar says- “I consider pain as Kaaba and call pain as my own.”

my song v lok suninde
nala kafar aakh sadinde ne
I said no pain Kaaba
God does not stop the pain

Shiv Kumar Batalbi was born on July 23, 1936 in Bada Pind Lohatiya village of Shakargarh tehsil of Punjab province of Pakistan. After the partition of India-Pakistan, his family moved to Batala in Gurdaspur district.

It is said that Shiv Kumar Batalbi was a lover and because of his failure in love, the sense of separation and pain is very high in his creations. It is said that Shiv Kumar had fallen in love with the daughter of noted Punjabi writer Gurbaksh Singh Pritaldi.

lost lost lost lost
Ik Kudi Jihda Naam Mohabbat
lost lost lost lost
Saad Muradi Sohni Fabbat
lost lost lost lost

Surat Usdi Pariyan Vargi
seerat di oh maryam lagdi
Hasdi hai taan full jhadde ne
Turdi Hai Taan Ghazal Hai Lagdi
lamm salmmi sarun kad di
age is coming

Drowned in love Shiv Kumar Batalvi writes for his beloved-

I am attracted to you
complexion, holding a fair rose

I was afraid that my heart might not take me anywhere.
just sitting sir

Whenever I got free time from my duties
took the book of your attitude

how much has passed how much is left
I got to account for this

I miss you whenever
took liquor in broad daylight

better not to ask
I got your answer

‘Shiva’ had faith in only one sorrow
With sadness, Kora took the answer.

But Batalvi’s love could not be satisfied. Caste differences came to the fore among the lovers. Failure in love broke them badly. The pain of breaking up in love is intensely reflected in his poetry.

Shiv Kumar Batalvi’s first collection of poems was published in 1960, Peedan Da Paraga (Scarf of Sorrows). As soon as this collection was published, it became famous in the literary circles. After this, his important work, the epic drama ‘Luna’ was published, so it also made waves of success. ‘Luna’ was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award. Shiv Kumar Batalvi became the youngest litterateur to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1967. ‘Luna’ is considered a great work of modern Punjabi literature. This is epic. In this, Luna is married to the king of Sialkot, but Luna falls in love with the king’s son Puran. Luna is actually a negative character, but Shiv Kumar has reinvented this character by describing it as an example of true love, sacrifice and dedication.

The cries of the general public are heard in Shiv Kumar’s poems. Actually, he is the poet of the people. His poems are sung and hummed in the form of folk songs. Even today one can hear echoes of songs like ‘Main Kandayali Thor Ve Sajna’ or ‘Jindu De Baagi Dardaan Da Bootda’ somewhere in the atmosphere of Punjab. There are many compositions including Mainu Vida Karo (Fare Me), Alvida (Farewell), Sog (Mourning) in which Shiv Kumar Batalvi’s despair and strong desire for death are visible.

send me off
Asante joban rutte marna,
die full of breaths,
Hijr tere di kar parikarma..

(Send me off. We have to die in the season of youth, we will die completely after completing the orbit of separation from you)

At the age of 36, Shiv Kumar Batalvi breathed his last at his father-in-law’s house in Kiri Mangyal, Pathankot on 7 May 1973 due to cirrhosis of the liver caused by intractable alcohol addiction. An anecdote about his last days is famous that Shiv Kumar Batalvi went to England in 1972. Since he was a famous poet, there used to be an influx of people to meet him in England. In this rendezvous, the round of wine and poetry continued day and night. They stayed there for several months. He consumed a lot of alcohol during his stay in England. When his compatriots came back, his body had deteriorated from inside due to excessive alcohol addiction. He came to his in-laws’ Kiri Mangyal for treatment and died here during treatment.

He has a poem, in which he writes – We have to die in the season of youth. Just like that you have to return with a full body. Reading these lines, it seems that perhaps he had written them for himself.

die as usual
easy to turn
hijar tere di kar parkarma
die as usual

Batalvi in ​​Hindi films
Many compositions of Shiv Kumar Batalvi have been used in Hindi films. From time to time, singers have been presenting Batalvi’s songs by weaving them into their tunes. Didar Singh Pardesi, Jagjit Singh-Chitra Singh, Surinder Kaur, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rabbi Shergill, Hans Raj Hans, Mahendra Kapoor have presented Batalvi’s compositions in different styles.
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Tags: Books, Hindi Literature, hindi writer, Literature