History News Desk !!! Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena (English: Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena, born: 15 September 1927; died: 23 September 1983) was a famous poet and litterateur. Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena was one of the important poets of ‘Tisre Saptak’. Apart from poetry, he also wrote stories, dramas and children’s literature. His works were also translated into many languages. He was an assistant producer in Akashvani; sub-editor of Dinman and editor of Parag. Although Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena’s literary life began with poetry, his articles published in Dinman in the column ‘Charche aur Charkhe’ were especially popular. In 1983, Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for the poetry collection ‘Khuntiyon Par Tange Log’.
Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena was born on 15 September 1927 in the house of Vishweshwar Dayal. As a result, Sarveshwar ji’s early education also took place in Basti district, Uttar Pradesh. He was of a rebellious nature since childhood. His writings in his writings and journalism bear a testimony to this. For this reason, when he was studying in the ninth grade in the Government High School of Basti, he was expelled from college due to political jokes. Then Sarveshwar was given shelter by Mr. Chakravarchi, the Principal of Anglo Sanskrit High School, Basti. Sarveshwar ji passed the high school examination from this school in 1941. Amidst all this, the rural environment of Basti, regionalism, the Kuano river flowing on the outskirts of the city, Bhujania’s pond etc. kept influencing Sarveshwar’s innocent mind. He never forgot this smell of soil and the horrors of life till his last breath.
Sarveshwar’s father Vishwaeshwar Dayal ji built a small house near the orphanage on Malviya Road with great effort. Sarveshwar’s younger brother and younger sister were born in this new house. During this time Sarveshwar’s mother was transferred from Basti to Bansgaon, Gorakhpur and then Varanasi. Sarveshwar also went to Varanasi with his mother for studies. In 1943, he passed the intermediate examination from Queen’s College, Varanasi. In 1944-45, Sarveshwar left his studies due to financial difficulties and to collect money for his sister’s marriage. In fact, the financial condition of Sarveshwar’s family was never good.
Sarveshwar also worked in Basti’s Khair Industrial Inter College. Here he was getting a salary of 60 rupees per month. After this he could not stay in Basti for long. His heart’s desire was to do something. With this desire in his heart he went from Basti to Prayag (Allahabad). He passed his BA from Allahabad and MA in 1949. This year of 1949 proved to be a very painful one for journalist Sarveshwar and his beloved mother, suffering from ill health and financial crisis, left him forever. Enduring immense pain and poverty that year, Sarveshwar somehow stayed in Basti with his father for about four months. It was here that he founded ‘Parimal’ (literary institution) with the famous Urdu poet Tarashankar ‘Nashad’.[2]
Sarveshwar ji was called to Prayag by the Secretary of A.G. Office, Allahabad, who himself had literary interests, through a telegram. Sarveshwar ji reached Prayag and got the job of the Chief Dispatcher in the A.G. Office. The chief officer of the office was quite impressed with Sarveshwar ji’s literary interests, due to which he got a lot of freedom in his work there. Thus this job proved to be a boon for Sarveshwar and he got a chance to enjoy and create better in the literary-cultural environment of Prayag. He remained in the A.G. Office till 1955. Thereafter he was appointed as the Assistant Editor (Hindi News Department) of All India Radio. He remained on this post in Delhi till 1960. After 1960 he moved from Delhi to Lucknow Radio Station. After the job in Lucknow Radio in 1964, he also worked for some time in Bhopal and Indore Radio.
In 1964, when the publication of Dinmaan magazine began, on the insistence of senior journalist and writer Sachchidananda Hiranand Vatsyayan ‘Agyeya’, he resigned from his post and came to Delhi and joined Dinmaan. He learned a lot in the field of journalism with ‘Agyeya’ ji. In 1982, he became the editor of the prominent children’s magazine Parag. In the meantime, his wife Vimala Devi passed away. After that, Sarveshwar’s sister Yashoda Devi came and raised his two daughters with a motherly attitude. As the editor of Parag, he gave a new craft and dimension to Hindi children’s journalism. After taking over the editorship of Parag in November 1982, he remained associated with it till his death.[2]
As far as the writers connected to the public are concerned in contemporary Hindi literature and journalism, Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena comes forward as an answer with his versatile creative talent. Be it poetry or story, drama or journalism, his public commitment is successful on every front. Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena was also respected in the Hindi literature world as a storyteller and novelist. He received awards for his stories during his university life itself. He actually started his writing career as a storyteller. He kept writing stories till 1950. After three-four years, he wrote stories again. At the same time, his short novel ‘Soya Hua Jal’ was published, then his novel ‘Ude Hue Rang’ was published. Another story collection ‘Andhere Par Andhere’ was much discussed.
Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena proved to be a very sensitive poet. After writing stories, he entered the field of poetry in 1950. In a short span of time, he earned a special place among the people of his time, which made him a prominent signature of Hindi poetry. In 1959, he was recognized as the poet of ‘Teesra Saptak’ published under the editorship of Ajneya. He also received the Sahitya Akademi Award for his poetry collection ‘Khuntiyon Par Tange Log’. In the true sense, Sarveshwar was one of the founding poets of new poetry. Sarveshwar’s poetry gave a new meaning to the power and capability of new poetry, and proved its authenticity on the solid ground of thoughts, away from emotional sentiments. Sarveshwar was considered the representative poet of new poetry due to his people-oriented mentality, continuous efforts to highlight social truths, balanced sensitivity and the uniqueness of his unbiased but directly connected poetic language with Indian folk tradition and culture. Sarveshwar achieved many heights in the field of journalism like drama, novel and story but his poetic personality is the most brilliant. Famous critic Dr. Krishna Dutt Paliwal believes that “Being directly connected to contemporary life contexts and problems, his fresh emotional ability is making the poetry of a capable poet full of new thoughts and views.” Paliwal believes that Sarveshwar’s poetry has constantly developed and refined itself and made it sharp.
In Sarveshwar’s poetry, the milk of the Kamadhenu of language is so fresh and life-giving that the world of new poetry has been strengthened by it. Like Nazrul Islam, he constantly recognizes social change as an anarchist voice. In the moment of rebellion against the social system, he rebels against himself as well.
“I start from where I am; often a pain turns into a journey.”
He accepts his poetry and his purpose with complete openness and says-
“I am no longer a poet
I am a black flag.
In mourning among fifty-three crore eyebrows
My poem stands firm.”
Famous poet Kunwar Narayan believes that, “Sarveshwar was basically a person with intense emotions and excitement, which had a complete impact on both his writing and his mutual relations. He did not get involved much in the nuances and cuts of intellectualism. Whatever he felt intensely, he believed in it and expressed it with the same intensity. This was the strength of his writing.” Poet Raghuvir Sahay said that “Sarveshwar gave a new form to poetry and discovered a new language.”
Theatrical literature
Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena made his mark as a playwright. Among his plays, ‘Bakri’ was the most popular, which was staged in large numbers. His plays contain sharp satire against political absurdities and status quoism. Through his characters, he is seen directly attacking the stinking political system of the country. Apart from this, he wrote plays and one-act plays called Ladai, Ab Garibi Hatao, Kal Bhaat Aayega, Hawalat, Roopmati Bajbahadur, Hori Ghum Machori. For children, he wrote plays called Bhon-Bhon-Khon-Khon and Lakh Ki Naak. Apart from this, Sarveshwar also edited Shamsher, centered on the famous poet Shamsher Bahadur Singh. He also edited a poetry collection titled Nepali Kavitayen. He also wrote travel memoirs, which have been published under the name Kuch Rang-Kuch Gandh. He wrote a lot of literature for children. His two children’s poetry collections named ‘Batuta Ka Juta’ and ‘Mahangu Ki Tie’ have been published.[2]
