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Suryakant Tripathi | |
|---|---|
 Nirala's portrait featured in Anamika c. 1923 | |
| Born | Surjokumar Tiwari (1899-02-21)21 February 1899 |
| Died | 15 October 1961(1961-10-15) (aged 62) |
| Pen name | Nirala |
| Occupation |
|
| Language | |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Period | Chhayavaad |
| Notable works | Ram Ki Shakti Puja (poem),Saroj Smriti (poem),Tulsidas (poem),Ravindra Kavita Kanan (essay collection),Kulli Bhat (novel),Anamika,Parimal (poetry collections) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Signature | |
 | |
Suryakant Tripathi (21 February 1899 – 15 October 1961) was an Indian poet, writer, composer, and sketch artist who wrote in Hindi. He is considered one of the four major pillars[a] of theChhayavad period in Hindi literature. He is renowned with the epithetMahāprāṇ[b] and hispen nameNirālā[c].[1]
He possessed a mastery of traditionalpoetic meters, with many of his compositions adhering to these forms. Additionally, he revolutionised Hindi poetry by pioneering the use offree verse, becoming the first Hindi poet to do so. He demonstrated to readers that poetry could retain its poetic essence and rhythm even without rhyming lines.[2][3]
He experienced a tumultuous life, marred by family losses and societal hardships. His writings, marked by a deep affinity withnature and a critique ofsocial injustices, established him as a prominent figure in Chhayavadi and subsequent poetic movements, connecting traditional and contemporary themes. His dedication tosocial reform and literary creativity highlights his significant impact on modernHindi literature.[4]
Tripathi was born on 21 February 1899[d] atMahishadal inMidnapore inBengal Presidency[5][6] into aKanyakubja Brahmin family.[7] Nirala's father, Pandit Ramsahaya Tripathi, was a government servant and was a tyrannical person. His mother died when he was very young. Nirala was educated in theBengali medium at Mahishadal Raj High School atMahishadal, a princely state in Purba Medinipur.[7][8]
Subsequently, he shifted toLucknow and thence to village Gadhakola ofUnnao district, to which his father originally belonged.[9] Growing up, he gained inspiration from personalities likeRamakrishna Paramhansa,Swami Vivekananda, andRabindranath Tagore.[9]
After his marriage at the age of 15, Nirala learnedHindi at the insistence of his wife, Manohara Devi. He independently started deciphering the grammar of modern standard Hindi by studying two Hindi journals available to him inBengal:Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi's influential magazineSarasvatī andMaryādā, edited fromVaranasi.[10] Soon, he started writing poems in Hindi, instead of Bengali. After a bad childhood, Nirala had a few good years with his wife. But this phase was short-lived as his wife died when he was 22, and later his daughter Saroj also died. Nirala lost half of his family, including his wife and daughter, in the1918 Spanish flu influenza outbreak.[11][12]
Most of his life was somewhat in thebohemian tradition. He wrote strongly against social injustice and exploitation in society. Since he was more or less a rebel, both in form and content, acceptance did not come easily. What he got in plenty was ridicule and derision. All these may have played a role in making him a patient ofschizophrenia in his later life and he was admitted toCentral Institute of Psychiatry,Ranchi.[13]
Nirala's early works were shaped by the literary culture of West Bengal and the influence ofRabindranath Tagore. His initial poetry reflects theBengali Renaissance andContextual Modernism, aligning with the mystical-romanticism, orChhayavad, that emerged in Hindi literature in the subsequent decades. Over time, Nirala evolved a distinctive style, diverging from his early influences and exploring a range of literary genres, including free verse.[14]
Nirala's poetry illustrated a profound connection with the living spirits of nature. His mystical poems, rich with the devotion of medievalBhakti poetry, explored nature within a metaphysical framework that aligned with hisAdvaita beliefs.[15] While the concept of nature as a manifestation of the absolute was common among Chhayavadi poets, Nirala uniquely portrayed the natural world, not only as a female but also as a fundamentally erotic entity, as seen in works such asSandhyā Sundarī,Jūhī kī kalī, andYāminī jāgī.[16]
Nirala's poetry and prose were also deeply rooted inpopulism. He aimed to create a society free from exploitation, injustice, and tyranny.[17] This commitment to social reform makes Nirala the only Chhayavadi poet whose works bridge into the poetic movements of the post-Chhayavad period, such asPrayogvad and Pragativad.
His poemRām kī śakti Pūjā explores selfless action through the struggles ofRama, serving as an allegory for broader themes of resilience and social struggle.[18]Saroj Smriti, written after the untimely death of his daughter Saroj, transcended his emotional outpouring with a deep sense of regret and sadness. Its subdued treatment and pensive dignity elevated it to epic stature, and it remained one of the finestelegies in Hindi literature.[19]
InKukkurumuttā, he used the metaphor ofmushrooms growing in lowly conditions to critique capitalism. This poem, while presenting a light-hearted narrative, contains a critical examination ofsocio-economic injustices.[20]
Themes of minority subjectivity and social critique are also prominent in Nirala's prose writings, such asKullī bhāṭ andCaturī Camār. These works critique entrenchedhierarchies andcaste-bound structures. InKullī bhāṭ he reflects on his personal experiences, including his wife's support, his devotion toSaraswati, his encounter with Kulli - a socially disapproved man, and his commitment toHindi literature, which collectively influenced his progressive and romantic poetics.[21][22]
Nirala was also a musician who composed songs using theharmonium.[23] His anthology of songs, titledGītikā and published in 1936, features a collection of his musical works. In the preface of this book, he demonstrates his compositional skills and elaborates on the varioustalas andragas suitable for his songs.[24] Over time, his works fromGeetika and other anthologies have been set to music by prominent artists, including those specialising in genres ofHindustani classical music likeDhrupad, andKhayal, as well aspopular music artists with a wider appeal.[25][26]
Ram Vilas Sharma, a prominent literary critic, described Nirala'sRāma kī Śakti Pūjā,Tulsīdās,Saroj-smṛti, andParimal as exemplary models of creative criticism. Sharma was awarded theSahitya Akademi Award in 1970 for his scholarly work,Nirālā kī sāhitya sādhānā, which is a comprehensive three-part study of Nirala presented at a session of the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan.[27]
Another critical analysis of Nirala's works isNirala: Aatmhanta Astha, written byDoodhnath Singh, a noted Hindi writer, critic, and poet.[28]
Many of Nirala's poems were translated byDavid Rubin, and are available in the collections, 'A Season on the Earth: Selected Poems of Nirala' (Columbia University Press, 1976), included in theUNESCO Representative Works of Indian series;, 'The Return of Sarasvati: Four Hindi Poets' (Oxford University Press, 1993), and 'Of Love and War: A Chayavad Anthology' (Oxford University Press, 2005).[29] Nirala's literary oeuvre has been the subject of extensive study, with numerous books and research papers continuing to be published today.[30]
Despite his extensive literary contributions, Nirala was not conferred with any civilian or literary awards during his lifetime, possibly due to his rebellious nature and his avoidance of gifts and honours. In 1947, theNagari Pracharini Sabha commemorated his birth onVasant Panchami, and theUttar Pradesh government awarded his collection of poems,Aparā, a reward of Rs 2100. Posthumously, in 1970, Nirala was featured on a commemorative postal stamp released by theGovernment of India to mark his birth anniversary.[31]
In 1998, theFilms Division of India produced a 20-minute short documentary film on Nirala's life, directed by Rajiv Kumar, which explores his works and achievements.[32]
Doordarshan, the national broadcaster of India, produced a half-hour film titledAparājeya Nirālā (lit. Unvanquished Nirala), focusing on Nirala's life. This film included songs based on Nirala's poems and featuredKathak recitals by various artists.
In 2016,Kumar Vishwas hostedMahākavī, a television documentary series that premiered on the television channelABP News. This series aimed to present the life stories, poems, and previously unknown facts about ten legendary Hindi poets of the twentieth century. The third episode was dedicated to Nirala, that featuredSaurabh Raj Jain in the role of Nirala and included poems sung by Kumar Vishwas.[33]
Sculptures of Nirala have been installed at various cultural venues across different cities. His bust is located at his final residence in the Daraganj neighbourhood ofAllahabad.[34] In front of the central library atAllahabad Central University stands a statue of Nirala. Additionally, a full-sized sculpture is installed at Nirala Chowk inLucknow, which is named in his honour.[35]
In theUnnao District, a park namedNirālā Udyān, an auditorium calledNirālā Prekṣāgṛha, and a degree college known asMahāprāṇ Nirālā Degree College have all been named in his honour.[9]
The table below provides a list of Nirala's writings, with the year indicating their publication date. All the works listed here were published during Nirala's lifetime, with the exception ofSandhya Kakli. This list excludes derivative works, compilations, or anthologies, such asRaga-Viraga andAnt-Anant, which were published later and include works from earlier books.[36]
| S.No. | Title | Year | Context/Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poetry | |||
| 1 | Anamika (I) | 1923 | |
| 2 | Parimal | 1930 | |
| 3 | Geetika | 1936 | Anthology of songs |
| 4 | Anamika (II) | 1939 | ContainsRam Ki Shakti Puja andSaroj Smriti |
| 5 | Tulsidas | 1939 | Based onTulsidas |
| 6 | Kukkurmutta | 1942 | |
| 7 | Anima | 1943 | |
| 8 | Bela | 1946 | |
| 9 | Naye Patte | 1946 | |
| 10 | Apara | 1946 | Edited byMahadevi Varma |
| 11 | Archana | 1950 | |
| 12 | Aradhana | 1953 | |
| 13 | Geet Kunj | 1954 | |
| 14 | Sandhya Kakli | 1969 | Posthousmously published |
| Novels | |||
| 1 | Apsara | 1931 | |
| 2 | Alka | 1933 | |
| 3 | Prabhavati | 1936 | |
| 4 | Nirupama | 1936 | |
| 5 | Chameli | 1939 | Incomplete |
| 6 | Choti ki pakad | 1946 | |
| 7 | Kale Karname | 1950 | |
| 8 | Indulekha | 1960 | Incomplete |
| Story collection | |||
| 1 | Lilly | 1934 | |
| 2 | Sakhi | 1935 | |
| 3 | Sukul ki Bibi | 1941 | |
| 4 | Chaturi Chamar | 1945 | |
| 5 | Devi | 1948 | |
| Sketch story | |||
| 1 | Kulli Bhat | 1939 | Some scholars consider it as a novel |
| 2 | Billesur Bakriha | 1942 | -do- |
| Essay Collections | |||
| 1 | Ravindra Kavita-Kanan | 1924 | Critical analysis ofTagore's poetry |
| 2 | Prabandha Padma | 1934 | |
| 3 | Prabandha Pratima | 1940 | |
| 4 | Pant aur Pallav | 1949 | Based onSumitranandan Pant's anthology Pallav |
| 5 | Chayan | 1950 | |
| 6 | Chabuk | 1957 | |
| 7 | Sangrah | 1962 | |
| Historical Prose | |||
| 1 | Bhakta Dhruva | 1931 | |
| 2 | Bhisma | 1933 | Based onBhisma |
| 3 | Maharana Pratap | 1935 | Based onMaharana Pratap |
| 4 | Bhakta Pralada | 1936 | Based onPrahlada |
| 5 | Mahabharata | 1939 | Simplified retelling of theMahabharta |
| 6 | Ramayana ki antarkathaye | 1946 | Based on theRamayana |
In addition to these works, Nirala also translated numerous texts from Bengali into Hindi. The following list highlights these translations.
Sharma makes out a good case for 1899 as the year of Nirala's birth rather than 1896 or 1897, as most historians have it.
He was born on February 21, 1899 at Mahishadal in Mednapur
