Poetry,
generally speaking, is a product of emotions. Thoughts do play a part in it, but
emotions predominate. At times thoughts and emotions are commingled in an
admirable degree, as in John Donne and other metaphysical poets. But with a poet
like T.S. Eliot, idea reigns supreme. In Punjabi poetry, Mohan Singh and Amrita
Pritam are the poets of emotional outbursts. The intellectual content in their
poetry is comparatively small. This does not, however, stand in the way of their
supremacy in the world of modern Punjabi poetry. Perhaps they are greatly
admired and widely read on account of this trait. On the other hand, poets like
Pritam Singh Safeer, Bawa Balwant and Ishwar Chitarkar are not so popular simply
because their appeal is to the intellect and not to the mind. This literary
scene will not change for a pretty long time although, during the last decade or
so, there has been an emergence of such poets as are wedded to ideas, rather
than emotions, and they have found good response from some quarters.Sukhpalvir Singh Hasrat is one such poet. He is an innovator of Shaktivad in modern Punjabi poetry. By Shaktivad he means strength of mind and character and a life of devotion to noble causes. It is in fact a liberation from fear, timidity, oppression, exploitation, inequality and inertia. He can, in other words, be called a poet of Charhdi Kala. He believes in a life of action, rather that of contemplation. He is a devout disciple of Guru Gobind Singh, to whom he looks for inspiration both as a man and as a poet. In his famous poem 'Gobind Guru', he pays his homage in beautiful words to the Dasam Padshah.... Man of field, lord of Shakti Divine effulgence, celebrator of life Wielder of sword, destroyer of Mammon. Upholder of Truth, protector of the Sun Moon of moons, preserver of the universe Most bountiful, the liberator of the slaves. Hasrat was born on August 27,1936atChakNo. 109,Tehsil Khanewal, Distt. Multan. He was drawn to the world of literature at the age of fourteen and his first book Sarsabz Patjharan
(Verdant Autumns) appeared when he was still a student of B.A. (1st year). After his M.A., he was appointed District Public Relations Officer, and he held that post for a number of years Now he is working as the Chief Editor of 'Jagrati', a Punjabi monthly published by the Punjab Govt. He has given a fillip to this magazine and its publication has soared to new heights. So far he has published fifteen books, which include eight collections of poems, two novels, one biography and four works of literary criticism. His collection of poems Shakti-nad and Surqjda Kqfla were adjudged the best books of the years 1967-68 and 1972-73 respectively by the Languages Department, Punjab. Recently he has been honoured by the Punjabi Sahit Sameekhya Board, Punjab for his collection of selected poems- Hasrat Kav.
He is so much immersed in his Shaktivad that he cannot view anything without throwing over it a colouring of this philosophy. Even the theme of love in his hands gets a new treatment. In this love-sick age, he has steered clear in his creations of sex-phantasmagoria and consequently his poems are immaculate in form and content. He considers his beloved not an object of desire and gratification but a source of inspiration for scaling new heights. He at times reprimands her for her narcissism and lack of awareness of her role in life...
The glow of your beauty could be all-pervading
It could even be as compelling
As the demands of the Age.
You could even become Durga
And by saddling the steed of Time
Could point out to new horizons.
Your beauty could not have gone the way of all flesh
Your charm could not have vanished into the thin air
If you had imbued the whole humanity
With the bright colour of Shakti.
Again he is not blissfully unaware of the tyranny of everyday existence. He has to live at many levels to meet the demands of his head and heart. At times he finds himself bewildered and perplexed because the world of reality is poles apart from the world of imagination...
What is this life ?
To find oneself always lost in the labyrinths of worries
The payment of electricity and water bills
The fees of Kukku
The shoes of Bittu
The suit of Shashi
So much is to be attended to
Hard it is to earn daily bread
What life is this ?
But Hasrat is a poet of hope and good cheer. He can look beyond the horizon of humdrum life. He is not interested in the world of immediate reality and craves for some perennial values in the world of ultimate reality :
But there are some such men
Who bridle time and transcend reality
To face the torments of life.
I am the companion of these men
I know how to conquer this universe
By crossing over the sea of spectrum colours.
The door of Time is open before me
This life is steeped in mystery
Who has the heart to live this life !
Hasrat is an admirer of Bhai Vir Singh. In his recently published.poem Jug kavi Nu Parnaam, he has paid a glowing tribute to the Father of the modern Punjabi poetry-
In your exalted soul
I have found rhyme and rhythm.
0 my dear!
Your songs will remain fresh and young
As long as the sky is blue
And the stars shine still.
His philosophy of life, however, is more akin to that of Dr. Iqbal than Bhai Vir Singh's. Like the great Urdu poet, he too considers man the supreme creation of God. In fact man is a god, though in the germ. Or perhaps he is a superman of Nietzsche's conception. The moment he realizes his true self, a new world opens up before him-
I have crossed into such a valley
As is free from death, despair and fear.
On this earth
The shadow of pygmies falls not.
In the world of superman
Hatred has hid its ugly head
Nor is there the agony of
Doubts and conflicts.
Hasrat has steered clear of the fads in modern Punjabi poetry and has stuck to his own philosophy of life. He is no propagandist. He takes pains to convey his ideas in an artistic way. His famous poem 'A Still Deeper Reason' sums up his attitude towards life :
Every man craves for a woman's body
And longs to quench his thirst
At the fountainhead of beauty.
But today I have heard
A very shocking news.
A beautiful lass
Fifteen years was her age
From the dark continent of Africa she hailed.
A white soldier Pierced her breasts With two bullets.
0 gosh!
1 can still see
The spurts of blood
Gushing out from her breasts.
I reflect
Every man craves for a woman's body
And longs to quench his thirst.
But.
There must be some deeper reason
To perforate
The body of this beautiful lass
With bullets.