Shiv Kumar Batalvi

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Shiv Kumar (born July 23, 1936^[1] in Bara Pind Lohtian, Shakargarh Tehsil, Punjab [now Pakistan], died May 7, 1973 in Kir Mangyal (Pathankot), Punjab in India) was a Punjabi poet.Shiv Kumar Batalvi, a young man of barely 20 years of age, appeared on the scene of Punjabi poetry in East Punjab. By living a brief and intense life that was devoted to writing deeply profound, passionate and enchantingly lyrical poetic expressions of the pathos of his time, and dying young at the age of 36, a fate that he had predicted and romanticized throughout his poetry, he attained the charisma of a modern day saint and a fallen-hero in the eyes of many of his admirers.

Contents 1 Early Childhood 2 Education 3 Personal life 4 The Years of Aimless Wanderings 5 The Decade of Shiv’s Poetic Miracle 6 The Years of Bitterness and Disappointment 7 Shiv In Bombay 8 The Trip to England 9 Shiv Kumar-A Mystical Master Of Words 10 Poetic Journey of A Bohemian 11 His Critics 12 Shiv’s Popularity 13 Shiv and Punjabi Poetry Tradition 14 Shiv - the Phoenix 15 Bibliography 16 Special Issue of Magazines 17 Interviews 18 Collections of poetry 19 Books edited by Shiv Kumar Batalavi 20 References 21 External links

[edit] Early Childhood

Shiv belonged to a middle-class brahmin family that lived in that area for many generations. His father, Pandit Krishan Gopal, was the second-born among his three brothers and two sisters^[2]. He started his career as a Patwari(land recorder and surveyor) and eventually reached the post of Qanoongoh (a mid-level supervisory position in the Revenue Department) and retired as the principal of Patwar School, Batala. Soon after passing the exam of patwar in 1931, Krishan Gopal married a tall and beautiful girl, Shanti Devi, from a nearby village. Shanti Devi was known for her melodious singing voice that Shiv inherited from her. Their first son, Davarka, was born during the second year of their marriage followed by Shiv a couple of years later.
Shiv was born in a traditional Brahman family. After the partition of India, his family moved to Batala from Pakistan. As a child Shiv is said to have been fascinated by birds and rugged, thorny plants on the Punjabi landscape. Shiv was exposed to the 'ramlila' (a dramatised version of Hindu mythological epic) at an early age, and it is to be expected that he received what was later to become his instinctive understanding of drama from these early performances. Shiv belonged to a middle-class family. By all accounts, Shiv had a happy and carefree childhood. He was known for his peculiar habit of wandering around in the village and its surroundings alone. Many times his father would have to search for him, finding him lying down under the trees at the banks of Bassantar nala, local irrigation canal or near a mandir (temple) on the south side of the village. At other times he would be found watching with fascination the tricks of snake charmers or absorbed in listening to the singings of raas-daharis (a folk verse-play based on religious songs).At other times he would be found watching with fascination the tricks of snake charmers or absorbed in listening to the singings of raas-daharis (a folk verse-play based on religious songs) . He was very fond of taking part in Ramlila and other plays during religious festivals, usually in a female role. Even today, the old folks in the village remember that ‘patwari's son’ was known as a sheedai (obsessed) and a malang (wanderer).

[edit] Education

Shiv’s family settled down in Batala in Darussalam muhalla (section of a city), now re-named as Prem Nagar. Shiv attended the Salvation Army High School and passed his matriculation examination in first division in 1953. That is about how far he would go as far as formal education was concerned. To the utter disappointment of his father who wanted him to get a good education and start a successful career, he spent the next few years getting in and out of three colleges without getting a degree. He spent two years in the Baring Union Christian College, Batala, in the F.Sc. program but dropped out without sitting in the Board examination. He next joined R. D. College, Nabha, but left it after a few months. He then got admission in S.N. College, Qadian, a small town near Batala, in arts subjects but dropped out again after a couple of years. Finally, his father forced him to join the Revenue Department as a patwari.[9] After joining the service, Shiv took little interest in the work and for a while made an arrangement with a retired patwari to take care of his official responsibilities in exchange of one-third of his pay. Even that didn’t last for long and Shiv resigned from his job in 1961.

It was during the final year of his unsuccessful college career at Qadian in 1957 that Shiv started writing poetry in Punjabi. Among his student friends in the colleges he had attended, he was already very popular as a talented singer and he had developed a large following of fans. [Pal 1998]. Now, instead of singing folk and film songs, he started singing his own poems. He soon got introduced in the literary circles of Batala. Some senior writers of Batala, including Jaswant Singh Rahi, Kartar Singh Balgan and Barkat Ram Yumman, as the saying goes, took him under their wings. Among them, Barkat Ram Yumman played an important role in introducing him to the kavi darbars (poetry recital functions, also called mushairas) outside Batala. [Sharma 1979].

[edit] Personal life

He met a girl named payal at a fair in Baijnath, near the town of Jammu in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. When he went to look for her in her hometown, he heard the news of her death and wrote his eulogy Meena. This episode was to prefigure numerous other partings that would serve as material to distill into poems. Perhaps the most celebrated episode is his fascination for Gurbaksh Singh's daughter who left for the US and married someone else. When he heard of the birth of her first child, Shiv wrote 'Main ek Shikra Yaar Banaya' (I have befriended a wild fowl), perhaps his most famous love poem. It's said that when she had her second child, someone asked Shiv whether he would write another poem. Shiv replied 'Have I become responsible for her? Am I to write a poem on her every time she gives birth to a child?' Sounds much better in Punjabi (Main ohdaa theka leya hoyaa? Oho bacche banayi jave tey main ohdey tey kavita banayi javan?).

Shiv's wife Aruna was a Brahmin from Kir Mangyal in district Gurdaspur of Punjab. By all accounts they had a happy marriage: they had two children, son Meharbaan (b. Apr. 12, 1968) and daughter Puja (b. Sep. 23, 1969) whom Shiv loved immensely.

By 1968 he had moved to Chandigarh, but both Batala and Chandigarh became soul-less in his opinion. Chandigarh brought him fame, but scathing criticism as well. Shiv replied with an article titled 'My Hostile Critics'. Meanwhile his epilepsy worsened and he had a serious attack while at a store in Chandigarh's sector 22....

Both children are in Patiala these days living a happy married life.

[edit] The Years of Aimless Wanderings

Shiv’s family settled down in Batala in Darussalam muhalla (section of a city), now re-named as Prem Nagar^[3]. Shiv attended the Salvation Army High School and passed his matriculation examination in first division in 1953. That is about how far he would go as far as formal education was concerned. To the utter disappointment of his father who wanted him to get a good education and start a successful career, he spent the next few years getting in and out of three colleges without getting a degree. He spent two years in the Baring Union Christian College, Batala, in the F.Sc. program but dropped out without sitting in the Board examination. He next joined R. D. College, Nabha, but left it after a few months. He then got admission in S.N. College, Qadian, a small town near Batala, in arts subjects but dropped out again after a couple of years^[4]. Finally, his father forced him to join the Revenue Department as a patwari^[5]. After joining the service, Shiv took little interest in the work and for a while made an arrangement with a retired patwari to take care of his official responsibilities in exchange of one-third of his pay. Even that didn’t last for long and Shiv resigned from his job in 1961.

It was during the final year of his unsuccessful college career at Qadian in 1957 that Shiv started writing poetry in Punjabi^[6]. Among his student friends in the colleges he had attended, he was already very popular as a talented singer and he had developed a large following of fans. Now, instead of singing folk and film songs, he started singing his own poems. He soon got introduced in the literary circles of Batala. Some senior writers of Batala, including Jaswant Singh Rahi, Kartar Singh Balgan and Barkat Ram Yumman, as the saying goes, took him under their wings. Among them, Barkat Ram Yumman played an important role in introducing him to the kavi darbars (poetry recital functions, also called mushairas) outside Batala.

[edit] The Decade of Shiv’s Poetic Miracle

The next decade, after Shiv left S.N College, was the most prolific period of his poetry writing. It was during this time that he composed most of his masterpiece poetry that he was destined to write during his brief lifetime. Once he discovered his poetic genius, the writing of poetry became his primary passion and overshadowed all other considerations. He practically dedicated his life to writing poetry as the only objective of his life. He extensively studied Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu and English literature^[7]. Shiv also developed friendships with a large number of well-known Punjabi writers and started moving in their circle. Between 1960 and 1965, he published his first five collections of poetry. One of the only two other collections that he published later contained poems that were mostly written during this period. He was awarded the coveted Sahitya Academy Award for his verse-drama, Loonan, published in 1965, becoming its youngest ever recipient.

By the end of this period, Shiv had become a living legend and most sought after Punjabi poet. The organizers of kavi darbars all over the Punjab had found out that inviting Shiv would guarantee a large audience and success of their functions. They also began to break the longstanding tradition of seniority by inviting Shiv to recite his poetry after some well-established and senior poets knowing well that the audience will not stay around to listen to other poets after him. He was the star attraction of kavi darbars and was famous for his unique and passionate style of singing of his poetry that could spellbind his audience into pin-drop silence. Many who had listened to Shiv’s recitations of his poetry found it as one of the most memorable experiences of their lives^[8].

Shiv’s extraordinary hold on his audience has been noted by all of his biographers. A typical example is Balwant Gargi’s description of a kavi darbar that he attended with Shiv:

This mushaira was organized by Principal O. P. Sharma on a very large scale on the occasion of Guru Nanak’s 500th birthday … As soon as we appeared on the stage, a wave of excitement ran through the audience on seeing Shiv. They welcomed him with a loud round of applause …When he stood up to recite his poetry, a trance-like silence dominated the hall. He read his poem, Safar (a travel) … The vibrations of his enchanting and soft tunes touched the hearts of everyone present. Suddenly he raised the pitch of his voice. He was challenging Nanak. A poet was addressing another poet. He was saying to Guru Nanak: “See how far your nation has travelled after you. Today they have travelled from your name to the sword” … Shiv’s voice was resonating in the hall. He was standing tall and there was a prophet-like grandeur in his voice … when the poem ended … the girls started shouting for him to sing “Kee puchdey o haal faqeeran da (What is the point of asking us faqirs how are we doing?) … Shiv smiled and switching his mood he then sang the poem that he had sung hundreds of time and each time it had won the hearts of his audience … When Shiv left the microphone after reading three poems, no other poet could get the attention of the audience. The spell had broken and people had lost their interest in the kavi darbar^[9].

[edit] The Years of Bitterness and Disappointment

Shiv had come to Chandigarh with many hopes but after four years when he left this city he was bitter and disappointed. Although his stay in Chandigarh initially brought him more fame, his growing popularity had already given rise to many detracting voices in Punjabi literary circles that became more loud and stronger during his time in Chandigarh. This eventually became quite distressing for him. So much so that he retaliated against the criticism of his poetry in an article published as the preface of Dardmandan Deean Aheen, a selection of his poetry, under the heading ‘Mere Nindak’ (My Critics).

Shiv hardly did any work at the State Bank in Chandigarh where he was employed. For a while, he was given the charge of some books lying around in the bank. Shiv simply kept a register on his table and let everyone know that whoever needed a book could make entry in the register and take the book. Similarly, he was also assigned other light duties on different desks, including of public relations. He would go to the bank only once or twice a week. Shiv lived in a house in Sector 21.

His favourite place in Chandigarh was the watch shop of Preetam Kanwal Singh, close to a liquor shop in Sector 22. It was a small booth type shop. Shiv would arrive there early in the day and would hold court until evening. He would sometimes lie down behind the counter to get some rest in the afternoon. In the evenings, he could be found at the ‘Writers-Corner’ in the square of Sector 22. On the same day that Shiv shifted to Chandigarh, he met some fellow poets, Mohan Bhandari, Bhagwant Singh, Bhushan Dhyanpuri and some others, standing by the railing on the side of the road at 22 Sector. They immediately decided to name this corner ‘Writers Corner’ to celebrate the occasion. A young boy was sent to get a small board painted with the inscription ‘Writers Corner’. They hanged the board there and got it inaugurated by Shiv. It is also called Battian Wala Chowk (the square with traffic lights) of Sector 22-23, since it is just in the first corner of Sector 22 from the main road and Sector 23 begins across the road. This Sector was the main centre of literary activities in Chandigarh. About 25-30 writers were living around in that area and other close by Sectors. Sector 22 was their main meeting place in the evening.

During the last couple of years of Shiv’s stay in Chandigarh, his health had started declining. He had a few attacks of epilepsy. The harsh criticism of his poetry from some quarters had started taking its toll on his mental and physical health. Until then, Shiv’s social persona had never exhibited some of the deep sorrow reflected in his poetry. He was known as the delight of social gatherings of his friends and admirers where he was always a witty, sharp-minded and very intelligent conversationalist. From serious discussions about literature or recitation of his sad or serious poetry, he would effortlessly turn to telling jokes or other light and entertaining topics.Now, a growing bitterness was often noticed in his demeanor. He started talking more openly about his impeding death. He also started drinking on a regular bases^[10].

[edit] Shiv In Bombay

In the early 1970s Shiv came to Bombay for a literary conference. In keeping with Shiv's outrageous behaviour there is a story about his trip to Bombay. Part of the conference involved readings at Shanmukhananda hall. After a few people had read their work (one of whom was Meena Kumari), Shiv got on the stage and began "Almost everyone today has begun to consider themselves a poet, each and every person off the streets is writing ghazals". By the time he had finished with his diatribe, there was not a sound in the hall. This is when he began to read Ek kuri jeeda naam mohabbat. gum hai, gum hai....(This song has been sung recently by Rabbi Shergill in his Album Bulla Ki Jana.) There wasn't a sound when he finished either.

[edit] The Trip to England

In May of 1972, Shiv visited England on the invitation of Dr. Gupal Puri and Mrs. Kailash Puri He had been looking forward to his first trip abroad as a welcome relief from the drudgery of his life in Chandigarh. When he arrived in England, his popularity and fame had already reached a high point among the Punjabi community. His arrival was announced in the local Indian papers with headlines and pictures. He spent a busy time in England. A number of public functions and private parties were arranged in his honor where he recited his poetry. Dr. Gupal Puri arranged the first large function in Coventry, near London, to welcome Shiv. A large number of his fans and Punjabi poets, including Santokh Singh Santokh, Kuldip Takhar and Tarsem Purewal and many others attended this function. Another large gathering was organized at Rochester (Kent) in his honor. The famous artist S. Sobha Singh was also present who had traveled on his own expense to see Shiv. His engagements in England were regularly reported in the local Indian media and the BBC Television once interviewed him. While Punjabi community got their opportunity to listen to Shiv on various occasions, his stay in London proved to be the last straw for his failing health. He would stay late and continue to drink until 2:00 or 2:30 in the morning at parties or at home engaged in discussions with his hosts and other people who would come to visit him. He would wake up after a short sleep around 4:00 A.M. and begin his day by again taking a couple of sips of Scotch^[11].

[edit] Shiv Kumar-A Mystical Master Of Words

Shiv's phenomenal approach towards the meaning of solitude makes him stand at the top of all those poets who have ever described loneliness. Shiv as the traditional poetical phenomenon was born out of the literary conjugation (kalmi sanjog) of Amrita Pritam and Professor Mohan Singh, to whom he appropriately dedicated his most important creation, Birha Toon Sultan(which means Separation thou art The King). Both Amrita Pritam and Professor Mohan had personally suffered in their respective love lives on account of circumstances beyond their control. In their romanticism therefore, a personal tinge of desperation was inevitable. Punjabi character is far more emotional, both in happiness as well as sadness, than all other peoples of the Indian subcontinent. To succeed as a poet, therefore, one must succeed in making people cry as well as bursting into hilarious laughter with the flow of the lines. In contradiction to Amrita Pritam and Mohan Singh, Shiv therefore, developed the most superb art of recitation. He will be long remembered, like Waris Shah, for this emotional rendering of whatever he wrote. I was deeply impressed by his exposition of this vivid magic in the very first poem that he gave at our house - -"Kee Puchhdey 'O Haal Fakeeraan Da" (What art thou inquiring of a sage?). This rendering had the touch of Sehgal's voice.

[edit] Poetic Journey of A Bohemian

Shiv Kumar was a born poet who migrated from the poetic region of Sialkot to Batala at the most miserable moment of human history. "It was the Independence of the sub-continent in 1947 - the dreadful, painful, horrible, miserable, devastating, slaughtering and marauding phenomenon, which bisected the trouble stricken North India." The pangs of separation are recurrent themes of this great lyricist of the land. He has been hailed as one of the greatest poets of all times.

Shiv Batalavi was a poet and a singer. He presented his poetry by reciting it himself. As a singer, he was discovered by and then introduced to the poetic stage by Dalip Singh, Deputy Director, Languages Department, Punjab, Patiala, at one of the Kavi Darbars the department would organize in different parts of Punjab, in early 1960s while Shiv was a student in F.Sc. He would accompany Dalip Singh, whom he addressed as "Bhaji" (Brother), to these Kavi Darbars and earned popularity in short span of time. His book "Dard Mandaan Dian Aanhin" published in 1964 by Darbar Publishing House, Amritsar is dedicated to the friendship of Dalip Singh, and has a collection of 27 poems. During eulogy at his funeral, Shiv was compared with 'Waris Shah' by Dalip Singh and Bishan Singh Samundari, then Vice Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.

Shiv was not just a poet of a few dozen popular poems nor was his poetry limited to a couple of topics. He was a very versatile poet of many different styles and a wide range of subjects. Throughout his brief poetic career, his poetry shows a continuous progression from the early pangs of birha (pain of separation from one's lover) to increasingly complex emotions and different reactions to his inner sufferings and towards society at large. His sense of his own identity also went through many changes. He travelled a great distance from his first collection of poems Peeran Da Paraga [A Handful of Pains], published 1960, to his last major work Maein Tey Maein [Me and Myself], published 1970^[12].

Following is a brief survey of his published poetry:

1. Peeran Da Paraga (A Handful of Pains) (1960). Shiv’s first published collection of poetry, consisting of 25 poems. It includes poems that he had written between 1957 and 1960 expressing pain and sorrow of separation and his desire for death. It includes some of his early popular poems.
2. Lajwanti (The Shy Maid) (1961). Within a single year after the publication of his first collection of poetry, Shiv appeared to have arrived at a level of maturity that was not as prominent in his earlier poetry. This collection has some remarkable poems on many different subjects. In all of his poetry, there are certain subjects that he has touched upon once, writing a memorable poem on it, and then never coming back to the same subject. In this collection, Sheesho, an exceptionally beautiful and comparatively long poem, falls in that category. Shiv’s description of the exploitation of a poor village girl by the rich landowner is remarkable both for its poetic qualities and for Shiv’s heart wrenching pity and compassion about the poor girl’s plight. A long poem, Geet (A song - Uchcian paharan diya ohle ohle soorja – O Sun, hiding behind the high peaks of mountains) is an example of Shiv’s mastery of describing natural scenery.
3. Aatte Deeyan Chiriaan (Sparrows of Kneaded Flour) (1962). This collection is quite different from the previous two collections, both in matter as well as in its various themes. Shiv experimented with different themes under a dominant mood of sensuous feelings. He also returned to the topic of birha in Shikra (A wild fowl) and couple of other poems. Once again, there are poems in this collection that display his wide versatility of subjects, including various themes that are limited to single poems, i.e., Hijra (Eunuch) and Zakham (A Wound). Shiv also further experimented in some poems by writing them in the prevalent style of expressing post-modern consciousness. Shiv was awarded the first prize from the Language Department of Punjab University for this collection.
4. Mainu Vidaa Karo (Bid Me Farewell) (1963). This is another collection of songs full of symbols of death and pain of separation that he expressed in different forms, including the bemoanings of a love-lorn girl addressed to her father in Dharmee Babula. Once again demonstrating his exceptional talent of interweaving Punjab’s culture in this poems.W
5. Dard Mandaan Dian Hanian (1964). This is a small book of 27 poems and songs Shiv compiled and dedicated to his close friend, whom he considered his elder brother, Dalip Singh. It was published by Darbar Publishing House, Amritsar.
6. Birhaa Toon Sultan (1964). Shiv compiled most of his work into a book with 111 of his best known poems and dedicated this book to Amrita Pritam and Professor Mohan Singh. It was published by Lok Sahit Parkashan, Amritsar.
7. Loonaa (1965). Shiv was awarded the Sahitya Academy award for this book in 1967, and this epic-like verse-play is considered by many of Shiv’s critics as his most significant literary achievement. Loonaa not only added a new dimension to the versatility of Shiv’s poetry; it also recast, to some degree, Shiv’s entire corpus in a new light. In particular, the profound and perceptive empathy of women’s emotions and feelings as victims of social inequity and injustice that Shiv portrayed in Loonaa, allows a deeper understanding of Shiv’s concept of love and gender-relations in his poetry than the stereotype of women as the poet’s self-centred object of desire. Similarly, the masterful use of imagery that set the tone and atmosphere of each of the eight acts of the verse-play, helps to highlight Shiv’s superb poetic techniques and equally expert use of imagery in his other poems. In Loonaa, Shiv reworked the theme of Puran Bhagat, a mythical folklore of Punjab about the implications of marrying a young girl with an old man. In the traditional story the young wife is depicted as an evil villain in her relationship with the grown-up son of her king husband from his first marriage. Shiv wrote his poem from the perspective of injustice to the young wife. He altogether changed Loonaa's character: rather than repeating the traditional portrayal of a wicked, lustful and cruel woman, he challenged the male-dominated society to reconsider their norms and moral values by making Loonaa a sympathetic character. Shiv presented a remarkably incisive and insightful appreciation of women's sufferings in a patriarchy and exposed its moral values as the tools that force women to sacrifice their individuality to fit in various roles assigned to them. Reading the deliberate politics of the monarchical discourse in the legend, Shiv presented it from a woman’s point of view. More importantly, Shiv rejected the glorification of patriarchal assignment of women’s roles and instead forcefully brought out Loonaa's individuality. "Shiv Kumar … views her sexual subjugation and deprivation as a basic injustice to her and cause of her suffering. He vindicates the veracity of her Being by asserting her right to choose and by condemning her deprivation in marriage - through her own voice. In Loonaa, body is not merely a site of sexual desire but her humanity asserted through valuing and articulating the needs of her body and condemning their deprivation in marriage. The play is a strong assertion of a woman’s sexuality which has been ignored, abused, repressed or mythologized (as passive) in patriarchy." [source?] Shiv used strong sensual imagery to highlight Loonaa’s individual feelings. She repeatedly refers to herself as “fire,” “fire maiden” or "women-fire".
8. Maein Tey Maein (Me and Myself) (1970). The last major work of Shiv - is a long poem of seventy-five pages with a unique style of conception as well as execution, in modern Punjabi poetry. Psychological background is the operative here, as Shiv himself mentions "The legend in this poem is not mine, nor is its truth my truth...whatever is mine in the truth of this legend is the truth of my being not of my person. Its psychological background is only a phenomenon of the intellectual and moral scepticism of the present generation. The truth of the hero of this poem is a protest against the false and hollow moral values of today. It is the revolt of modern man's disintegrated personality against the death of his true being". The poet describes his birth as the result of his mother's sexual hunger even when she is an unmarried woman. This hunger is sunk deep in the being of every woman. The poet questions the very fine nuances of morality as understood in very gross terms by a common man of today. Maein tey Maein makes one realize as why this is the last major work of Shiv - he has given his blood to its words and didn't care to save even one drop for his own physical life.

[edit] His Critics

Shiv’s critics have generally given a few stereotyped labels to Shiv’s poetry, i.e., poet of Birha and a reincarnation of Keats, ignoring the versatility of his poetry. His poetry has also been severely criticized, even condemned, for its alleged excessive romanticism and lack of social consciousness, particularly in the context of Marx/Lenin/Mao social analysis:

The pain expressed by his poetry is confused and non-scientific. It is simply his painful emotional reaction based on his unempirical view of the social and material relations in the society.

Amarjit Chandan, expressed similar thoughts in a recent interview:

There is neither any scientific social understanding nor any spirituality in Shiv’s poetry. He represents adolescence emotions. Very few people have bothered to read all of his poetry. He has become famous on the basis of just a few of his poems. He has copied the lyricism and diction of Harbhajan Singh.^[13]

Similar harsh criticism was also levied against his poetry, during and after his lifetime, by many other Punjabi writers who either belonged to the Nexalite and other leftist movements or experimentalism and social realism schools of thoughts in Punjabi poetry. Some of the criticism was perhaps a reaction to the extraordinary phenomena, never witnessed in Punjab during modern times, of Shiv’s unparalleled popularity as a poet that outshined most of his contemporaries

[edit] Shiv’s Popularity

One of the most prominent aspects of Shiv’s poetry is its ever-increasing popularity that has continued to grow since his death and has surpassed all other Modern Punjabi poets. Six years after Shiv’s death, O.P. Sharma noted the phenomenon of Shiv’s growing popularity as:

We are in the midst of a Shiv wave which is projecting him in proper focus as a man and a poet. We are reviving, reliving and rediscovering him … Shiv Batalvi’s “nites” (sic), operas, symposia and stage performances in India and abroad, organized by enthusiastic admirers of the poet, are the emotional and effervescent expressions of our tribute to this lyrical genius … we are experiencing a vital process of gestation and reincarnation of the poet through publications, radio, television, recorded discs and cellulites.

Since then, a number of indicators point to the fact that his poetry has immensely grown in popularity among all segments of Punjabis. Besides more than 20 books and numerous articles that have so far been published on his life and poetry, his poetry has also been the research topic of many doctoral theses at various Indian universities. Perhaps the most important market-based indicator of the popularity of Shiv’s poetry is the large number of recordings of his poems made for commercial audio albums by Indian and Pakistani Punjabi singers, including: Surrinder Kaur, Jagjit Zirvi, Pushpa Hans, Assa Singh Mastana, Mohinder Kapoor, Jagjit Singh, Chitra Singh, Kuldip Deepak, Jagmohan Kaur, K. Deep, Dolly Guleria, Bhupinder Singh, Mitali Singh, Kavita Karishnamurthi, Deedar Pardesi, Jasbir Jassi, Neelam Sahani, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Shazia Manzoor, Ghulam Ali, Tufail Niazi, Shaukat Ali and others. The latest album of Hans Raj Hans, released in October 2002, is solely based on Shiv’s poems.^[14]

[edit] Shiv and Punjabi Poetry Tradition

Shiv Kumar Batalvi has hit a chord with the psyche of Punjabis of all backgrounds. A closer look at his poetry reveals that the success and popularity of Shiv’s poetry, to a large extent, has its genesis in following the centuries old traditions of classical Punjabi poetry. Not in its purpose, content or message, specially of Sufi and religious poetry, but in skilfully adopting the diction, vocabulary, symbolism and many of its other important aspects. By imbibing the essential elements of classical Punjabi poetry, Shiv articulated an acute historical sense and combined it in the most aesthetically pleasing way in his otherwise contemporary poetry. He appeared to have intuitively followed the prescription of T.S. Eliot who had recognized the importance of proper reflection of historical sense in modern poetry .

At a time when many of his contemporaries were looking towards the western and, in particular, the progressive literature from around the world to learn new techniques of writing poetry, Shiv Kumar Batalvi took his inspirations from the classical literature of his own land. He adopted many of its techniques to express the crisis of disintegration of human soul as he saw it in his own life and time. The most important characteristics of classical Punjabi poetry tradition, that are shared by the whole spectrum of creative expressions in Punjabi from the devotional musings of Punjab’s saints to village folk singers, and are relevant to understanding the historical sense displayed by Shiv’s poetry, are worth noting here.

• First and foremost, even the most serious and philosophical Punjabi poetry was written for common folks. The intellectuals, philosophers and religious scholars, who chose to write in Punjabi, never formed an elite class. Their primary motive of communicating in Punjabi was to reach the common people. They had deliberately discarded the privileges that were available to them in the languages of power, primarily Sanskrit and Persian. Although most of the leading Sufi and Qissa poets of Punjabi were very well versed in the literature of major Eastern languages, i.e., Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic, they did not follow the intricate and complex structure of their poetry. Instead, while expressing their thoughts in Punjabi, they used the simple language and idiom of village folks.
• In both the Sufi and Qissa poetry, utmost sacrifices and willing acceptance of death, as the pinnacle of one’s struggle for an ultimate goal, are celebrated.
• Most of the classical Punjabi poetry was written in a lyrical form with the intention of singing. Many of the classical Punjabi poets expressly set their lyrics in well-known ragas of Indian music
• Classical Punjabi poets extensively, and in the case of many important poets exclusively, used the imagery, metaphors and symbols that were taken from everyday life and scenery of rural Punjab.
• The classical Punjabi poetry is a panorama of the whole vista of common and popular culture of Punjab.

[edit] Shiv - the Phoenix

Shiv was a very versatile and supremely gifted poet. In only one of his live interview during visit to england he was described as Phoenix This video can be viewed on line http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgpSHpATAIM

His poetry includes poems written on many different subjects and a variety of styles. He could write traditional Punjabi folks songs, as well as, poems in post-modern diction and in many other verse forms. The only labels that may properly apply to Shiv’s poetry are human-ism and Punjabi-ism. The deep pain and sorrow of some of his poetry can best be understood in the larger context of a Punjabi’s reaction to the crisis of human identity in modern times. He articulated the tragedy of breakdown of Punjab’s traditional society under the onslaught of modernization. He had lived his childhood in a traditional village social set up that offered the poise, equilibrium, stability, tranquillity and self-assurance of Punjabi culture. Early in his adolescence, he experienced the sudden death of this centuries old way of living. For a large part of his versatile poetry, Shiv embraced the identity of a Punjabi folk storyteller and viewed the massive disruptions around him from the historical perspective of someone deeply immersed in Punjabi folklore. He became the passionate voice of millions of others who were, and still are, going through the same crisis. His poetry became a vast treasure of the fond memories of sights, sounds and symbols of the way of living and the scenery of rural Punjab, never so beautifully recorded in such breathtaking details except by the Great Master of Punjabi poetry, Waris Shah. Ultimately, his permanent place among great Punjabi poets is affirmed by his ever-growing popularity. He seems to have passed the test for determining the status of faqirs, equally applicable to poets, laid down by Sultan Bahu as:

         Naam faqir tinhan da Bahu, qabar jinhan dee jeevay hoo.

(Bahu, only they deserve to be called faqirs, whose graves live forever after their death).

[edit] Bibliography

1. Bhandari, Mohan (1973) ‘Ek Raat’ Arsee (July 1973).
2. Bir, Surinder (2000) ‘Shiv Kumar – Jeevan Ate Kavita’ Waris Shah Foundation, Amritsar.
3. Duggal, Kartar Singh & Sekhon, Sant Singh (1992) ‘A History of Punjabi Literature’ Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, India.
4. Elliot, T. S. (1997) ‘The Sacred Wood and Major Early Essays’ (Essay: The Perfect Critic) Dover Publication, Incorporated.
5. Gargi, Balwant (ed. 2000) ‘Kaudian Wala Sapp’ Navyug Publishers, New Delhi.
6. Gargi, Balwant (ed. 2000) ‘Surme Walee Akh’ Navyug Publishers, New Delhi.
7. Gargi, Balwant (ed. 2000) ‘Haseen Chehre’ Navyug Publishers, New Delhi.
8. Hasrat, Sukhpalvir Singh (1980) ‘Shiv Kumar – Ek Thathan Marda Samundar’ Maseeha, Ropar.
9. Kahlon, Mohan (1972) ‘Pardesi Rukh’ New Book Co., Mai Hiran Gate, Jalandhar.
10. Kahlon, Mohan (1973) ‘ Machhali Ik Dariya Ditt’ Hind Pocket Book Pvt. Ltd., G.T.Road, Shahdra, Delhi-32.
11. Kahlon, Mohan (1974) ‘Geetan Da Maseeha’ Des Pardes, London (April 28).
12. Kahlon, Mohan (1975) ‘Gori Nadi Da Geet’ Bhai Chattar Singh, Jiwan Singh, Amritsar.
13. Kahlon, Mohan (1990) ‘ Kali Mitti’ Nanak Singh Pustak Mala, Locket Printers, Chowk Bhai Bhauriwala, Amritsar.
14. Kanwal, Surjit Singh (1995) ‘Loona Da Dukhant - Shiv Kumar’ Literature House, Putlighar, Amritsar.
15. Kanwal, Surjit Singh (1996) ‘Shiv Kumar Kav Vich Birha’ Central Publishers, Ludhiana.
16. Kasail, Navtej Kaur (2001) ‘Shiv Kumar Di Prageetak Kavita’ Lahore Book Shop, Ludhiana.
17. Kaur, Balwinder (1998) ‘Qoulan Da Kacha – Shiv Kumar Batalvi’ Aar Paar, Mississauga, Canada (October).
18. Komal, Amar (1979) ‘Shiv Kumar’s Loona Da Kav-lok ‘ Lahore Book Shop, Ludhiana.
19. Pal, Amrit Lal (1998) ‘ Shiv Kumar Batalavi – Jeevan Te Rachna’ Rahul Publication, Punjabi University, Patiala.
20. Pash, Avtar Singh (Editor: Chandan, Amarjit) (1993) ‘Apne Naal Gallan-Pash Di Diary’ Lok Katha, 22, Malri, Nakodar, Punjab.
21. Pooni, Amrik Singh (1989 ) ‘Shiv Kumar : Rachna Sansar’ Punjab Academy, Pahar Ganj, New Delhi.
22. Preetam, Amrita, (1997) ‘Prashan Lila’ Shilalekh Publications, Delhi.
23. Rammah, Aziz-ul-Haque (Unpublished) ‘Research Report on Shiv Kumar Batalvi’s Place of Birth.’
24. Saini, Pritam (1979 ) ‘Shiv Kumar Batalavi - Chintan Te Kala, “Peeran Da Paraga” De Vishesh Adhiyann Sahit’ Lahore Book Shop, Ludhiana.
25. Saini, Pritam (1983) ‘Shiv Kumar – Ik Punarmulankan Loona De Adhaar Te’ Lahore Book Shop, Ludhiana.
26. Sekhon, Sant Singh (1985) ‘Luna,’ Bharati Journal of Comparative Literature, (1, No. 1, pp 55-158).
27. Sharma, O.P. (1979) ‘Shiv Batalvi – A Solitary and Passionate Singer’ Sterling Publishers, New Delhi.
28. Singh, Deepak Manmohan (2001) ‘Kaam, Kamna Ate Shiv Kav’ Chetna Prakashan, Punjabi Bhavan, Ludhiana.
29. Singh, Pankaj K. (2000) ‘Re-Presenting Women: Tradition, Legend and Panjabi Drama’ Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Rashtrapati Nivas, Shimla.
30. Singhal, Dharam Pal and Jaura, Avtar ( 1979) ‘Shiv Kumar Da Kaav Jagat’ New Book Co., Jalandhar.
31. Singh, Gurdial (1979) ‘Shiv Kumar Ik Adhhyaen’ Nanak Singh Pustak Mala, Amritsar.
32. Singh, Manjit Dr. (1994) ‘Glimpses of Modern Punjabi Literature’ Arun Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., Chandigarh, India.
33. Singh, Manmohan (1983) ‘Shiv Kumar Batalvi: Jevan Te Kavita’ Lahore Book Shop, Ludhiana.
34. Singh, Shinderpal (2000) ‘Shiv Kavita Ate Myth’ Lokgeet Prakashan, Chandigarh.
35. Sital, Jeet Singh (1982) ‘Shiv Kumar Batalavi – Jeevan Te Rachna’ Publication Bureau, Punjabi University, Patiala.

[edit] Special Issue of Magazines

1. Naagmani (1973) Special Issue on Shiv Kumar Batalvi, edited by Amrita Preetam, New Delhi.
2. Punjabi Duniyan, (February 1983) Special Issue on Shiv Kumar Batalvi,1-2, Languages Department Punjab, Patiala.
3. Maseeha (1980), Special Issue on Shiv Kumar Batalvi, edited by Ajit Kaur/S.Kuldip, Ropar.
4. Arsee, (July 1973) Special Issue on Shiv Kumar Batalvi.

[edit] Interviews

1. Bhandari, Mohan [2002]. (Contemporary and friend of Shiv Kumar Batalavi). Interviewed by the author (Sharma).
2. Chandan, Amarjit [2002]. (Punjabi poet and writer). Interviewed by the author (Rammah).
3. Batalvi, Kailash. [2002]. (Wife of Davaraka Dass Batalvi, the elder brother of Shiv Kumar Batalvi). Interviewed by the author (Sharma).
4. Gill, Darshan Singh Dr. [Punjabi writer, poet, critic and a close friend of Shiv Kumar Batalvi). Interviewed by the author (Rammah).
5. Kahlon, Mohan [2002]. (Punjabi writer and close friend of Shiv Kumar Batalavi). Interviewed by the author (Sharma) and Dr Jagtar Dhiman.
6. Mahal, Iqbal [2002]. (Writer, TV Producer and Shiv’s family friend). Interviewed by the author (Rammah).
7. Manhas, Rajinder [2002]. (Shiv’s acquaintance and resident of Chandigarh). Interviewed by the author (Rammah).
8. Takhar, Kuldip [2002]. (Punjabi writer and Shiv’s host in England). Interviewed by the author (Rammah).
9. Talwar, Preetam [2002]. (A close friend and neighbour of Mrs. Davaraka Dass). Interviewed by the author (Sharma).

[edit] Collections of poetry

1. Shiv Kumar (1960) ‘Peeran Da Paraga’ Lahore Bok Shop, Ludhiana.
2. Shiv Kumar (1961) ‘Lajwanti’ Lahore Book Shop, Ludhiana.
3. Shiv Kumar (1962) ‘Atte Dian Chirian’ Lok Sahit Prakashan, Amritsar.
4. Shiv Kumar (1963) ‘Mainoo Vida Karo’ Lahore Book Shop, Ludhiana.
5. Shiv Kumar (1964) ‘Dard Mandaan Dian Aahin’ Darbar Publishing House, Amritsar.
6. Shiv Kumar (1964) 'Birha Toon Sultan' Lok Sahit Parkashan, Amritsar.

1. Shiv Kumar (1965) ‘Loonan’ Singh Sons Production, Jullundur.
2. Shiv Kumar (1970) ‘Mein Te Mein’ Navyug Publishers, Delhi.
3. Shiv Kumar (1971) ‘Aarti’ Lahore Book Shop, Ludhiana.
4. Shiv Kumar (1974# Shiv Kumar (1984) 'Chonvin Kavita' Languages ) 'Alvida' Guru Nanak University, Amritsar.

Department, Punjab, Patiala.

For more of Shiv poetry visit

http://www.apnaorg.com/poetry/shivg/

[edit] Books edited by Shiv Kumar Batalavi

1. Shiv Kumar (Editor) (1966) ‘Je Main Mar Jaawan’ New Book Co., Jalandhar.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• King of Solitude - Shiv
• Express yourself in the BLOG - Shiv
• The Tribune, May 4, 2003
• The Tribune, April 30, 2000
• Punjabi Literature and Shiv Kumar Batalvi Punjabi Culture and Traditions