Gwai : First Step towards Regionalism in Garhwali Literature

According to wikipedia, the regionalism in literature is defined as-  “In literature, regionalism or local colour fiction refers to fiction or poetry that focuses on specific features – including characters, dialects, customs, history, and topography – of a particular region. Since the region may be a recreation or reflection of the author’s own, there is often nostalgia and sentimentality in the writing.”

There have been discussions on standardisation of local language in past (Discussion in Dhad, 1990-91, issue-6,7 and 8 and in Chitthi Patri June, 2004) and this discussion still continues in various forums. It has been argued,some time by author too, that regional writers should write in their dialects and the regional writers should compete with other area’s writers.  

The Garhwali poetry collections “Gwai” is the collections of poems of fourteen poets from Syunsi Baijron area of Pauri Garhwal does not fulfil the above requirement of regionalism but Gwai tries to fit in the definition of Oxford companion as The Oxford Companion to American Literature, explains the regionalism "In local-color literature one finds the dual influence of romanticism and realism, since the author frequently looks away from ordinary life to distant lands, strange customs, or exotic scenes, but retains through minute detail a sense of fidelity and accuracy of description" (439).

Gwai means the initiation of walking by a child and the collection of poems in Gwai is also an initiation of bringing the poets of a particular region in one podium. Gwai is a collection of regional poets of Dhoundiyalsyun of Pauri Garhwal. In his introduction (Payedi ), the editor poet Totaram Dhoundiyal proposes the importance of regionalism in Garhwali poetry or literature that the importance of Syunsi-Baijaro (tow manids of Dhaundiyalsyun) should not be limited to the supplying centers but these two places should also denote the emitting and displaying centers for Garhwali literature, culture and social emotions.

There are fourteen poets who contributed in this finely edited book. Most of the poets either are from Dhaundiyalsyun (Swyunsi Baijaron ) or presently working there. For example the Kumauni poet Govind Singh Rawat is from Kankot of Almora district but he teaches in J. I. C. Chaukhal Dhoundiyalsyun. Ashok Uniyal is from Amaldu, Dabaralsyun (Salan) but he had been a teacher in that region, Shakuntala Ishtwal belongs to Dharkot, Kafolsyun but she is teacher in Jogmadh, Patti-Sabali via Baijaron. Let’s have a poet wise review of poems.

Shakuntala Ishtwal : Ishtwal is a known name for Kavi Sammelan (reading poetry in conference, [कवि सम्मेलन]) of that area. All five poems of her are inspirational and her teaching profession dominates the poems in terms of preaching (adan wal geet). Lapata poem is satire poem

Master ungna kursyun man

Skulyaun ko lapata

Vishwa Prakash Baudai : All the eight poems of Baudai are the verses of philosophy and preaching.

Dr Rajendra Bhatt ‘Nagesh’ : In true sense, Bhatt’s verse “Syunsi-Baijaronn” is the representative example of narrating regional colour, religious faith, lore, culture, social identity and geography of Syunsi-Baijaron:

Syunsi baijaron basyan chhan-kan ee dwee ka dwee bai-baina jan

Yun dwee jagun bagdee dudhatauli dudai jan dhar

Govind Singh Rawat : Govind Singh Rawat is a Kumauni poet. ‘Baujyu ki Narai’ and ‘Baujiki Kudi’ are the poems of struggle and ambitions of average hill-man. Where ‘Mahima Jhangora ki’ tells us the medicinal benefits of our conventional cereals and forest produce as fruits and roots of Uttrarakhand, the poem ‘Rupun ki Tees’ is philosophical and preaching poems.

Shiv Dayal Shailaj : Each poem from the six poems of Shailaj are different from each other in terms of subject, form and narrating style. Shailaj also create Gazal in Garhwali and is truly called ‘Ganjeli kvita’

Jaunka khutta nee, vu ghundun ka sara chhan

Jauka chhain chhan vun ka khutt gara chhan

Shailaj has potentiality of creating satire in Garhwali and if be in the same direction, he will be the poet of Dandriyalism, that is satire, humour with Garhwali realism.

Bachi Ram Baudai : Though, the four poems of Bachi Ram Baudai are the poems of patriotic subjects but he finely used the Garhwali symbols, images that these poems become relevant is Garhwali regionalism.

Sanjay Dhoundiyal ‘Ekant’  : Sanjay is karmakandi pundit and famous astrologer of his area and he shows his pain of demolitions of villages due to migration from his area in two poems ‘Dhai‘ and ‘Ko lagalo hail’. The poem ‘upman ni kara’  tells us the wrong happenings in our society and at the marriage ceremonies , festive events etc.

Kulbeer Singh Rawat ‘Chhilwat’ : When Kulbeer Singh reads poems in Kavisammelan’  his poems are the verses of Thattaism but in this collection, all three poems are the verses of preaching and it seems unusual.

Chitra Singh Kandari : When a society changes, the sensitive creative will express the changes. Nyuto means invitation of guests on the eve of an event and in older days, the hosts used to arrange food festival for the intimated guests but whether it is Uttarakhand or else where in India the fashion is to put the drink party on the eve of Nyuto and Kandari showed the painful changes in his nice woven poetry ‘Nyuto’. In rural Uttarakhand, ‘bisaun’ (the place of brief resting by grass or wood loaders i.e women or men folks of village ) has specific importance in our village life. Chittra singh could express it as if he is video-shooting of ‘bisaun’ in this poem . Inau kilai verse is about wrong happenings from good deeds and Chaunfala poem is praiseworthy description of Garhwal as a territory.

Anil Kumar Shailani : The poem Bwai of Anil is a poem of pathos rapture and the poet narrated well about the tragedy and eagerness for mother of a motherless child. It reminds us the poem of Jaggu Naudiyal on the same subject “Samlaun” .Anil’s poem Anpadh beti is about importance of education to the girls and apani t soch is about inspiring the youth.

Ranveer Dutt : After Jaggu Naudiyal, Ranbeer Dutt is the master of creating real pathos about the happenings for a motherless child. His all two poems – Maisyan and bwai runi ni rai are related to rapture of pathos and third poem jai far bwai is reflection of our culture of ‘Hanatya an‘ (appearing of a spirit of a dead human in a human being ).

Chandan : The biggest tragedy of Garhwali poetry or literature is that less is written about Dalit sahitya (or the literature on deprived class ). Chandan tried to fill this vacuum in his poetry Padidyan Log.

Jamano badal ga

Padadyan log aj bi

Ni ayee agaa

……..

Yo sacch cha bada dala mudi chwata dala ni hunda

Pan,

Paryavaran ki vyavastha ini ho

Taki patdyan mulligan

Harchan se bachi jai

The other poems of the poet are not that much significant before ‘Padadyan log’

Sushil Chandra : Sushil Chandra tried to prove that he has potentiality for becoming a satire poet by his four poems in this collection.

Ashok Uniyal : The four poems of Ashok Uniyal are of mix subjects and different raptures or emotions. His problem is that he could not understand that the poet is confused between inspirational aspects are always hidden in satiric poems and humor and sharp criticism are exposed.

The collection is appreciable that this is the first initiation in bringing regionalism in Garhwali literature but the biggest drawback of this collection is that except Syunsi Baijaron poem, other poems are not related to the preciseness of Dhaundiyalsyun.

Available at

Shri totaram Dhoundiyal

Unique Institute

¼ Nashville Road

Dehradun

Pin248001

Price: Rs. 30