INDIA TODAY AND THE ABSENCE OF POET DINKAR

INDIA TODAY AND THE ABSENCE OF POET DINKAR

24-SEP-ENG 11

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA------------------------India is racing ahead today—we have 5G, Chandrayaan on the moon, and the dream of becoming the world's third-largest economy. Yet, in this rapid sprint, our inner self has somehow been left behind, and it is here that the absence of the National Poet, Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar', is most keenly felt.

We have a society and prosperity, but lack inner balance. The youth possess zeal but lack direction. Dinkar used to say, "A human becomes truly great only when power and forgiveness coexist." Today, power is visible on social media—manifesting as abuse and trolling—but forgiveness is nowhere to be found. There is nationalism, but a lack of deep contemplation about the nation. We all chant "Jai Hind," yet no one asks the question Dinkar might have posed: "What kind of India should it be? Should it merely be wealthy, or should it also be just?"

We wander amidst the mirage of modern amenities, yet empathy is nowhere to be found. If we look at the image and character of society, we see OTT platforms, AI, and wealth in abundance, yet we remain indifferent if a neighbor goes hungry. Dinkar wrote, "There is no poetry without the anguish of the hungry in one's heart."

Truth be told, Dinkar was not merely a poet; he was a guardian of India's soul.

When there is an uproar in Parliament, one recalls Dinkar’s line: "Vacate the throne, for the people are coming." Today, no one is voicing the people's sentiments through poetry.

When today's youth feel despondent, they head to Jantar Mantar.

No one tells them—as in *Rashmirathi*—"When man exerts his might, even stone turns to water."

An atmosphere of war prevails all around—Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Palestine. In such times, one is reminded of Dinkar’s *Kurukshetra*, where he asked: Why is war necessary? What is the price of peace?

Today, India needs a certain kind of ‘spirit’ more than it needs missiles. Dinkar embodied that spirit. He taught us that poetry is not just rhyming; it is a fire. That is why today’s India needs to read Dinkar once again—not just in the curriculum, but in life itself.