THE PASSING OF POET MARKS THE END OF AN ERA

THE PASSING OF POET MARKS THE END OF AN ERA

29-AUG-ENG 1

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA---------------------------Poet Satyanarayan, the immortal creator of the ‘Bihar-Geet’ (Anthem of Bihar), was a figure of pride for the state and a shining jewel among poets. His demise represents not only a massive and irreparable loss for Hindi literature but also marks the conclusion of a significant era in Hindi poetry. Not just the ‘Bihar-Geet’, but his entire body of work will remain cherished by generations to come. As long as Bihar exists, poet Satyanarayan will live on in the voices of the people.

These sentiments were expressed by Dr. Anil Sulabh, President of the Bihar Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, while presiding over a condolence meeting organized by the institution. Paying tribute to his memory, Dr. Sulabh noted that Satyanarayan—who rose to the pinnacle of popularity through ‘Nukkad Kavi Sammelans’ (street poetry gatherings) during the ‘1974 Movement’—carved a distinct niche for himself in the Hindi literary world through his powerful, socially conscious compositions. He established himself at the forefront of the national poetic culture of ‘Navgeet’ (New Song). His published works—such as *Tum Na Nahin Keh Sakte*, *Toot-te Jal Bimb*, *Nukkad-Kavita*, *Dharti Se Judkar*, *Sunen Prajajan*, *Sabhadhyaksh Hans Raha Hai*, and *Smritiyon Mein*—are invaluable assets to Hindi literature. Poems like *Sabhadhyaksh Hans Raha Hai* and *Loktantra Abra Ke Mehri*, which were recited on street corners during the Jayaprakash Movement, remain just as relevant today. Satyanarayan did not churn out a mountain of books; rather, whatever he wrote, he penned with profound seriousness and a sense of responsibility. Truly, as the saying goes: "What was written became the saga of ages / The lines of poetry became a household address."

Dr. Sulabh mentioned that the Sammelan had planned to honor him and launch a comprehensive collection of his works, titled *Satyanarayan-Samagra*, on his 92nd birthday this coming September 13th. The birth anniversary celebration will be held on that day, and the book will also be released. Starting this year, the *Sahitya Sammelan* will observe his birth anniversary annually and honor a poet in his memory.

Bhagwati Prasad Dwivedi, the *Sammelan’s* Literary Secretary and a renowned litterateur, stated that Satyanarayan ji was a towering figure in the ‘Navgeet’ genre of Hindi poetry. His passing has caused the collapse of a great pillar of Hindi *Navgeet*. He was as great a human being as he was a poet. A compilation of all five of his published books has been released under the title *Satyanarayan-Samagra*, a project I had the privilege of editing.

Senior poet and retired IAS officer Bachcha Thakur, along with Vibha Rani Srivastava, Dr. Archana Tripathi, Shubhchandra Sinha, Kumar Anupam, Er. Ashok Kumar, Shama Kausar ‘Shama’, Kamal Nayan Srivastava, Krishna Ranjan Singh, Dr. Upendranath Pandey, Dr. Shivvansh Pandey, Hemant Kumar (Editor of the magazine *Sanjhabati*), Madhuresh Narayan, and other literary figures expressed their condolences.