Meri Agyal: Poetries Illustrating Uttarakhand Characteristics

Critical Review of Garhwali Literature- 2273

Critical Review of Garhwali Poetry Collection ‘Meri Agyal’ (2013) by poetess Neeta Kukreti

                   Review: Bhishma Kukreti

             Neeta Kukreti is one of the famous Garhwali poets who read her poems with famous Hindi poets as ‘Neeraj’, Hari Om Panwar, Dr. Kunvae Baichain, Sunil Jogi, Ashok Chakrdhar, Surendra Sharma, Buddhinath Mishra, Dr. grija Shankar Trivedi in various Kvai Sammelan who appreciated the Garhwali lyric by Neeta.

     Neeta Kukreti (by birth Kala of Sumadi village) is one of the signatures of modern Garhwali poetry whose hundred of Garhwali poems are already published in magazines.

  ‘Meri Agyal’ is first Garhwali poetry collection by Neeta Kukreti (in law village-Gweel, Malla Dhangu).

  ‘Agyal’ means contribution for auspicious rituals and Neeta Kukreti fulfilled the aspects of title of the poetry collection. The purposes of poems by Neeta Kukreti are humanity and Uttarakhand. All the lyrics of this collection are lively and from real life.

 The present collection contains marvelous 66 Garhwali lyrics. The subject of poems are related to important issues of Uttarakhand (for subject of each poem –refer Appendix) as images, pride of region, environment, migration, woman problems and their importance, aspiration from Uttarakhand state at the time of Uttarakhand movement, present reality after new state Uttarakhand.  There are philosophical modern poetries too in this volume with simple words and phrases those are easily understandable.

 The poetess Neeta is successful in expressing her subject by using proper grammatical constructed words and phrases. The symbols are mostly old phrases but she does not hesitate in using contemporary symbols for creating desired images. Neeta Kukreti has used figure of speeches for clear expression and not to show her poetic intelligence.

 Her lyrics are emotional and melodious due to use of simple words. The lyrics are modern with contemporary meaning and each poem stands on its feet.

 By reading the poems/lyrics of Neeta Kukreti it may be said that her position in Garhwali poetic world is as An Carson, Anais Nin, Anna Akhmatova, Anna Piutti, Carol An Duffy, Cecilia Meireles, Chris Mansel, Juana de IbrabourouElizabeth Bishop, Emily Dickinson, Jo Shapkot, Judith Wright, Inqeborg Bachmann,Lisel Mueller,   Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill, Sylvia Path, Marina Tsvetaeva,  Sappho, for their respective language poetries.

Meri Agyal (Garhwali Poetry collection)

Poetess- Neeta Kukreti

Year of Publication- 2012

Publisher-

Samay Sakshy

15 Faltu Laine

Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Phone 0135-2658894

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 24/3/2013

Critical Review of Garhwali Literature to be continued… 2274

Critical Review of Garhwali Poetry Collection to be continued…

                           Appendix: Briefing about poems of ‘Meri Agyal’

Manglacharan: the poem is about prayer from various deities and forefathers for human kinds.

Jay Dev Bhumi The poem appreciates the history, geographical and social construction of Uttarakhand.

Jay Uttaranchal: The poem tells about cultural heritage of Uttarakhand.

Chaumasi: The poem portrays the four season of lovely rural Garhwal and Garhwali life.

Basant: The poem successfully details the geographical beauty of Garhwal around spring season.

Holi: Holi verse depicts the illustrations of Holi in rural Uttarakhand and the eagerness of people for Holi festival.

Khauri: The verse illustrates the painful struggle of a Garhwali woman in hills and the indifferent attitude of migrated Garhwalis for their motherland.     

Chal Dagdya: Chal Dagdya poem is about aspiration of lovers and also demonstrates the images of hills of Garhwal. 

Mi Khudedu chhaun: the poem brilliantly reveals the beauty of rainy season of Garhwal at the time of paddy plantation in the field.  

Kafal: the poem portrays marvelously the images of hills of Uttarakhand at the time of Kafal ripening and plucking of Kafal.

Kuyedi: Kuyedi poem takes readers to Garhwal in rainy season and at the same time poetess shows the sadness of a girl remembering her brothers and sisters.

Kisan: The poetess provides message for innovative way of agriculture in Garhwal. And new way od development that protects environment too.

Ukal Undhar: the verse gives a picture of hills and its tough life and the people winning over the hassles.

Kauthig: The poem takes the readers to the fair and creates spectacular images of fair in rural Garhwal. The said poem also demonstrates the finer points of love.

Bachpan: the poet memorizes her childhood in hills of Garhwal.

Khud: The poem portrays the sad emotion of a married woman remembering her Mayka (parental family). The poetess uses kuyedi(Fog) for explaining the  sad state of mind.  

Ek Saval: The poem discusses the strategies and duties for separate Uttarakhand state and calls for speedy movement.

Jan t hamtai Padige: The poem reminds the people about sacrifices by martyrs of Uttarakhand movement, their objectives for movement and now the duties of Uttarakhandis.

Apno Rajy: the poem shows happiness after getting separate state Uttarakhand and the poetess hopes the development of hills.

As: The poem shows the enthusiasm and hope of people of Uttarakhand after getting Uttarakhand state.

Uttarakhand ki Dhai: The poem by poetess Neeta cautions Uttarakhandis not to indulge into petty politics of reservation but create a different identity of Uttarakhand by hard and smart works.

Hamaru Uttaranchal: The poem shows happiness about new state creation and now the poetess calls for developing the state.

Dindali: the poem shows depression for migration from rural Garhwal and long term repercussion of mass migration.

Dhai: Dhai poem talks differently about loss by migration and calls to migrated Garhwalis to return their villages.

Khardi Kanthi: The poem seriously talks about worsening position of environmental losses in hills of Uttarakhand. 

Na Kata na katan Dya: The poetess is sensitive to trees and calls not to cut tress as tress are essential for our lives.

Katan: The poem shows unhappiness about unthinkable cutting of trees and creating environment problem. The poem also talks about forest mafia destructing dense forest.

Dandyun ma Ag: The poem shows pain for fire in the forest of hills of Uttarakhand that fire destroys the environment. The poetess encourages people to act upon putting off the forest fire.

Kakhi Harchi gaye Jog: the poetry shows pain of non development in rural Uttarakhand and the consequences of mass migration from Uttarakhand hills. 

Apan Log: The poem cautions people of Uttarakhand about their indifferent attitude for their languages, ignoring attitude about development.

Swagat; the poem calls for Uttarakhandi being tourist conscious.  

Supina: the poem cautions Uttarakhandis be active and advices for leaving non productive practices.

Vu laddu rai: Garhwal is the land of army men. The poetesses Neeta illustrates the bravery of Garhwali army man fighting till death for his country.

Chet Ja: Chet ja poem calls for people not to accept the repression and crook characters in the society and take action.

Danu Saril: The poem talks about the unfulfilled dream of an old human. Poetess uses very fine uses of Figure of speeches.

Bata ma Baithi: The poem again discusses the unfulfilled desire of a person in search of love.

Aakhar: The poem discusses about the luck and talks about the inner voice.

Vidhata ki Lakeer: The poem reminds the discussion happened in Upnishads about who is running the galaxy.

Aj bhi  unni: Though the physical properties change but our life is same. The poetry is philosophical.

Syani ni Kaur: the poem is philosophical and talks the human being may aspire and act for many things but nobody can stop the happening.

Mania bat: the poetry is a philosophical poem and talks that happening is not in the hand of human being.

China Dani: the philosophical poem is about aspiration and actual happening.

Nakhru lagad and Bhali  lagd poems: These two poems show two sides of our life that is a brighter side and sad or irritating side of life.  

Jindgi: the poem is philosophical as Aakhar and discusses about the search of real objectives of life. The poem compels the readers for searching the reality.

Yun Bataun tain: the poem is a philosophical poem effectively differentiates between human and humanity.

Jyu Bold: The philosophical poetry shows the differences between desire and reality.

Timla: rational poem states about the difference between real friend and friend for taking benefits of opportunity.

Jindagi ka gantha: the verse reminds us the complexity of our life, mind and changes happening.

Dhar ma Sukhilosurij ayun ch: The verse discusses changing culture and civilization.

Javani ku Umal: The verse splendidly explains the pride of youngness,   not looking at future and the reality in old age. The poet provides message too.  

Rumak: The rhyme is sad poem and describes the dilemma of a poor rural woman.

Pahad ki Nari: The poem discloses effectively the sacrifice of rural Garhwali women.

Ansdhari; a very pathos oriented poem talks about the struggle and pain of Bal vidhava (child widow).

Khuded geet; the lyrist Neeta Kukreti talks about the pain of a married woman that is away from her parents.

Meri Ladi; the poem is about a girl leaving her home at the time of her marriage and the parental message to her.

Sya Cha Meri Pahad Bwai: the poem illustrates the struggle of women from Hills.

Nari ku Jeewan: the verse points up the non-selfish ambitions and acts of women.

Chitthi: Chitthi poem is about a rural Garhwali woman facing pain of separation from her husband working I cities and struggling to look after children and her ailing in laws.

Sadak: The poem brings a question of development. The development brings social problems with ti. For example the road brings theft in rural villages where the doors were never locked in past. 

Na Vas Hilans: The verse depicts the pain of separation when love and soothing signals more pain.

Saunli si Kamar: the poem reminds us the famous Garhwali song ‘Tu holi beera’ by Jeet Singh Negi . The poetess uses very good symbols for husband remembering his love far away from him.