Garhwali Poet-34

Netra Singh Aswal: The poet of Neo-Modernism in Garhwali
Bhishma Kukreti

Along with Vindod Uniyal, Kanhaya lal Dandariyal, Pareshwar Gaud , Prem Lal Bhatt, Lolkesh Navani, Netra Singh Aswal provided new temperament , new disposition to Garhwali poetry world. Natra singh Aswal is the poet of that era when we saw the new wave in Garhwali poetry and poets tried to connect poetry with the life of common man or the life of contemporary time. These poets left the preaching and teaching practices as their predecessors used to acting as ‘Master Sir’ in creating Garhwali poetry.
No doubt, Netra Singh wrote very less but whatever he wrote that became witnessing to give new direction to Garhwali poems.
Aswal shown his expertise in providing new form to Garhwali language I.e ghazal form which was new to Garhwali poetry. Apart from geet, conventional poetry, Netra Singh also create Garhwali poetry in prose form too.
Aswal was born in Tachhwad, Jaitulsyun of Pauri Garhwal (Uttarakhand ) in 1958. After completing his junior school education he came to Delhi and completed graduation here . His inclination to poetic field brought him nearer to Vinod Uniyal another Garhwali poet famous for neo-modernity movement in Garhwali poetry.. Aswal assisted Uniyal in editing a magazine Burans (1978-1980) and later on Mandan a Garhwali monthly periodical.
He joined a central government service and is still there .
Netra Singh published first poetry in 1977 in Badrinath Express and later on one poetry was published in a poetry collection of GarhBharati
Hilans monthly edited by Arjun Gusain published his more than twenty poems regularly.
The first and last poetry collection of Aswal was published in 1988.His poetries are not limited to garhwal or garhwalis but to the nation and essence of nation too
Though, Aswal published around forty poems but no body can deny his power of influencing poetries and are heritage for Garhwali language because these poems were the source of bringing new modernism in Garhwali poetry world
Aswal describes himself in one poetry:

Sukin dauni galwadi udyar, min chhaun garhwali marad
Lhi ni jau kwee chilangun chyan, kavita hafrol kardu

Copyright@Bhishma Kukreti, Mumbai, India, 2009