Garhwali, Kumaoni, Himalayan Literature

Satya Sharan Raturi: Hero of Advancement of Garhwali Literature
Bhishma Kukreti

Satya Sharan Raturi is one of the Garhwali poets who accelerated the advancement of written Garhwali (Himalayan ) literature and he is one the pioneers of modern Garhwali ( Himalayan ) language poetry. The poetry of Satya Saran Raturi is full of inspirational value. Satya Saran Raturi was born in a typical Himalayan village Godi of Tihri (Uttarakhand) in 1869. Satya Saran was expert of Gardening and worked with government of Patiyala and Tihri kingdoms.

Satya Saran was having profound knowledge of Hindi and Garhwali. Raturi used to publish his Hindi poetry in Sarswati magazine regularly.
His famous inspiration Garhwali poem ‘ utha Garhwali ! Ab samou syuno ko nee cha ‘ was published in the first issue of ‘Garhwali’ magazine ( May, 1905).

Garhwali poems of Satyasaran are full of emotions, with figurative sentences and words, rhetoric, and most of poems are inspirational, . He also used common symbols and imagery of his time of Garhwal, Himalaya. His all poems are published in ‘ Garhwali Kavitwali’ a collection of poetries of many Garhwali poets as Chandra Mogan Raturi, Hari Krishna Rudola , Yogendra Krishna Rudola etc

Satya Saran is called true leader of advancing Garhwali literature in the first phase of modern Garhwali. Satya Saran also inspired other co-writers and educated Garhwali for creating Garhwali literature and publish that literature. It is said that he used to post letters to educated Garhwalis for serving Garhwali language.
Satya Saran Raturi expired on 24th January, 1926 in Patiyala.

Copyright @ Bhishma Kukreti, Mumbai, India, 2009