Critical History of Garhwali , Kumaoni, Himalayan Literature

Mahesh Tiwadi : A Poet , Singer, and a Composer
Bhishma Kukreti

Mahesh Tiwadi had been a prominent figure of composing music for Garhwali plays staged between eighties and twenties in Delhi . However, Mahesh Tiwadi was also a poet and his poems are emotional, melodious, with realism and many poems are so provocative that the readers feel restlessness. Most of his poems are in tune of Geet style . Mahesh used pure Garhwali words and avoided to use Hindi words in his poems.
Mahesh Tiwadi was born in a Himalayan village Pokhari, Patti Sitounsyun of British Garhwal (Pauri Garhwal) in 1943. Mahesh Tiwadi got music and lyric training from Dharni Dhar Chandola the famous Garhwali music director, innovator of music instrument -Vichitra Bela and a painter.
The people never forget the services of Mahesh Tiwadi for providing music to tens of Garhwali dramas and cultural programs as Ardhgrameshwar , Lati ko Byau, Dyur Bhauj staged in Delhi, Lucknow, Kanpur Mumbai etc. Akashvani relayed many musical programs and poems of Mahesh Tiwadi . Mahesh worked with Akashvani till his death on 14th December 1997. Mahesh tiwadi had been a very famous poet of Garhwali Kvisammelans too .
Mahesh Tiwadi created many Garhwali Geet for cultural programs and Garhwali plays. Mahesh wrote more than hundred poems but he could never publish his geet and poems in his life time . However, Garhwali Sahitya Parishad Kanpur published fiftee three poems of Mahesh Tiwadi by the name ‘Vedi Ma ka Vachan’.
Mahesh Tiwadi created poems of varied subjects as ruining of villages due to migration, fast declining of the cultural values and idealism in he society, destruction of natural environment ,geographical beauty of Garhwal , inspiriting poems, Uttarakhand separate state movement, relationship -importance and reality of breaking the old culture about relationship. Mahesh always, tried to be near realism and avoided unnecessary intellectual fantasy creation his poems.
His poem about Ganga is an example of his innovative thinking and creating provocation through realism in life. Most of Garhwali and even Hindi/Sanskrit poets of Garhwal or elsewhere praised reverend rive Ganga but Mahesh revealed a new aspect of Ganga for Garhwalis

aryaun ku lagai hola tin amrit ki dhara ssss
Bhag ma hamari aini tera dhunga ar gara sssss
Tu che bal s matami kilai boli hola badon
Kya kam aun hamari , bol tera ganglwadan sssss

The poet says that though Ganga have been eternal river for Aryans , Ganga have been a reverend river , Ganga have been a source of water for half of Northern and eastern India but for Garhwal, Ganga is worthless and provide stones and stones.
Mahesh also took clue from exclusive style and subject of Garhwali folk song Baramsa and wrote poems on those lines too.

baudi aigen chait ki chaitwali, dalyun uli gen general
Bhiti bhorin fyunli ka fulun, dandi mauli gen bugyal

His style is limited to Geet and melody has been the primary objective of Mahesh Tiwadi. In a couple of case, Mahesh seems be influenced by Expressionism but most of his poems are influenced by realism . Mahesh Tiwadi never avoided hum in his poetry to make them melodious.
Mahesh is the master of creating emotions , pathos, love in the reader’s mind and narrating geographical beauty of Garhwal.

Copyright @ Bhishma Kukreti, Mumbai , India, 2009