Dr Gurpreet Kour
Balwinder Singh Jammu is a renowned Punjabi Poet of Jammu and Kashmir region. He has written two poetry books named (1) ‘Man Mandir’ Published in the year 2016 and (2) ‘Yaadan’ published in the year 2022 by 5Aab Parkashan. He usually writes poetry in a rhythmic manner. He has penned down all his poems in Punjabi Language including the dialect Pothohari especially in this book. His poems are a reflection of the various aspects of Relations and Religion. Many of his poems are very relevant to the above context known as ‘Naam Dhya’, ‘Mera v ik ghar hunda c’, ‘Rab kolo darr bandya’, ‘Yaad aaundiyan kal diyan kahaniyan’, ‘Rehmat’ etc.
His poetry is based on various themes such as love, patriotism, spirituality, voice for Week and also on the personal life experiences. His poetry also explores Social Realities and gives strength to the needy. His poetry is referred as Cosmopolitan because it deals with the problems of man and humanity. It appeals for the glorious life of mankind. Somewhere in Balwinder Singh’s poetry, it feels like a caustic criticism of social ills. He is plainly sincere, devoid of the customary expectation of reward. He writes in a very simple manner. His poetry is easy to understand. He doesn’t even use complicated phrases or words. He often uses imageries to convey meaning. Some of his poems are having a tendency to be framed as Story or Novel, like ‘Maa di chithi Gurtej Singh nu’, ‘Teri Bahaduri’ and ‘Ram Lakshan’. Some of the examples from these poems are as under-
Maa di chithi Gurtej Singh nu:-
‘puttra je tu chlya aein Galwan
Krin puray Dil de armaan
Tiranga jhanda lehra ke aavin
Vatan da naam chamka ke avin.’
Teri Bahaduri :-
‘Teri Bahaduri nu mein kra Salaam
Tenu dita vairiyan Shershah naam
Tu Sachmuch Shershah vaang c larya
Yeh dil maange more da pahara c parhya.’
Ram Lakshan :-
‘Chup chupita aaunda c
Dil nu bda bhaonda c
Ajj raahan te chayi viraani
Tur gya sade dil da jaani.’
In his mystical poetry he reminds each of us through such lines that nothing stays forever, Time is very precious. His poetry reminds us about the transitoriness of the time, as he states that:-
‘Eh vela hath nhi aaoana
Nhi rehna sda mosam suhana
Na sutyan sutyan sma gwa
Bhalke uth hari Naam Dhya.’
In these lines, the poet demands that everyone must have to meditate in the name of God. He implies that nothing in the world is stable like seasons. Once time passes away it never comes again in the same manner. So, one must have to do good deeds. Balwinder Singh also prays for a kind and safe environment for everyone. He has a Humanistic approach to this world.
Balwinder Singh in many of his poems talks about the old times. As he is a man of Fraternal Love, he desires for the old time to come again. So that he can enjoy the life of old trends and also can spend time with friends, relatives and also with the family members as he says in his poem ‘Chetyan ch vasya vela purana’ :-
‘Asi v takre hunde c
So-so kilo Bhar dhonde c
Gandlan da saag bnaonde c
Chaavan naal khaonde c
Aandi-gwandi baatan paaonde c
Sare mil ke sma langhaonde c.’
Some of his poems reveal the influence of medieval literature especially the influence of ‘Qissa-kaav’. As, he writes about the aesthetical beauty of woman, it is a major aspect of ‘Qissa-Kaav’ where the beauty of women is glorified in a very aesthetical manner. Some lines from the poem ‘Sidak’ are as under:-
‘Sooha Phul joore te lga ke
Gori nikle tan matka ke
Pairi jhanjar hath ch rumaal
Turdi jaave apni chaal
Arshan di koi pari jaape
Hussnan di oh bhari jaape.’
Poet is very dedicated to his Mother Tongue. He wants to spend his whole life in the service of his Mother tongue ‘Punjabi’ and also wants to explore it in every sphere of day-to-day life of every Punjabi. In one of his poems, he states that:-
‘Saaryan de vehreyan ch rve hasdi
Punjabi Maa boli sda rve vasdi
Khiri rve ehdi mehkan di kyari
Nitt maardi rve ambran teek udari
Ghar bolo, bahr bolo, bolo vich masti
Saryan de vehreyan ch rve hasdi.’
In above lines, poets states that Punjabi is a very sweet and fragrant language. It denotes the happy nature and living style of Punjabis. It also implies its vast nature and creativity. In the next stanza, Poet states that:-
‘Bulle, waris Shah ne likh-likh sanwari
Amrita, Mohan, Shiv ne Geetan ch nikhari
Ehdi khushboo khilaro shehar, basti-basti
Saryan de vehryan ch rve hasdi.’
In these lines, Poet mentiones about the old tradition of writing Poetry with the names of classic poets and also the modern ones. He asks to explore it in every city and town. So that it can blossom to the extent and make every sphere fragrant with its fragrance.
He also writes some of his poems in Pothohari dialect which comprises different topics regarding the glorification of Nature, Human behavior, Romanticism etc named as ‘kun aisi Maaye’, ‘Jhoothiyan preetan’, ‘Kudai ni Sair’, ‘Vela Purana’, etc.
So, from the above thoughts we can conclude that Balwinder Singh Jammu is a Prominent Punjabi poet who composes his poems from the different spheres of today’s life and also implies that the Social-evils are the root cause of the void between communities. He is a Poet of ‘Mankind’ as he writes poems for the sake of humanity. He demands love from every human to every human being. He looks over the ‘Theory of Egalitarianism’ of Guru Nanak and treats every Human equal. I hope that in future he will become more sensitive and more passionate to level up the Poetry of Jammu and Kashmir region.
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