History of Garhwali, Kumaoni, Himalayan Literature

Ker : Garhwali Poems Showing Contemporary Garhwal
(Review of Garhwali Poetry Collection -Ker of Darshan Singh Bisht )

Separate state Uttarakhand movement gave us many poets as Darshan Singh Bisht .Darhsan Singh Bisht is called an important signature in contemporary Garhwali poetic world and his poetry collection ‘Ker’ tells the reasons for calling Darshan Bisht as shining star of Garhwali literature.
There are one hundred thirty one poems in Ker and each poem tells different situation in Garhwal, Uttarakhand . Being in Garhwal, all his poems are the real experiences of Darshan Singh Bisht. Even when Darshan wishes a happy a new year greeting through his first poem of Ker , the readers feel a pinch of some unwanted happening there in rural Uttarakhand :
Nayai vars ki shubh kamna
Jayan byali, ayan bhol khun ….
Chhuma bau ki galyun khun …..
Pooch madkan wali byaryun khun
Today, common men perceive that politics is sinful deeds and the poet Bisht cautions the women of Garhwal not to be even Pardhani (head of Village Council)
Ja beti! Kalpana Chavla Bani, Bachhendri pal Bani,
Kiran Bedi Bani ..
………
Jogan bani jai par pardhani ni bani
The poet is capable of showing the psychology of the common men in his each poem . In his poem ‘Dosh Kaiku, the poet narrates the situation of passing the bucks on others very effectively.
Ker is is his long poem ,wherein , the poet shows us the differences of past and diminishing cultural and social values in the present societies. The poet also cautions the human society to be in limit (ker) to protect our earth.
Darshan Singh Bisht did not leave any important subject in his poems such as diminishing human values , corruption at lowest level in the state administration and in society too, the burning issue of increase in alcohol consumption in rural Garhwal, putrefying effect of castes in the society, discriminating aspects between male and female child, education system etc.
The poet is worried about new social, political and cultural changes happening because of speedy migration from Garhwal , Uttarakhand
Ju bayli tak chha syal
Wee khaunbagh bangeni
Ham towhee gewaan bideshi
Ikh dutyal panseni
The readers feel smidgen by knowing the new conditions of diminishing values in each part of our life.
The poet is of new gene and all his poems are prose like poems Gadyatmak Shaili) but all poems are having poetic touch or lyrical touch.
The poems of Ker shows that poet is full of vocabulary and knows how to use each word effectively . The poet uses pure garhwali words and it is evident that Darshan Singh Bisht does not care for so called standard Garhwali and uses Salani dialects everywhere.
When most of us are worried that Garhwali language may diminish within fifty seventy years, the poems of Darshan Singh Bisht assure us that Garhwal has rich culture and love for the language that new generation will definitely take care in protecting the language .

As the historians appreciate the poets Lubomir Levchev, Kristin Dimtrova, marin Bodakov, Likodimitrov, Mirela Ivanova , or Gueorgui Borissov for their contribution in Bulgarian poetic field, same way the critics as Tota Ram Dhoundiyal, Lokesh Navani appreciate the work of Darshan Singh Bisht for his contribution in Garhwali literature.
Without doubt, the poems are of high standard and full of contemporary happenings.
Ker
Dhad Prakashan
74 a New Connaught Place
Dehradun
(2008Ad)

Copyright @ Bhishma Kukreti, Mumbai, India, 2010