Ramdhari Singh Dinkar (1908-1974)

Ramdhari Singh Dinkar was born on 30 September 1908 in Simariya village, Munger district, Bihar. He was nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha in 1952. The Government of India also honored him with the ‘Padma Bhushan’ award. Dinkar ji received the Sahitya Akademi Award for his book ‘Sanskriti ke Char Adhyay’. He was honored with the Jnanpith Award for his poetic work ‘Urvashi’.

Dinkar’s major works are: Hunkar, Kurukshetra, Rashmirathi, Parashuram ki Pratiksha, Urvashi and Sanskriti ke Char Adhyay.

Dinkar is considered a poet of vigor. His language is extremely fluent, vigorous and simple. Dinkar’s greatest characteristic is his awareness of the truth of his country and era. Dinkar shows a beautiful harmony of thought and sensibility. Some of his works also depict love and beauty.

In the presented poem ‘Geet-Ageet’, besides the beauty of nature, there is also a vivid depiction of the affection of living beings, human emotions and feelings of love. The poet feels the creation of a song in the flow of the river, hears a song in the activities of the parrot and the female parrot, and the lover singing Alha is seen immersed in singing. The poet believes that even though the rose, the female parrot and the beloved may not be directly creating or singing a song, in reality, the creation and singing of a song is also happening there. The poet’s dilemma is merely this: is their unsung song (which is unsung only because it is not being sung) more beautiful, or the song being sung aloud by the lover?

Geet-Ageet

Which is more beautiful, the sung or the unsung song?

Singing the song of separation, the river Flows swiftly along, To lighten its heart It says something to the banks as it goes. On the bank, a rose thinks, “If the Creator had given me a voice, I too would sing to the world The song of my autumn dreams.”

The waterfall flows, singing and singing, The silent rose stands on the bank. Which is more beautiful, the sung or the unsung song?

A parrot sits on that dense branch Which gives shade to the nest. With wings spread, in the nest below The female parrot sits incubating eggs. The parrot sings when the spring sunbeam Touches its body, filtering through the leaves. But, the songs of the female parrot well up And remain immersed in affection.

The parrot’s voice echoes in the forest, The female parrot’s wing is spread, absorbed. Which is more beautiful, the sung or the unsung song?

There are two lovers here; when one Sings Alha in the late evening, Its first note draws his Radha Here from her home. Standing stealthily in the shade Of the neem tree, hiding, she listens, “Why was I not made the string Of this song?” thus she ponders in her mind.

He sings, but with some urgency Her inner self is blossoming. Which is more beautiful, the sung or the unsung song?

Question-Exercise

1. Answer the following questions-

(क) What is the rose thinking when the river flows by, saying something to the banks? Write the related lines.

(ख) When the parrot sings, what effect does it have on the female parrot’s heart?

(ग) When the lover sings a song, what does the beloved wish?

(घ) Write the description of nature depicted in the first stanza.

(ङ) Explain the relationship of animals and birds with nature.

(च) In what way does nature stir mankind? Write in your own words.

(छ) Everything is a song, nothing is unsung. Is there something that is unsung? Explain.

(ज) Write the central idea of ‘Geet-Ageet’.

2. Explain with reference-

(क) I too would sing to the world the song of my autumn dreams

(ख) The parrot sings when the spring sunbeam touches its body, filtering through the leaves

(ग) “Why was I not made the string of this song?” thus she ponders in her mind

3. In the following example, try to understand ‘sentence inversion’. Based on this, write the conventional sentence structure-

Example: On the bank, a rose thinks $\qquad$ A rose thinks on the bank.

(क) If the Creator had given me a voice ……………….

(ख) A parrot sits on that dense branch ……………….

(ग) The parrot’s voice echoes in the forest ……………….

(घ) Why was I not made the string of the song ……………….

(ङ) The female parrot sits incubating eggs ……………….

Word Meanings and Notes