Sumitranandan Pant was born on May 20, 1900, in Kausani-Almora, Uttarakhand. He started writing poetry from his childhood. He was awarded for poetry recitation in school at the age of seven. In 1915, he permanently started literary creation and became known as a major pillar of Chhayavad.

Pant’s early poems reflect a love for nature and mysticism. Later, he was influenced by the ideas of Marx and Mahatma Gandhi. The influence of Aurobindo’s philosophy is clearly visible in his later poems.

In the field of livelihood, Pant was associated with the Uday Shankar Culture Centre. He served as an advisor to All India Radio. He founded the Lokayatan cultural institution. In 1961, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan award. He became the first Jnanpith Award winner in Hindi.

Pant was honored with many awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1960 for his poetry collections ‘Kala aur Budha Chand’ and the Jnanpith Award in 1969 for ‘Chidambara’. He passed away on December 28, 1977.

His other major works are: Veena, Pallav, Yugvani, Gramya, Swarnakiran, and Lokayatan.

Lesson Introduction

Who wouldn’t have their heart yearning to go to the mountains? Those who don’t get the opportunity to go to the distant Himalayas probably also don’t let the chance to go to the nearby mountainous region slip away. In such a case, if a poet and his poem, while sitting in the classroom, can give the feeling as if one has just returned from wandering in the mountainous region, then!

The presented poem gives the experience of witnessing such excitement and the beauty of nature with one’s own eyes. Not only that, while reading most of Sumitranandan Pant’s poems, one feels as if all the walls around us have vanished somewhere. We have arrived at a charming place where there is an immense range of mountains, waterfalls flowing around, and forgetting everything, we wish to remain absorbed in it.

Mahaprana Nirala had also said: The most powerful skill that Pant possesses is, like Shelley, to adorn his subject with many similes, making it sweeter than sweet and softer than soft.

Parvat Pradesh Mein Pavas

It was the rainy season, in the mountainous region, Nature’s attire changing every moment.

The immense mountain, in a girdle-like shape, Opening its thousand flower-like eyes, Is gazing again and again At its own grand form in the water below,

At whose feet has grown a lake Spread vast like a mirror!

Singing the glory of the mountain, with a gurgling sound, Intoxicating, exciting every vein, More beautiful than strings of pearls, Foam-filled waterfalls are cascading!

Rising from the heart of the great mountain, With high aspirations, the trees Are peering at the silent sky Unblinking, steadfast, somewhat pensive.

Suddenly, look, the mountain Flapped its immense mercury-like wings!

Only the sound of the waterfalls remains! The sky has come crashing down to the earth!

The fearful Sal trees have sunk into the ground! Smoke is rising, the lake has burned!

• Thus, roaming in the cloud-chariot, Indra was weaving his magic.

Question-Exercise

(a) Answer the following questions-

1. What changes occur in nature during the rainy season? Explain based on the poem.

2. What is the meaning of the word ‘Mekhlaakar’? Why has the poet used this word here?

3. What is meant by ‘Sahastra Drig-Suman’? For whom might the poet have used this term?

4. With what has the poet compared the pond and why?

5. Why were the tall trees rising from the heart of the mountain looking towards the sky and what do they reflect?

6. Why did the Sal trees sink into the ground in fear?

7. Whose glory are the waterfalls singing? To what has the flowing waterfall been compared?

(b) Explain the meaning of the following-

1. The sky has come crashing down to the earth.

2. - Thus, roaming in the cloud-chariot, Indra was weaving his magic.

3. Rising from the heart of the great mountain, With high aspirations, the trees Are peering at the silent sky Unblinking, steadfast, somewhat pensive.

Beauty of the Poem

1. How has the figure of speech ‘personification’ been used in this poem? Explain.

2. In your view, the beauty of this poem depends on which of the following-

(a) The repetition of many words.

(b) The pictorial language of the words.

(c) The musicality of the poem.

3. Using a pictorial style, the poet has painted a vivid picture of the rainy season. Identify and write such instances.

Competency Expansion

1. This poem talks about the natural changes that occur during the rainy season. Gather information about the natural changes that occur during the rainy season in your area.

Project Work

1. Collect poems written by other poets on the rainy season and recite them in class.

2. Attempt to write a poem using words like rain, waterfall, rainbow, cloud, cuckoo, water, bird, sun, greenery, flower, fruit, or any other nature-related word.

Word Meanings and Notes