Page 11 - AUG2018E

obituary

about the idea of freedom and
hit out at those forces who were
threatening — “Ise mitane wale
ki saajish karne walon se kah do ki
chingari ka khel bura hota hai; Au-
ron ke ghar aag lagane ka jo sapna,
wo apne hin ghar mey sada khara
hota hai (Tell those conspiring to
destroy it that playing with fire is
dangerous; Those who think of
burning someone else’s house,
that would often happen to their
own house)”.
A romantic at heart, Vajpayee,
• Final farewell Sea of people bid farewell to who mostly wore dhoti-kurta and
former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his final journey when he spoke in Hindi, in or out of bandi, wrote poetry in his spare time,
Parliament, balancing his trenchant re- and was a connoisseur of good food,
marks with well-timed wit. A seasoned but was unabashedly honest about not
politician, he carefully chose his words finding the conducive environment
mouthpiece of RSS) and the dailies to drive home the message and even in while being in active politics. “Poetry
Swadesh and Veer Arjun. He had also his sarcasm remained dignified till the needs environment, concentration,
very close association with veteran end. poetry means self-expression, and self-
journalists like Vachnesh Tripathi and A veritable wordsmith, Vajpayee’s expression cannot take place in noise
Dr Nand Kishore Trikha. Vachneshji speeches were so riveting, it earned (‘Kavita vatavran chahta hai, kavita eka-
use to prepare him to deliver public him legions of admirers and monikers grata chahti hai kavita atmaabhivyakti
speeches. The soul of a journalist like ‘shabdon ka jadugar’ (‘magician ka naam hai, aur wo atmaabhivyakti
in him had always dominated his with words’). In most of his speeches, shor-sharabe mey nahin ho sakti’),” he
thinking process that outshine him his love for the country and faith in de- had said.
sometimes at divergence from party mocracy resonated with his vision for Known equally for his humour, Va-
line and allowed to attain the stature building a stronger India. In his hard- jpayee had once remarked the he had
of an independent and dispassionate hitting May 1996 speech in Parliament, wanted to leave politics but politics
thinker within and outside his party Vajpayee had famously remarked, wouldn’t leave him (‘Main rajniti chod-
as a liberal leader. Perhaps this unique “Satta ka to khel chalega, sarkaren ayy- na chata hun par rajnti mujhe nahin
distinction allowed him to manage a engi, jayengi; partiyan banegi, bigedgi; chhodti’). “But, since I have entered poli-
coalition government with 23 political magar ye desh rahna chahiye, is desh tics, and got stuck in it, my desire was
parties having divergent ideological ka loktantra amar rahna chahiye (‘gov- and still is that I leave it without a blem-
streams. ernments will come and go. But this ish, and, after my death, people say that
Lucknow has always been close to country should remain, this country’s he was a good man, who endeavoured
his heart as he enjoyed tremendous democracy should remain eternally)”. to make his country and the world a
confidence of the people. He was A prolific poet, he penned many better place,” he had said.
easily accessible to everybody and his works, including Kaidi Kavirai Ki Kunda- And, perhaps that is how Vajpayee
closest aide Shiv Kumar and former lian (collection of poems written in jail would be remembered. In recognition
minister Lalji Tandon proved to be during Emergency); and Amar Aag Hai of his contributions, he was awarded
his troubleshooters for addressing (collection of poems) and Meri Ekyavan India’s highest civilian award Bharat
civic grievances of peoples of his con- Kavitayen. Ratna in March 2015. A modest Vajpay-
stituency. The journalists of his times He often felt that politics did not af- ee had once said that his contribution
enjoyed special rapport with him as ford him time for his poetry. In a public in the field of poetry was “almost nil”.
he used to identify them even in the event, he had once remarked that the “If I had not entered politics, I would
crowded gatherings of Delhi. The peo- “streams of poetry ran dry in the desert have recited and listened to poetries, at-
ple of Lucknow deeply mourned the of politics (‘lekin rajniti ke registan me ye tended ‘mushairas’ and ‘kavi sammelans’;
death of a true and trusted leader who kavita ki dhara sukh gayi’)”. would have been in the mood of writing
tirelessly shaped the overall develop- But, even if couldn’t find time to and the poet’s sentiments would have
ment scenario of Lucknow putting it write new poems, he compensated for kept expressing,” he said.
on the international map. that by liberally peppering his speeches (With agency inputs)
with his poetries. In a public address,
he had spoken in his charismatic style letters@tehelka.com

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