MAHENDRA MISHRA IS AT PAR WITH GOSWAMI TULASI DAS, KABIR AND VIDYAPATI

MAHENDRA MISHRA IS AT PAR WITH GOSWAMI TULASI DAS, KABIR AND VIDYAPATI

27-MARCH-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA---------------------------Under the banner of Bhojpuri Research and Development Trust, a two day birth anniversary of Pioneer of ‘Purbi’ Mahendra Mishra was organized at the Nagari Pracharini Sabhagar for the first time at Ara in the presence of Mahendra Mishra’s great grandson Ram Nath Mishra, Prof. Dr. Ayodhya Prasad Upadhayaya, Prof. Nathuni Pandey. Prof. Prithviraj Singh, Dr. Prabha Singh, Prof. Dr. Diwakar Pandey, Pawan Babu, Prof. Ram Narayan Tiwari, Bharat Singh, Janmejaya Ojha ‘Manzar’ and Krishan Yadav Krishnendu jointly inaugurated the programme by lighting the ceremonial candle. Pawan Babu, Secretary, Jeevanodaya Sansthan, Aurangabad welcomed the distinguished guests by singing a welcome song. Ram Nath Mishra, great grandson of Mahendra Mishra presided over the meeting while Dr. Diwakar Pandey, Head of the Post Graduate Bhojpur Department, Veer Kuer Singh University (VKSU) conducted the meeting.

Krishna Kumar, storyteller of Hindi and Bhojpuri languages, presented his self-composed Sohar ‘Purbi ke Janak Hawan Ho’ with his daughter. Janmejaya Ojha ‘Manzar’ Bhojpur poet, recited his poems.

A seminar on the “Personality and Creative World of Mahendra Mishra” was also organized on the occasion. Entering the topic, Dr. Diwakar Pandey said that Mahendra Mishra’s personality and his works have not been evaluated properly till now. He said that with his works, he sometimes stands at par with Kabir, sometimes with Tulasi Das and sometimes with Vidyapati. He called upon the scholars that this precious gem of Bhojpuri language should be properly evaluated.

Prof. Ayodhya Prasad Upadhyaya, former Head of the Post Graduate Bhojpur Department, VKSU, quoting the devotional aspect in the works of Mahendra Mishra, said that in Bhojpuri language, Mahendra Mishra stands at par with Tulasi Das of Awadhi language. He expressed regret that Apurva Ramayan written by Mahendra Mishra has not been published yet. Unless a work is published, how will it reach the common people.

Prof. Prithviraj Singh, Professor in English language from Chhapara, said that if the family of Mahendra Mishra provides the manuscripts of all his works and grant permission for publication, he would publish them through his Sarav Publications.

Prof. Ram Narayan Tiwari, Professor in English from Ghazipur and has done extensive research in Bhojpur language said that Bhojpuri language will get wide recognition after Mahendra Mishra’s literature is published in Bhojpuri language. He said that Mahendra Mishra was the singer of singers, dancer of dancers and hero of heroes.

Dr. Nathuni Pandey from Ranchi in Jharkhand said that Mahendra Mishra has written many books in various subjects such as Mahendra Manjari, Mahendra Vinod, Mahendra Mayank, Bhishma Pratigya, Krishan Geetawali, Mahendra Prabhakar Ratnavali, Mahendra Chandrika, Mahendra Kavitavalk etc. He has written three plays and innumerable individual songs. But his Purbi singing sills were strong due to which people generally know him only as a pioneer of Purbi.

Rameshwar Bhojpuriya, founder of ‘Bhojpuri Kala Parishad, Punjabd’ from Patiala, Punjab, said that Bhojpuri language is a victim of neglect by its people. Most Bhojpuri people do not know what benefits they will get if Bhojpuri language gets constitutional recognition. All the organizations working for Bhojpuri language will have to unit and run a public awareness campaign which has already started from Ara.

The pre-announced ‘Mahendra Mishira Smriti Samman 2025’ was given to educationist Dr. Ram Narayan Tiwari, Prof. Prithvi Raj Singh, Dr. Prabha Sinha, painter Suresh Kumar Pandey, folk singer Dr. Bharat Singh Bharati, Sunil Singh Gopal, patron of Kali Mandir Trust, Bakhorapur. The samaan was given by Ram Nath Mishra. Besides, the Bhojpuri Research and Development Trust felicitated Mahendra Mishra’s great grandson Ram Nath Mishra, Jeevanodaya Sansthan’s secretary, Pawan Babu, Prof. Nathuni Pandey, Dr. Nathuni Pandey, Rameshwar Bhojpuria and the disciples of kathak dancer Bakshi Vikas.

Krishna Yadav Krishnendu, programme coordinator, extended vote of thanks and said that to get the constitutional recognition of Bhojpuri language, we will have to raise a strong voice at the literary, cultural and political level. He said that the Bhojpuri Research and Development Trust is committed to research work in Bhojpuri language and publication and dissemination of information obtained from the research.

President, Bhojpuria Sena, Prabhat Kumar Singh, lyricist Virendra Kumar Pandey, painter Kamlesh Kundan, Desh Magazine editor and poet Arun Sheetansh, editor Srujanlok publication and Srujanlok magazine, Santosh Shreyans, National spokesperson, Bhojpuri Jan Morcah, Vinod Singh, Gorakh Nath Akels, Jitendra Kumar Singh, Ashok Kumar Tiwari, Dr. Ashutosh Tripathi and others were present on the occasion.