2017 was a unique year for Indian Literature. While English literary creations were usually dominating the readership, there were also the Hindi attempts at garnering or at least, recollecting the readership which reads and enjoys Hindi literature. New Books and some classics of the Hindi creative writing – poetry or prose or non-fiction were in demand. Readers are willing to read the books but they are seldom meeting the authors who could care for their demands in a rightful manner; there are plenty of the readers and there is scanty Hindi literature which could meet the expectations of the author. And another question which guides the whim is whether Hindi literature has been Hindi or not?
Well, questions will be there. In fact, they will always be there. However, there have been genuine and meaningful attempts in this direction and new authors are trying to bridge the gap between readers and literary creations in the Hindi language. And it is, for the Indian literature, certainly good. Personally, I do believe that we are the best among the learners of languages and we can learn any possible language in a blink of the eyes. However, are we the native English? No! Most of us are born in Hindi and most of us die in Hindi as well… and so, the common sense logic will admit that something conveyed to us in Hindi will have a quick impact and it won’t have to be decrypted or decoded. And therefore, pushing for the Hindi literature’s growth is something which, if being done by the second generation of Indian authors, is rightful and needed! We Indians do need to have our language stated on the political world map.
Indian Hindi poets can take their inspiration from the legends like Atal ji or can look for the innovative ways of writing in the acerbic like Agyey. There are many inspirational creators of poetry who are there to be read and to be enjoyed and to offer inspiration to the younger generations of poets and the good news is that it’s already happening. We have the poets who are ready to draw the Indian paint on the Indian canvas and write the Indian poetry. Likewise, the novelists like Premchand, Renu, Sharatchandra, Mahadevi Verma are always there. Readers still enjoy those wonderful creations and aspiring authors can look for a spark in those coloured pages. It’s about time that we push our identity on the world literature in our own way – there is still a large section of people which is looking for the literature in their ‘own’ language and they wish they could enjoy the read. Shall we do it now?
Authors like Ashish Dalal and Palak Kundra have tried their bit in the direction. Many more are coming and it is heartening to see this happening. Hindi literature does not need any resurrection; it just needs a motivated line of authors who are ready to tell their stories in the language a large section of India loves and done! We will be there! Hope the year 2019 comes with something better for the lovers of Hindi literature.
by an LN contributor
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