पुस्तक समीक्षा/ समकालीन बाल साहित्य की दिशा
समकालीन बाल साहित्य की दिशा शकुंतला कालरा
संपादक : डॉ. नागेश पांडेय संजय
प्रकाशक : नमन प्रकाशन, नई दिल्ली
प्रथम संस्करण : 2023
समीक्षक : आनंद पाटिल
Befitting commemoration of Dr Shakuntala Kalra
A big volume of 41 articles (amounting to 342 pages) commemorating the contribution of Dr. Shakuntala Kalara in the field of Hindi children's literature, certainly makes its claim of a must read book. Dr. Nagesh Pandey 'Sanjay', a scholar in children's literature, a well known creative writer has brought this voluminous work, Cover page itself gives a glance of the different works of Shakuntala Kalara, showcasing cover pages of 14 books. 'Smakaleena bala sahitya ki disha' as an adjective has been appeared as part of title of the book. Nageshji says in his opening words keeping the personality of Shakuntala Kalara at the center, the book has put forth different facets. of chidlren's literature in a wider way, and the contributors are very experienced writers in the field. Hence Dr Nageshji claims with all assertiveness that the book provides an extensive view of children's literature, of course it is in case of Hindi chidlren's literature, we can say. Myself being in Kannada language, the idiosyncrasy of flowery language found in Hindi expressions is felt at once. Nageshji says 'We find here remarkable exploration of expressed and unexpressed hitherto thus, the readers will experience the wider view of contemporary children's literature"
(समकालीन बाल साहित्य की दिशा डॉ. शकुंतला कालरा
संपादक डॉ. नागेश पांडेय 'संजय')
Shakuntala Kalara, being served as reader in college and then in Hindi Dep of Delhi University, also took children's literature as a serious engagement in her life. She came to children's literary world after completing her age of fifty. She was already a known person in adult literary world. As such she had well grounded experience of creative writing. Children's literature was heading towards 21" century at that time. Jayaprakash Bharati, who was editor of 'Nandan chidlren's journal, for a long time, had declaired that 21º century will be of Children's literature. Nageshji says, now the period is of children's literature'. Shakuntalaji started her children's writing through a story in this "Nandan' journal. In the coming days Children's literature did gathered her main attention. Nageshji makes mention of 7 story collections and a novel, and 6 poetry collections to her credit. She has written children's plays also. She has written essay on chidlren's psychology too. And an autobiographical sketch of her childhood is also there. Her contribution towards writings on children's literature is creditable one. She has written her views on more than 200 children's books. Almost 54 works have been to her credit.
'It is such a commendable contribution, she has done, and has done work of historical importance, and such an unfathomable involvement being shown as if she has dedicated her life to the cause of children's literature, that I am taken aback says Prakash Manu, a senior writer in children's literature in his article 'Children's literature is her world', which has appeared in first place. Even he, who also belongs to the same period, says that it is difficult to find another such person.
Prakash Manu's article is such a lengthy one, it has covered 58 pages, and has been written with utmost emotional fervor, and goes with details of her acclaimed personality. We can make out some of the important contributions as seen by another person involved intensely in children's literature in the same period. He first talks of an article which carried her childhood memories, and goes on expressing his heartily felt feelings, and says, no other writing of her can be compaired with such writing, and tells. about his eager suggessions to write autobiography elaborately. On his request Shakuntalaji wrote autobiography too. And says he was moved like anything to read the autobiography. Then only he turns to her writings on children's literature. He says she involved day and night with all intense desire to create an atmosphere of children's literature, by covering up whatever deficiencies she noticed. Further he says 'whatever acclamation I have for Shakuntala and Bhairulal Garg(editor of "Balavatika') is not at all for any other. He appreciates her nonmissing sinsciarity of writing towards youngsters, alongwith her adult writings. Nobody has turned to criticism as she did, during her period, he says. She took to go through innumerable works and wrote on them with all sensitivity, he says. Then he turns to her contribution of poetry. Conspicuous innateness and simplicity are the main features of her poetry, he says. And this is the strength of her poems, and attracts child readers, again he says. And are filled with her own beingness in them, he adds. He goes on placing some chosen examples with different subjects. He says, even these creations attract adult readers, along with children. Regard with her stories, he finds unstrained expression in these sotries and these give way to her own life experiences in number of plots. As he points out Shankuntalaji has written folkstyled stories, science based and mythological stories too. She is more successful in her realistic plots. They are so fathful to the reality that they in a way go on reveiling her own life impressions. Even he goes on to say that such stories are more of autobiographical nature. He has expressed his views on her novel 'Mitti ki chitti chanda ke nam', elaborately. He has compared it with Saneguruji's Marathi novel 'Sham chi aayi', where the character of mother comes with powerful expression. Might there be countless stories around mother, but Shakuntalaji's creation has surpassed them all, mother is encompassed in every word, even in the space between lines, he praises. Then he goes on writing on her memoirs on number of writers, and interviews she has done with children's writers. He appreciats her as a hold interviewer, and her quality of picking up of needed inner views of writers. He recalls an interview elaborately done, on history of children's literature with himself. Her interview is just not an interview, but a sensitive tour into the life of literary personalities, he says. he writes with all emotional excitement about her autobiography, where her childhood has ocqupied prominently, as she was the elderly one among three sisters, and lost her mother in very early age, and had to shoulder responsibility of bringing up of other two sisters. And the traumas of partition of India are also intertwined with this story and gets filled with more and more rousing experiences. We may say the article is a great homage to Shakuntala Kalara, rather than a critical appreciation.
Children's Literature sheer Love
Article by Padmashri Dr. Usha Yadav narrates the new trend writing, and critical approach since the beginning of 21" century, and among others like Harikrishna Devsare, Prakash Manu, Dr. Rajakishor Sinha, Dr. Kamana Sinha, Dr. Jakir Ali, Ramashankar, Krashna Shalabh, Dr. Nagesh Pandey 'Sanjay', Dr.Usha Yadav, she essentially picks up the name of Shakuntala Kalara and mentions her works "Hindi Bala Sahitya Vimarsha', 'Hindi Bala Sahitya jidnyasanye aur samadhan', 'Hindi Bala Sahitya: vidha vivechan', 'Hindi Bala Sahitya vichar aur Chintan', 'Hindi Bala Sahitya adhunik pridrashya, 'Hindi Bala Sahitya ke ananya sAdhak, Balak aur Balasahitya'. She opines that such works certainly created a new atmosphere, and shown something different from the traditional set up. The writings of Shakuntala Kalara are definetly a part of efforts to bring children's literature to fore front. About her interviews, she says it was a sole engagement, and it got involved along with it, the entire social atmosphere, around literature. pointing out prominent writers and throwing emphesis on nearly 100 works. Such work shows its importance in creating healthy atmosphere, which is rarely attended to. She talks especially on her story writing, with chosen examples, shows how Shakuntalaji gets very much aware of todays happenings around us, and never wanders on imaginative ideals. She has gone through the psych of children with all sensitivity, Ushaji says. She takes some of the examples and analyses in detail. We find number of different subjects dealt with, and all most all types of formats like imaginative, scientific, historical, mythological, realistic plots. So only she finds an high estimation of her story world with the word 'rainbow'
Then follow five articles exclusively on Kalaraji's stories. Sukirti Bhatnagar, being herself a story writer, gives an exquisite view of the stories of kalara, taking into consideration two of her collections(meri priya kahaniya, moti joti). She shows how Kalaraji brings moral inset into her plots naturally. she points out how Kalaraji's eye cast on children at cross roads, poor, helpless, middle class. Number of anxieties of today's society also get place in her stories. Kalaraji comes to view as a successful writer and a responsible teacher too, Sukeerti bhatnagar says.
Dr. Amita Duve has written on her only one novel 'Mitthi ki chitthi'. The novel goes around an orphan child, who looses her mother in early childhood. and even attracts with its format of using letters. as a memoir. We come across bereaved girl, who spends her day and night in painful memories, and such sorrowness gets expressed every day in a letter. Innocent girl address all these letters to moon in the sky, and requests him to reach the letters to her mother, who is there in the midst of gleaming stars. Novel has given space for writer's inner voice, to be expressed in one or the other way, as she herself has gone through such painful trauma. Amit Duve says, with all determination, it is to be considered an important work of writer.
Dr. Mohammad Arshad Khan highlights her moral concerns. He says, subjects based on common man, curious plots, living characters, moral concern, and free flowing inner aspirations make her stories, he says.
Madhusudan Saha draws an overview of Kalaraji's stories, and says whatever format she may choose, let it be mythological, let it be imaginative folk story, or a realistic story of present context, every time she is down to earth.
Vishnu Prabhakar also has pointed out all these qualities of her stories. Then we have six articles on her poetry. Vinod Chandra Pandeya 'Vinod' finds veried types of subjects in her compositions, which itself makes a prominent character of poetry, devotion towards devine power, love towards nature, varied living beings, festivals and observations, high regard towards nation, like number of subjects he points out with examples. She uses simple language and fluency comes to view glaringly, style she approaches is also pleasent and captivating, he says. They are all in simple rhythm and can easily rendered by heart. Krishna Shalabh calls the little poems frolic. He says these poems are simple, but highly creative, and thought provoking, and attract with their intensive involvement. in the child psych. Playful appearance of words familier to children adorn these little creations. He gives number of examples and analyses elaborately. In another article Dr. Taradatta nirvirodh says, reading her poetry is in another way finding herself in the midst of children. So much she is intimately involved in. children's world. She gets into the child psych so much that with simple very words she incorporates whatever she wants to communicate in her poems. Another senior writer Rohitashwa Asthana says the Children's Literature sheer Love
poetry created by Shakuntala Kalara is indubitably important in Hindi children's poetry. Lullaby and songs to wake up in the morning have been the subject of article written by Dr.Sarojini kulshreshta. This tradition is not there in Kannada, my language. As child in the cradle is not able to receive content of the poem, how can it be a children's literature? Only the musical sound it grasps, and the content can be of any meaning, not necessarily be simple to reach the child mind. There are lullabies in traditional folk songs, and are not catagarised in the children's literature. Any how in Hindi like some languages, it is the tradition, and number of writers have written such poems. Sarojini says the motherly affection in these creations has not been restricted to boys, as was the practice in traditional compositions, in male dominated patrimonial society, but it has been extended to girl child also without any discrimination in Kalaraji's works. The adjectives 'gudiya', 'muniya', 'rajkumari", "laadi", 'bulbul' like number of lovable words she uses for girl child. These little creations being filled with fondness of motherly emotions, also get streatched to number of facets like nature's beauty, anxaities, playfulness, happy moods, family ties etc. She uses even rustic language and traditional rhythems also and brings them the liveliness.
Kalaraji has written three one act plays and two articles on this effort are found in the present work. Play Der aaya durast aaya' goes around problem of choosing subjects in education for children. Son Ahan is very much interested in science and his father instead thinks his future in commerce line. But mother plays kee role and try to solve the problem. 'Lockdown khul gaya hai' play is based on the situation of lock down in the home. Here the children understand the trauma of locked parrot in a cage. and let it free. Another play also based on the situation of lockdown, the children come to know about work culture in home, and come to know the hard toil, mother undergoing everyday. Pratap Sahagal considers all these plays are with educative purpose. He opines that if at all these are to be staged, they are to be altred to suit the performance. songs and music to be added, he says. he admits that these plays are with contemporary subjects. Manjurani explains in detail the subjects dealt in two plays. The plays instead of just posing the problems, set to put forth solutions in positive way, she says.
We find another article on 'Bachchonka vyaktitva vikas kai se ho?" book essays by Shkuntalaji. She essentially talks about literature, as a needed source in the development of children. Author Dr. Ravi Sharma, who also takes the side of Shakuntalaji, poits out the views, as considering writer also along with mother and father, teacher. He even quotes her words which say, literature should be created keeping in mind the tastes, receiving capacity and aptitude of the receiving child readers. Of course she says moral should not be imposed on the children, he says. He hints at the three roles of Shakuntalaji as mother, writer and teacher.
We find an exclusive article on her autobiography Mera bachapan:udan ki chah me, narrating her own childhood, by Devendra Mevadi. Along with Prakash manu, almost all have talked of this work with applause. Mevadi notes that this carries its own importance as it is wriiten by a woman writer, on her childhood. We enjoy the reading as if in different formats like an autobiography, a memoir, a biography and even as a novel too, he says, the traumas of India's partition gets burst into tears in the pages of this book, and it takes the reader with a moving flow. We come across number of heartbreaking situations, the writer has undergone. Author quotes number of other autobiographies written in Hindi by women writers, and denotes specifically that Kalaraji's writing is about a child girl, and is written by a woman, and specifies its importance. he says the work is a prominent one and claims to be read with all attention.
Some of the articles on her studies, criticism, riviews and edited works attract us with detailed. discussions. Santosh Khanna writes on her different editorial works, and goes with lot of insight into them. He lists out 10 books of such kind and four(totally six) edited vertions of journals in regard with children's literature. Among them we find 6 works are containing articles exclusively on the contribution of Jayaprakash Bharati, Divik Ramesh, Darshan Sinh, Rashtrabandhu, Dr Sarojini Kulashreshthaji. And one book is entirely on a big sized young adult novel, 'Gullu aur ek satarangi', which is considered as first of its kind in India. Another one discusses the formats of children's literature. Some of the pequliarities of Shakuntalaji such as she personally use to look into proofs of all the papers, and most of the time of her life she spent on such labourious work, even at the cost of her own creative writings. author says, in the book 'Bala Sahitya ka svarup', which is of 350 pages, almost 150 pages carry Shakuntalji's own fresh thoughts. As they are so important that she could have made into two separate parts, says he. This work, which has come as early as in 2002, has been a mile stone in Hindi children's literature, he says. This work has contained discussion on Jayaprakash Bharati's contribution at the centre and along with it goes on talking about number of senior writers. Shakuntalaji along with Dr Rachana Kumar has brought another exclusive work on writings of Jyaprakash Bharati. Author of this article says, essay by Kalaraji itself is something noteworthy, and has annalysed with all seriousness all the facets of his creations. She not only takes to discuss directly the works, but also goes with the personal account of the writers, which has influenced their writing. She herself says, in case of Dr Divik Ramesh, that the interview she has taken was somewhat intimate, instead of following strict considerations. Author Santosh Khanna summerises that her's is an exemplary work, which is rarely attempted by others.
Divik Ramesh, another senior writer, who writes for aduts as well as children, opines that Hindi children's literature is going side by side of world's children's literature, and the literary platforms are getting ready to accept it now, in his article on contribution to criticism by Shakuntala Kalara. he again says, writer in the field of children's literature are creating their own platforms of criticism, and the so called ciritics who confined to adult literature, are left deprived of the developments in children's literature. And he also says that now it is the time to create easthetics separately for children's literature. 'Balavatika' of Bhairulal Garg like gournals. doing such work to some extent. He views that Shakuntalaji has chosen the writers for study in her edited works, with all care. She even includes critical out looks in her interviews. It is to be noted with attention that he says, she has achieved a clear and dicisive authority on the genre of children's literature, and she gets into criticism and evalution with all firmness. He even jots down the norms she finds to judge the works of children's literature. He discusses on her views on the use of language, and opines also that we have to discuss on such views. He applaudes her views on the very essence of criticism on children's literature, along with her keen observation of how a critic should get into his sincere job, he opines, her writings on Tagore's children's stories and poems are worth viewing, where she has analysed keeping the wider canvas of his all writings.
Another one article by Dr. Bhairulal Garg, editor of Balvatika(who is since long involved in children's literature, and has created space for criticism and studies in its page) on the contribution of Kalaraji to criticism attracts with its genuine approach. At the outset he says, criticism though comes to view in Hindi, in comparision with adult literature, has still been crowling. He says atleast some few are indulged in the field silently with their own interest. He praises Kalraji by saying that she is far from publicity, and has been concerned with studies as if her life long attachment. And as such whatever she has done is of immence importance to the Hindi world. He especially takes to discuss her contribution, that appeared on the pages of journal 'Balvatika'. The information he gives, incidentally, is of importance to us all, who are from non Hindi area. Her writings, on the occasion of special issues, or otherwise, on Mythilisharan Gupt like classic writer, Anandprakash, the earlier editor of 'Parag', Shakuntala Shirothiya, who is known for her lullaby creations, Harikrishna Devsare, who yearned for modern ethos in children's literature, Sitaram Gupt, who is known for his lyrical creations(he has been called "Sadabahar balgeetno ke rachayita'), Vinodchandra Pandey, who is known for his poetry creations and criticism, Rashtrabandhu, who is revered in Hindi as pioneer of children's literature( he uses the word 'Bala sahitya. ki vujval vibhooti') like prominent persons. He mentions an article she wrote on the changed format of Hindi poetry in the 21" century, and says, not only we see the a change in subjects, but the aesthetic creativity also expreinced newness, and Shakuntalji pointed out it with all eagerness. She has given an entire overview of Hindi children's poetry and incidentally she gives information of almost all poets of Hindi, he admires.
Akhilesh Shrivastav Chaman, another senior writer, calls her 'Silent achiever in Hindi Children's. literature' in his article. He says not only she contributed to children's literature incessantly, she also strived to bring children's literature in par with adult's literature. He quotes her words 'children's literature is also is an essential part of literature, it is not apart from main stream. He says again, she denys the general opinion that children's literature is not read, instead she says, children's literature should be written to be taking into account the psychology of children properly, he opines, we can have two types of criticism in her writings, one is taking into consideration the very creative work, and another one considering the writer's involvement. It is a difficult job to get into criticism based on the creative work directly, and Shakuntalaji, being a professor, did her part with all seriousness, he says. Even while. interviewing, she goes with her stupendous critical outlook, he finds. He points out her rare contribution of memoirs in Hindi, and goes on quoting some examples of the catchy emotional way of expressions too. Even he considers such writings as historical.
The only article different from all others is of Dr. Nagesh Pandey, which discusses the contribution to History of Hindi children's literature, instead of getting on with that of Shakuntalaji. And this article gives an elaborate view of what all works have come from at different periods, by different writers, and is very useful for the scholars, and students in the field.
Interestingly three interviews done with Shakuntalaji are also found here. Interviews done by Dr. Vikas Dave editor of 'Sakshatkar of 'Academy of journals from Madhya Pradesh, and Vedamishra Prakash, English Professor have naturally serious approach and get into interviewing in detail and have enquiries with different angles, where as interview done by Ashish, editor of 'Balaman' from Aligadh, is done in taking with view of child readers. When Vikas Dave asks whether she considers writing for children and elders different, she says it is different certainly, and goes on explaining the differently oqupied writings. She says there is indirect intention behind children's literature, and is needed for guidance. She finds writing as a tool for the future development of children specifically. She says, the mental application for both such writings gets into action naturally. For the question 'whether children's literature is a secondary type of writing', she admits that it is the general literary atmosphere to consider chidlren's literature as lower type of writing. Most of the writers for adults never bothered of writing such. literature, but it shouldn't be, she says with sorrowful mood. She says she has a project of writing on 100 excellent Hindi children's books, on which she is already working. On the question of what is the criterion of good children's literature, she again and again says, it should be enjoyable, but also get into guiding them for the future life, it should be curious and alongside it should be motivating one. For the question on a successful poetry, she opines that it should carry playfulness, juiciness, capturing quality. fun and frolicness, their natural behavior like angry, naughtyness, deceitfulness all should get expressed. But alongwith such naturaleness she also says poems should be compulsorily lyrical and rhythmic.
Of All other articles, featured by Rashtrabandhu like senior writers get into applauding the high achievement of Kalaraji in the field of children's literature, and express sentimental tribute to her contribution. We find Dr. Chakradhar Nalin, Dr. Ashwaghosh, Dr. Darshansinha Ashat, Govind Sharama, Nirmala Shinha, Neelima Rakesh, Dr. Anil Kumar like number of senior and younger writers.
One thing to be noted is that Shakuntalaji finds children's literature confined to child readers almost, and it is the general view in Hindi children's literary world. The entire book goes around the reading aquataince of children, and as such, there is a wider perceiveing of children's literature in one or the other way as an educative, guiding tool. As I find Hindi literary circle never bothered to see what all has come in other languages, especially in western English. I myself did find that number of prominent writers never admit that they are writing for children, instead they say they are writing for themselves, and whatever works created is incidental in becoming the reading text for children too. I have find prominent writers like C. S. Lews, Morice Sendack, Very strongly advocating such views. Even Aden like poets have said that writing for somebody else doesn't become a creative writing. Morag Styles in her work "Three hundred years of chidlen's poetry' never gets missed with such views. Such discussions have not been looked into in Hindi circles, and Shakuntalji is not apart from this. So only we hear again and again such words like 'buniyadi sahitya, bachcha sahitya' in this work.
In all we can express wholehearted kudos for the work which has needed arduous involvement to pay befitted tribute to the senior person, who has done commendable work, especially in the very neglected corner of our literature. Dr. Nagesh Pandya 'Sanjay' has dedicated with all respect towards Kalaraji, and taken keen interest to bring forth different views by elderly and modern writers.
Anand Patil
(अंग्रेजी जर्नल Children's Literature, Issue 2, 2023 में प्रकाशित)
