№ MMXXVI

RACHNA · A LIVING ARCHIVE

Rachna by M.

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MM · XXVI

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At The Bath

Shanta

बन जाता दीप्तिवान

Ban Jata Deeptiwan

Vijaydev Narayan Sahi
2 min read 10 versesसूरजsunधूप

10 verses · ~2 min

सूरज सवेरे से जैसे उगा ही नहीं बीत गया सारा दिन बैठे हुए यहीं कहीं

टिपिर टिपिर टिप टिप आसमान चूता रहा बादल सिसकते रहे जितना भी बूता रहा

सील रहे कमरे में भीगे हुए कपड़े चपके दीवारों पर झींगुर औ' चपड़े

ये ही हैं साथी और ये ही सहभोक्ता मेरे हर चिन्तन के चिन्तित उपयोक्ता

दोपहर जाने तक बादल सब छँट गये कहने को इतने थे कोने में अँट गये

सूरज यों निकला ज्यों उतर आया ताक़ से धूप वह करारी, बोली खोपड़ी चटाक से

ऐसी तच गयी जैसे बादल तो थे ही नहीं और अगर थे भी तो धूप को है शर्म कहीं?

भीगे या सीले हुए और लोग होते हैं सूरज की राशि वाले बादल को रोते हैं?

ओ मेरे निर्माता देते तुम मुझको भी हर उलझी गुत्थी का ऐसा ही समाधान या ऐसा दीदा ही अपना सब किया कहा औरों पर थोपथाप

बन जाता दीप्तिवान ।

इति

Vijaydev Narayan Sahi

The Poet

विजयदेव नारायण साही

Vijaydev Narayan Sahi

1924 · 1982

Vijaydev Narayan Sahi was an absolute intellectual heavyweight of the Nayi Kavita movement who brought unprecedented critical rigor to modern Hindi literature. Born in 1924 in Varanasi, he became a central figure in the literary landscape of Allahabad. Sahi was a brilliant poet, but he was equally revered as a razor sharp critic and a foundational member of the influential Parimal literary group. He viewed poetry not merely as an aesthetic escape, but as a vital instrument for social and political awakening. His iconic 1966 collection Machhalighar introduced a deeply reflective, fiercely independent voice that refused to conform to traditional romantic norms. Furthermore, his monumental critical work on the medieval Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi completely reshaped how modern academia approached classical texts. Passing away in 1982, he left behind a legacy of absolute intellectual integrity. Sahi remains an indispensable figure for anyone seeking to understand the philosophical depth of post independence Hindi literature.

At The Bath

Paired Painting

At The Bath

Raja Ravi Varma breathed a revolutionary spirit into Indian art by marrying Western oil techniques with the rich inner grace of Indian life. In this intimate portrayal, a young woman stands quietly by a water tank, wrapped in a damp white garment that clings gently to her form. Her cascading dark hair and contemplative gaze invite the viewer into a moment of pure, unhurried solitude. The play of light across her shoulders and the stone steps reflects Varma's deep mastery of chiaroscuro, turning a simple daily ritual into an enduring poetry of form and light.

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If this held you

Four more, in the same key.

Chosen for their rasa and their register, not their popularity. Each one carries some part of what Ban Jata Deeptiwan carries.