Gopal Das Neeraj’s poetry has a strand of hope in it, writes Prasoon Joshi
Doyen of Hindi poetry Gopal Das Neeraj passed away on Thursday evening at the AIIMS trauma centre here. He was 93.
It’s passing of an era but a time to celebrate his oeuvre. A poet who had such unique lyricism in his writing . One can pick up any part of his work and end up humming it. I found so many people not very well versed in Hindi language trying to learn the words of his songs verbatim. फूलों के रंग से had many an unusual word like मद्धम , पाती, मधुर , माधिर but rarely were they mispronounced even in group singing sessions - for there was a lilting sense that the listener wanted to carry forward. He had a mass connect with depth. What I love is that his poetry has a strand of hope in it. कुछ सपनो के मर जाने से जीवन नहीं मरा करता’ ,and belief in love “आदमी को आदमी बनाने के लिये ज़िंदगी में प्यार की कहानी चाहिए . He makes you sing the truths of life. ऐ भाई ज़रा देख के चलो।

I was fortunate to have spent some time with him and receive his blessings and appreciation for my work. And to receive an award from his hands . He was unwell and was on a drip. But he came for the function and told me ‘ I knew it would matter to you that I came, and I had to tell you that I loved your work in Taare Zameen par” .
All I can say
कवि होना भाग्य है
नीरज होना सौभाग्य

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