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Gurcharn Rampuri: A Poet of Romance and Revolution
Dr.  Jaspal Singh

IT was about half a century ago when Gurcharan Rampuri's first collection of poems Kankan di Khushbo appeared. Those were the heady days of freedom, romance and revolution. India had just achieved Independence after a prolonged freedom struggle against British Imperialism. Allied forces had registered a glorious victory over Fascism in the Second World War two years before that. This global War had given birth to the World Socialist System and a bipolar world political order. The success of the Chinese Revolution under the leadership of Mao Ze Dong had further consolidated the gains of socialism as a viable socio-political system and not just a utopia, to be cherished by the day dreamers. Mao had triumphantly declared, "Today the east wind prevails over the west wind". The immortal poem of the great English romantic poet P.B.Shelley "Ode to the West Wind" had been eclipsed for the time being since the euphoric youth was now singing 'Odes' to the 'East Wind'.

Gurcharn at that time was a playful cub writer composing and reciting poems about revolution, love and romance. 'Progressive Movement' in literature was at its zenith and Gurcharn was one of its young protagonists. He gleefully sang, "Kion panchhi par maar rahe ne/Tutde jande jaal/Kion raatan da jadu tutdai/Purab hunde laal..." (Look, why the birds are vigorously waving their wings breaking free from the magic spell of the dark night? Look at the crimson glow emerging from the East). These were the days when 'peace movement' had just taken off. Picasso was sketching his peace-doves and Pablo Neruda was setting them free, fluttering in the infinite azure. Gurcharn captures the phenomenon thus, "Gaunda Panchhi, hikk dharhkdi/ Geet aman de, hasdian bullian." (Listen to the singing bird with heaving chest, gleefully warbling songs of peace). Bird as a symbol of freedom and peace occurs in scores of his poems.

With the passage of time Gurcharn comes back to himself. Six collections of his poems like Kaul Karar, Kirana da Alhna, Anni Gali, Kanchni, Katalgah and Agnaar appeared one after the other.   Revolution slowly and softly recedes to the background; love and romance are foregrounded in the poems. He now avers,” My songs are an epitome of my young emotions. They are a token of any love for you and are innocently naive like your playful childhood. I have spent my life composing these songs.  Only if you come and sit beside me to listen to them." But the elusive love does not respond. She may not even know anything about the pangs of love and the surge of powerful feelings rushing out of poet's heart. But he has other devices to convey his passionate yearnings. He can conjure up a dream and compose a sweet poem thus, "Iyon oh aie mire wal supne di raat/ Jion ghata dian kalkhan de sahmane udadi hai kuunj/ Jal dian nilantna wich hans da khirhya kamal/Merian hunjuan de moti chug riha tarda phire/ Jan kise jurhe 'ch chambe di kali/ Meri ruh de thal 'ch jikar raat di rani khirhi/ Mere supne di phiza bhari jahi/ Neend de nehre 'ch chanan jaag de/ Pathran di chup sunni hikk te phull muskaran/kise Vishvamitar de hirde 'ch jikar Menka". [She appeared in my dream in the thick of the night like a Siberian crane flying in front of a dark cloud; or like the blooming lotus of a swan swimming in the blue waters and pecking the beads of my tears; or like a champa bud pinned to one's bun of black hair. I feel as if in the desert of my soul sweet smelling jasmine has blossomed. The delightful glowing ambience of the dream dispelled the darkness of the night. Flowers smiled on my deserted craggy bosom as if the fairy queen Menka has appeared in the fantasy of a Vishvamitar.]

This fantasy leads the poet back to the present where revolution has gone astray. The poet realises that the 'inebriated revolutionary warrior on the untamed horse is doomed anyway.  The horse has run amuck and the warrior's foot has slipped out of the stirrup. His hands have broken off the bridle and he is completely lost in the wildernesses. This is poet's requiem at the death of the revolution. Nevertheless he has a different present to live through. Now the existential streak dominates the dream-work of the Muse, dousing the raging fire of youthful verve and vigour as also of the revolutionary zeal and zest of the past decades. The poet makes a confessional statement in the peom,"Sade kol tan Kewal Ajj Hai." (We have only 'today' to live). The poem runs like this,"Langia kal tan supna hoia/Aunda kal ki jana/Sade kol tan kewal ajj hai/ Eh nahi asin guana/Hasde ajj ne hikkrhi andar/Sda lai muskana/Aasan bhri kalpana ho phir/ Aunde kalh ne aana/Mane ajj ne juggan jugantar/Jiwan nu lishkana/Eh sach sda nawan hai, sajjna/ Ehi aad purana." (Yesterday disappeared like a dream. Nobody knows what tomorrow has in store. We have only 'today' to live and we shan't let it pass by us. Heart is full of exhilarating thrill, a smile innocently playing on the lips. Hope nourishes fanciful tidings. 'Tomorrow' has to dawn as usual. So enjoy the present as an eternal moment. Let the glow of life gleam to the full. This is the veritable truth of 'time' and also of the primordial 'being'.) With this realization Gurcharn Rampuri has come full circle. He has been through revolution and love and also through disillusionment and fulfillment. Now like a flower, he lives from moment to moment drinking every drop of dew that nature bestows on him. The motley mosaic of his poetic itinerary at times takes the reader on a thrilling flight and at others throws him into a fathomless abyss. Herein lies the range of his creative endeavour which may spring yet another surprise.