विभूतिमूर्ति

Reminiscences of ‘Prasad’

Shivapujan Sahay

Translated by

Mangal Murty

 Shivapujan Sahay wrote hundreds of memoirs and literary reminiscences which were edited and compiled by me in two volumes – Mera Jeevan and Smriti-Shesh, both finally incorporated in volume-2 of his Collected Writings Samagra. His memoirs of Nirala pertained mainly to the early twenties of the last century when both of them lived in Calcutta in the ‘Matwala Mandal’. His memoirs of Premchandji reminisce about their days spent together in Kashi and Lucknow in the late twenties and early thirties. After a short early stint in the Banaras District court as Hindi clerk, Shivapujan Sahay lived in Kashi from about1926 to 1935. It was during this decade-long period that he came into close contact with both Premchand and Prasad, the two great creative geniuses of their time, besides all the great literary luminaries of those days like Acharya Shyamsundar Das, Jagannath Das Ratnakar, Ramchandra Varma, Lala Bhagawan Deen, et al. Shivapujan Sahay came closest to Prasadji when he was editing the literary fortnightly Jagaran, published by Vinod Shankar Vyas under the tutelage of Prasadji in 1932. It was then that Shivapujan Sahay became an intimate member of the ‘Prasad Mandali’. Sahayji’s correspondence published in the last three volumes of Samagra throws revealing light on many of the unknown literary facts of those days. Vinod Shankar Vyas, a boon companion of Prasadji and Sahayji, writes about the latter in one of his own memoirs -  “Shivaji had a special place of honour in our group. He would be responsible for the editing and publication of all our writings - Prasadji’s as well as mine. He always had the last word in these matters. Whenever Prasadji would write anything, he wouldn’t feel satisfied till Shivji had heard it”.

Shivji begins his reminiscences of Prasad with a verse from one of his poems.

An opening line of an exquisite poem by the great poet ‘Prasad’ runs thus –

‘Wey kuchh din kitne sundar thhe’…

Those few days, oh, how beautiful they were!...

And the very remembrance of that line of verse prompts the thought – ‘Te hi no diwasa gatah’ – neither those days, nor those people will ever come back!

When memory brightens up of those days, those places and those close-knit circles of friends, one remembers these verses of the poet ‘Alam’ as he sings –

Where once one basked in myriad pleasures

He now sits and scrabbles around tiny pebbles

The tongue that twaddled and wagged tirelessly

Now sings the praise of those splendid heroes

The arbours where ‘Alam’ spent his days in dalliance

There he pulls his hair now in utter despair

And of those who filled his eyes forever

His ears now only hear their bygone tales.

After doing my Matriculation in 1913 , I got my first job as a Hindi clerk at the District court at Benares. I had studied Urdu and Persian till my Entrance class and my neat handwriting helped me get selected for the job. Later, of course, I had switched over to Sanskrit and Hindi. But I was equally ‘khushkhat’  (proficient) in Urdu and Persian script. I was attached to an Additional Munsif whose assistant, Radhakrishnaji, used to live in Govardhan Sarai, the locality where poet Prasadji lived. Fond of reading, I often visited the Kashi Nagari Pracharini Sabha. The hackney fare from the Court to the Sabha or to Benia Park, only next to Govardhan Sarai, was only about 6 paise in those days. I was a mere young stripling lad totally unknown to any literary person there, but would roam about the Sabha area or the Govardhan Sarai area, where I would occasionally see Babu Shyamsundar Das or even Prasadji. But how could I introduce myself to them?

I had already seen issues of Indu in the Sabha library which had started publication around 1910.  In those early days it was the most renowned Hindi journal. I felt a strong urge to visit the Indu office. Radhakrishnaji had already shown me Prasadji’s house. At that time Pt Roopnarayan Pandey also used to live in Prasadji’s house and edited the monthly Nigamagam Chandrika, an organ of the Bharat Dharma Mahamandal….

Shri Jayashankar ‘Prasad’ occupies a special place among the modern great poets of Rashtrabhasha Hindi. Besides being a poet, he was also a dramatist, fiction writer and critic of the highest order. One gets a glowing glimpse of the richness and significance of the Indian culture in all his creative work. He is such a great artist in the realm of letters that even his prose is imbued with the splendour of poetry. In prose and poetry both his language has a preponderance of Sanskrit words. But, unfortunately, one like him who made such invaluable contributions to Hindi literature in his rather short lifetime was always disparaged and maligned by the so-called champions of Hindi.

But Prasadji was very much more than merely a great man of letters. He was a connoisseur par excellence in many arts and had a phenomenal memory. He was also an authority on all the specialities of Kashi. He possessed a vast lexicon of the technical terms of the various trades and professions there. His knowledge of Vedic literature and ancient Indian history was profound and extensive. He was also a past master in his own ancestral profession [of tobacco products]. But to his intellectual pursuits he was so devoted that his studies would start only late at night when the whole world would have gone to sleep.

His century-and-quarter old ancestral shop of zarda-surti (perfumed tobacco) is located facing the mosque in the  nariyari bazari (coconut market), just behind the Banaras kotwali (Police Outpost). [That famous tobacco shop of Prasadji’s ancestor ‘Sunghani Sahu’ can still be found there.] Just facing his shop, he would sit there every evening, on a broad stone slab spread over with a white sheet, till late in the evening. [That legendary stone slab also is still intact.] There beside that stone slab would also sit a pan (betel leaf)-seller with his small basket. Rounds of his beedas (folded betel leaves ready to be chewed) with the accompaniment of the special (saffron-soaked) zafarani zarda would go on till 10 or 11 in the night. All the great renowned giants of Hindi literature – Premchand, the poet ‘Ratnakar’, the famous art connoisseur Rai Krishnadas, professor Lala Bhagawan Deen,, Acharya Ramchandra Shukla would often come and sit there on that stone slab and discuss  various intricate issues of classical literature. As Rai Saheb would expound on Indian art and craft and sculpture, Lalaji would explicate nirukti and vyutpatti (morphology and etymology) of words. Similarly, Ratnakarji would expatiate on the subtleties of Brajbhasha, while Shuklaji would dwell on the various dimensions of Sanskrit literature, and Premchandji on the psychological intricacies of fiction. One would then be completely astounded by the wide-ranging scholarship which Prasadji would demonstrate with his characteristic verve.

He would often quote from memory verses from the Vedas and strings of sentences from the Upanishads. Besides, he could also explicate with full citations the subtle shades of meanings of words used in specific contexts by the greatest of the Sanskrit poets with equal ease. One would be amazed at his encyclopedic knowledge when he started expounding on specific aspects of shalihotra and ayurveda ( the Hindu sciences of animal and human medicine). He would verily appear to be a professional vaidyaraj (medical expert) when he would quote chapter and verse from ayurveda classics on medicinal herbs and plants.  To hear him talk about the minutest signs and characteristics of elephants, horses, cows, etc, and their salutary effects or otherwise, on their masters would be quite a stunning, staggering experience. Similarly his learned exposition of the good or ill effects of diamonds, pearls, corals, and other precious stones, which he made with copious classical citations was simply astonishing.

Prasadji was a halwai vaishya (maker/seller of sweets) by caste. He was himself a cook par excellence. If there is to be a feast for a hundred guests, he would in no time dictate verbatim the exact amount and measure of how much of mewa (dry fruits) and mawa (caked milk), or how much of sugar,  kesar  (saffron) and ilaychi (cardamom) would be needed for making so much of almond and pistachio burfis or all other kinds of sweets. When wandering Bhotani traders would come vending shilajeet (an ayurvedic substance), mountain honey or kasturi (musk), no one could vouch for their purity better than him. Bhang-booti (balls of cannabis paste), he would always prepare and serve with his own hands to his friends. For his special customers, he would get zarda, kimam (tobacco products) and itra (essence) prepared under his personal care. His regular customers were mostly big zamindars and kings and princes from the native states. He would present samples of these specially prepared kimams and itras in tiny vials to his close friends. Just a touch of his mushk-ambar (musk-perfume) on one’s quilt even in the severest winter would make its power felt by creating perspiration. And similarly a tiny touch of his special kimam on a pan-beeda (folded betel leaves) would draw beads of perspiration and force one to take off one’s woollens, even on a winter night.

He would often open his pandora’s box of riveting stories about the old raises (aristocrats), pundits, dancers, rogues, female singers, vagabonds and lawani-(folk) singers of Banaras, -  interesting stories that would also reveal how unbelievably generous and devoted  were those gifted and skilled people of yore. A whole range of  stories of genuine benevolence of the rich, great accomplishment of the artists, high moral stature of the learned, rich heritage of folklore artists, -  all that dazzling brilliance of those bygone days flashed vividly before the listener’s eyes. He had got many such pieces published in the ‘Kashi’ number of Hans (Premchand’s literary journal). Among his closest friends, Rai Krishnadasji also had a treasure trove of such reminiscences, and when [later, in the ’40s] I was editing Himalaya, I had published a series of Prasadji’s memoirs written by Rai Krishnadasji. Unfortunately, after I left Himalaya, the series remained incomplete.

Prasadji had a stout, mascular physique.  In his youth, he had also been a good wrestler and had vast knowledge about the art of wrestling. He also had a large fund of interesting stories about wrestlers, and could expound on the various intricacies of the wrestler’s art. He would also explain the various slang and code words used in various trades and professions, and analyse their special connotations in great detail. He could decipher the secret code words of the goldsmith’s or boatman’s jargon. I now regret not to have kept notes of all these precious nuggets of information as invaluable literary material. But unfortunately his fame became the cause of great envy, and his unrivalled creativity became the butt of the bitterest kind of criticism even in his lifetime; though he remained totally indifferent to all that. He was a pure artist writing swantah sukhaya (for his own pleasure) without any wish for fame or money.

This ungrateful world always failed to recognize the greatness of the geniuses like Premchand, Nirala and Prasad. The disregard and apathy shown towards Prasad during his lifetime is well-known. Though we now glorify ourselves with the possession of his poetry, fiction, drama and criticism as a rich legacy of modern Hindi literature. It is most unfortunate that the true genius of such great creative artists of their age is recognized only after they are gone. Alas, that is the way of the world!

Prasadji never went to any kavi-sammelan (poets’ meet) in public; he used to recite quite a few of his favourite poems tunefully, though only in an intimate circle of friends; often on a bajra (a canopied boat) midstream in Ganga. Once the All India Hindi Sahitya Sammelan was to be held at Gorakhpur under the presidentship of Shri Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, editor of  Pratap. A telegram came inviting Prasadji to preside over the ‘Kavi Sammelan’ there. The telegram bore the names of the president-elect Vidyarthiji and Rajarshi Tandanji. But Prasadji just put it away casually and continued talking. Pandit Vinod Shankar Vyas, one of his closest friends and a famous Hindi short-story writer, was also sitting there. Vyasji implored Prasadji to accept the proposal so that he and the other friends could also accompany him to Gorakhpur, but Prasadji laughingly dismissed the idea. It was only once in a lifetime – in the ‘Koshotsava Samaroha’ of the Kashi Nagari Pracharini Sabha - that he had to recite his poems tunefully in public. It was an occasion when the editors of the ‘Hindi Shabda Sagar’ were to be felicitated and the ‘Kavi Sammelan’ was to be presided over by Prasadji’s  ‘Guru’ (literary mentor), Mahamahopadhyay Deviprasad Shukla ‘Kavichakravarti’. Prasadji had politely declined even the request of Acharya Shyamsundar Das, but had to recite his poems tunefully when his ‘Guru’ asked him to do so as the president of the poet’s meet.  His melodious rendering of the poems then cast a magic spell on the audience. While singing his poems Prasadji fell into a rapture.

Kashi in those days was the centre of the great literary giants of Hindi. Once Premchandji had commented on Prasadji’s historical plays in his journal Hans that Prasadji only ‘disinterred historical corpses’ ( gadey murdey ukhada karte hain) in his plays. But even when this had been published, Premchandji was sitting with Prasadji, cool and composed as usual, engaged in their literary discourse. There never was even an iota of rancour or ill-will between the two great literary figures. Prasadji would habitually show all respect and courtesy even to those who were his bitterest critics. He bore no particular fondness, or no acrimony towards anyone. Many institutions were entreated for honouring Prasadji, but he never agreed to go anywhere out of Kashi for it. He spent his whole life in a rather sequestered and dedicated pursuit of literary creativity.

Prasadji  was the product of the ‘Chhayavada’ and the ‘Rahasyavada’ era in modern Hindi poetry and wrote his poems in ‘Khadi Boli’ (standard) Hindi. But he was also a true connoisseur of the old Brajabhasha poetry. He was an avid admirer and votary of Brajabhasha literature and remembered a great deal of such old poetry. Besides being a profound scholar of Sanskrit literature, Prasadji also made an extensive study of history books in English. Once, having read some of the well-researched historical essays of Prasadji, published in the Kashi Nagari Pracharini Sabha’s journal, Dr Kashi Prasad Jaiswal, the famous historian and scholar, had warmly felicitated him at the residence of Rai Krishnadasji.  

In Kashi, they celebrate the great festival of ‘Budhawa Mangal’ (old men’s merriment) on the first Tuesday after ‘Holi’, on boats in the river Ganga. Memorable performances of dance and singing would take place midstream on big bajaras, under huge shamianas (canopies), in the silvery moonlit nights of the Chait (April) month. The main bajaras  would be surrounded by boats crammed with listeners and spectators. Prasadji’s friends would sit with him on his boat and enjoy the music and the dance. When the famous female singers of Kashi would start singing the devotional verses of  Surdas and Tulsidas, Prasadji would be deeply moved. Once when Vidyadhari sang Surdas’s song Ab maen nachyo bahut gopal on the bajra of the ‘Kashi Naresh’ (King of Kashi), tears would not cease flowing from Prasadji’s eyes.

There is a Shiva temple just in front of his house where the annual ‘Falguni Maha-Shivaratri’ festival was held. It has been an old tradition in the family, and there used to be generally a gathering of literary persons on that occasion. It used to be a musical event in which some famous female singer of Kashi would come to render pure classical music. There would be no dance performance, only pure literary songs. The festival would be held with all solemnity and grace. All such festivals –Holi, Dashahara, Deewali - would be observed in strict accordance with his old family traditions.

On the ‘Rakshabandhan’ day he would sit with a large heap of all kinds of silver and bronze coins. Most Brahmins would get their fixed ‘dakshina’ (sacred gift). Prasadji’s family was one of the most respected in Kashi and was known widely among all its beneficiaries as a ‘Durbar’ (princely court). Whenever people saw Prasadji they would always lift their joined palms and greet him loudly saying ‘Har Har Mahadev’- a gesture of honour only shown to the Kashi Naresh. But Prasadji, though born in a family of wealth and affluence, always maintained an unblemished character to deserve such unique honour.