It’s the oft repeated, unheard story of a poet’s legacy, in the city he lived, amongst people who still look for him and those who don’t remember. Sourabh Gupta writes about Nand Lal Noorpuri, and his poetic spirit

On the night of May 13, 1966, in Model House Colony, Jalandhar, Gurbachan Dua, a young student, heard a loud splash from the well outside her house. She ventured out to have a look. Pair of slippers was lying beside the well. Horrified, she had a peek inside and shuddered.

The poet had committed suicide. This is account of old-timers of the locality. Punjabi poet Nand Lal Noorpuri, a free spirit, brought down by the times was no more.

His friend, Charanjit Punj, who had edited a book of his, had said in 1971 that Noorpuri was free spirit; fame was not his aspiration.

But yes, they said: “Noorpuri boleya, Punjab boleya”.

Another scholar Mohan Singh had claimed that the poet has refused to live with illness and penury.

Why Nand Lal Noorpuri decided to end his life, only the poet knew. The coming end was alluded to and reflected in many of his compositions just before his final walk.

“That night, grandfather woke my father, who was in his teens then, and asked him to recite a couplet from his ‘Bhola Panchi’. Then he went out, never to return again,” Inderjit Noorpuri, the grandson, recounts.

“Ethon ud ja bholeya panchi,

Ve, tu apni jaan bacha.

The poet’s younger son Satkartar Singh Noorpuri, grandson Inderjit Noorpuri and elder daughter-in-law. — Photo by S.S. Chopra

No one can fathom a poet’s fragile mind. For him death had become an inseparable part of living. Noorpuri heard the ‘bhola panchhi’ lines that he had written in context of another death, at another place, in another job.

The beginning

Nand Lal was born at the beginning of the last century, in 1906 in Nurpur, district Lyallpur, now in Pakistan. At the Khalsa College in Layallpur, he got involved in the spirit of literature that would eventually provide him fame and ultimately lead to his demise.

Slowly at college, poetry won against studies and Nand Lal immersed himself into the varied hues of poetical compositions. He quit college and joined as a schoolteacher to earn a living.

This dichotomy of the need to earn a living and write poetry as a free spirit dogged him throughout his life. It also took him into other professions, but the need to write always won in the end. The job of a schoolmaster failed to fulfill the inner urges of the poet and he finally called it quits.

His next professional venture was as unlikely a venture could be for a sensitive poet. He joined the police force as assistant sub-inspector and the destination was Bikaner.

There three persons were shot dead by the police in an encounter. Nand Lal was leading the police party that was attacked by persons who were brewing liquor illegally.

Police officer Noorpuri received a bravery award for it but it left an indelible mark on the poet Noorpuri.

Poetry takes over

In 1940, he left Bikaner to come back to Punjab and the poet in him took over completely. That year he wrote songs for the movie ‘Mangti’, launching his career as a film lyricist. Experimenting, he got into uncharted waters. He wrote an opera on the ill-fated lovers, ‘Mirza-Sahiban’,which has been irretrievably lost now. He got a contract with Colombia Film Company as a lyricist. He had fame and he got ample remunerations for doing what he wanted to do. What more could have a poet asked for.

Change of fate

Destiny had something else in store for Noorpuri and India. Our Independence coincided with the biggest holocaust witnessed by the region. The partition changed everything for him. He lost his home and livelihood and came to Jalandhar, which would be his home for the next two decades. Sources of income dried up.

In the time of upheaval, poetic sensibilities were the last things on their minds. House and hearth took precedence over all else.

Noorpuri found work in the radio but the income was never enough for the family. Times had changed and how. He then got employment in the newly formed State Language Department. Poet’s nature again took over and he left the department after about two years.

He limited himself to the radio and kavi darbars for income, which was erratic and in fits and starts. Slowly, poverty increased its grip on Noorpuri and the family sunk deeper into it.

Depression and suicidal thoughts followed. Noorpuri loved life and words. He wanted to write the thoughts churning in his mind. But the rigours of life, earning a livelihood were the ultimate winners.

Family’s struggle

Life after the demise of the patriarch at 60 was never easy for the family. Noorpuri’s eldest son, Satnam Singh Noorpuri, the father of Inderjit, was given a job in the Punjab Roadways. The rough life made him an alcoholic and the liquor claimed his life in 1994. The other son, Satkartar Singh Noorpuri, refusing to put up with the hard times, migrated abroad. He now lives in Switzerland with his family.

The grandson continues to live under his famous grandfather’s shadow: the same city, the same locality and the same house (constructed over a small piece of land the state government gifted to the family).

The glory and the tragedy of Noorpuri’s life continue to haunt his next generation. Inderjit could not secure a job in his father’s department. “My mother and I kept going to the offices. We even met ministers. They promised us that something would be done. But nothing happened,” he says.

Twenty seven-year-old Inderjit, married, with a child, now works as an employee on contract..He goes to work crossing a road named after his grandfather. He was there when the Chief Minister came to attend a function in the city. He will be there again.

Noorpuri Society

Some years back, a few scholars and journalists formed a Nand Lal Noorpuri Society. The aim, as they said, was to spread the poet’s golden words. Now, the society lives only in the annual award it gives to singers and poets. Early this year, it was singer Sarabjit Cheema for writing a poem against female foeticide.

It is hard to find the works of Noorpuri: in bookshops or college libraries. The ones exsiting are 20 to 30 year old : tattered, yellow and fragile. New publishers are not interested in taking out an anthology.

We found three books on Noorpuri’s poetry from the archives of the Lyallpur Khalsa College, the institution he once enrolled into when it was located in Lyallpur, now in Pakistan.

“He is being forgotten. He is absent from most syllabi,” Dr Satish K. Kapoor, Principal of the college, admitted.

On August 1, Mayor Surinder Mahey laid the foundation stone of a Nand Lal Noorpuri Yadgari Bhavan on the Model House road. The building will house a library of his works and will be built by the Municipal Corporation. Students from various schools were called to sing Nand Lal Noorpuri’s songs that day.

But as Charanjit Punj had written: “Even if we are to bound his books in gold, he won’t return.”

People’s poet

When a poet secures the love of the people, when children in villages and towns sing his creations, when college text books discuss his contributions to Punjab’s poetic tradition, when film songs are composed on his words and singers like Mohammad Rafi and Surinder Kaur sing those lines, he also becomes a myth, for people who have neither met him nor known him. He refuses to be real.

Forty years have passed. The well that fatally attracted Noorpuri was filled up and a sapling planted over it, as a memorial. It has grown into a lush, heavy tree. As if the seed was words and the tree a breathing poem.

“Chal jiya ghar apne chaliye

na kar malan adiyan

eh pardesh desh nahi sadda

ethe gunjhalan bariyan.”

The Government of India has initiated a scheme for presenting awards to young personalities excelling in the arena of social services.

Giving this information, Capt I.S. Dhami, Assistant Director, Youth Services, said the awards would be given under five categories, including promotion of national integration and communal harmony, contribution in the fields of rural development and social services, achievement in adventure and cultural activities, contribution in the field of adult education and non-formal education.

A written communication received in youth services office here said the award would carry a medal, a scroll and a cash prize of Rs 20,000.

It also mentions that at least two names should be recommended of outstanding youth who had excelled in the fields of development and social services from the district.

It also says that a youth organization that has done commendable work in the field of youth activities should be recommended for the award. 

Freedom fighters of Amritsar were witness to Netaji’s escape from Calcutta to Kabul through the city. Varinder Walia and Ashok Sethi uncover the secret trip

Slice of history: A photograph taken during the visit of Netaji Subash Chander Bose to Amritsar with other revolutionries at the Bara Makan hub. — Tribune photo

History has left many questions unanswered regarding Netaji, who eventually founded the Indian National Army (INA) for armed struggle against the British rule. Many commissions and more than half a century later, we still grope in the dark about the ultimate fate that befell Netaji. While many theories and ‘facts’ float around regarding the final journey he undertook, there is one escape that is well chronicled and relates to the Holy City of Amritsar.

Slice of history

It is sad that most students of modern Indian history are oblivious of one of the best-kept secrets; legendary Netaji Subhash Chander Bose’s ‘great escape’ from Kolkata to Kabul through the Holy City. His brief stop over at Amritsar en route to Afghanistan generated tremendous patriotic fervour among local residents.

A local freedom fighter, resident of Bara Makana - the hub of revolutionaries - established Netaji’s escape to Kabul in disguise with active help of revolutionaries of Punjab.

Before his ‘great escape’, British authorities had imprisoned Netaji 11 times. At the outset of World War II, in a daring act, he reached Germany by a lengthy, dangerous and treacherous route.

In July 1940, Netaji was arrested and sent to prison again for planning to lead a march demanding the removal of a memorial to the victims of the Black Hole of Kolkata. He felt that there was little that he could achieve in India under the circumstances. So, he planned an escape from India to go to the Soviet Union, and then on to Germany in his fight against the British.

Bose’s house in Kolkatta was kept under surveillance. With two court cases pending, he felt the British would not let him leave the country before the end of the war - it has been suggested that he was desperate to see his wife, who was in Berlin.

This set the scene for Bose’s ‘Great Escape’ to Germany, via Afghanistan and the Soviet Union with a stop over at Amritsar.

Journey to Kabul

Inspired revolutionaries, including women, from Amritsar pledged to support Netaji to achieve complete freedom. Women played a crucial role in the economic boycott campaigns and often participated in the non-cooperation movement with as much or even greater enthusiasm than their male counterparts.

Chittaranjan Das (C.R.Das), Lala Lajpat Rai, popularly called ‘Punjab Kesari’ (Lion of the Punjab), Dr Saifudin Kitchlew, along with prominent Afghan leader and other revolutionaries from Punjab were with Netaji.

Netaji had never been to Afghanistan, and did not speak the local language, Pashto. He enlisted the help of Mian Akbar Shah, then a Forwad Bloc leader in the North West Frontier Province. Shah suggested a novel disguise for Netaji, to act deaf and dumb, and let his beard grow like the tribesmen.

Local Muslim revolutionaries, including Dr Kitchlew, were instrumental in giving invaluable tips to Netaji to understand Islamic culture.

Before escaping to Kabul, Bose contacted a Communist organisation to ask if they would help him across the border into Afghanistan, and then the USSR.

In the winter of 1940-41, the great journey began. Disguised as a Muslim life insurance agent, Netaji escaped from his family home in Kolkata in the middle of the night. He boarded a train at a remote rural station, and travelled to Peshawar, on the border between Punjab and Afghanistan.

Kabul in the 1940’s was a truck-stop village with Embassies. Bose, still posing as a deaf-mute, stayed at truck-drivers’ hotel for weeks, trying to contact the Russians, who suspected that he was a British agent trying to infiltrate the Soviet Union. Next, Bose contacted the Germans. They were intrigued by his ideas, but dragged their feet.

Eventually the Italians rescued him. The Italian diplomat in Kabul was fascinated by Bose’s plans. He gave Bose an Italian passport and the name Orlando Mazzotta, and persuaded the Germans and the Russians to help him. Finally, in March of 1941, Bose travelled to the Soviet border in a diplomatic car, took a train to Moscow, and then flew to Berlin. In 1942, Netaji formed the Indian National Army (INA) in the Far East - the Japanese occupied areas, and was its supreme commander until his death in 1945.

Subhash Chander Bose was born in 1897. A brilliant student at the Calcutta Presidency College, he earned a first-class undergraduate degree in philosophy. He then went to Cambridge and finished his work in two years instead of three. At his father’s insistence he joined the Indian Civil service (ICS). As an ICS officer, he joined the Calcutta City Corporation as its secretary at the request of Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das, then the Mayor of Calcutta.

Bose visited the hub of nationalist movement, a small locality ‘Bara Makan’ in the Islamabad Area in Amritsar and interacted with local leaders to put up a united front to oust the British and set up an Indian state.

Mr Avinash Mohinderu, whose family was original resident of Bara Makana said this locality was frequently visited by great revolutionaries, including Comrade Sohan Singh Josh and Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh.

The mention of Netaji still ignites a spark in the second generation of Bara Makana. They exuberantly share their knowledge of the visit. Mr Mohan Lal, the son of late Karamchand Mahendru (who had the rare picture of Netaji at Bara Makan), said his father was part of the party who welcomed Netaji.

His father would tell them of Bose’s fighting acumen and his many victories in Burma and Assam.

Many believe that Netaji was unfairly sidelined by the establishment, but the old residents of Bara Makana still admire the ‘Patriot of Patriots’, as Gandhiji described Netaji. He was an intellectual and his Azad Hind Fauj had members of all communities. Netaji had found a large number of recruits from Amritsar.

Netaji’s slogan, ‘Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe azadi doonga’ was repeated in Amritsar before he left for Kabul and the enthusiastic city residents responded to the call in a big way.

Mr Avinash Mohinderu said efforts would be made to preserve the site (twelve houses), originally constructed by twelve friends who had settled in the outskirts of Amritsar, far from the walled city. The Bara Makan was the only Hindu area surrounded by Muslim population before the Partition.

The area also witnessed one of the bloodiest massacres, near the railway crossing.

Certain moments lend themselves to nostalgia. Like biting into a hot roasted “bhutta” (corn on the cob) on a rainy day.

The moisture-laden breeze of a rainy day carries with it mouth-watering aromas of corns being roasted.

The tangy vapours of lime and rock-salt applied on the hot cob lure you further. And it comes as no surprise that one can see groups of people flocking around the corn sellers’ shacks.

And every time it rains, with corn aromas wafting about, one’s taste buds get instantaneously tickled.

Anurag Wadhwa, an NRI, feels this is one food item that is absolutely non-messy.

“With a bhutta, you can roam about window shopping and chatting without the of need spoons and napkins.

It’s also low in calories compared to butter popcorns or chips, which are the usual finger snacks.”

Sonia Gupta, a nutritionist, says, “The principal nutrition value of corns lie in the ample amount of fibre. These have low calories.”

For those who would want to have corn in forms other than the traditional ones: roasted and boiled, Sonia recommends “corn halwa”, “corn-Soya salad” and “corn and ginger soup”.

“But nothing to beat the regular roasted corn,” she adds.

Hans Raj, a corn seller, whose favourite parking spot is Hargobind Nagar, says, “A cloudy day is enough to send people looking for a bhutta. But it hasn’t rained much this year and business has been slow. Perhaps it will get better.”

Pooja Sharma, a student, says, “I love going to the garden in the evening to have a bhutta in this weather. I prefer clouds rather than the rain.” Pooja says this is also the season when bhuttas are eaten in other forms at her place.

“Corn boiled and taken with coriander chutney is our favourite. We also get corn cobs and roast them at home,” she adds.

While the roasted bhutta can be bought from the roadside, steamed corn are available in smart paper cups. It has developed its own following.

S.P. Madaan, who runs a snack outlet in Central Town, agrees. “Corn stations at our outlet are popular. Specially popular is mixed masala corn and the Chinese corn (mixed with an unique masala). The corn used by us is American sweet corn which is juicy and sweet. We also add margarine and lemon according to the customer’s choice,” he adds.

Scrumptious, nutritious and addictive: three cheers to the rain and the bhutta!

The sixth semester students of LLB (three-year) from the Lovely Institutes bagged top ranks in the examination conducted by the Guru Nanak Dev University this year. While Bharti Sharma stood first with 69.3 per cent, Sumit Sabharwal got the third rank with 68.5 per cent.

Students of postgraduate diploma in dress designing and tailoring from PCM Sanatan Dharam College too won top ranks in the university.

Rajni stood first with 530 marks out of 550. Suman Bala was second with 527 marks and Amandeep Kaur fourth with 519 marks.

Kangan Sharma, a B. Com (second year) student of the Hansraj Mahila Mahavidyalaya here proved her mettle during the recently-held Youth Leadership Camp for Girls organised at Dalhousie by the Guru Nanak Dev University.

Even as students from 18 colleges participated in the camp competitions, Kangan got three first and one second prize. She was declared first in the mono-acting competition, declamation contest and skit competition. She stood second in the poetry recitation contest.

But this is not the first time Kangan has won prizes. An active member of the college’s youth club, participating in inter-college events has become a habit to Kangan.

She was declared first among students from all colleges under the Guru Nanak Dev University in a fancy dress competition at a youth festival last year.

Kangan says she may win more accolades after she brushes up her skills in theatre workshops that she has been regularly attending in her college. In fact, she was one of the coordinators for a theatre workshop organised for the students of Plus One and Two in her college this summer.

Aspiring to do an MBA, she said participation in extra-curricular activities had helped her gain confidence to be a good orator and an artiste.

She said she aimed to take up a managerial post in a corporate office. Becoming a news reader or an TV anchor would be her second preference. Kangan says she owes her success to her mother and the college staff.

“My mother, Ms Indu Sharma, working in the Provident Fund office, has been my mentor. She has always encouraged me to participate in different events. My teachers, Ms Neelam Mittu, Ms Veena Arora and Ms Ajay Sareen, too have been very supportive,” she said, also adding words of praise for her college principal, Ms P.P. Sharma.