Narayan Shayam, remembered as Ustaad poet, was very well versed in nuances of Sindhi poetry; he was born in small village Khahi Qasim of Sahiti district Naushehro Feroze of Sindh.
Sindh Courier
Delhi, India
Sindhi Academy, Delhi is holding a 2-day national seminar on July 22-23, 2022 to commemorate the birth centenary of eminent Sindhi poet Narayan Shayam. The seminar will be held at the Constitution Club in Delhi.
According to Suresh Kumar Khatri, Vice Chairman, a number of writers and scholars have been invited to address the event and pay home to the great poet. They include Veena Shringi, Dr. Jayesh Sharma, Dr. Shalini Sagar, Dr. Ravi Prakash Techchandani, Dr. Nandlal Jotwani, Anand Khemani, Hiro Thakur and Meghraj Gurmani from Delhi, Bhagwan Atlani from Jaipur, Dr. Jetho Lalwani from Ahmedabad, Dr. Haso Dadlani, Dr. Chandra Dadlani and Dr. Pratap Pinjani from Ajmer, Rajasthan, Smt. Rashmi Ramani and Dr. Vinod Assudani from Madhya Pradesh, Smt. Shobha Lalchandani, Dr. Ram Jawharani, Dr. Baldev Matlani and Smt. Barkha Khushhalani from Maharashtra, and Ramesh S. Lal, also from Delhi.
Narayan Shayam was Ustaad poet, very well versed in nuances of Sindhi poetry. Principally a lyrical and creative poet who could convey a lot of meaning in a few words. He was fully conversant with the poetic techniques. He was greatly respected for simplicity and sweetness of the language. His caliber was more than outstanding. He had ability to carry his audience along with his creations.
Narayan Shyam was born to Dewan Gokuldas and Jamunadevi Nagwani on 22 July 1922 in small village Khahi Qasim of Taluka Bhiria, District Naushahro Feroze (Formerly of Nawabshah district) in Sindh. When he was young freedom movement in India was getting stronger. At the time of partition in year 1947 he was working as a language teacher for Persian.
He was one of the foremost poets associated with the progressive movement. He was awarded the Sahtia Academy Award in 1970 for Sindhi Literature by Sahtia Academy for his poetry collection “Wari-a-Bharyo Palaand”.
Narayan Shayam obtained his BA (Hons.) degree from Bombay University in 1943. His optional subject in BA (Hons) was Persian. He became a teacher of Persian in Muslim Madrasa School Naushero Feroze, where he taught until October 1947. After the partition of India, he moved to Bombay, India in January 1948. He also stayed in Ajmer. In India, he was employed in the Post and Telegraph Department.
He was a very important and representative poet of the progressive school of Sindhi poetry. Narayan Shayam played an important role in consolidating progressive ideas, concepts and trends in Sindhi poetry. The maturity of social and political consciousness is evident in his poetry. Narayan had been associated with freedom and public welfare movements, so his speech clearly reflects modern objectivity. Rare expressions in his style of poetry, the waves of influence seem to merge. Narayan Shyam’s study was extensive, he had a keen eye on world literature. He was fully aware of the wide-ranging changes taking place in world literature and was also aware of the changing role of literature, which is why his poetry plays a very serious social role instead of a hobby.
Narayan is one of the foremost Sindhi poets who successfully experimented with the ancient genres of Sindhi literature i.e. Wai (Vaee), Kafi and Bait etc. as well as he has done certain genres of Western poetry such as Blank Verses, Free Verses and Sonnet. He had given more energy and color to the distention of Sindhi poetry. Narayan successfully experimented with three short stanzas in Sindhi poetry in the style of Japanese genre of haiku, which is an addition to Sindhi poetry. In recognition of his literary services, the Narayan Shyam Award, a literary award in his name, has been launched in India, which is given to poetry collections published in Sindhi language.
He married from the Raisinghanis, a famous Sahiti family in the year 1940. He had four sons and four daughters.
He had number of literary work publication to his credit, following are some of the most significant literary work:
Maak Bhina Rabel (Sindhi: ماڪَ ڀِنا رابيل) (Rabel (flower) wet with dew), Poetry, 1964.
Wari-a-Bhariyo Paland (Sindhi: واريءَ ڀريو پَلاندُ) (Sand in lap), Poetry, 1968.
Aachhinde Laj Maran (Sindhi: آڇيندي لَڄَ مَران) (Feel embarrassed whilst offering), Poetry, 1972.
Mahiki Vel Subah ji (Sindhi: مَهڪي ويلَ صُبح جي) (Lovely morning), Poetry, 1983.
Dat Ain Hayat (Sindhi: ڏات ۽ حيات) (Divine gift & life), Poetry, 1988.
Narayan Shyam passed away on 10 January 1989 in Bombay, India.
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[According to some websites the birthdate of Narayan Shayam is July 25, 1922 while some literary circles in Sindh say it is July 20, 1922]
