1

Surdas (Sant Kavi Surdas) was a 15th-century blind saint, poet and musician, known for his
devotional songs dedicated to Lord Krishna. Surdas is said to have written and composed a
hundred thousand songs in his magnum opus the 'Sur Sagar' (Ocean of Melody), out of which
only about 8,000 are extant. He is considered a saint and so also known as Sant Surdas, a name
which literally means the "slave of melody".
Early life
Surdas was born in 1478 in village Sihi, Faridabad, Haryana. While some say it is Runkta near
Agra. He started praising Lord Krishna since he was young. There is a little disagreement
regarding the exact birth date of Surdas, some scholars believe it to be 1478 AD, while others
believe it to be 1479 AD. Same is the case of the year of his death, it is either considered to be
1581 AD or 1584 AD. As per the limited authentic life history of Surdas, it is said that he lived
in Braj(or Bhraj), near Mathura. Surdas was born blind and because of this, he was neglected by
his family. As a result, he left his home at tender age of six.
Surdas's Guru - Shri Vallabharacharya
A chance meeting with the saint Vallabharacharya at Gau Ghat by the river Yamuna in his teens
transformed his life. Shri Vallabhacharya taught Surdas lessons in Hindu philosophy and
meditation and put him in the path of spirituality. Since Surdas could recite the entire Srimad
Bhagavatam and was musically inclined, his guru advised him to sing the 'Bhagavad Lila' -
devotional lyrical ballads in praise of Lord Krishna and Radha. Surdas lived in Vrindavan with
his guru, who initiated him to his own religious order, and later appointed him as the resident
singer at Srinath temple in Govardhan.
Surdas attains fame
Surdas' lilting music and fine poetry attracted many laurels. As his fame spread far and wide, the
Mughal emperor Akbar (15421605) became his patron. Surdas spent the last years of his life in
Braj, the place of his birth and lived on the donations, which he received in return of his bhajan
singing and lecturing on religious topics, until he died in c. 1586.
Surdas also attained fame for his purity of devotion towards Lord Krishna. In one incident,
Surdas falls into a well and is rescued by Lord Krishna when he calls him for help. Radha asks
Krishna why he helped Surdas for which Krishna says its for his devotion. Krishna also warns
Radha not to go near him. She however goes near him but Surdas, recognizing the divine sounds,
pulls her anklets. Radha tells him who she is but Surdas refuses to return her anklets stating that
he cannot believe her as he is blind. Krishna gives Surdas vision and allows him to ask for a
boon. Surdas returns the anklets says he has already got what he wanted (the blessings of
Krishna) and asks Krishna to make him blind again as he does not want to see anything else in
the world after seeing Krishna. Radha is moved by his devotion and Krishna grants his wish by
making him blind again thus giving him everlasting fame.
2


Poetical works of Surdas
Although Surdas is known for his greatest work the Sur Sagar, he also sung Sur-
Saravali,[which is based on the theory of genesis and the festival of Holi], andSahitya-Lahiri,
devotional lyrics dedicated to the Supreme Absolute. As if Surdas attained a mystical union with
Lord Krishna, which enabled him to compose the verse about Krishna's romance with Radha
almost as he was an eyewitness. Surdas' verse is also credited as one that lifted the literary value
of the Hindi language, transforming it from a crude to a pleasing tongue.
A Lyric by Surdas: 'The Deeds Of kanha'
There is no end to the deeds of kanha: true to his promise, he tended the cows in Gokula; Lord of
the gods and compassionate to his devotees, he came as Nrisingha and tore apart Hiranyakashipa.
When Bali spread his dominion over the three worlds, he begged three paces of land from him to
uphold the majesty of the gods, and stepped over his entire domain: here too he rescued the
captive elephant. Countless such deeds figure in the Vedas and the Puranas, hearing which
Suradasa humbly bows before that Lord.
Surdas was called the sun in the sky of Hindi literature. He is best known for collection of his
composition 'Sursagar'. This famous collection is originally said to contain 100,000 songs,
however, only 8000 remained today. These songs present vivid description of childhood Lilas of
Krishna.
Influence
On Bhakti movement
The philosophy of Surdas is a reflection of the times. He was very much immersed in the Bhakti
movement that was sweeping North India. This movement represented a grass roots spiritual
empowerment of the masses. The corresponding spiritual movement of the masses happened in
South India in the first millennium A.D. but also started in 17 years
On the status of Brij Bhasha
Surdas' poetry was a dialect of Hindi language, Brij Bhasha, until then considered to be a very
plebeian language, as the prevalent literary languages were either Persian or Sanskrit. The works
of Surdas immediately raised the status of Brij Bhasha from a crude language to that of a literary
language of great repute.
Philosophy
Shuddhadvaita
3


Due to the training he received from his guru Vallabhacharya, Surdas was a proponent of the
Shuddhadvaita school of Vaishnavism (also known as Pushti Marg). This philosophy is based
upon the spiritual metaphor of the Radha-Krishna Rasleela (The celestial dance between Radha
and Lord Krishna). It propagates the path of Grace of God rather than of merging in Him, which
seems an extension of the belief of earlier saints like Kabir Das.
Foremost amongst the Ashta-chhaap
Eight Disciples of the Master-Teacher Vallabhacharya are called the Ashta-chhaap, meaning,
eight reprints (of the Master). Surdas is considered to be the foremost among them.
Compositions
Devanagari Romanized English

prabhu more avagun chit n
dharo |
samadarasi hai naam
tihaaro chaahe to paara
karo ||
ek lohaa pujaa mem
raakhat ek ghar badhik
paro |
paaras gun avagun nahim
chitavata kamcan karat
kharo ||
ek nadiyaa ek naal
kahaavat mailo hi neer
bharo |
jab dou milakar ek baran
bhai surasari naam paro ||
ek jiv ek brahma kahaave
sur shyaam jhagaro |
ab k ber moMhe paar
utaaro nahim pan jaat Taro
||
Lord, heed not my faults!
You are known as he who sees as
all equal,
At will you can take me across the
ocean of existence.
One iron is used in worship,
another in butcher's steel;
The philosopher's stone counts not
merit or fault
But turns both to purest gold.
One is called "river", another a
"rivulet" filled with murky water;
When they merge they become of
one colour and are known
As "Sursari"(Ganges), river of
gods.
The soul and the Supreme are
given different names,
But all is one in Sur's Shyam.
This time, take me across, or give
4


up your vow to be saviour!
Devanagari Romanized English

,

,

akhiyaa~M hari darshan kI pyaasI
|
dekho chaahat kamala nayan ko,
nis din rahat udaasI ||
kesar tilak motin kI maalaa,
vrindaavan ke vaasI |
nehaa lagaae tyaagI gaye tRuN
sam, Daari gaye gal phaa~MsI ||
kaahu ke man kI koU kaa jaane,
logan ke man haa~MsI |
sUradaas prabhu tumhare daras
bin lehoM karavat kaashI ||
Our eyes thirst for a vision of
Hari;
They long to see the lotus-eyed
one,
Grieving for him day and night.
Wearing a saffron tilak and
pearl garland
And dwelling in Vrindavan,
He gave us his love, then cast
us aside like a blade of grass,
Throwing a noose around our
necks.
No one knows what is in
another's mind,
There is laughter in people's
hearts;
But Lord of Surdas, without a
vision of you
we would give up our very
lives.
Confusions
Surds, or Bhakat Surdas, whose verse figures in the Guru Granth Shib is to be differentiated
from Sant Surdas, the blind poet of the same name who wrote Sr Sagar. Srds, whose original
name was Madan Mohan, is said to have been born in 1529, in a high-ranking Brhman family.
As he grew up, he gained proficiency in the arts of music and poetry for which lie had a natural
talent. He soon became a celebrated poet, singing with deep passion lyrics of Divine love. He
attracted the attention of Emperor Akbar who appointed him governor of the parganah of
Sandil. But Srds heart lay elsewhere. He renounced the world and took to the company of
holy men dedicating himself solely to the Lord. He died at Banras. A shrine in the vicinity of
the city honours his memory. The Guru Granth Sahib contains one hymn by Bhakta Srds, in
the Srag measure
5


Jayanta Mahapatra
Jayanta Mahapatra
Born
Jayant
1928
Occupation Indian English poets
Years active 1970present
Jayanta Mahapatra (born 1928) is one of the best known Indian English poets.
Indian Poets Trio
Besides being one of the popular Indian poets of his generation, Mahapatra was also part of the
trio of poets who laid the foundations of Indian English Poetry. He shared a special bond with A.
K. Ramanujan, one the finest poets in the IEP tradition. Mahapatra is also different in not being a
product of the Bombay school of poets besides R. Parthasarathy. Over time, he has managed to
carve a quiet, tranquail poetic voice of his owndistinctly different from those of his
contemporaries. His wordy lyricism combined with authentic Indian themes put him in a league
of his own.
Career
All his working life, he taught physics at various colleges in Odisha including Gangadhar Meher
College, Sambalpur, B.J.B College, Bhubaneswar, Fakir Mohan College, Balasore and
Ravenshaw College, Cuttack. He retired in 1986.
[1]

Mahapatra has authored 27 books of poems, of which 7 are in Oriya and the rest in English. His
poetry volumes include Relationship, Bare Face and Shadow Space. Mahapatra is a Sahitya
Akademi awardee, and also a recipient of the Jacob Glatstein award conferred by Poetry
magazine, Chicago. He was also awarded the Allen Tate Poetry Prize for 2009 from The
Sewanee Review, Sewanee, USA. He received the SAARC Literary Award, New Delhi, 2009.
Besides poetry, he has experimented widely with myriad forms of prose. His published books of
prose are Green Gardener, an anthology of short stories and Door Of Paper: Essay and Memoirs.
Mahapatra is also a distinguished editor and has been bringing out, for many years, a literary
magazine, Chandrabhaga, from Cuttack. The magazine is named after Chandrabhaga, a
prominent river in Orissa.
He began writing writing poetry when he was into his 40s. The publication of his first book of
poems, Svayamvara and Other Poems, in 1971 was followed by the publication of Close The Sky
Ten By Ten. One of Mahapatra's better remembered works is the long poem Relationship, for
which he the first Indian English poet to win the Sahitya Akademi award in 1981.
6


He was conferred the Padma Shri in 2009 by the president of India and was awarded an honorary
doctorate by Ravenshaw University on 2 May 2009. He was also awarded Litt. D. degree by
Utkal University in 2006.
Awards
Second Prize International Whos Who in Poetry, London, 1970.
Jacob Glatstein Memorial Award Poetry, Chicago, 1975.
Visiting Writer International Writing Program, Iowa City 1976-77.
Cultural Award Visitor, Australia, 1978.
Japan Foundation Visitors Award, Japan, 1980.
Sahitya Academy Award National Academy of Letters, New Delhi, 1981.
Invited Poet Asian Poets Conference, Tokyo, Japan, 1984.
Indo-Soviet Cultural Exchange Writer, USSR, 1985.
Resident Writer Centro Culturale della Fondazione Rockefeller, Bellagio, Italy, 1986.
Invited Poet University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, 1988.
Singapore Festival of Arts, Singapore. 1988.
New Literatures in English Conference, Justus-Liebig-Universitat, Giessen,
West Germany, 1989
ACLALS Silver Jubilee Conference, Canterbury, England, 1989.
First Prize Scottish International Open Poetry Competition, 1990.
Invited Poet Poetry International, The South Bank Centre, London, England, 1992.
Cuirt International Poetry Festival, Galway, Ireland, 1992.
EI Consejo Nacional Para la Cultura y las Artes, Mexico. 1994
Mingei International Museum of World Folk Art, La Jolla, USA. 1994.
Gangadhar National Award For Poetry, Sambalpur University, 1994
Ramakrishna Jaidayal Harmony Award, 1994, New Delhi.
Vaikom Mohammad Basheer Chair Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, 1996-97.
Invited Poet ACLALS Conference, Kandy, Sri Lanka, 1998.
Awarded Honorary Degree Doctor of Literature, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, 2006.
Invited Poet Weltklang Poetry Festival, Berlin, Germany, 2006.
Bishuva Award Prajatantra Prachara Samiti, Cuttack, 2007.
Padma Shree Award India's Padma Shree Award, 2009.
SAARC Literary Award, New Delhi, 2010
Poetry Readings
Outside India
University of Iowa, Iowa City, 1976
University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, 1976
University of the South, Sewanee, 1976
East West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1976
Adelaide Festival of Arts, Adelaide, 1978
P.E.N. Centre, Sydney, 1978
Australian National University, Canberra, 1978
7


International Poets Conference, Tokyo, 1980
Asian Poets Conference, Tokyo, 1984
Aoyama University, Tokyo, 1984
Sapporo University, Sapporo, 1984
Writers Union, Moscow, Leningrad & Lvov, USSR, 1985
Singapore Festival of Arts, Singapore, 1988
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur, 1988
University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, 1988
Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, 1988
University of the Philippines, Manila City, 1988
Museong Kalinangang Pilipino, Manila, 1988
Irish Writers Centre, Dublin, Ireland, 1992
Sligo Arts Centre, The Grammar School, Sligo, 1992
The Guild Hall, Derry, 1992
WEA, Newcastle upon Tyne, Hexham and Durham, 1992
The South Bank Centre, London, 1992
Universities of Hull and Leeds (UK), 1992
The Naropa Institute, Boulder, Colorado, 1994
Instituto de Cultura de Campeche, Mexico, 1994
Instituto de Cultura de Puebla, Mexico,1994
Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, USA, 1995
Hunter College, New York, USA, 1995
University of the South, Sewanee, USA, 1995
Writers Forum, De Kalb College, Atlanta, USA, 1995
Writers Forum, St. Andrews College, Laurinburg, USA, 1995
British Council, Kandy, 1998
Indian Cultural Centre, Colombo, 1998
In India
Andhra University
University of Jadavpur
Calcutta University
University of Delhi
Osmania University
The Poetry Centre, Hyderabad
Visva-Bharati
Santiniketan
North East Hill University
Shillong
Tezpur University
IIT Guwahati
India International Centre
New Delhi
Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal
University of Lucknow
DAV College, Kanpur
Arts, Science & Commerce College, Durg
8


Books by Jayanta Mahapatra
Poetry
1971: Close the Sky Ten by TenCalcutta, Dialogue Publications
[2]

1971: Svayamvara and Other PoemsCalcutta, Writers Workshop
[2]

1976: A Father's Hours Delhi, United Writers
[2]

1976: A Rain of Rites Athens, Georgia, University of Georgia Press
[2]

1979: WaitingSamkaleen Prakashan
[2]

1980: The False Start, Bombay, Clearing House
[2]

1980: Relationship Greenfield, New York, Greenfield Review Press
[2]

1983: Life Signs New Delhi, Oxford University Press
[2]

1986: Dispossessed Nests Delhi/Jaipur, Nirala Publications
[2]

1987: Selected Poems New Delhi, Oxford University Press
[2]

1988: Burden of Waves & Fruit Washington DC, Three Continents Press
[2]

1989: Temple Sydney/Mundelstrup/Coventry Dangaroo Press
[2]

1992: A Whiteness of Bone Viking Penguin
[2]

1995: The Best of Jayanta Mahapatra Kozhikode, Kerala, Bodhi Publications
[2]

1997: Shadow Space Kottayam, Kerala, DC Books
[2]

2000: Bare Face Kottayam, Kerala, DC Books
[2]

2006: Random Descent Bhubaneswar, Odisha, Third Eye Communications
[2]

2006: Samparka, Natuna Dilli: Shitya Akdemi
[3]

2009: The Lie of Dawns: Poems 1974-2008 New Delhi, Authorspress
[2]

2013: Land New Delhi, Authorspress
[2]

Prose
1997: The Green Gardener, short stories, Hyderabad, Orient Longman
[2]

2006: Door of Paper: Essay and Memoirs New Delhi, Authrospress
[2]

2011: Bhor Moitra KanaphulaIn Oriya. Bhubaneswar,Paschima
[2]

Poetry in Oriya
1993: Bali (The Victim) Cutack, Vidyapuri
[2]

1995: Kahibe Gotiye Katha (I'll Tell A Story) Arya Prakashan
[2]

1997: Baya Raja(The Mad Emperor) Cuttack, Vidyapuri
[2]

2004: Tikie Chhayee (A Little Shadow) Cuttack, Vidyapuri
[2]

2006: Chali (Walking) Cuttack, Vidyapuri
[2]

2008: Jadiba Gapatie (Even If It's A Story) Cuttack, Friends Publishers
[2]

2011: Smruti Pari Kichhiti ( A Small Memory) Cuttack, Bijayini
[2]

Edited
2013:Ten: The New Indian poets : Edited and Selected by Jayanta Mahapatra & Yuyutsu Sharma
New Delhi/Jaipur Nirala Publications
[4]

9


Anthologies Mahapatra's poems have been anthologized in the celebrated volumes of Indian
poetry edited by R. Parthasarathy and Arvind Krishna Mehrotra. Significant anthologies in which
his work appears are:
The Poetry Anthology 1912 - 1977, Boston, USA (Houghton Milfin, 1978)
The Vintage Book of Contemporary Poetry ( J.D McClatcky, Editor - Random House, USA, 1996)
The Poetry Anthology 1912 -2002, Chicago, USA (Ivan R. Dee, 2002)


















Sarojini Naidu
10



Sarojini Naidu in Bombay (now Mumbai), 1946
Born
Sarojini Chattopadhyaya(
)
13 February 1879
Hyderabad, Hyderabad State, India
Died
2 March 1949 (aged 70)
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
Occupation Poet, writer, social activist.
Nationality Indian
Alma
mater
King's College London
Girton College, Cambridge
Spouse(s) Dr. Muthyala Govindarajulu
Children
Jayasurya, Padmaja, Randheer, Nilawar and
Leelamani

Sarojini Naidu, (born as Sarojini Chattopadhyaya/ ) also known by
the sobriquet as The Nightingale of India,
[1]
was a child prodigy, Indian independence activist
and poet. Naidu was one of the formers of the Indian Constitution. Naidu was the first Indian
woman to become the President of the Indian National Congress
[2]
and the first woman to
become the Governor of Uttar Pradesh state. Her birthday is celebrated as women's day all over
India.
Early life
Sarojini Naidu was born in Hyderabad to a Bengali Hindu Kulin Brahmin family to Aghore Nath
Chattopadhyay and Barada Sundari Debi on 13 February 1879. Her father was a carpenter of
Science from Edinburgh University, settled in Hyderabad State, where he founded and
administered the Hyderabad College, which later became the Nizam's College in Hyderabad. Her
mother was a poetess and used to write poetry in Bengali. Sarojini Naidu was the eldest among
the eight siblings. One of her brothers Birendranath was a revolutionary and her other brother,
Harindranath was a poet, dramatist, and actor.
[3]

11


Education
Sarojini Naidu passed her Matriculation examination from the University of Madras. She took
four years' break from her studies and concentrated upon studying various subjects. In 1895, she
travelled to England to study first at King's College London and later at Girton College,
Cambridge.
Career
Indian Freedom Fighter

Sarojini Naidu (extreme right) with Mahatma Gandhi during Salt Satyagraha, 1930
Sarojini Naidu joined the Indian national movement in the wake of partition of Bengal in 1905.
She came into contact with Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Rabindranath Tagore, Muhammad Ali
Jinnah, Annie Besant, C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.
[4]

During 1915-1918, she travelled to different regions in India delivering lectures on social
welfare, women empowerment and nationalism. She awakened the women of India and brought
them out of the kitchen. She also helped to establish the Women's Indian Association (WIA) in
1917.
[5]
She was sent to London along with Annie Besant, President of WIA, to present the case
for the women's vote to the Joint Select Committee.
President of the Congress
In 1925, Naidu presided over the annual session of Indian National Congress at Cawnpore. In
1929, she presided over East African Indian Congress in South Africa. She was awarded the hind
a kesari medal by the British government for her work during the plague epidemic in India.
[6]
In
1931, she participated in the Round table conference with Gandhiji and Madan Mohan
Malaviya.
[7]
She played a leading role during the Civil Disobedience Movement and was jailed
along with Gandhiji and other leaders. In 1942, she was arrested during the "Quit India"
movement.
Literary career
Naidu began writing at the age of 13. Her Persian play, Maher Muneer, impressed the Nawab of
Hyderabad. In 1905, her collection of poems, named "The Broken Exes" was published.
[8]
Her
poems were admired by many prominent Indian politicians like Gopal Krishna Gokhale.
Golden Threshold
12


Named Golden Threshold after Sarojini Naidus much celebrated collection of poems, this
premise has a long and wider history. This was the residence of her father, Dr. Aghornath
Chattopadhyay, the first Principal of Hyderabad College, later named Nizam College. This was
the home of many reformist ideas in Hyderabad - in areas ranging from marriage, education,
womens empowerment, literature and nationalism apart from being the home of brilliant,
radical and creative members of the Chattopadhyay family, which included the anti-imperialist
revolutionary Birendranath; maverick poet, actor and connoisseur of music and dance
Harindranath; dancer and film actress Sunalini Devi; communist leader Suhasini Devi and of
course the poet, crusader for womens rights, nationalist leader and Nightingale of India
Sarojini Devi. Harindranath Chattopadhyay said about this house, where anyone and any ideas
were welcome for discussion, a museum of wisdom and culture,a zoo crowded with a medley of
strange types some even verging on the mystique. Golden Threshold now houses Theatre
Outreach Unit an initiative of University of Hyderabad started in August 2012.
Marriage
During her stay in india, Sarojini met Dr. Govindarajulu Naidu, a non-Brahmin and a doctor by
profession, and fell in love with him. After finishing her studies at the age of 19, she got married
to him during the time when inter-caste marriages were not allowed. Her father approved of the
marriage and her marriage was a very happy one.
[3]

The couple had five children. Jayasurya, Padmaja, Randheer, Nilawar and Leelamani. Her
daughter Padmaja followed in to her footprints and became the Governor of West Bengal. In
1961, she published a collection of poems entitled The Feather of The Dawn.
[9]

Death
In 1949 she fell ill. Her physician arrived quickly and gave her a sleeping pill to reduce her pain.
As he gave the pill, she smiled and said "Not eternal sleep, I hope". But that night (on March 2,
1949) she died in her sleep becoming a "Nightingale of Heaven and God"- Noble
Works
Each year links to its corresponding "year in poetry" article:
1905: The Golden Threshold, published in the United Kingdom
[10]
(text available online)
1912: The Bird of Time: Songs of Life, Death & the Spring, published in London
[11]

1917: The Broken Wing: Songs of Love, Death and the Spring, including "The Gift of India" (first
read in public in 1915)
[11][12]

1916: Muhammad Jinnah: An Ambassador of Unity
[13]

1943: The Sceptred Flute: Songs of India, Allahabad: Kitabistan, posthumously published
[11]

1961: The Feather of the Dawn, posthumously published, edited by her daughter, Padmaja
Naidu
[14]

1971:The Indian Weavers
[15]

13


Famous Poems
Damayante to Nala in the Hour of Exile
Ecstasy
Indian Dancers
The Indian
Indian Love-Song
Indian Weavers
In Salutation to the Eternal Peace
In the Forest
In the Bazaars of Hyderabad( refer english textbook of 8th std ssc board
Leili
Nightfall in the City of Hyderabad
Palanquin Bearers
The Pardah Nashin
Past and Future
The Queen's Rival
The Royal Tombs of Golconda
The Snake-Charmer
Song of a Dream
Song of Radha,the milkmaid
The Soul's Prayer
Suttee
To a Buddha Seated on a Lotus
To the God of Pain
Wandering Singers
Street Cries
Alabaster
Autumn Song
Bangle Sellers
The Coromandel Fishers
To youth
The Festival of Memory
Commemoration
She is commemorated through the naming of several institutions including the Sarojini Naidu
College for Women, Sarojini Naidu Medical College, Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital and Sarojini
Naidu School of Arts & Communication, University of Hyderabad