Chaudhary Devi Lal Ji Amar Rahein!

The maker of modern Haryana, Ch. Devi Lal – our Tauji – the Jan Nayak; the spirited non-conformist against the shadowy overtures of lopsided development at the cost of countryside; the man crowned with the unadulterated halo of farmers' interests.

          It is a matter of pleasure and pride to dedicate this write-up – these simple pen strokes of countryside nostalgia – to the Jan Nayak. I feel it is a Godly intercession in my little literary journey that I have'n provided the opportunity to hitch my tiny literary cart to the strong and swift horses of his legacy.

          There is voluminous testimony to the impressiveness of Ch. Devi Lal's calmly commanding personality. And if a son of Haryana – the karmabhoomi of our farmers' messiah – entails himself to the fag end of our Tauji's enormously elderly aura and legacy, then it should be forgiven and appreciated.

          The Jan Nayak's overriding benevolence has'n shining and will continue to do so endlessly through the rack and ruin of time. His unblemished character and works for the country's downtrodden have made his luminous memories firmly fade-less. Lustrous whirls of extravagant green decorated so pridefully in the agricultural fabric of this country will continue to inspire generations to come. His work, worry and weariness for the cause of rural India make him outstandingly standout amongst the rag-tag parliamentary disorder.

          Despite achieving so much at the highest level of Indian politics, he was uncommonly sobered; his simple, stout spirit, merry and mellow elderly aura made him immensely approachable to the people from the lowest rung of life. Where else would you find a Chief Minister, who dropped in by a poor hutment and heartily enjoyed the frugals offered like he had'n served with choicest delicacies from the costliest restaurant. Every settlement in Haryana happily cradles myriads of such sweet memories. By the God's greatest glory, he'd arrive at the scene mired in heartbreaks and dejection. And lo ! An encouragingly buzzing transformation would take place. His mere presence will sprinkle new life. His malleable sensitivity, kind and condescending behaviour, subtle and statuesque physique dispelled the disharmony and dispassion from the scene.

          We grew up in our village taking him the single synonym of all that 'politics' means to the children. Such has'n the sweeping scope of his charisma across the length and breadth of Haryana! That casual flightiness of flickering childhood can still clearly recall the grand impressiveness of his hold over the ruralites' psyche. While I was 13-year-old, finding me unconcernedly lost in the slow grandeur of childhood, my grandfather– a devout follower of the Jana Nayak – exhorted me :

          "You haven't yet learnt how to talk like a youth. At your age, Ch. Devi Lal not only spoke like a fiery youth, but acted like one also. At such a tender age of 13, he raised the flag of revolt against the Britishers and courted arrest for the cause of mother India!"

          It was then I got to realise the real force of his selfless valour, courage and conviction.

          Generic sacredness of his socially prominent policies, for which he life-longly lugged it out and lugged it in, made him the favourite son of Haryana's destiny. The Jan Nayak was compulsively attached to the cause of sons of the soil. Throughout his life, he ladenly slogged ahead, shouldering the responsibilities of those whose interests – up to that time – were politically sterile. And this cherished goal of his would never get off his uncomplaining shoulders till he left us. Even during his last days, his feeble, old eyes envisioned a golden future for the deprived and dispossessed masses of this country. A very-very old farmer whom I met in a bus broke down while he narrated the dreamy moments he shared with the farmers' messiah when the latter had'n bedridden by the inevitable and cruel hand of age.

          "His eyes were peacefully closed," the farmer told me about his life-long hero. "When I touched his feet, slowly but with sudden urgency his eyes opened. He had energy just enough to say few words and asked, 'How is it with the crops?' And then those big, passionate eyes were closed again, as if he was praying for me and the crops."

          Tauji's all-fired urgency had blossomed fresh morning's verve in the sublime-stillness of the traditional hinterland of Haryana. Yes! We as children have'n first hand witness to this silent revolution of 'coming of age of the ruralites.' His name connoted all that leadership, politics, elections and statesmanship meant to us. Far away from the hoot and holler, and flimsy vanities of 'utilitarian politics' the 'leader of common man' was selflessly busy in his mission. And later when his benevolently beaming imagery shone at the national level, perhaps for the first time this country came to understand and realise the real worth of the Jats, who have always been the bread earners of this big country, and who in return were uncomplainingly scraping a living — 'barely' — for their impoverished and almost famished families.

          It is a pungent irony that the mountainously-big legacy and stature of this great son of Haryana has proved to be too broad and comprehensive for the local literature to accommodate in its pages. May be it is due to the fact that literature is in its nascent stage in this traditional land of agricultural community. Inevitably and naturally, the myth and legend of the Jan Nayak is bound to grow exponentially, I think local literature must brace up its wordy effort to provide full justice to the great man's mission and philosophy. In my humble capacity, I've tried to take a few steps in this direction by paying literary obeisance to our Tauji. It has been a revealing experience, at the emotional level, to catch the glimpses of his memories in the poem titled 'Tauji'.  I feel privileged in dedicating this anthology to his cause and mission. These are the heartfelt songs from the land he worked for all along his immensely productive life.

          As all of us suffer from some stringent frailty. Yours truly is also no exception to that. If my poem 'Tauji' does not match the Jan Nayak's real greatness then this beginner deserves forgiveness. May be, time and experience will provide me the capacity to portray this great man's exceptional simplicity, magnificent profusion of his forthrightness, his unflinching righteousness and his fierce possessiveness about the cause of downtrodden and deprived.

          I hope my humble literary endeavour finds favour with the people of every caste, class and political spectrum, because history makers like our Jan Nayak belong to our common legacy and must get all encompassing reverence, gratitude and heartful salutation from each and every one of us.