Sudama Pandey ‘Dhoomil’ is one of the milestone poets of contemporary Hindi poetry. In his poetry, the most powerful expression of despair and resentment is found with the dream of freedom.
Sudama Pandey ‘Dhoomil’ was a famous poet of the contemporary poetry era of Hindi literature. Through his poetry, he showed sharpness towards society and political evils. In his poetry, the most powerful expression of despair and resentment is found with the dream of freedom. He is known as the angry young man of Hindi poetry because of his rebellious writings. His lifestyle was so simple that his family came to know that he was such a famous poet after hearing the news of his death on the radio.
Biography of Sudama Pandey
| Name | Sudama Pandey “Dhoomil”[1] |
| Date of Birth | 9 November 1936 |
| Place of Birth | Khewali, Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh |
| Father’s Name | Shivnayak Ondeya |
| Mother’s Name | Rajwanti Devi |
| Wife’s Name | Murat Devi |
| Occupation | Author, Poet |
| Died | February 10, 1975 |
| Award | Sahitya Akademi Award |
Early Life and Education of Sudama Pandey
Sudama Pandey ‘Dhoomil’ was born on November 9, 1936 in Khewali village in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. His father died when he was eleven years old. Which is why his childhood was spent in many struggles. His early education was done in Khewali village. When he passed the high school exam in 1953, he was the first person in his village to pass the matriculation examination. After successfully passing out of secondary education at the tenth-grade level, he received a Diploma in Electrics from the Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Varanasi and later he joined the same institution as an instructor in the Electricals Department. Meanwhile, at the age of 12, he got married to Murat Devi.
Also Read: Biography of Ramdhari Singh Dinkar
Marriage Life and Working Life of Sudama Pandey
Due to economic pressure, he could not continue his studies. At the age of 12, he was married to Murat Devi and started looking for a job to fulfill his duties.
He came to Kolkata in search of a job. When he could not find any high-level work, he worked as a laborer, he did the iron-carrying work. During this period, he got to know the lives of the workers very well. When his classmate/friend Taraknath Pandey came to know about Sudama, he gave him a job in a wooden company. There he worked as an officer for about a year and a half. In the meantime, when he was ill, he returned home due to his health issues.
At the time of illness, the Owner asked him to go to Guwahati from Motihari. ‘He refused and mentioned the owner about his illness. The owner proudly uttered, “I’ve paid for my work, not for your health!” When his pride was hurt, He also replied to the owner, “But I am working for my health and not for your work.”
It was from this incident that Pandey understood how big the gap between capitalists and workers is. Now the struggle of his life began to show in his poems.
Diploma in Electricity
Sudama Pandey enrolled in the Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Varanasi in 1957. In 1958, he passed the Diploma of Electricity with first class. At the same time, he was appointed as an electrical instructor there. Then, after getting the job and promotion, he worked in Ballia, Benaras, and Saharanpur. In 1974, he was transferred to Sitapur. But there his health condition remained unwell.
Reason for naming Dhoomil
Another poet was a contemporary of Sudama Pandey in Benaras – Sudama Tiwari. He has written comedy poems under the title Sand Vanarasi. Sudama Pandey did not want to be confused with the identity of the two because of the similarity of the names. So Sudama Pandey started looking for a nickname for himself. And since the rituals of poetry met him from the house of Jaishankar Prasad, one of the pillars of Chhayabad, with whom he had an ancestral relationship, His search ended in ‘Dhoomil’ and since then he has also been known as ‘Dhoomil/Dhumil’.
Brain tumor sufferer at an early age
In 1974, when he was working in Sitapur, he fell ill. In October 1974, Dhoomil was admitted to the Medical College of Kashi due to an unbearable headache.
Doctors declared that he was suffering from a brain tumor. He was admitted to King George Medical College in Lucknow in November 1974. He underwent a brain operation at King George’s College. After which he went into a ‘coma’ and died on February 10, 1975, in his unconscious state.
Literary Life of Sudama Pandey
Sudama Pandey was the ‘bright sun’ of Hindi literature. Through his poems, he spoke on the issues of evil, exploitation of people, suppression of human rights, etc. prevalent in the country and society. He was a poet of political consciousness and awareness. He remained opposed to capitalist and feudal systems that deprived people of their rights even after independence. At this point, he shouted in sharp accents in his poems. He made his own identity at the subject level as well as at the language style. His language brings poetic truth closer to the truth of life. His language has aggressiveness, sharpness, and satire as well as the simplicity of rural life. In 1972, when Pandey was alive, his only collection of poems was published in ‘Sansad Ke Sadak Tak’.
Literary works of Sudama Pandey
Poetry collection
Sansad Se Sadak Tak (1972), Kal Sunana Mujhe (1976), Sudaama Pandey Ka Prajaatantra (1984), Dhoomil Samagra (2021). The last book of Dhoomil, Sudama Pandey Ka Prajatantra, was published by his son Ratnashankar Pandey.
Awards won by Sudama Pandey
Sudama Pandey ‘Dhoomil’ was awarded the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 1979 for his famous poetic work ‘Kaal Sunna Mujhe’. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award posthumously in Hindi literature.
Death
In 1974, while working in Sitapur, Sudama Pandey had an unbearable headache due to which he was admitted to a medical college of Kashi. Where the doctors declared that he was suffering from a brain tumor. He then underwent brain surgery at King George Medical College in Lucknow in November 1974. After which he went into a coma and died on February 10, 1975.
Conclusion
However, Sudama Pandey is the most powerful and eloquent poet of modern poetry. No poet had the same powerful expression of cleanliness and honesty toward people like him. The use of pictures, symbols, and ornaments has made every word of his poem effective. He was the “bright sun” of the sky of Hindi literature.
FAQ
1. What is the main tone of the poem by poet Sudama Pandey “Dhumil”?
Ans: His poem adds voice to the tone of people’s struggle with new laws and new contexts. From this point of view, his poetic language challenges the rationality of social structure. His poetic films are different from those of his later poets.
2. When and where was poet Sudama Pandey born?
Ans: Sudama Pandey ‘Dhumil’ was born on November 9, 1936, in Khewali village of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
3. Why did poet Sudama Pandey keep his nickname “Dhumil”?
Ans: Another poet was a contemporary of Sudama Pandey in Benares– Sudama Tiwari. He has written comedy poems under the title Sand Vanarasi. Pandey did not want to be confused with the identity of the two because of the similarity of the names. So Sudama Pandey started looking for a nickname for himself and later he kept his nickname “Dhumil/Dhoomil”.
4. When and how did poet Sudama Pandey die?
Ans: In 1974, while working in Sitapur, Pandey had a headache due to which he was admitted to a medical college. Where doctors declared he was suffering from a brain tumor. He then underwent brain surgery at King George Medical College in Lucknow in November 1974. After which he went into a coma. He died on February 10, 1975.
5. Who is the author of the poetry collection “Kal Sunana Mujhe”?
Ans: Sudama Pandey.
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