Charming Dogri poems

Name of Book : Sifar Thama Sifar Takar, collection of Dogri poems
Author : Shiv Dev Sushil
Publisher : Bloomsbury Vishal Duggar Prakashan, Jammu.
Year : 2020
This collection of 71 Dogri poems by the Sahitya Akademi awardee Shiv Dev Sushil has infused fresh air in the Dogri language and literature. The choice of appropriate Dogri words, swift and sweet flow of ideas couched in the chaste language carry the readers to enjoy these poetic compositions. The very titles of the poems are typical and attractive with meaningful text, admirable style and simple language. This small book has certainly turned a a new leaf in Dogri poetry.
Dr Gian Singh, who retired from J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages and has been declared for this year’s prestigious Sahitya Akademi award, in the “Foreword” of this 98-page poetry book, has lauded the high quality of poems as well as ideas, flight of ideas and imagination of Shiv Dev Sushil. It is pertinent to add that the Dogri language, which is simple and sweet; is now after its inclusion in the 8th Schedule of our Constitution is flourishing as one of the Indian languages.
The writers as also the readership of this language must make further sustained endeavours in a ” push-forward momentum” to take our mother-tongue to desired popularity and prestige as a matter of our distinct identity and dignity.
The book contains 71 poems in Dogri on wide range of themes, topics and flight of sentiments of the Sahitya Akademi awardee, Shiv Dev Sushil is marked by the emotions in poetic compositions with rare qualities of sweetness and appeals to the heart. The typical style is that the language of the poetry is simple, the words are chaste and sweet and size of the poems is conveniently crisp and short full of meaning and message.
Deep Philosophy
The very first poem titled ” Sifar Thama Sifar Takar” meaning from zero to zero is very meaningful and highlight the hard realities of life. A specimen stanza of Dogri poems follows:
Sifar Thama, Shuru Honda Eh Jeewan, Ruki Janda, Ek Din, Sifar Upar
( Life starts from zero and ultimately ends in zero.)
Another redeeming feature of poetic compositions in this collection is very wide range of experiences and flight of imagination. While Mr Sushil has masterly hold over the prose writing and has a number of books to his credit but this aspect of poetry writing is appealing indeed. I have gone through this collection of Dogri poetry and derived much pleasure in reading this poetry couched in meaningful and chaste language. It is felt that the readers will enjoy its rich literary merit and judiciously evaluate the contribution of Mr Sushil in enrichment of the Dogri language and its literature.
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