Happy Hindi Divas! हिंदी दिवस की शुभकामनाएँ!

Today is Hindi Divas, which marks the adoption in 1949 of Hindi as the official language of the government of India.

To mark the occasion, there are Hindi celebrations across India. There are also several functions taking place in Australia, including a Hindi poetry competition, functions at the Indian embassy and consulates, and various other literary gatherings.

For this day, I invite you to read Kedarnath Singh’s poem “Desh aur ghar,” in which he explores his lifelong relationship with Bhojpuri and Hindi—

देश और घर – केदारनाथ सिंह

हिन्दी मेरा देश है
भोजपुरी मेरा घर
घर से निकलता हूँ
तो चला जाता हूँ देश में
देश से छुट्टी मिलती है
तो लौट आता हूँ घर

इस आवाजाही में
कई बार घर में चला आता है देश
देश में कई बार
छूट जाता है घर

मैं दोनों को प्यार करता हूँ
और देखिए न मेरी मुश्किल
पिछले साठ बरसों से
दोनों में दोनों को
खोज रहा हूँ

Country and Home

Hindi is my country
Bhojpuri is my home
When I exit my home
I find myself in the country
When I take leave of my country
Then I return home

In this back and forth
Many a time the country finds itself at home
And many a time the home
Takes leave in the country

I love them both
And here’s my struggle
For the past sixty years
I have been searching
For one within the other