Yāmā (poetry collection)

Yāmā
First edition
AuthorMahadevi Varma
Original titleयामा
IllustratorMahadevi Varma
LanguageHindi
GenrePoem
PublisherKitabistan and Bharati Bhandar (former); Lokbharti Prakashan (current)
Publication date
1939 (1939)
Publication placeBritish India
Media typePrint (Hardcover and Paperback)
Pages236
AwardsJñānapīṭh Award
ISBN8180313069 (2008 edition)

Yama (Hindi: यामा, romanized: Yāmā) is a Hindi poetry collection composed by Mahadevi Varma. It compiles poems from her four earlier collections and was first published in 1939. The collection also contains several paintings, and line arts created by the poet herself.

Influenced by devotional and mystical traditions, the collection is characterized by introspective depth, emotional nuance, and a contemplative, philosophical style. For this work, Varma was presented with India's highest literary honor—the Jñānapīṭh Award for 1982—at a ceremony held in 1983. Selected poems from the collection have been set to classical and contemporary music and translated into English and several Indian languages.

Content

The title Yāmā is derived from the feminine plural of yām, a term referring to the four divisions of either the daytime or the night.[1][2] The choice of title is symbolic, reflecting the poetic phases across the poet's four previous works — Nīhār (Mist, 1930), Raśmi (A Ray of Light, 1932), Nīrajā (Blossomed Lotus, 1933), and Sāndhyagīt (Twilight Song, 1936).[3][4] In the preface to the book, the poet states:

Yāmā contains the shadow play of the four phases (yām) of my inner world. Whether these belong to the daytime or the night—this is not impossible for me to determine, but it is certainly difficult. If they are of the day, they did not tire my heart with toil to the point of yearning for rest; and if they are of the night, they did not allow me to lose my faith in the darkness. Therefore, to me, their value is equal—and shall always remain so.
(English translation)[5][a]

The collection comprises 185 lyric poems in total, drawing 47 from Nīhār, 35 from Raśmi, 58 from Nīrajā, and 45 from Sāndhyagīt. Several early editions of Yāmā also included tipped-in pages featuring illustrations created by the poet herself, reflecting the stylistic influence of the Bengal School of Art.[6][7]

Themes

The collection reflects the central themes of Chhayavad, the literary movement to which Varma is attributed to. It explores motifs such as separation, yearning, existential melancholy, divine beloved, bond with nature, and the pursuit of spiritual transcendence.[8][9]

The collection traces the evolving stages of the poet's emotional journey and poetic expression, moving from a state of wonder, confusion, and turmoil to one of contemplation, reflection, and ultimately, a serene acceptance of pleasure and sorrow.[10][11]

Literary critic, Acharya Ramchandra Shukla, noted that the sorrow of separation from an unseen beloved evokes a rich spectrum of emotions. He admired the lyrical brilliance of the poetry, highlighting Varma's unmatched ability to craft songs that combined refined language, profound emotional resonance, and a distinctive expressive power. While acknowledging her poetic achievements, Shukla also reflected on whether the deeply personal and seemingly otherworldly emotions in her work arose from lived experience or were the product of poetic imagination.[12]

Nand Dulare Bajpai observes that Varma's poetry draws significantly from the devotional and mystical traditions, particularly the saguṇa-sākāra mode—worship of the absolute with form. He characterizes her style as introspective and emotionally refined. Her poetic strength lies in her ability to express spiritual sorrow subtly, though he also notes that her use of abstract imagery can, at times, lead to obscurity. Drawing comparisons to poets such as Meera and Tagore, Bajpai highlights Varma's restraint, philosophical tone, and meditative quality as distinctive features of her work.[13][14]

Reception

Varma receiving the Jñānapīṭh Award

The Bhāratīya Jñānapīṭh on the occasion of Guru Purnima observed on July 24, 1983, announced Mahadevi Varma as the recipient of the 18th (1982) Jñānapīṭh Award.[b] Shortly after the announcement, in an interview broadcast on Akashvani (AIR) with Agyeya, she expressed:

That which is offered belongs to Sarasvati and is dedicated only at her feet. To consider it one’s own, or to attribute it to a person, is a kind of mistake. We can only be intermediaries. This is an offering at the feet of Sarasvati, and it is also the offering of those who have appreciated the work.
(English translation)[15][c]

That year, the criterion for awarding moved away from honoring a single work. Although Yāmā is a single volume, it was recognized more as a representative collection reflecting Mahadevi Varma’s literary contribution than as one standalone creation.[16][d]

The award was presented on November 28, 1983, by the then British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, who recited translated excerpts from Varma’s poem ‘Us Pār’ during the ceremony.[17] The ceremony was also attended by P. V. Narasimha Rao, who was serving as India's Minister of External Affairs at the time and was also the Chairman of the Jñānapīṭh Selection Board.[18][19] Varma donated the entire prize money of ₹1,50,000 to a fund she had established for the welfare of indigent writers and their families.[20][21]

Legacy

Several poems from Yāmā have been musically interpreted in both light and classical forms. In the 1970s, a selection of some poems was set to music by Jaidev and rendered by Asha Bhosle. The television channel DD Sahyadri aired a series titled Madhurima, one episode of which was devoted to a musical rendition of Varma's poetry.[22][23] Dhrupad vocalists Ramakant and Umakant Gundecha have also composed and performed select poems from the collection.[24][25] Additionally, contemporary poet Kumar Vishwas included songs from Yāmā in his musical album Tarpan, a derivative of his biographical series Mahakavi.[26] An overview of such musical settings is given in the following table.

Section Poem Album Composer(s) Singer(s)
Nīhār Jo tum aa jate ek baar Suranjali,
Tarpan 		Jaidev,
Kumar Vishwas 		Asha Bhosle,
Ankisha Srivastava
Raśmi Kaise unko paun aali Suranjali,
Trikon ka chautha kon 		Jaidev Asha Bhosle,
Chhaya Ganguly
Nīrajā Vasant Rajani Tarpan Kumar Vishwas Kumar Vishwas
Kaun tum mere hriday mein Madhurima Ravindra Jain Hemlata
Been bhi hoon main Tarpan Kumar Vishwas Ankisha Srivastava
Madhur madhur mere deepak jal Suranjali Jaidev Asha Bhosle
Mukhar pik haule bol Suranjali Jaidev Asha Bhosle
Tum so jao main gaun Suranjali Jaidev Asha Bhosle
Sāndhyagīt Priya! sandhygagan Madhurima Ravindra Jain Hemlata
Shoonya mandir Madhurima Ravindra Jain Kavita Krishnamurthy
Main neer bhari Dhrupad album,
Tarpan 		Gundecha Brothers,
Kumar Vishwas 		Gundecha Brothers,
Ankisha Srivastava
Jaag tujhko door jana Madhurima Ravindra Jain Kumar Sanu

Translations

Selections from Yāmā were translated into English by L. S. Sinha and published in 1987 by Writers Workshop Kolkata.[27] Additional English translations by the American writer David Rubin appeared in two notable anthologies: The Return of Sarasvati: Four Hindi Poets (1998) and Of Love and War: A Chhayavad Anthology (2005), both issued by Oxford University Press.[28][29]

In addition to English translations, several poems from Yāmā have also been translated into Indian languages. A Bangla translation by Ujjal Singha, titled Mahadevi racanā-saṃcayan, was published in 2014 by the Sahitya Akademi. This collection includes selections from Yāmā as well as a few of her prose essays.[30] A Telugu compilation, Mahadevi Varma Gītalu, rendered by Chaganti Tulasi, was published in 2015 by Chaso Sphurti Publications.[31] In Odia, a translation by Niharika Mallick, Mahādebī Barmāṅka Nirbācita Kabitā, was released in 2022 by Anubad Sahitya Parisad.[32]

See also

References

  1. ^ Śrī Bhajana-rahasya: The Deep Secrets of Bhajana. New Delhi, India: Spectrum Printing Press Pvt. Ltd. 2003. p. 431. ISBN 978-1-63316-170-2. LCCN 2018908477.
  2. ^ Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985). A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages. London: Oxford University Press.
  3. ^ "Mahadevi Varma: Indian writer and activist". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  4. ^ Aryavi. "Nīhār se lekar Sāndhyagīt tak kā sajīva varṇan – Yāmā Kāvyasaṅgrah". Aryavi. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  5. ^ Mahadevi Varma (1939). "Preface". Yāmā. Allahabad: Kitabistan. p. i.
  6. ^ Das, Soumitra; Dey, Sreyoshi; Chakraborty, Showli (5 May 2013). "Poet's visual expression". The Telegraph. ABP Group. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  7. ^ Dinkar, Niharika (19 September 2019). Empires of Light: Vision, Visibility and Power in Colonial India. Manchester University Press. p. 5. ISBN 9781526139641.
  8. ^ Mukherjee, P. (26 March 2012). "Rebel with a pause". Kindle Magazine. Kindle. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  9. ^ Kumar, Kuldeep (6 April 2018). "Rebel with a cause". The Hindu. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  10. ^ Schomer, Karine (1983). Mahadevi Verma and the Chhayavad Age of Modern Hindi Poetry. University of California Press. pp. 284–287. ISBN 978-0-520-04255-1. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  11. ^ Mishra, Rajendra (2007). Mahādevī kā Racanā-Saṃsār. Takshila Prakashan. pp. 158–170. ISBN 9788179651346.
  12. ^ Shukla, Ramchandra (1942). Hindi Sahitya Ka Itihas (in Hindi). Nagari Pracharini Sabha. pp. 719–720.
  13. ^ Nand Dulāre Bājpai (1951). "Yāmā kā darśanik ādhār". In Shachirani Gurtu (ed.). Mahadevi Varma: Kāvya, Kalā, Jīvan aur Darśan (PDF). New Delhi: Atmaram and Sons. pp. 205–224. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  14. ^ Gupt, Jagadish (2024). Mahadevi Varma. Bhāratīya Sāhitya ke Nirmātā (in Hindi). Sahitya Akademi. pp. 33–54. ISBN 978-81-7201-474-2.
  15. ^ "1982 - Ek Mulakat II Mahadevi Verma" (video). youtube.com (in Hindi). All India Radio. 26 March 2021. Event occurs at 1:44. Retrieved 3 Aug 2025.
  16. ^ "Jnanpith Award". Bharatiya Jnanpith. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  17. ^ "Speech at presentation of Jnanpith Literary Award". Margaret Thatcher Foundation. 28 November 1983. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  18. ^ Muray, Leo (29 November 1983). "Andropov makes contact". Liverpool Daily Post. England. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  19. ^ Gangwar, M.D. (1982). Kanhaiyalal Nandan (ed.). "Sāhitya kā abhāv, bārbartā kā paryāy". Dinmān. pp. 11–15.
  20. ^ Singh, Tejeshwar (5 November 1983). "Letter from New Delhi". The Bookseller. England. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  21. ^ Thapliyal, Shreya (11 September 2018). "Poet, writer, educator, feminist — Mahadevi Varma continues to inspire". The Statesman.
  22. ^ Bhatia, Manohar (22 March 2020). "Outstanding Music Director Jaidev: A Mine of Talent that Remained Underexploited". Times of India Blogs. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  23. ^ Hindustan Times (10 January 2006). "Asha unhappy with India release of Grammy album". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  24. ^ "Ramanavi Celebration – Gundecha Brothers, Dhrupad Singers". Yale Institute of Sacred Music. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  25. ^ Menon, Sadanand (14 June 2013). "The magic of musical transmission". Business Standard. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  26. ^ "Mahakavi-Episode 5: Incredible story of 'modern Meera' Mahadevi Varma". Abpnews.abplive.in. 4 July 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  27. ^ Selected Poems. Translated by L. S. Sinha. India: Writers Workshop. 1987.
  28. ^ The Return of Sarasvati: Four Hindi Poets. Translated by David Rubin. Oxford University Press. 1998. ISBN 9780195643695.
  29. ^ Of Love and War: A Chhayavad Anthology. Translated by David Rubin. Oxford University Press. 2005. ISBN 0195675320.
  30. ^ Mahādevī Racanā-Saṃcayan. Translated by Ujjal Singha. Sahitya Akademi. 2014. p. 276. ISBN 9788126045198.
  31. ^ Mahadevi Verma Geetalu. Translated by Chaganti Tulasi. Chaso Sphurti. 2015. p. 154. ISBN 978-93-5235-935-6.
  32. ^ Mahādebī Barmāṅka Nirbācita Kabitā. Translated by Niharika Mallick. Anubad Sahitya Parisad. 2022. p. 86. ISBN 8194950694.

Notes

  1. ^ यामा में मेरे अन्तर्जगत् के चार यामों का छायाचित्र है। ये याम दिन के हैं या रात के यह कहना मेरे लिए असम्भव नहीं तो कठिन अवश्य है। यदि ये दिन के हैं तो इन्होंने मेरे हृदय को श्रम से क्लान्त बना कर विश्राम के लिए आकुल नहीं बनाया और यदि रात के हैं तो इन्होंने अन्धकार में मेरे विश्वास को खोने नहीं दिया अतएव मेरे निकट इनका मूल्य समान है और समान ही रहेगा।
  2. ^ The Jñānapīṭh Award is attributed to a particular year, but it is announced—and often presented—the following year.
  3. ^ जो अर्पित किया जाता है वह तो सरस्वती का है और सरस्वती के चरणों में ही निवेदित है। उसे अपना समझ लेना, व्यक्ति का समझ लेना एक तरह की भूल होती है। हम केवल मध्यस्थ हो सकते हैं। सरस्वती के चरणों में यह निवेदन है और जिन्हें कृति अच्छी लगी होगी उनका भी निवेदन है।
  4. ^ Statement from the official website "The rule has been slightly revised since the 18th Award. The entire contributions of an author for Indian Literature are taken into account for the award."

Further reading

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