The farmer poet
Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor, fondly called Na Dho was an Indian nature poet, lyricist, writer, vocal farmer activist and member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
He was born in Palaskheda village in Aurangabad, five kilometers from the famous Ajanta Caves. He lived here all his life, enjoying poetry and progressive farming. His interest in poetry was born and continued in that isolation. Our rural life has a very lively cultural life, long traditions with various forms of poetry and folklore, as well as drama, music and dance. He absorbed poetry as a child, sitting on his mother’s lap while she spontaneously composed and sang songs while grinding grain on a stone wheel. Besides, there was so much folk song and music around him.
Always dressed in a plain white shirt and pajamas, he had little formal education. He brought to life the real world of the farmer, although earlier poets wrote about nature more romantically in the form of flowers, birds and trees. In his opinion, the closest relationship with nature was the farmer. He taught us to see culture in agriculture. His poetry came from his life experiences. He was born a farmer and could write with some depth about good rainy days and dry times. He beautifully captured the essence of life, nature, love and the human experience, touching the souls of many.
His literary journey was not only personal but also part of our collective cultural heritage. His experimentation with art and agriculture can be seen in his films. His poetry reached people through school books, radio songs and council speeches. He raised critical issues about farmers during his tenure as MLC. He contributed a lot to Marathi literature and many common words are his unique gift to the language. His words became the thread that bound the rich tapestry of Marathi literature, preserving the essence of language and tradition. He saw the whole connection between the farmer, the soil, the season, the environment, the climate, the farm and the aesthetics of agriculture.
He complained that our ruling class, in its complete and willful detachment from nature, which it exploited, emphasised the aesthetics of art galleries, museums and the like, ignoring the beauty of nature. But the destructive pressure group of agriculture and chemical fertilizers now seriously threatened nature and rural life and he felt an urgent need to get rid of these elements.
During his literary journey, Mahanor wrote several notable works that reflect his abundant love for nature. His collections of simple but powerful poetry books include Vahi, Balkavinchya Nivdak Kavita, Gandhari, Atvanichi Jokha, Gavatlya Goshti, Ajintha, Nirmal’s Ganga Vahu, Ranatlya Kavita, Panzad, Jagala Prem Arpave, and Kavitetuna Ganyakade.
He has also composed several songs for some acclaimed Marathi films like Mukta, Sarja, Jait Re Jait and Ek Hota Vidushak. The custard apples grown on his farm, which were not affected by the drought, he called Lataphal.
Mahanor was awarded the Padma Shri (1991) and the Sahitya Akademi Award (2000). He was appointed to the State Legislative Council in 1978, where he made a good impression with his agricultural expertise.
Mahanor’s work inspires us to take a fresh look at poetry related to farm life and the need for more creative writers and experts to write about India’s dire agrarian crisis. A poet who was connected to the land but whose poetry touched the skies. With his sensitivity, he revealed many aspects of Mother Nature.
Mahanor died in Pune, Maharashtra at the age of 81 after prolonged kidney ailments and was cremated in his native village. We have lost a wilderness poet who deeply loved the soil of this state. It is emotional that he died during the rainy season. He leaves behind two sons and three daughters.
A.Radhakrishnan is a Pune based freelance journalist, poet and short story writer who when not enjoying his favourite cup of coffee, loves to keep people happy.