Best Indian Poets

March 21 is the World Poetry day and to celebrate the occasion we bring you a short list of Best Indian Poets. These poets, who made use of different languages to pursue their craft, include both well-known and some relatively not. Some that made a part of our childhood and others that we found along the way. Now then without much ado –

TULSIDAS

Goswami Tulsidas was a poet and devotee of Lord Rama. He lived during the 16th century and wrote in Awadhi on the themes of Bhakti. But he needs no introduction right? After all it’s his work that is still read religiously in most of the Hindu households even today- yes the epic Ramacharitmanas! He retold the original Sanskrit tale in the common language of that time and through such beautiful poetry! Such n even use of meter and rhythm is rarely seen even now.

KABIR

The 15th century poet and saint, Kabir Das was an integral part of the Bhakti movement and his ‘dohe’ which have been a part of all our childhoods, reflect the same. His poems are still widely used and he is a respected figure across religions and generations. His teachings hold universal value and that’s what makes them relevant even after over 5 centuries.

MIRZA GHALIB

The prominent Urdu poet of 19th century India when Mughal rule was at its end, Mirza Ghalib’s shayari and ghazals are still widely popular. He wrote on themes of love, philosophy and mysticism. While there are a number of his works that are in Persian and Arabic, it was the Urdu ones that really stood the test of the time.

SAROJINI NAIDU

The ‘Nightingale of India’, Sarojini Naidu was an active participant in India’s freedom struggle and also the first state governor post-independence. Her poems, mainly in English, reflect the beauty of our diverse country and the simplicity which adorns it. A number of books, compiling her numerous works are easily available and some of her more famous poems are also taught in schools.

AMRITA PRITAM

A novelist, essayist and poet, Amrita Pritam is considered the first prominent female Punjabi writer. An active part of the Romantic-Progressivism movement, apart from Punjabi, she also wrote in Hindi and has won numerous awards and accolades throughout the 20th century. These include Sahitya Akademi Award, Jnanpith Award and Padma Vibhushan.

HARIVANSH RAI BACHCHAN

One of the most well-known poets of 20th century India, Harivansh Rai Bachchan is the author of popular works like ‘Madhushala’, ‘Neeli Chidiya’ and ‘Agnipath’ among many others. He was the part of Nayi Kavita literary movement and was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 1976.

NISSIM EZEKIEL

Who hasn’t read ‘Night of the Scorpion’ in their school days? But it is just one of the many remarkable works by Nissim Ezekiel, an Indian Jewish poet and playwright. His contributions to the Indian Poetry in English are beyond words and he is often considered the father of Modern Indian English poetry. He was conferred with Padma Shri in 1988 and Sahitya Akademi Award in 1983 for his poetry collection ‘latter-Day Psalms’.

SURYAKANT TRIPATHI

Suryakant Tripathi ‘Nirala’ is a Hindi poet, novelist and essayist. One of the foremost writers of 20th century India, he was a part of the Neo-romanticism era of Hindi poetry. His numerous works include poetry, essay and short story collections along with novels and translations.