Tilok Chand ‘Mehroom’ and children’s Poetry
By: Ghulam Mohammed Ansari
Allama Iqbal, Hafeez Jalandhari, Afsar Merathi, Ismail Merathi, Shafiuddin Nair, Ghulam Rabbani Taban, Akhtar Sherani, Nazir Akbarabadi, Hali, Josh Malihabadi and many other big names are among the writers of masterpiece poems in Urdu. These writers taught us the manners of life through poems in our childhood.
Where God’s greatness was enlightened through “Hamd”, these poems also made us aware of things like weather, festivals, rich and poor, animals, birds, forest and desert, weather, morning and evening, day and night. Also told us what toys are. Poems written on dolls also impressed us a lot. Through these poems we got to know the sun, moon and stars and developed an emotional attachment to them.
On the one hand, these poems taught us the manners of eating and on the other hand, they also enlightened us about the respect for elders. Along with patriotism, the message of humanity was also spread through these poems.
The importance of bicycle, motorcycle, train, bus, and airplane was also understood. In this way, the idea of protection of public property also came. Along with rivers, canals and ponds, water density and air pollution were also felt.
These poems also gave us the skill of reading newspapers along with the love of temples, mosques, churches and books.
These masterpieces of Urdu poems from “Subha Ki Amad” to “Nannih Pujaran” cannot be forgotten. In childhood we read these poems and moved on, but their image remains on our mind throughout our life and this image also explains the difference between right and wrong. If it is said that the poems written in Urdu on children’s literature are not less than any other language and literature of the world, then it will not be wrong.
Along with the creators of these beautiful poems, there is also an important name of Tilok Chand Mehroom. Tilok Chand Mehroom is counted among those poets who were teachers by profession. Therefore, Tilok Chand Mehroom was also well acquainted with the psychology of children. As far as the question of Tilok Chand is concerned, apart from children’s poems, he also wrote poetry on all other popular genres of Urdu poetry. The literature created by him is an important pillar in Urdu poetry.
Tilok Chand was born on 1 July 1887 in Gaajran, Tehsil Isa Khan, Punjab, now in Pakistan, a small village on the banks of the Indus River. At that time, the Indus River used to flood every year. Like other big rivers, the land along the river bank was also eroded in these floods. At this, the river changed its course.
Tilok Chand’s childhood was also affected by floods. Like other houses in the village, his house kept falling down and being rebuilt. People were used to living in this environment. This flood-like atmosphere also created ups and downs in the mind.
A stream of river Indus used to pass through the village of Tilok Chand. Childhood is something else. Tilok Chand used to bathe, swim, play and have fun in the canal with his other companions. Green fields, fields, open air, clouds floating in the sky and fluttering of birds used to create hopes and dreams in their hearts. The deprived would be lost in these scenes. The influence of these scenes can be seen in his poetry.
At that time, there was an extreme lack of resources. The practice of education was not common. In such cases, schools used to be far away from the village population. Therefore, education was not given at a young age. That is why Tilok Chand was admitted to school when he was seven years old. His mother tongue was Multani. While the language of business and literature was Urdu. Tilok Chand’s father used to write some poetry in Multani dialect. Tilok Chand’s uncle Dayal Das knew Urdu and Persian. His uncle came from Amkanwala to IsaKheel.
There, his uncle enrolled him in a government school in 1894 at the age of seven, in the first standard. He had a great passion for education. During his early education, he developed an affinity for Urdu as well as Persian. In 1902 he passed the middle examination. At that time, most of the Urdu curriculum was written by Muhammad Hussain Azad. His charming style of narration influenced Tilok Chand and he became interested in prose and poetry.
Tilok Chand was intelligent from childhood. When he reached fifth standard, he also started writing small poems. At that time, his school teacher was against poetry. Tilok Chand used to write poetry during his school days and would often target his classmates with his poetry. He had to listen to the school teacher’s scolding for this act. Though this act would have discouraged him.
In the same year Maulvi Mubarak Ali was posted to the school as the second headmaster. He loved poetry. Maulvi Mubarak Ali started encouraging Tilok Chand. Tilok Chand now began to write poetry openly.
Tilok Chand’s childhood was spent in the lap of nature. Therefore, Tilok Chand began to compose poems on natural scenes.
Ilahi, teri maharbani huee
Ke sari zamien pani pani huee
(O God, this is Your mercy
That because of which water has spread everywhere on earth)
After all, this is how his poetry began. As far as his children’s poems are concerned, he has produced many quality poems in simple language.
Tilok Chand took up teaching profession. Therefore, he was well aware of children’s emotions, feelings and psychology. He started writing poems for children. Due to the popularity of his poems, his poems were included in the school curriculum.
It will not be wrong if it is said that the poems of Tilok Chand Mehroom are in accordance with the mind of children and their psychology. Two of his collections of children’s poems were published. Among them, one book was called “Bahar-e-Tifli” and the other book was called “Bachhon ki Duniya”. He also translated English poems for children. Which, became very popular at that time.
One of his poems describing the importance and utility of books is as follows.
Behtar koee rafique nahien hai kitab se
Achha koee shafique nahien hai kitab se
(There is no better friend than the book
There is no better guide than a book)
(The author is an Assistant Editor : Asasa , an Urdu Quarterly, Ahmedabad)
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