‘I Am Writing A Letter To You, O Haldhar’

Bhubaneswar: Eminent poet, lyricist and filmmaker Gulzar has penned a moving tribute to noted Sambalpuri poet Haldhar Nag in a short film.

“I am writing a letter to you, O Haldhar. Son of the soil of Sambalpur, this Adivasi poet writes in the Kosli language. His language is known as Kosli. In 2016, he was bestowed the Padmashri award. When the poet steps on the earth in his village, it feels like he is working across the globe and when he speaks to himself, it feels as if he were speaking to every individual living on this globe….,” Gulzar speaks in the film on the Sambalpuri poet.

Documentary director Bharatbala has created the short film on Haldhar Nag under his new project Virtual Bharat. The short movie is produced by Studio Virtual Bharat.

In the beginning of the 7.59-minute-long film, Gulzar narrates the struggle of the Odia poet, who rose from poverty to fame through the sheer mastery of his pen. Born in 1950, Haldhar Nag is popularly known as “Lok Kabi Ratna”.

Gulzar then goes on to add, “And he says to himself following from the oceans, from the mother’s breasts, a drop of heavenly nectar has descended upon the poet’s pen.”

The movie has showcased Haldhar’s village Ghens in Bargarh district of Odisha.

The poet himself has narrated some phrases of his poem, which is written in Kosli language. His poetry talks about social issues, fighting oppression, nature, religion, and mythology etc.