Jainta Ek Din to Aalo: Girish Tewari Girda’s Vision for a Progressive Uttarakhand

Girda (Girish Tewari) is one of those writers from Uttarakhand who is not easily described solely through an evaluation of his works, despite considering about a dozen of them and the accolades he received. Girish Tewari was one among the many comprehensible poets, writers, directors, and dramatists whom Uttarakhand lost in August 2010. After his death, many generations were not aware of his works (and many still are not today), but as soon as one begins to explore the cultural heritage and folk traditions of Uttarakhand, Girda’s work and experiences stand as the equivalent of a Ph.D. thesis on the topic.

Girish Tewari’s life was among the best illustrations of efforts to prevent the “Palayan” (migration) of inhabitants from Kumaon and Garhwal. He was born and brought up in Hawalbagh of Almora District. Almora has always charmed celebrities with its cultural diversity and has been the birthplace of many well-known writers, poets, and artists. Girda was among the elite cultural products of this region. Although he worked for the “Nainital Samachar” newspaper in Nainital, his affection for the cultural capital of Uttarakhand is indefinable. His works show that he always missed his birthplace and wanted to visit it once in his lifetime.

Girish Tewari never followed any political ideology. His works and interviews always highlighted the sophistication of a Progressive Uttarakhand, which was not even a common part of Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD). This made Girda the most respected personality among all the political parties of Uttarakhand. Evaluating the quality of work Girda did in his lifetime is a mammoth task, as his work was both creative and futuristic with a realistic approach. The most important aspect was the inclusion of Urdu in Kumaoni. His drama “Assalam Valekum” is the best presentation of Kumaoni and Urdu. Many of his poems show his flair for using Urdu words. His poem “Jainta Ek Din to Aalo” is the best representation of the optimism he had for the State of Uttarakhand.

This November, Uttarakhand completed its 18th year as a State of the Republic of India. After eighteen years of calamities, misery, and increasing migration from its native place, Uttarakhand is experiencing a cultural paralysis. There were some achievements too, but the failures have been significant, as they limited the sustainable development of the state’s economy. Girda’s vision of a new and prosperous Uttarakhand is akin to a Veda for local activists. “Jainta Ek Din to Aalo” reflects the core elements that drive Uttarakhand: Culture, Morality, Water, and Minerals.

Here is a descriptive poem in the Kumaoni language written by Girda:

ततुक नी लगा उदैख, घुणन मुनई न टेक जैता एक ददन तो आलो, ऊ ददन यो दुनी में ततुक नी लगा उदैख, घुणन मुनई न टेक जैता कभि न कभि त आलो, ऊ ददन यो दुनी में….

जै ददन काटुभल रात ब्याभल, पौ फाटला दो कङालो–२ जैता एक ददन तो आलो, ऊ ददन यो दुनी में जैता कभि न कभि त आलो, ऊ ददन यो दुनी में….

जै ददन नान ठुलो नन रौलो, जै ददन त्यरो–म्यरो नन होलो–२ जैता एक ददन तो आलो, ऊ ददन यो दुनी में जैता कभि न कभि त आलो, ऊ ददन यो दुनी में….

जै ददन चोर नी फलाला, कै को जोर नी चलोलो–२ जैता एक ददन तो आलो, ऊ ददन यो दुनी में जैता कभि न कभि त आलो, ऊ ददन यो दुनी में….

चाहे हम नन ल्यै सक ूं, चाहे तुम नन ल्यै सको–२ जैता क्वै–ना–क्वै त ल्यालो, ऊ ददन यो दुनी में जैता एक ददन तो आलो, ऊ ददन यो दुनी में जैता क्वै ना क्वै त ल्यालो ऊ ददन यो दुनी में

This poem, inscribed in the native language of Uttarakhand, embodies the core values of each Uttarakhandi. The verses “Jainta Ek Din to Aalo” express optimistic values, suggesting that “an ideal day will come anyway.” This elegy highlights the consequences of corporate and political exploitation of resources and possessions by oppressing local residents. Girda’s exertion “Jainta Ek Din to Aalo” reflects the knowledge he gained during his active involvement in the Uttarakhand Andolan and the Chipko Movement.

Born in the obscure village of Almora, Girda never went back to his native village to revisit his childhood, but he remained active in both Kumaon and Garhwal. According to Chandi Prasad Bhatt, a veteran ecologist of The Chipko movement, Girda’s personality was truly influential. When he first met Girda, he got goosebumps from the recitation of a poem based on the conservation of the Himalayas. Girish Tewari was among those who took the Chipko movement to the roads of Kumaon by singing and playing the “Hudka.”

Girda was not only a prodigious native poet of Uttarakhand but also a great thespian and dramatist. He worked in two eminent Hindi films, “Waseeyat” and “Daayen ya Baayein.” The film “Daayen ya Baayein,” shot in native Kumaon, dealt with the problems faced by inhabitants in the distant Himalayas. The impact of unlawful mining of minerals, which affected the ecological balance of the region, was the primary concern.

Throughout his life, Girish Tewari was in constant search of the “Jainta” he wrote about in his poem “Jainta Ek Din to Aalo.” His every exertion, from promoting his friends to influencing politics until 2010, set the benchmark for an authentic activist in Uttarakhand. The book by Pahar, “Girda ke Ayam,” contains unabridged honoring writings by veteran scholars and writers like Shekhar Pathak, Sher Singh Pangtey, Deven Mewari, and many more, showcasing how difficult it is to compile his entire work into a single documentation. Girda is the inspiration that still drives the core values of Kumaon and Garhwal, with many movements inspired by his method of driving a movement at full pace.