Living Through Challenges: A Study of Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar’s Poetry

Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar flourished in an era when the country was moving from chaos to discipline. It was a transition marked by an end of foreign rule and beginning of a new era.  His entire series of poetry is guided by this change to time. Born in the twenties of the poetry is guided by this change of time.  Born in the twenties of the previous century the poet started his writing at the prime of his youth when he had not even crossed his teen age period.  Education in India was just emerging in a foreign model.  Struggle for Indian independence was hot like fire.  Schools and colleges were just coming up in the British model.  The Indian system of Gurukul had got a set back.  Religious quarrels had started emerging with power.  Kingship had been vanished by democratic administration.  English language had massive influence on Indian education.  Hindi was getting its establishment as the national language.  Minds of poets were full of themes to write poetry.  Impact of world war II was still deep in the heart of Indians and in the poet’s heart alike.  It is significant that in the literature of mid-twentieth century attempts were made to find new values in political thought, social reform and psychological aspect of human life.  India was emerging as a sovereign power.  The ladder of education beginning from primary to university level was made available to every individual gradually thought the progress was extremely slow.  The new awakening of sense had touched every genuinely educated individual.  Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar was not an exception to it.