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Dr. Haldhar Nag – India’s Barefoot Philosopher and Sambalpuri Poet
“The tree observes, understands, listens, and remembers yet it says nothing. With its strong branches stretched out, it stands silently in stillness.”
The moment we read these lines, a banyan tree from our village comes alive before our eyes. Like humans, the tree sees and hears, but does not speak.
In its silence lies a profound philosophy and the poet has expressed this truth with remarkable beauty.
Today’s Special Sunday Edition
Today I want to tell you about an extraordinary person. The author of the poem we just read Dr. Haldhar Nag. He received the Padma Shri award from the Government of India. But more importantly, people lovingly call him “Odisha’s Barefoot Poet.”
An ordinary man from a small village in Odisha’s Bargarh district, yet the magic of his poetry has introduced him to the entire country. People gave him a beautiful name “Ordinary Villager, Extraordinary Poet.”
In this article, let’s explore his life journey, his poetic world, and why he is remembered as “India’s Barefoot Philosopher.”
🌟 Why Should We Know About Him?
His story teaches us many lessons:
- 🌾 He is the voice of farmers, laborers, and village children.
- 💪 From poverty to Padma Shri what an incredible journey!
- 🤲 A man who turned simplicity into his greatest strength.
- 🗣️ He breathed new life into the Sambalpuri (Kosli) language.
- ✨ A timeless inspiration for all of us.
👉 In short, he is not just a poet he is India’s barefoot philosopher.
🗣️ Sambalpuri The Heart Language of Villages
Sambalpuri, also called Kosli, is the mother tongue of people in western Odisha. It is the language of everyday village life.
Here’s something beautiful just as we speak warmly with our mothers at home, he writes poetry in Sambalpuri with the same natural rhythm. By bringing this everyday speech into poetic form, he became known as the “Sambalpuri Poet.” Isn’t that wonderful?
🍂 Ordinary Villager, Extraordinary Poet
Born in 1950 in Ghens village of Bargarh district, Haldhar Nag’s childhood was far from easy. He lost his parents at a very young age and had to leave school after just the third grade.
To survive, he did every kind of work imaginable washing dishes, cooking, running a small shop, selling peanuts on the street. Yet the love of poetry in his heart never faded.
Sometimes at night, after finishing his dish-washing job, he would sit in a corner and write poems. This became the beautiful essence of his life “An ordinary villager, an extraordinary poet.”
✊ Main Themes in His Poetry
When we read Haldhar Nag’s poems, we discover:
- Poverty and Struggle Who else has understood the hardships of farmers and laborers better than him? He lived that very life.
- Social Inequality He not only wrote about the experiences of the underprivileged, he lived them.
- Nature and Humans Rivers, fields, trees, and soil he paints their relationship with striking beauty. Just like in the tree poem we saw earlier.
- Cultural Pride He gave proper recognition to Sambalpuri folk traditions.
- Humanity He emphasizes the values of unity, compassion, and cooperation.
👣 Odisha’s Barefoot Poet A Symbol of Simplicity
Wearing just a vest and dhoti, and walking barefoot, people lovingly call him “Odisha’s Barefoot Poet.”
Think about it in today’s world, a Padma Shri awardee who chooses to walk without slippers! For him, this is not just clothing, it is the symbol of his life philosophy. Simplicity itself became his strength.
🌟 Amazing Facts About Haldhar Nag
- From Third Grade to University Curriculum He studied only up to the third grade. Today, his poems are part of university syllabi! What professor could dream of such success?
- No Slippers, No Shirt His simple attire of dhoti and vest earned him the name “Barefoot Poet.” In today’s brand-conscious age, what a refreshing identity!
- Epic Poet of Odisha He didn’t just write small poems, but also three great epics. An achievement as challenging as composing epic poetry in English!
- From Selling Snacks to Padma Shri From washing dishes in hotels and selling peanuts on streets to winning the Padma Shri. What an extraordinary transformation worthy of a Bollywood story!
- The People’s Poet Imagine him riding his old bicycle from village to village, reciting poems under trees. Before the internet era, this was his “viral content.”
- International Recognition His works have been translated into many languages. A Sambalpuri poem today forms part of world literature proof of the power of a people’s language.
- Compared with Great Personalities Critics have called him “Modern Odisha’s Gangadhar Meher.” What an honor!
🏆 Padma Shri – From Village to National Stage
In 2016, when Haldhar Nag received the Padma Shri award at Rashtrapati Bhavan, just imagine that scene. In the grand decorated hall of the President’s House, stood this simple man in vest and dhoti. It wasn’t just an honor for him alone it was a victory cry for every rural village and every forgotten language.
Now you may ask who gets such an important award? How does the government select? Let’s understand this simply.
🎯 How Do You Get the Padma Shri Award? (Simplified)
- First Stage: Name Nomination You can nominate yourself, or someone else can nominate you. Caste, gender, profession none of this matters. Even an ordinary person like Haldhar Nag can be chosen.
- Second Stage: Online Application Applications are open every year between March and July. With internet access, you can apply from anywhere.
- Third Stage: Review A special committee reviews all nominations. The head of this committee is the Cabinet Secretary in Delhi. What do they look for? “Excellence Plus” not just excellence, but also service to society and impact on people. Haldhar Nag didn’t just write poetry, he touched people’s hearts.
- Final Stage: Approval Committee → Prime Minister → President. The award is given only when all three approve.
Special Note: Sometimes, even if the person has passed away, a posthumous award is given to honor their contribution.
The entire process is transparent and democratic. Truly, any ordinary person has a chance!
📖 For more information: padmaawards.gov.in
📚 His Works – Poetry of the People’s Heart
Let’s look at some of his major achievements:
- Kavyanjali Collection His most famous poetry collection. Reading it gives us a glimpse into his heart.
- Honorary Doctorate (2019) Sambalpur University awarded him an honorary doctorate. Imagine a doctorate for someone who left school after third grade! Truly inspiring.
- Padma Shri Haldhar Nag Kavi Kutir His home has been turned into a museum, where people visit to learn about his life story.
- “Haldhar – Srijan Aar Darshan” At a major national conference, he was honored as “The Soul of Odisha.”
📝 Haldhar Nag’s Top 5 Famous Poems
These poems are part of Kavyanjali Volume 1 (published in 2016). The complete text of the original poems is not provided here, but below is the summary and essence in English:
Haldhar Nag – Top 5 Poems
| Poem Title | English Essence / Summary |
|---|---|
| Five Nectars of Immortality (Paanch Amrut) | “To attain immortality, a human needs five virtues — truth, compassion, peace, courage, and love.” |
| Old Banyan Tree (Dhado Bargachh) | “The silent banyan tree stands as witness and shelter for all the joys and sorrows of the village.” |
| The Great Sati Urmila | “A tale of devotion and sacrifice — reflecting the power of womanhood through Urmila’s story.” |
| Make No Silly Excuses | “Don’t be afraid, don’t make excuses — work hard, fight, and build your life.” |
| Demon | “The ego of the mind is the true demon — conquering it makes a human complete.” |
Only poem titles and English summaries are provided here. The full text of Haldhar Nag’s original poems is not published. We respect the copyright of his works. For complete poems, please see Kavyanjali – Wikipedia or the book Selected Poems of Haldhar Nag.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Haldhar Nag
Q1. Who is Dr. Haldhar Nag?
A: Haldhar Nag is a poet from a village in Odisha’s Bargarh district. He is called “Odisha’s Barefoot Poet.” He received the Padma Shri award in 2016.
Q2. What was Haldhar Nag’s first poem?
A: His first published poem was “Dhado Bargachh” (Old Banyan Tree) in 1990.
Q3. In which language does Haldhar Nag write?
A: He mainly writes poems in the Sambalpuri (Kosli) language.
Q4. What is Haldhar Nag’s famous poetry collection?
A: His most famous collection is Kavyanjali, which contains 24 poems.
Q5. What is the summary of the Kavyanjali collection?
A: The collection highlights themes of poverty, nature, humanity, culture, and the philosophy of village life in poetic form.
🔎 Today’s Lesson – A Message for Us
His life makes us ask some important questions:
- 🤔 While chasing degrees, have we forgotten the simple language of our villages?
- 💰 In the rush for wealth and luxury, have we lost the strength of simplicity?
- 👥 Are we giving space to the voices of the poor and underprivileged?
- 🌱 How much do we truly respect our roots, culture, language, and values?
He answered all of these through his own life:
“True greatness needs no external decoration. Simplicity is strength, truth is beauty.”
🌳 Final Thoughts – Standing Like a Banyan Tree
Haldhar Nag is like the great banyan tree in our village. For generations, people have found shelter under it. In the same way, his poetry continues to give shelter and strength to countless readers.
From selling peanuts on the roadside to becoming an emperor of the poetry world his journey from the darkness of poverty to the light of Padma Shri reminds us:
“No dream is too big, no beginning too small. If there is truth in your heart and honesty in your work, the world will one day recognize you.”
He is truly India’s Barefoot Philosopher an ordinary villager, an extraordinary poet.
📖 Sources
⚠️ Disclaimer
• This article is only for educational and awareness purposes. The content here should not be considered as any form of financial or investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor before making decisions.
• The images and visuals used are for artistic/educational illustration only. They do not imply any official endorsement, copyright ownership, or commercial association.