Vice-chancellor of International Hindi University Namvar Singh (centre) releases Bhojpuri novel Purvi ke dhah. Picture by Rakesh Kumar Singh

Chhapra, Aug. 27: Noted critic and vice-chancellor of International Hindi University, Vardha, Namvar Singh learnt a new Bhojpuri word today – dhah.

Singh, who speaks Bhojpuri quite well, admitted in public that he did not know the meaning of word dhah (flame).

This admission came during the release of Bhojpuri novel Purvi Ke Dhah, written by Jauhar Safiavadi, at Ekta Bhavan today. The novel is based on the life on acclaimed writer and freedom fighter Mahendra Mishra.

When the book was handed over to Singh, he immediately wanted to know the meaning of dhah, which he said he hadn’t heard though speaking Bhojpuri since his childhood.

Knowledge of this new word, Singh said, was “like finding a diamond”. He said he would always treasure this knowledge and certainly use it in future.

He said that he knew related words like taap and dah, but dhah was new for him.

“This word will empower Hindi in a big way,” he said.

This programme was organised under the auspices of National Book Trust of India.

Singh said that it is for the first time that NBT of India has printed a novel in Bhojpuri. The novel, according to him, will have an international readership, as people settled abroad would also read it, besides the Bhojpuri-speaking people in the country.

Manager Pandey, another acclaimed critic, stressed the need to make Bhojpuri the language of narrative and popularise it.

Manager Pandey said that if people wish to make Bhojpuri the language of future, then efforts should be made to free it from the mindset of being the language of only songs and poetry.

“Bhojpuri must not remain the language of prose, poetry and songs, if it has to develop truly. It has to be presented in form of narrative,” he said.

He lamented that there is no book related to cultural, social, spiritual and economic amalgamation in Bhojpuri. “Let us begin with publishing at least a weekly newspaper and then broaden its base among readers,” he said.

He also said that books on Mahendra Mishra, including Apurva Ramayan, are not available and great efforts are needed to make them available in libraries and book stores.