Daily Poetry — July 12, 2026

नौका विहार

Composed by सुमित्रानंदन पंत

Original Hindi

शांत स्निग्ध ज्योत्स्ना उज्ज्वल, अपलक अनंत नीरव भूतल। सैकत शैया पर दुग्ध धवल, तन्वंगी गंगा, ग्रीष्म विरल, लेटी है शांत, क्लांत, निश्चल। तापस बाला गंगा निर्मल, शशि-मुख से दीपित मृदु करतल, लहरें उर पर कोमल कुंतल।

English Translation

Still, soft, bright moonlight, The boundless, silent earth gazes unwinkingly. On a bed of sand, milky white, The slender Ganga, sparse in summer, Lies calm, weary, unmoving. Like an ascetic maiden, pure Ganga, With moon-like face illuminated, gentle palms, Waves on her breast like soft locks of hair.

AI Generated

AI Echo (Hindi)

जैसे कोई स्वप्न सुहावन, धीरे-धीरे बहता जीवन। तारों भरे नभ का आँगन, शांत लहरों का मृदु गायन। दूर किसी तट पर नीरव, जगता कोई एकाकी प्रणव। यह सृष्टि का अनुपम अनुभव, प्रकृति का शाश्वत वैभव।

AI Generated

AI Echo (English)

As if a beautiful dream, Life flows slowly on. The courtyard of the star-filled sky, The gentle singing of calm waves. Far on some silent shore, A lonely 'Om' awakens. This unique experience of creation, Nature's eternal splendor.

Literary & Historical Context

"Nauka Vihar" (Boat Ride) is a celebrated poem by Sumitranandan Pant, a towering figure of the Chhayavaad (Romanticism) era in Hindi literature. This excerpt masterfully captures the serene beauty of the Ganges river on a moonlit night, particularly during the sparseness of summer. Pant's poetry is renowned for its exquisite descriptions of nature, delicate imagery, and lyrical quality. Here, the Ganga is personified as a young, weary maiden resting peacefully on a bed of milky-white sand, her form illuminated by the moon. The poem perfectly embodies the Chhayavadi emphasis on personification, a deep spiritual connection with nature, and a soft, introspective mood. It evokes a sense of tranquil contemplation, mirroring the gentle flow of life in the timeless river and the quiet grandeur of the cosmic scene.