Hullad?s humour is ?no joke?

IN 1962, China attacked India. Commoners turned patriots. And poets decided to pitch in with poetic help to mobilise masses against the alien invasion.

Veer Ras poetry was in fashion. It was in this backdrop that an 18-year old Sushil Kumar Chaddha walked to the organisers of the ‘kavi sammelan’ at Ram Lila Ground in New Delhi with a poem in hand. He was eyeing his chance to recite his poem from the stage that had names like Ram Dhari Singh Dinkar, Dr Shiv Mangal Singh ‘Suman’, Brajendra Awasthi, Shyam Narain Pande etc.
The task was difficult.

So, in the name of supporting the war effort, Chaddha, offered his gold ring to the organisers as his contribution. The organisers took the ring but before they could say ‘thank you’ the youth requested, “Could I recite a poem, please!”

Forty-four years have passed since. In between, he met ‘Kavi Kulhad’, changed his name and started creating ‘hullad’ whenever he stood up to recite his rib-tickling verses in his own inimitable style. Meet Hullad Moradabadi who told HT on Thursday, “mazak karna koi mazak nahi hai.”

Since starting his professional journey as a poet with Rs 11 as remuneration in 1964, the man has gone on to have breakfast with the President of India, given autographs to, among others, the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, acted in films — Santosh and Bandhan Bahon Ka — besides travelling across the globe, spreading the fragrance of his barbed humour-packed verses.

“Writing humor is difficult and good humor is even more difficult,” he said.

Yet, his pen never seems to age, creating humour unlimited. Hullad is among the few poets across the country to have retained their credibility, rejected sops from the powers-that-be and doled out humour as it were — without fear or favour. “I have spoken on everything from ‘chara’ to ‘ghotala’. That’s because I believe: Sabko us register pe haziri lagani hai, maut wale daftar main chuttiyan nahi hoti and baat samajh main aa gayee bahut dino ke baad, jeena hai agar shaan se, rakho maut ko yaad,” he said.

An astrologer himself, Hullad’s belief in destiny is reflected in his verses like, “ek dwaar jab band ho, karna nahi malaal, uppar wala kholta kai dwaar tatkaal.” 

There were occasions when he was advised to poetically spare “some influential modern day politicians” who “could be of great help, providing free travel coupons etc.” However, the man who penned lyrics against emergency rule couldn't help retorting, “chote mote safar hain America/Japan, sabse lambi yatra ghar se shamsan.”

But what’s ‘Hullad’ without humour. Savor this:

“Neta bhashan dekar aaya, naukar par aakar ghurraya, main aya hoon thaka, thakaya, paer dabao ram lubhaya. Naukar bola, ek zaroori baat bata doon, bhashan se toh gala thaka hai, aap kahe toh gala daba doon!”