After India and Pakistan were partitioned, Shiv Kumar’s family moved to Batala (India), where he received his primary education. Thereafter, his education remained unsteady as he changed quite a few colleges moving from Science to Art to Engineering Programmes.
Emotionally, Shiv Kumar ‘Batalvi’ suffered a huge set back when the girl he loved was married off to someone else due to caste differences. His poetry is full of bereavement reflecting his own life of being unlucky in love, though he married and had two children. In later years, he kept indifferent health, but he continued to write prolifically. He passed away in 1973 due to cirrhosis of the liver brought by chronic alcoholism.
SONG 1
Bhati valea chambey deya dalia,
Piran da paraga,
Aa bhun dey nee bhati valea,
Taino deyan hanjooan da bharra nee,
Piran da paraga bhun dey nee bhati valea.
Ho gaya kuvela maino,
Dhal gaeyan chavan nee,
Belean taun murd aiyaan,
Majeaan tey gavan nee,
Paya chidriyan ney cheikh chiyara nee,
Piran da paraga bhun dey nee bhati valea.
Meri vari pateyaan di,
Pand sili ho gayee,
Mitti de karaie teri,
Kano peeli ho gaye,
Terey saik no kyon vajeya dogara nee,
Piran da paraga bhun dey nee bhati valea.
Cheti cheti kareen main tan jana barre door nee,
Jithe mere haaneyan da,
Tur gaya poor nee,
Aus pind da sunendey rah marra nee,
Piran da paraga bhun dey nee bhati valea.
The song’s general theme is of utter tragedy – where the poet despairs over his fate. He says that when his destiny is exposed to life, everything collapses. Shiv Kumar Batalvi discusses life’s end with death and death’s nature. The idea of dying and the expanse of his demise is overwhelming the poet to no end.