PUNE: Well-known poet Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor's farm was his love and his last wish was to be close to it. "He was conscious and I would make him listen to his own song from the movie 'Ek Hota Vidushak' and tears would roll down from his eyes," his daughter Sarla Shinde told TOI on Thursday.
Mahanor wore many hats - he was a lyricist, an author, a vocal activist for farmers' rights, an MLC and a Padma Shri recipient in 1991 for literature. He passed away in Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune of age-related ailments on Thursday morning. He was 81, and is survived by two sons and three daughters.
The hospital authorities said Mahanor had multiple chronic ailments and was admitted on July 13. He had been severely unwell for several weeks and passed away at 8.32am on Thursday.
The last rites will be performed in his native village of Palaskheda near the world-famous Ajanta caves in Aurangabad district on Friday.
Mahanor's poetry, which celebrated nature, brought him immense popularity. Known as Na Dho Mahanor, he also penned several songs for all-time Marathi movie hits like "Jait Re Jait", "Ek Hota Vidushak" and "Sarja".
Writers, film personalities, and politicians paid tribute to the poet.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who had a long association with Mahanor, said, "Born in a farmer's family, Na Dho's love for the fields reflected in his poetry. He also wrote a lot to the government about farmers' problems and after he became MLC, his speeches in the House on tillers' issues were memorable. He was a true poet with the essence of nature in his poetry. It is quite emotional that he passed away during the rainy season."
Chief minister Eknath Shinde in a social media post said, "We have lost a poet who was connected to the land but his poetry touched the skies. His poetry had the fragrance of the soil."
Pune: Well-known poet Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor's farm was his love and his last wish was to be close to it. "He was conscious and I would make him listen to his own song from the movie 'Ek Hota Vidushak' and tears would roll down from his eyes," his daughter Sarla Shinde told TOI on Thursday.
Mahanor wore many hats - he was a lyricist, an author, a vocal activist for farmers' rights, an MLC and a Padma Shri recipient in 1991 for literature. He passed away in Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune of age-related ailments on Thursday morning. He was 81, and is survived by two sons and three daughters.
The hospital authorities said Mahanor had multiple chronic ailments and was admitted on July 13. He had been severely unwell for several weeks and passed away at 8.32am on Thursday.
The last rites will be performed in his native village of Palaskheda near the world-famous Ajanta caves in Aurangabad district on Friday.
Mahanor's poetry, which celebrated nature, brought him immense popularity. Known as Na Dho Mahanor, he also penned several songs for all-time Marathi movie hits like "Jait Re Jait", "Ek Hota Vidushak" and "Sarja".
Writers, film personalities, and politicians paid tribute to the poet.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who had a long association with Mahanor, said, "Born in a farmer's family, Na Dho's love for the fields reflected in his poetry. He also wrote a lot to the government about farmers' problems and after he became MLC, his speeches in the House on tillers' issues were memorable. He was a true poet with the essence of nature in his poetry. It is quite emotional that he passed away during the rainy season."
Chief minister Eknath Shinde in a social media post said, "We have lost a poet who was connected to the land but his poetry touched the skies. His poetry had the fragrance of the soil."
Mahanor's poetry was rustic and still romantic, which was rare: Jabbar Patel Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said his book "Ranatalya Kavita", ruled the hearts of Marathi poetry lovers. Mahanor was famous as 'Na Dho'.
"Nature and women were at the centre of Mahanor's poetry. He loved folk art and the songs he wrote for the movies touched everyone's heart," Fadnavis said.
Noted writer and satirist Ramdas Phutane said Mahanor made colloquial words popular through his poetry.
"He remained connected to the soil till his very last breath. His love for poetry took him to the remotest village to attend programmes and he always remained grounded," Phutane added.
Celebrated filmmaker Jabbar Patel, who directed "Jait Re Jait", said he was a different kind of a poet. His lyrics for songs like Mee Raat Takali and Jambhul Piklya Jhada Khali are immensely popular even today.
"His poetry was rustic and still very romantic, which was rare. He brought to the fore the rural image through his words. He could see different moods and colours of nature," he added.
President of Marathwada Sahitya Parishad Kautikrao Thale-Patil said Mahanor enriched Marathi poetry, in the 1970s. "An era has ended with a popular poet's demise," he said, adding that Mahanor instituted literary awards and began the construction of an auditorium for Marathwada Sahitya Parishad.
Mahanor was as popular as the Ajanta caves, vice chancellor of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University Pramod Yeole said.
"He made people fall in love with nature through his poetry. The university has incorporated his literary work in the syllabus for Marathi subjects," he added.
He received the Sahitya Akademi award in 2000 and the state government honoured him with 'Krushibhushan' award for his contribution to the farming sector.