Kya Bhooloon Kya Yaad Karoon

DETAILS : 

• Author :  Bachchan , Harivansh Rai
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rajpal & Sons (Rajpal Publishing)
  
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ 3 June 1997
  
• Language ‏ : ‎ Hindi
  
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 8170281342
  
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-8170281344
  
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 450 g

ABOUT THE BOOK

Kya Bhooloon Kya Yaad Karoon (What to forget and what to remember) is the first of the four-volume autobiography of the legendary Hindi poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan. Published in 1969, it is hailed as a masterpiece of 20th-century Hindi literature. This volume covers the author's early life, his family roots in the village of Patti, his upbringing in Allahabad, and the formative experiences that shaped his poetic soul. Bachchan writes with an honesty that was rare for his time, stripping away the "mahatma-like" persona often expected of public figures to reveal his vulnerabilities, struggles with poverty, and the emotional turbulence of his youth.

The book is particularly famous for its lyrical prose and the vivid depiction of pre-independence India. It explores his deep connection with his first wife, Shyama, and the profound grief that followed her early death—a period of mourning that influenced his most famous works. More than just a personal diary, it is a social document that captures the transition of middle-class Indian families, the weight of tradition, and the quest for individual identity. For many, it remains the most moving part of his quartet, proving that Bachchan was not just a master of verse, but a pioneer of the modern Indian memoir.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Harivansh Rai Bachchan (1907–2003) was a titan of the Chhayavad and Pragativad eras of Hindi poetry. He is best known for Madhushala, a work that used the metaphor of the tavern to explain life's philosophical complexities. A professor at Allahabad University and later a producer for All India Radio, he also served as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha. His contributions to literature were recognized with the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Saraswati Samman, and the Padma Bhushan. He is the father of Indian cinema legend Amitabh Bachchan.