Shiv Kumar Batalvi Getting into Poetry

After the partition, the Kumar family settled down in Darussalam Mohalla of Batala, which is now known as Prem Nagar. Shiv’s father always wanted to see his son getting the best possible education and building a respectable career ahead, but Shiv had his mind involved in Literature. After completing his matriculation in first division from Punjab University in 1953, following his father’s insistence, he got himself enrolled in F.sc. program at Baring Union Christian College of Batala. Although he spent 2 years there, he ended up getting dropped out for not appearing in the final examinations. Then he enrolled in R.D. College, Nabha, where he spent the next few months, but again left the college. Shiv finally got admission to another college named S.N. College, Qadian (a town in Batala) in arts subject, but dropped out again after spending a couple of years there. Because of never attempting the final examinations of any of these colleges, Shiv Kumar never got any degree qualification. Shiv also joined a diploma course in civil engineering at a local school in Baijnath, Himachal Pradesh, but again, he never completed it. 

Disappointed by his unserious behavior towards education, Shiv’s father forced him to join the Revenue Department of Patwari. He was never interested in that job and showed least importance to the work. Shiv made a verbal agreement with one of the retired workers of the revenue department, and asked him to work on his behalf and Shiv, in return, will pay one third of his salary. Even this policy didn’t last long for him, and Shiv resigned from it in the year 1961. 

It is said that in the final year at S.N. College Qadian, Shiv started writing poems in his mother tongue Punjabi and explored his love for literature. Shiv was already famous among college students at different campuses of Batala because of his melodious voice and he earned a good number of young fans at a very young age. Shiv used to sing the folks of Punjabi Literature & bollywood songs. His name among the students became common when he started singing his own poems. 

In the days when Shiv worked in the Department of Revenue in the Patwari office, he got introduced in the literary circle of the Batala city. Barkat Ram Yumman, Kartar Singh Balgan and Jaswant Singh Rahi were the famous poets of Batala at that time. With the help of Barkat Ram Rumman, Shiv got into local Mushairas outside the city of Batala. Mushaira is one of the most famous forms of oriature (Oral Literature), where poets recite their works in front of other poets and audience.