Kshar/ Akshar
(Perishable/ Imperishable)
Collection of Poems
Writer – Dr. Rajendra
Bhandari
#
Published by: Janpaksha
Prakashan,
“Super Market”,
(Gangtok, Sikkim)
#
Printed at – Modern
Deepak Press, Varanasi.
#
Year of Publication –
1998
Binding: Paperback
Price : 150/-
 |
| Dr. Rajendra Bhandari. |
“Kshar/ Akshar”
(Perishable/ Imperishable) is the third anthology
of poems published in the year 1998 after the release of two of Bhandari’s
earlier collection of poems, namely “Huide yee Chisa Raatka Pardaharuma” (In the
veils of cold wintery nights) published in the year 1979 and the second
collection of poems titled “Yee Sabhdaharu: Yee Harafharu” (These
words: These lines) 1986.
Bhandari’s third
anthology of poem contains a total of 48 poems. All the poems in this collection
portrays detoriating socio cultural values, political aspirations of the
Gorkha’s of India, widening human relationships, urban loneliness, reckless de
– humanization of urban society and beurocratic corruption. His poems are like
an abstract art “What you read today might be different, while reading tomorrow”.
One of his poem from
“Kshar/Akshar” entitled “Baan vitra harayeka goreto haru” (The lost
pathway inside the forest) takes the reader back to the periphery of
the village and portrays the stark realities in a rather metamorphic way also
portraying the social structure of the village with lines like:
“At home, they start
cramming the table of five,
Five into five equals
to the torn blouse of their mother
Four into four equals
to the wrinkled face of the father”.
This poem in some way
or the other demonstrates the memory of the distant past, over burdened with
domestic and agricultural activities.
Likewise, his other
poem from the same book namely “Hariyo chowr ra Marble Aankhaharu” (Green
meadows and Marble eyes) is a quasi – poem standing between the urban
and rural life. The poem rightly portrays the reckless de humanization of the
urban society. In the poem the poet far from the marble (signifying urbanity),
harks the reader to the landscape of the green meadows and tempts to take
refuge in it. Finally ending off with an
open ending with lines like:
“And listen to our
heartbeats in that green meadow.
“By the way, how old are you?”
 |
| Bhandari with his friend Jayant Mahapatra (renowned Indian English writer) |
“Bazaar garera” (From
the Market) is yet another interesting satirical
poem from the same book. It highlights the churning political and economic
problem of the society and Vanity as its central theme. The poet has travelled
far beyond the trammeling incidents of ordinary life and from that nameless
position and yet he has depicted practical examples in the poem with lines like
“How far is Nirvana
from the Kerosene Queue”
This poem is dynamic in
its approach. It’s like an original abstract art always delivering fresh
thoughts.
Other poems like “Mamuli
kura” (Ordinary matters), “Mashina Kushiharu” (Small pleasures) from
this collection along with the other 44 poems Nepali poems is full of Life,
Laughter, love and melancholy. One may not find traditional; rhythm in his
poems, context to the usage of metres, rhymes, alliteration and accents. But it
is never to be forgotten that real rhythm is inherent in our consciousness.
Finally to remind the
readers of Bhandari’s earlier poem where he delves into Meta fiction of the
writing process and craft with lines like:
‘Return, O words
From here onwards
I ought to proceed
alone”.
About the Poet:
Dr. Rajendra Bhandari
is an Indian Gorkha poet. He was born in Bong Busty, Kalimpong (West Bengal) on
28th September, 1956. He did his schooling from Kumdini Homes,
Kalimpong and later joined Kalimpong College for his Graduation. He completed
his Master’s in Nepali from North Bengal University after which he acquired the
degree of PhD from the same University. Bhandari has published five collections
of poems in Nepali. He is the finest and first Gorkha writer to have been named
in the list of Nobel Prize for Literature consecutively for two years – 2012
and 2013.
In 2013, three eminent
Indian writers were in the probable list including names like Mahashweta Devi,
K Satchidanandan and Dr. Bhandari was also one out of the three Literati’s from
India.
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