Author: kiriti

Initiation into Self-realization Kiriti Sengupta A preamble excerpted with permission from Sadhana: the realisations of life by Rabindranath Tagore, published by CLASSIX (an imprint of Hawakal Publishers) I was pleasantly surprised as a few weeks ago, Bitan Chakraborty expressed his keen interest to re-introduce Rabindranath Tagore’s Sādhanā: the realisation of life through CLASSIX. He wanted to disseminate Tagore’s invaluable teachings that, he thought, the world needed to acquire anew. However, I was left bemused when Bitan solicited from me a brief proem to the collection of essays, first published in London (October 1913) and then in the United States by The Macmillian Company, New York.…

On the inaugural issue (2020-2021) of the Yearbook of Indian Poetry in English, edited by Sukrita Paul Kumar and Vinita Agrawal A lecture delivered on June 25, 2021, at the online event hosted by India International Centre (IIC), Delhi. Thank you, India International Centre, for inviting me to this event on the Yearbook of Indian Poetry in English. I’m a contributor to this collection, representing Hawakal, the publisher of this book. Before I say about the book or its making or Hawkal, let me tell you, IIC is an organization that dwells in my heart. Back in 2018, when we had…

How do we perceive light? How do we intuit its source? It can be cockcrow, it can be the candle we float in the river, it can reasonably be the lantern Ma placed at my study when there was a power cut, or it can reasonably be literature that illumines our faculties. It is imperative to recognize the light that allows a respite from prevailing darkness. Respite isn’t the right word, I guess. Radiance liberates us from the murk. One must remember, it’s the shimmer that sustains lucency. Let me clarify it further: reading down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code…

As I began working on Hibiscus, I advised my co-editors, Anu Majumdar and Dustin Pickering, to send me a few verses on the chosen theme. To maintain ethical standards, I didn’t publish them, nor did I include mine in this collection. But I liked their works and discussed them in the introductory passage. In the last few days, I’ve critiqued briefly four poems. I won’t write a critical analysis as I conclude the session. I’ll let you peruse their poetry instead. Happy reading! — Kiriti Sengupta Falling Away | Anu Majumdar when shadows fall from your facehummingbirds sing outside. when doubt…

All great poets succeed in creating euphony; Sanjeev Sethi isn’t an exception. He is an exceptional wordsmith with a profound consciousness of letters. The following poem opens with the title itself: a practice Sethi commonly employs, and integral to the stylistics of his works. Inducement | Sanjeev Sethi Instructions are installedin our core:there’s no toggle to turn.Happiness is a walletI left at a lover’s vault. Cheerlessness is my chaperon.What’s my catalystto keep on truckin’?His omnipresence.He erases the offensive. Source: Hibiscus: poems that heal and empowerEdited by Kiriti Sengupta | Anu Majumdar | Dustin PickeringHawakal May 2020 The first stanza is dark, embellished…

A COVID TALE | ANJU MAKHIJA Once, in time of the deadly virus,humans disappeared from Mumbai,animals appeared out of nowhere! The puffed-up peacock danced,the la-di-da hornbill claimed his kingdom,flamingos spread like cherry blossoms… reminding of those dayswhen Mumbai was Bombay,and we played on the streets. While the present stifles, the past delights.Now past is becoming presentand I pray for it to become our future. Source: Hibiscus: poems that heal and empowerEdited by Kiriti Sengupta | Anu Majumdar | Dustin PickeringHawakal May 2020 Professor Chris Fitzpatrick, a consultant obstetrician and gynecologist, writes in The Irish Times, “In time, we will need poets and writers…

Peace Prayer | Michael R. Burch Be calm.Be still.Be silent, content. Be one with the buffalo cropping the grass to a safer height. Seek the composure of the great depths, barely moved by exterior storms. Lift your face to the dawning light; feel how it warms.And be calm.Be still.Be silent, content. Source: Hibiscus: poems that heal and empowerEdited by Kiriti Sengupta | Anu Majumdar | Dustin PickeringHawakal May 2020 American poet Michael R. Burch plays well with symbolism. With great humility, or perhaps to criticize the modern world for its neglect of contemporary poets, he claims to be “unknown” to the fraternity…

Morphie | Michele Mekel Claws. Paws. Whiskers. Purrs.He destroyed the furniture.But he healed my heart. Source: Hibiscus: poems that heal and empowerEdited by Kiriti Sengupta | Anu Majumdar | Dustin PickeringHawakal May 2020 Hen shack? He digs the earth, collects abundant of her flesh, and smears it across the frame of straws and bamboo sticks. He lives in the lap of Nature. If you ask whether she is hurt, she will say, “Come on, I’m his mother!” Mothers heal themselves: they are ever-forgiving and find solace in their bundles of joy. How do children make their world of artistry? They paint the…

SELECTED POETS AND POEMS Among one hundred and fifty-three poets, we have selected one hundred and three. It’s an exhausting job, tricky as well. Barring a few exceptions, we have adhered to the guidelines. You will be glad to know that among the selected contributors, the youngest one is a student of eighth grade in a school located in the suburb of Calcutta. The rest, for you to see. Congratulations to all poets for trusting our vision. ADITYA SHANKAREARTH GAZING AJANTA PAULSURVIVALREBIRTH ALEXANDER SCHIEFFERLIFE NEVER DIEPULSE AMIT SHANKAR SAHAAN IMAGINED WALKWINTER BLOOM ANANYA S GUHASILENCE ANEEK CHATTERJEETHE FLAMEMIDDAY SUN ANJANA…

Painting by Gautam BenegalCover designed by Bitan Chakraborty Empowerment precedes healing. Honestly, when I conceived Hibiscus, I was particularly keen on curating poems that address healing. Anu Majumdar, one of the associate editors, proposed “empowerment” to the theme. It was an eye-opening moment. Where does healing lead to? As a clinician myself, I can tell you, healing is not all about back to normalcy, or in other words, restoration of the state of being. Healing imparts strength. It renders authority. Post-extraction, the edentulous gum gradually turns hard to aid in chewing, and at times, it rejects prosthesis. For Hibiscus, we set specific guidelines—we solicited…