Poetic Perspective of BIPLAB MAJUMDAR

Biplab Majumdar

What is poetry? The definitions are countless. As many as the people in this world. It might be argued that the most decisive aspect of poetry is its resistance to be defined, labeled, or pinned down. We all know how poetry sounds and feels, and we can recognize a poem when we hear, recite or read one. However, it may be difficult for us to explain, or offer a detailed account of what exactly is poetry and what its meaning might be, its effect, or significance in our lives. Very often, poetry is defined as a special kind of language which does innovative things with words, sound, rhythm and pattern; features which consist a constant source of our pleasure and understanding of the poem. We may even understand a poem not only by feeling its rhythms but also by hearing its sounds as well as by grasping its clusters of meanings, yet we may not be able to express our understanding of it to others.

Introduction in poetry: nature of poetry, tools, history, terms (periods, styles and movements, technical means, tropes, measures of verse, verse forms, national poetry... Poetry is traditionally a written art form (although there is also an ancient and modern poetry which relies mainly upon oral or pictorial representations) in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. The increased emphasis on the aesthetics of language and the deliberate use of features such as repetition, meter and rhyme, are what are commonly used to distinguish poetry from prose, but debates over such distinctions still persist, while the issue is confounded by such forms as prose poetry and poetic prose. Some modernists (such as the Surrealists) approach this problem of definition by defining poetry not as a literary genre within a set of genres, but as the very manifestation of human imagination, the substance which all creative acts derive from. ISBN 978-606-033-099-8

The paper looks back to Jakobson’s definition of poetry as formulated in his “What is Poetry?” and “Linguistics and Poetics”. It begins with a polemic essay written by Petr Fidelius that criticized Jakobson’s functional approach to poetry for its reliance on a specific attitude of the reader. Is an artistic status of a text determined by its author’s intention (as Fidelius believes), by properties of an artifact (as, according to Miroslav Červenka, is suggested in Jakobson’s later reformulation of the poetic function), or by a recipient’s attitude? These questions are discussed in view of several key studies asking “What is Art?” (Shklovsky, Beardsley, Goodman, etc.). In conclusion, the author of the paper emphasizes the present signifi cance of Jakobson’s conception of poetry that, despite the fact that it does not provide us with a universal defi nition of what is art, continues to give us very stimulating answers to a question that might be even more important: “What does art do?”

P o e tic P e rs pe ctive s o f BIPLAB MAJUMDAR Edited by : Dr. Arbind Kumar Cho udhary IA PEN Saraswati Nagar, Itaba-pipra Road, Pipra, P.O. : Dumri, Dist. : Begusarai, Bihar - 851 117, India POETIC PERSPECTIVES OF BIPLAB MAJUMDAR A critical anthology on the works of Biplab Majumdar Edited by DR. ARBIND KUMAR CHOUDHARY ISBN : 978-81-906165-6-0 © Author First Publication : 10th January 2012 Publisher : IAPEN Saraswati Nagar, Itaba-pipra Road, Pipra, P.O. : Dumri, Dist. : Begusarai, Bihar - 851 117, India Printer : VIJAY PRINTING WORKS Begusarai, Bihar - 851 101, India Price : 100, US$ 5 Dedicated to All the Poets and Poetry Lovers Contents Biplab Majumdar BRIEF BIOGRAPHY ……............…........................…....................………… AN INTERVIEW ……......……........................................................………… 7 9 Articles PROF. SURESH CHANDRA DWIVEDI THE RAYS OF TRUTH IN BIPLAB MAJUMDAR'S EPIPHANIES ......… 16 DR. ARBIND KUMAR CHOUDHARY POETIC PERSPECTIVES OF BIPLAB MAJUMDAR .........................… 23 DR. MAHASHWETA CHATURVEDI BIPLAB'S ISLAND DOLPHIN SONG IS AN INSPIRATION TO HUMAN HEARTS ..........................................................................… 31 THE HAIKUS OF "GOLDEN HORIZON" ..........................................… 33 DR. RAM SHARMA DIFFERENT SHADES OF LIFE AS DEPICTED BY BIPLAB MAJUMDAR IN HIS POETRY VOLUME 'GOLDEN HORIZON' ..............................… 37 M. S. VENKATA RAMAIAH VIRTUES & VICES : TOWERING LITERATURE WITH THE ESSENCE OF PHILOSOPHY .................................................................................… 44 PROF. P. V. LAXMI PRASAD BIPLAB MAJUMDAR'S "ISLAND'S DOLPHIN SONG" ....................… 48 HAIKU AS ACCOMPLISHED PHILOSOPHY IN BIPLAB MAJUMDAR'S "GOLDEN HORIZON" ........................................................................ 52 ANTARYAMI SAHU BIPLAB MAJUMDAR'S "GOLDEN HORIZON" ................................... 59 JASVINDER SINGH CHARMING FREE VERSES .............................................................. BIPLAB MAJUMDAR : A POET PAR EXCELLENCE ........................... 62 64 NALINI SHARMA BIPLAB MAJUMDAR : AN APPRAISAL OF HIS POETRY ................... 68 DR. MANORANJAN DAS PERCEPTUAL TRUTH IN BIPLAB MAJUMDAR'S POETRY ................ 78 SHALEEN KUMAR SINGH KALEIDOSCOPIC COLORS OF SPIRITUALITY IN GOLDEN HORIZON.. 89 DR. SUNITA JAKHAR GOLDEN HORIZON : THE SLIM COLLECTION OF HAIKUS ................ 92 PURNIMA RAY ISLAND'S DOLPHIN SONG : A POETRY PAR EXCELLENCE .............. 94 PROF. KURT F. SVATEK BIPLAB MAJUMDAR : A POET OF BEAUTY AND EXCELLENCE ....... 107 BERNARD M. JACKSON VIRTUES & VICES : IT IS A VERITABLE CELEBRATION OF LIFE ITSELF ...................................................................................... 112 MERA BHARAT MAHAN : AN ANTHOLOGY OF POEMS ................... 115 PATRICIA PRIME VIRTUES & VICES : AN EXCELLENT MANOEUVRE OF HUMAN VALUES .............................................................................. 119 PROF. KAZUYOSI IKEDA VIRTUES & VICES : A SUPERB POETRY BOOK, SINGING OF ETHICS AND MORALS IN HUMAN LIFE ........................................................ 123 GOLDEN HORIZON : AN EXCELLENT COLLECTION OF ENGLISH HAIKU ............................................................................... 126 MERA BHARAT MAHAN : AN ANTHOLOGY OF POEMS ................... 134 Abo ut the autho r LIST OF SOME BOOKS …............................................……..........……… LIST OF SOME MAGAZINES …...................................................……… LIST OF ANTHOLOGIES …..........................................................……… LIST OF AWARDS ..............….....................................................……… SELECTED COMMENTS ..............…............................................……… 137 138 140 142 144 B IP LAB MAJ UMDAR, D. Litt, Honoured KNIGHT, is one of the brilliant stars in Asian poetic firmament. Born in Kolkata, India on 10th January, 1966 has attained a phenomenal meteoric rise in his literary career. He has written nearly 70 books on poetry, prose, rhyme, translation, research works, novels , short story etc. Most of his works are in Bengali, his mother tongue. He is a Forensic Document Examiner by profession. Biplab Majumdar - a living literary legend - a prolific source of creative cascades revered and adored all over the world for his multifaceted literary talent . He wrote his first poem at the age of 12, but his first book "Kichu Sadharan Kavita" was published at 31 (1997). 7 His poems have been published in Bengali, English, Assamese , Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telegu, Kannada, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Hebrew, French, Japanese, Chinese, Maltese, Spanish, Serbian, Russian, German, etc. languages in India , Greece, Italy, Austria , Germany, Japan, Australia, Argentina, China, Brazil, .Malta, England, Yugoslavia etc. countries. For his outstanding contribution to literature he has received more than 50 awards from different parts of the globe. Some of his exceptional awards are : K The Grand Prize of Civilizing Olympiad, 1999, Athens, GREECE. K Padus Amoenus , 2000, sissa, ITALY. K Hon. D. Litt, 2001, WAAC, (UNESCO), USA. K The Best Poet of 2002, 2003 P.R. CHINA K The Glafka, 2003 SOUTH AFRICA. K Decree of Merit, 2003, AUSTRIA. K Honorary KNIGHT. 2005, MALTA. K Golden Padus D'ORO. 2009, ITALY, etc. Some of his famous works are Golden Horizon, Jhara Bakuler Swapney, Locker Rahasya, Murder in Victoria, Virtues & Vices etc. Biplab Majumdar, a dedicated and tireless worker of literature and international understanding, has been successfully editing " SAHITYA UTSAV" (Bengali) and "VOICE OF KOLKATA" (English) , two literary magazines since last 12 years. He is the founder of "International Poetry Society of Kolkata, India". "Global love, peace and brotherhood through poetry and literature" is the mission in his life. Address : BIPLAB MAJUMDAR, 3/34, SURYANAGAR, Kolkata-40, INDIA Cell- 98040 39249 E-mail : [email protected] 8 B IP LAB MAJ UMD AR in an interview with D r. Arbin d Ku m a r Ch o u d h a ry Editor - Ayush & Kohinoor J When did you write your first poem? I wrote my first poem at the age of twelve. That has been lost, never published. Subsequently when I was 18, I felt a tremendous attraction to compose poems from the deepest core of my heart. J Do you have the reminiscences of Childhood days? I was born in a middle class family. During my childhood I was very naughty. I was always a headache to my mother. I was fond of outdoor games and liked to play all day long if I was allowed to. At the same time I had an obsession for reading story books, rhymes, comics, fairy tales, ghost stories etc. J How could your literary genius blossom? Any person/poet in your life, who impressed you most? I told you during my adolescence I felt a strong urge to express my feelings through poetry. Perhaps that urge was develoved in my subconscious mind due to excessive poetry reading. I wrote a good number of poems but did not dare to send them for publication, lest they were rejected. My poems were kept in diaries for a quite long period. My first book "Kichu Sadharan Kavita" (Some Ordinary Poems, 1997) was published at the age of 31. Later I have been impressed by the works of Rabindra Nath Tagore, Jibananda Das, Sankha Ghose, Sunil Gangopadhyay, Purnendu Patri etc. some eminent poets in Bengal. At the same time Shelly, Keats, Yeats, Neruda, Matthew Arnold are always inspirational for me. J You have written and translated more than thousand poems in Bengali and English. Your poems have been translated 9 into 22 languages, published in different countries, critically discussed by so many poets and scholars. What is poetry in your context? Is poetry a gymnasium of words or glacier of thought? Poetry is neither a gymnasium of words nor glacier of thought. It is the right compilation of intellect, imagery, impulse, basic grammer and artistic presentation of thought, these are inherent elements of good poetry. Once in the Preface of my book Golden Horizon I wrote, "poetry is an art of words mirrored by the emotional escape of a poet's perceptual deconstruction." I mean what a poet feels or perceives that cause reactions in his brain. He deconstructs the feelings through his personal analysis, interpretation and evaluation in his subconscious mind and subsequently he pens his personal equations in an artistic flavour that the world calls as poetry. J Is poetry an art or a skill? Of course poetry is an art, rather I should say, it is an art of words. Many a person compiles a bunch of philosophical ideas, social anomalies, atrocities, or surmonial speeches etc. in the name of poetry. But the fact is, true poetry is something else. The greatest discovery in the life of a poet is to know what is poetry actually. Whatever we think or feel that should be presented in an artistic way, it must attain that height of aesthetics. Poetry is the highest form of art, to know this art is the needed skill that a poet has to learn. J Shall we allow the parameters of grammer to poetry? A poet must know the parameters of grammer to poetry. He should be aware of different forms of it. At the initial stage he may practise with different forms, later he may adopt the form in which he is most comfortable. It is not true that a poet should always follow the structured verse only, otherwise his poetry will not be accepted by the readers. From Pablo Neruda to Matthew Arnold, lots of world famous poets accepted free verse to reach the heart of their admirers. 10 J You are considered as one of the finest poets of today's India. What do you think should be the role of a poet in the present day society? I think a poet can play a vital role in the present day society. Because when all the electronics medias try to divert away the present generation from the basic cultural flow of one's country, poetry helps there to come back to the roots. It is not an art devoted to worship beauty and truth only but also has a strong commitment towards society and civilization. There was a time when poetry was dedicated to glorify love stories, tragedies etc. Sometimes poetry was written for the sake of poetry. But with the passage of time poetry came forward to assimilate the day to day incidents, different social problems, everydayness etc. and became the most humane language, an important cultural subject. In today's life poetry is an artistic expression that provides us a sense of unity. But it is a pity in most of the cases a poet does not get the dignity of an artist. J Why Indian poetry does not get patronage from the readers, admirers and Corporate houses? I do not agree with the statement that Indian poetry does not get patronage from the readers and admirers. Yes, it is true that the percentage of poetry loving people is meagre. Because the fact is poetry is not for all. In all ages in all countries poetry is only for a selected class of people who are thoughtful, deep, tender and beautiful by heart. Poetry does not get patronage of the Corporate houses because it cannot give them good return. Publishers show cold shoulder towards poetry because it does not sell like hot cakes. Perhaps nowhere in the world a man will dare to take poetry writing as a profession. J Is it necessary to organize the orientation or workshop for the budding poets? Do you think that by organizing such events we can create their poetic sensibility? 11 By organizing workshops we can encourage the budding poets to a greater extent. We can spread the message of poetry among the common people. Poetry reading sessions, discussions over different subjects of poetry, exchanging views etc. can attract the present generation more and more. If the senior poets deliver lectures on the basic difference between a poem and a good poem, the soul purpose and mission of poetry, the prospects of poetry in our day to day life and future, the need and glory of translating poetry etc. we can create a congenial atmosphere for them. And it will certainly enhance the dignity of poetry, at the same time arise the poetic sensibility of the budding poets. J What is your message to the budding poets? What is your expectaton from them? Man is attacted to beauty by nature. Every human being has this secret sense. That is why they love, sing a song, goes on tourism, read books, listen to music etc. But common man cannot express their felt beauty in the form of art. There is the diference between a common man and an artist. Budding poets must remember that they are no ordinary man, they have a god gifted special soul. And they can enrich this magnificient world with their inborn personal contribution. As there is no such school where one can be taught poetry writings, therefore, what I expect from the budding poets is they will read more and more works by the famous poets, especially the works of the contemporary poets so that they can learn the secret of the art. J We know you have been successfully editing the two poetry magazines e.g. VOICE OF KOLKATA (English) and SAHITYA UTSAV (Bengali). VOK has been awarded as "The Best Poetry Magazine in India" in Italy, China, USA and South Africa. Please say something about those magazines. I have been editing VOICE OF KOLKATA uninturreptedly for last 12 years and at present it reaches to 40 countries around the world. Poets of Greece, Italy, USA, Australia, China, Canada, Russia, France, England, Cyprus, Brazil, Spain, 12 Morocco etc. write in it. "Global Love, Peace and Brotherhood through poetry" is the mast line of it. In SAHITYA UTSAV (1999) there is a special column "Kavitar Viswayan" (Globalization of Poetry) in which poems of contemporary poets across the globe are translated into Bengali. Another column "Pradeshic Batayane" (Through the neighbouring window) is there in which poets across India get place among the poets and readers of Bengal. All these are done in order to encourage the feelings of mutual respect and brotherhood. J We see that most of your works are dedicated to the cultural friendship between two countries or victims of terrorist activities, global love etc. What thought plays behind such exceptional dedications? If you think for a moment will find that all the branches of art are destined to the welfare of mankind and society. The development of science and technology, the progress of a nation etc. are ultimately aimed at good for human beings. From the deepest core of my bosom I expect a peaceful, pollution free, war free world. So all my deeds, thoughts, creations are dedicated to the welfare of common people. You may think such dedications are my humble prayers before the powerful political leaders of the world who take decisions regarding fate of millions of innocent lives. J You have got lots of awards from Greece, Italy, USA, Malta, South Africa, China, Malaysia, Austria, the number may touch 50. Do you believe that awards and rewards are showered on the basis of proximity and sycophancy? As far my knowledge goes you are partly true. I have heard that lobbying is done to bag the famous awards. Till now I have not got such awards and I am not interested in them if I have to follow such practice. In my life whatever awards, reward etc. came that were due to love or respect on my works. I do not pay more importance on this thing because though at the intial stage awards, rewards may be good but time comes when 13 a poet or writer expects nothing but immortality of his creation. J You have earned so much name and fame as an International poet, an editor, a critic, translator, short story and juvenile writer --- are you satisfied as a person vis-a-vis your literary persuit? Poetry has given me an identity, but to speak the truth I am not satisfied with the work that I have done so far. I have done very little that I want to do in my life time. Till today I have written 76 books, out of them nearly 70 books have been published. I believe my best works are yet to come. As a person I am satisfied with my worldly status but regarding literary persuit I have to scale new height. As you know every ceiling when reached becomes a floor. So a creative person should not be satisfied with his present position. On and on, he must march ahead. ------ k k k ------ 14 P ro f. S u re s h Ch a n d ra D w ive d i Prof. Suresh Chandra Dwivedi, is a great scholar in India heading the department of English, University of Allahabad. A poet, critic, translator and editor of distinction. He writes poetry and criticism in Hindi, English and Bhojpuri languages regularly. Apart from these he edits TITIKSHA, the international journal of culture, literature and criticism from the dept. of English, University of Allahabad. Prof. Dwivedi got Hon. D.Litt. from the World Academy of Arts & Letters, California in 1988, Bharatiya Sahitya Sudha Ratna Award in 2004, Life-Time Achievement Award from International Poets Academy, Chennai in 2009, Certificate of Honour from Prof. Ikeda International Earth University, Japan in 2004. 15 The Rays Of Truth In Biplab Majumdar's Epiphanies " Kala-kam parmatmanam lati grahnati iti kala " " Atma Sanskarti vava Chilpani " I have known Biplab Majumdar for more than two decades as an eminent poet, editor, intellectual and translator, I welcome him as one of the finest poets of our times. He is certainly a brilliant poet who has produced some of the most astonishing and remarkable poetic collections in our troubled times. He shines like a poetic star in the Asian poetic sky. Indeed he is a valuable poetic voice who has written excellent poetry for the promotion of global love, peace, brotherhood and human values. He was born and educated in Kolkata and to me is a representative poetic voice rising from Kolkata. He has authored nearly 70 books on poetry, prose, rhyme, translation, research works and novels etc. All these books have made a home in the hearts of many national poets, professors, editors, readers and scholars like Hon. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, M. Ramalingam. M.S. Venkata Ramaiya, Mahashwata Chaturvedi, Shaleen Kumar Singh, Purnima Ray, Antaryami Sahu and Shubha Dwivedi. Besides these noted Indian scholars and writers, his poetry and personality have been praised by such international scholars and poets as Prof. Dr. Kazuyosi Ikeda, Dr. Gustawa Stending Lindberg, Prof. Seiji Hino, Patricia Prime, Bernard M. Jackson etc. He has won national and International honours, recognitions and awards. Mostly he writes in Bengali and his corpus is full of the Bengali flora and fauna, Bengali social, cultural, political, historical and anthropological atmospheres that beautifully conveys and exhibits fragrance of Bengali soil which we often get in the novels of Mahashweta Devi or poems of Tagore. Biplab Majumdar's poems have been published and translated in more than 22 languages. That shows his great popularity in India and abroad. According to Dr. Shubha Dwivedi, " Biplab Majumdar is a great Indian English poet because his poetry gives us an element of wonder ". I have greatly enjoyed poems of Island's Dolphin Songs. The titles of the poems like " Wave of Dreams ". " Expectation ". " The Rays of Truth ". " Om " " Friends " " Towards Sky " " India, under the grip of Terrorism " are simply wonderful. Through resasved and 16 chittasamvad they endow us with enlargement of our hearts. That precisely is the need of hour in a Biplab Majumdar poem: Rasanubhuti is all in all. He knows that Rasa is Rasa and it is of paramount importance. The wars, terrorism, social evils make him sorrowful. He experiences Shoka (sorrow) in his heart. And the sorrow ultimately takes the shape of a Sloka (a poem). Poems of this volume like " In Dreamy Love Midnight ". " Waves of Dreams ". " Expectation ", " The Rays of Youth ", Time Gets Dreams ", " Kuruskhetra ahead ", " Last Night ", " Within Water-shed ", " Om ", " Dead Birds ", " Concealed Confessions ", " Friends ", " A Love Poem ", " A Picture ", " A Canvas ", " Someone in the Garden at the midnight ", " Songs of Yellow Season ", " Let's Set Free ", " Island's Dolphin Song ", " Autumnal afternoon ", " Wintry river ", " Towards Sky ", " Indian under the Grip of Terrorism " have been written in a certain blissful state of mind. The poems of this volume remind me the poems of Epiphanies and Other poems written by Suresh Chandra Dwivedi Poet- Professor of Allahabad University. Both are the major poetic voices of our times who believe in the power of the world Shabda as a Brahma and their poems believe in some divine intrusion in the mundane affairs. The poems of Island's Dolphin Songs and Epiphanies and Other Poems are two very important poetry books of our times where the poets minds are established in the Satva- guna devoid of Rajas or Tamas. What the world needs today is the tendency of Satvik. Island's Dolphin Songs will be read for a very long period of time for Peace. Love, Equality, Liberty, Fraternity and Humanism. I have gladly read and enjoyed all the Rasas present in the poems of this volume. I am quite sure that the volume will be read by poetry lovers all over the world for its technical skills like rhythm, imagery, symbolism, irony, suggestion, vakrokti and capacity to present series of pictures from Bengal. The volume uses images both as an ornament and speech. Biplab uses images which become speech ultimately. The images like " unfathomed depth of your eyes " and " I break repeatedly/ in defencelessness/ as the moon of twelfth lunar day/ at dark fortnight/ breaks into pieces upon lapislazuli water " are eye- catching and quite attractive. The volume should be read by all professors, students and readers of poetry for Biplab's image- making technique and his capacity to show us a series of pictures from Bengal which a gifted poet of Bengal like Biplab can show us so beautifully, nicely and artistically. Every 17 poem contains divine manifestation. The poem comes to Biplab as a divine event where he seed flashes of epiphany. 21st century will be the century of the poetry of Epiphany. Tired of wars, riots, violence, apartheid, recessions, greed selfishness, anger, jealousy, madness, rat race competitions, fast food, junk-food, pollution and health-hazards more and more readers will go to Poetry of Epiphany. Poems of Biplab fill us with new-meaning new ideas, new experiences and succeed in the enlargement of our hearts. Biplab's images transport us beyond tiredness, troubles, turmoils, terrorism and anguishes of a tattered economy. They come to us like a divine event and fill us with experience of wholeness, harmony, radiance sense of revelation, light, love, beauty and goodness. The poet of Bengal addresses the entire humanity. What Biplab thinks today others must think it tomorrow. His poems fill us with a sense of epiphany and hope for the future. If the terrorism has come today, peace cannot be far behind. Island's Dolphin Songs must be read and heard carefully. Biplab is full of basic creative power and basic creative impulse. He has the capacity to make new songs and experience new thoughts. His images are hard, sharp, sensitive and it is quite admirable that he is hitching his wagon to the new stars shining high in the sky. His poems are glittering, astonishing, profoundly remarkable and unforgettable. He is master of facts. I am impressed by his wonderful sense of fact and universal appeal. If wide appeal is the test of true poetry, Biplab is a true artist who has always combined technical skill, epiphany and a sense of fact. Biplab is never heavy, prosaic or dull. He is always imaginative and has produced poetic lines like bricks of stones and diamonds. He endows his every fact of life a sense of wonder, joy, epiphany and wisdom. He builds a temple of epiphany on each word and poetic line. In Biplab we experience a solution of extraordinary in ordinary. The soul of the commonest object begins to shine in Biplab. As taste of pudding is in its eating, I strongly recommend this book to all the poetry lovers to enjoy the sudden spiritual joys of Biplab. Poets and critics like Prof. Dr. A.P.J. Kalam, Ikeda, Lindberg, Hino, M. Ramalingam, Patricia Prime, Bernard M. Jackson, Shubha Dwivedi, M.S. Venkata, Ramaiah, Mahashweta Chaturvedi, Shaleen Kumer Singh, Antarjami Sahu and most of other poets. Critics and professors of distinction have praised the elements of Biplab Majumdar's poetry. A poet has to pass the test of other 18 poets, scholars, critics and editors. I am personally of this opinion that Biplab has succeeded in satisfying the demands of poets and critics all over the world. His poetry is entirely a product of his own imaginative efforts, concentration, wisdom, felt experience and blissful state of mind. Biplab is aware of the dreams, aspirations and sorrows of our times. He is a poet with higher purposes of life. He deserves all honours. A poem by Biplab is a short composition in verse where Bodhichitta is an important merit. His poetry fills our hearts with qualities of generosity, ethics, patience, right efforts, right concentration and wisdom. As the poet is generous and he shares his felt experience in his book " Island's Dolphin Songs " we readers also should be generous and willing to give. The poems of this book take us miserliness, selfishness and terrorism and inspire us to be generous, full of patience feel epiphany in day to day life. I am totally impressed by Biplab's power of imagination as revealed in this book. I have seen Dolphin's and heard its songs in 2007 with my wife Prabha Dwivedi and poets of Orissa like S. Samal, L.N. Mahapatra, Seemanchal Patnaik, T. Pati. I had enjoyed the way the Dolphins made movements as moon makes movements in the sky. It was a wonderful experience. Within such short span of times I am enjoying Dolphin's songs again. Biplab combines Nature and human nature in this volume. I am reminded of Coleridge : " O lady we receive what we give In our life alone doth nature live. " Biplab's Dolphins are singing songs to us all the time. What is required of us is to pursue Anand, Rasanubhuti, Brahmaswad and bliss of mind. The volume is characterized by a concentrated and heightened language. If poetry is an emotive speech vakyam rasatmakam Kavyam this book of Biplab is an excellent piece of poetry. Here is God's plenty- utterances of a Bengali poet on Bengali life, mingling of nature & human nature, selective choice of words for their sound and suggestive power, the use of proper poetic technique, rhyme, rhythm, vision, imagery and symbols. To read this volume is to experience the light and epiphany of the lines, and to appreciate the subtleties, of cadence rhythm the variety of pace and pattern and music of Biplab Majumdar's poetry. To sum up, Biplab Majumdar is a great poet of Tattvagyan 19 or knowledge of Brahman. He sings of the soul or self and aims at Atmagyan. It is bliss-gyan or Anand which is the stahaym in his poems. The Atman is the basis and root of all his poems. It is upon this rock that poems of both Lok and Lokottar have been composed by Biplab. Even mundane and external objects reveal tattvagyan or epiphany. The impact of Bible, Bhagvadgita and Bengali's folk tradition stimulates him to write poetry of love, light, friendship and epiphany. References : 1. R. Parthasarathy, the Twentieth Century Indian Poets (O.U.P., Delhi, 1984). 2. I.W. Bjor Kman, LLA.S., Hyderabad, Vol. 13, No. 2. 3. S.C. Dwivedi, Titiksha. The International journal of culture literature Criticism special number on Sansked Poetics, Guest Ed. Shubha Dwivedi, Allahabad, 2009. 4. S. Radhakrishnan, The Creative Life (Vision Books, 1975). 5. V. Raghavan, The Number of Rasas, (Adyar Madrass, 1975). 6. Dance of Shiva and Dance & Music of Dolphins, " Suresh Chandra Dwivedi in conversation with Shubha Dwivedi of Amity University, NOIDA, dated 15-08-2009. 7. Biplab Majumdar, Islands's Dolphin Songs, (Kolkata, 2009) jjj 20 D r. Arbin d Ku m a r Ch o u d h a ry Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary is the founding father of International Association of Poets, Essayists and Novelists (2006) at Begusarai, Bihar and one of the founding members of World Literature Society, Agartala, cum editor of two reputed literary magazines KOHINOOR (ISSN 0973-6395) and AYUSH (ISSN 0974-8075) known globally amidst the creative milieu. Some of his poems are translated into Portuguese by Teresinka Pereira, president of the I .W.A.,U.S.A ,German by Kurt.F.Svatek, nominated 2002,04.06,08 for Nobel Prize for literature, Greek by P.C Zaloni ,editor of Kleino ,Maltese by Patrick Sammut, Vice-president of Maltese Poets Association, Italian by Toni Picconi, Mongolian by Hadaa Sendoo, editor of World Poetry Almanac and several Indian languages . He has been published in England , Greece ,Malta, Mangolia, and Cyprus .There are one thousand poems in English 21 on websites of many poetry societies including six poetry collections entitled 1. Eternal Voices(2007), 2. Universal Voices(2008) ,3. My Songs (2008) ,4.Melody(2009), 5. Nature Poems(2010) and 6. Love Poems (2010) to his credit. He is viewed ,reviewed and interviewed globally .He has also interviewed prominent literary luminaries such as Teresinka Pereira , John .B. Lee, Stephen Gill ,Kurt.F. Svatek, Joy Rainey King,Paul Curtis, Charu Sheel Singh, D.C.Chambial, M.Chaturvedi, Biplab Majumdar and many others known globally. He is included in Cambridge Dictionary of International Writers in 2009, World Poetry Almanac, Ulaanbator, 2008 & 2009 and International Writers Dictionary,Seoul, 2010. Presently Dr. Choudhary is heading the Deptt of English at Rangachahi College, Majuli, Assam. Visit : www.kohinoorjournal.blogspot.com Email : [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] 22 Poetic Perspectives of Biplab Majumdar Biplab Majumdar is a glittering star of the creative milieu across the globe. As the poet, critic, reviewer, translator and ,above all, an editor he has earned his name in a short span of time. The muse lovers can inhale the fragrance of his poetic rosarium to its utmost degree and can exhale the fetor of earthly filth. He is happy to proclaim himself as a citizen of the world devoid of caste, creed and class. The main motto of his creative thought is to provide a majestic platform to raise voice in favour of the unnoticed voices for the welfare of whole mankind. To Prof. Kazuyosi Ikeda, "Dr. Majumdar is a great poet enveloping the whole world of human beings and establishing a glorious, glittering flower garden of happiness and Justice on earth." The literary Eden garden that is planted by him will remain ever fragrant & cynosure even in the years to came amidst the muse lovers in general and sufferers in particular. Dr. Majoranjan Das in his book Biplab Majumdar : "A Critical Analysis and Evaluation of His Poetry", (2009) that is dedicated to trio global literary luminaries Dr. Zhang Zhi, Dr. Syed Ameeruddin and Dr. A.K. Choudhary, opines that " Majumdar confirms his view with the statements of beauty, where the aesthetic enjoyment and the divinely spirit are exalted more as glimpsed soul, that is the extreme joy of life. He, the unconfined poet of the modern poetry world, is confident of his upliftment through poetry where the nature of the world like dewy grass, night, morning etc are related to slumberous mass as a way of starry floor or watery shore resemble the theme of Blake.'' 1 He later adds that "As a true tester of the beauty of nature Biplab Majumdar contrasts himself with poetry and optimism where only the soul and what pertains to it is truly beautiful and the beauty of nature is only the reflection of nature beauty of the spirit. Notwithstanding Biplab has the thematic parallelism with Shelley where the sun's beauty is encircled with the gathering of dawn, and immortal awakening of life is godlike delight is sunk into the light of lamps." 2 I think the true gardener is a lover of his flowers, not a critic of them. To Reginald Farrer I think the true gardener is the reverent servant of Nature, not her 23 truculent, wife-beating master. I think the true gardener, the older he grows, should more and more develop a humble, grateful and uncertain spirit. To John Keats Poetry should please by a fine excess and not by singularity. It should strike the reader as a wording of his own highest thoughts, and appear almost as a remembrance. To Coleridge A poet ought not to pick nature's pocket. Let him borrow, and so borrow as to repay by the very act of borrowing. Examine nature accurately, but write from recollection, and trust more to the imagination than the memory. In an interview the poet responds about the idea of good poetry. " Like all other branches of Art, good poetry also is the right blend of intellect, impulse, imagery, basic grammar and hide and seek quality in presentation. These are the inherent ingredients of most of the timeless creations. " Veins of a poet Don't carry blood But the blue Venom of poetry. " 3 The poet opines in the preface of Golden Horizon' " Poetry is an art of words mirrored by the emotional escape of a poet's perceptual deconstruction. In any branch of arts, an artist has the innate indignation to mix up his personal shade of colours with the original with a view to give his work a timeless dimension. Each creative person paying due homage to the traditional views, always experiments with his new forms, new ideas, new colours in order to offer the world a magnificent masterpiece.'' 4 To Antonin Artaud Written poetry is worth reading once, and then should be destroyed. Let the dead poets make way for others. Then we might even come to see that it is our veneration for what has already been created, however beautiful and valid it may be, that petrifies us. Prof. Kazuyosi Ikeda, president of International Earth Environment University, Japan, has glorified his poetic caliber as a Haikuist: " The poet Dr. Biplab Majumdar's haiku are superlatively fascinating, having surpassingly profound significance. His haiku glitter gorgeously like heavenly stars and 24 are exceedingly lucid like genuine pearls in the sea's bottom. His haiku have the two peerless features. First, their forms are very beautiful, exactly following the 5-7-5 syllable meter. This meter makes the Japanese traditional poetry structure, peculiar to haiku. In the countries in to which haiku have been introduced from Japan, sometimes short poems of three lines, not in the 5-7-5 meter, are created and are called, haiku. It is our great pleasure that there are haiku poets, like Dr. Majumdar, who obey exactly the 5-7-5 meter in writing English haiku. Such English haiku are highly evaluated as true haiku by Japanese people. Secondly, the poet Majumdar's haiku have remarkable features in there contents. I am extremely impressed and immensely moved with the eminence, profundity and sublimity of the philosophies underlying the poet Majumdar's splendid works." 5 To Ikeda each haiku within this collection (Golden Horizon) is not an end in itself, but each sparks a new beginning. " Seasons bring blossoms Trees need decades for full growth Maturity takes time. " 6 Dr. Mahashweta Chaturvedi, an editor-poet, claims, " All his haiku are witty, logical, sensual and celebratory, despite the tsunami of the age, the poet himself remains not only perfectly calm but understands also the responsibility of a true poet." 7 In an interview Dr. Majumdar expressed his ideals in such a beautiful way, " I prefer to speak for mankind in the voice of the unheard. My deed and creations speak for the deprived lot. I am not an active member of any social organization and political party, neither I am a leftist nor rightist. But contemporary events are reflected in my writings. As a poet and writer, I think my duty is to present my thoughts, beliefs, reactions, protests, philosophy of life etc. before the world in an aesthetical and artistic manner. The basic purpose of my artistic and creative thought is to provide a Majestic platform to raise voice for the common good and welfare of whole mankind so that it may reverberate in the universe." 8 25 To Bertrand Russell It has been said that man is a rational animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could support this. To Thomas Paine The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion. To G. K. Chesterton But a somewhat more liberal and sympathetic examination of mankind will convince us that the cross is even older than the gibbet, that voluntary suffering was before and independent of compulsory; and in short that in most important matters a man has always been free to ruin himself if he chose. To Leigh Hunt Whenever evil befalls us, we ought to ask ourselves, after the first suffering, how we can turn it into good. So shall we take occasion, from one bitter root, to raise perhaps many flowers. Biplab Majumdar sings: " Human life is a long Journey From ignorance to eternal light, Against hatred, anger, greed Life should keep on constant fight. " 9 Life itself is a bone of contention. It ever leads from ignorance to eternity, from earthly to spirituality and from hatred to love and affection. Human life is a long Journey. It always contends for divine light. Hatred, anger and greed dazzle the divine psyche. Spiritual life gives immense pleasure to the sensitive souls to its utmost degree. Kirby Larson opines that The lessons this life has planted in my heart pertain more to caring than crops, more to Golden Rule than gold, more to the proper choice than to the popular choice. Like E.M. Foster the poet brings to light the heavenly quality of tolerance, a sign of maturity . Like D.C. Chambial the poet wonders why men do not follow the axiom of discipline like the nature ? But his heart is filled with Ulysses' type will power in life white people can reach mountains summit. These striking lines of his poem mind' " Success or defect that life mirrors Is nothing at all but a mind's affair. '' 10 26 reminds the muse lovers the following lines of Paradise Lost I by Milton " Mind is its own place and in itself Can make a hell of Heaven, Heaven of hell. " 11 The root cause of all sorts of miseries is the realization of the raw minds. This is the reason the poet suggests that a nature mind can face all worldly strife. The mature heart is ever benign. To him love is called a miracle medicine. It can heal up a mortal wound. One can imagine the profound impact of duo lines composed by Biplab Majumdar and A.K. Choudhary : " Love is the soul of our living Through our life let us practice it. " 12 And, " Love is the fragrance of life. It blooms only in perfect psyche. " 13 Like monumental star his poetry is beyond time and space. He is found ever optimistic for the betterment of mankind as a whole. His heart murmurs. " All even cheerful view of life A hopeful attitude to all events, All will turn out well at end The only message that optimism sends. " 14 To him thinking is the heart of soul. It can reveal life's beauty. To him failure offers us the golden chance to begin again with more prudence. To him Fear is the sickness of soul. To Keats Don't be discouraged by a failure. It can be a positive experience. Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success, in as much as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some form of error which we shall afterwards carefully avoid. Walt Whitman opines thatHave you heard that it was good to gain the day? I also say it is good to fall, battles are lost in the same spirit in which they are won. Some of his striking proverbial lines appeal to the heart and 27 mind of the muselovers across the globe. * Life should keep on constant fight. P.9, * Liberty is the essence of life and salvation is the final goal. P.10, * Tolerance surely is a sign of maturity. P.11, * A man of discipline is a man of honour. P.14, * Life is ever for the courageous. P.18, * In fact, character is higher than truth . P.25, * Golden silence is the eternal speech. P.27, * Truth is superior to man's wisdom. P.32, * Truth is the religion of all religions. P.34, * Self-conquest is our first most goal. P.45, * Thinking is the heart of soul. P.55, * Gratitude is the father of virtues. P.62, * Forgive to glorify the human race. P.65, * Fear is the sickness of the soul. P. 103, * Desire alone is the dearest mother. P. 115, Aphorisms fall thick and fast, " human life is a long journey". " Simplicity is a rare virtue", and " Maturity demands we live in the present". Some of the popular phrases are used here and there through his poems such as hand in hand, day by day, face to face, on and on, get rid of, wink at, again and again, neat and clean, beware of, more and more, out and out, look for, add fuel to fire, at all and several others by this famous poet. Here is some examples of alliteration used by the poet in his poems. Miracle means to make us fearless,Love the word, serve the world whoever you may be,Past, pride and passions,Learn to live and live to learn,Colour, class and creed,Snatches sleep, steats our peace, Slowly but steadily it stealthily cuts,Please him poorly in the mesh of passions. The usage of such words - plethora of pride, fangs of failure, deserts of defeat, and malice and prejudice etc reminds us Syed Ameeruddin's works. Peacefulness is his inborn style . Simplicity, free expression and clarity are the 28 ornaments of his writings. In a nutshell one can claim that Biplab Majumdar is a great poet of the 21st century whose poetic garden is perfuming the creative milieu across the globe . He is serving the humanity through his poetry in the tradition of bards. His literary lamp will remove the darkness of hate, greed and Jealously in the years to come. References : 1. M. Das, Biplab Majumdar : A Critical Analysis and Evaluation of his Poetry, (2009), P-36. Future Publication, Kolkata. 2. Ibid, P-42 3. A.K. Sharma, C.V, issue 14, 2009, P-10 4. Biplab Majumdar : Golden Horizon (2004) IPSKI, Kolkata P-5 5. Kazuyosi Ikeda, Voice of Kolkata, Vol-6, Issue 1, P-26 6. Golden Horizon - P-6 7. M. Chaturdevi, Voice of Kolkata Vol-6, Issue 1 , P-23 8. A. K. Sharma ed C.V, issue 14, 2009, P-10 9. Biplab Majumdar : Virtues & Vices, P-9 10. Ibid, P-19 11. Milton, P.L.I, Lines.254-255 12. Virtues & Vices, P-44 13. A.K. Choudhary, My Songs, (2008), P-20 14. Virtues & Vices, P-73. jjj 29 D r. Ma h a s h w e ta Ch a tu rve d i Dr. Mahashweta Chaturvedi , Ph.D., D.Litt., L.L.B. is an internationally renowned, Indian English poetess. She writes in English, Sanskrit & Hindi. Some of her poems have been translated into Greek, Latin, French, German, Spanish, Urdu, Czech, Japanese, Chinese, Nepalise, Russian, Hebrew, Bengali etc. languages. Recepient of nearly 70 Awards from different corners of the world, member / Hon. Member of nearly 40 Literary Organisations, author of 35 books in Hindi, 10 in English, 3 in Sanskrit. Mahashweta is a wonder in the realm of Literature. More than 250 Research papers, 4 Ph. D. works, 4 Dissertation works on her literary achievements have been done so far. Her biodata have been included in 50 National & International Who's who and reference books. A Research Guide, editor of an International Magazine 'Mandakini', the founder secretary of Mandakini Sahityak Avam Sanskritic Sanstha. A Legendary figure in Indian literature. 30 Biplab's ISLAND'S DOLPHIN SONG is an inspiration to human hearts Biplab Majumdar, an International eminent Indian English poet, a prolific writer, a champion of global peace, has been hailed in the recent times as a poet of the millennium by creative writers all over the world. He edits 'Voice of Kolkata' & 'Sahitya Utsav' and his poems are published in many languages. Biplab Majumdar has more than 60 books & booklets to his credit. He has so far received many prizes & honours. Most of his works are in Bengali, his mother tongue. 'Island's Dolphin Song' is his recent collection of English poems. The collection of twenty five poems starts --- 'In Dreamy lone midnight', ' At moonlit night I get crazy move alone with lonliness in filds & forests Empty I am ' For the poet Biplab 'a thing of beauty is joy forever.' The poem 'Waves of dreams' inspires 'Between vastness of sea and sky somewhere lies the endless wisdom of history'. Like P. B. Shelly who says 'If winter comes can spring be far behind', the poet Biplab too says 'Believe, someday the dawn will be ours and our favourite pebbles would be bright in enough unworldliness' (Page-9) It's optimistic approach to life is indeed inspiring. The Poet has profound faith in the Rays of truth. Degeneration of the modern time causes creation of poems like 'Kurushetra Ahead' --' A steel swear gets sharpened in myriads neurons of grey matter Pandavas will return someday To come to terms of their states. ' (Page-12) The poet is the staunch believer in the omnipotence of 'Om", one of the best names of the Lord 'the Omniscient." Here all the 31 three alphabets A - U - M, are symbolical --- A = Symboliges the Almighty, U = Symboliges the being, M = Symboliges the Nature, hence it is the best name of our Father. I also wrote 'Recite Oum', each & every moment. In the dark days we need faith and inspiration as we are globally falling apart. In such a self annihilation situation has taken shape, poets have to play defining role. The study of poetry forms our character, courage, peace, welfare & many other excellent qualities. Poets are the pillars on which love and peace rests. The poet Biplab writes to awaken the hearts --' Sun-burnt wings, still the pride of blue sky how intensely beckons me Repeatedly arose the finger of prohibition 'Beware Beware Ikarus.' ' (P-31) The poet Biplab's poems are not only simple but very inspiring. Pregnant with high philosophical insight, and Indian mythology, he delineates the function of the human being. His collection of poems entitled 'Island's Dolphin Song' is symbolical, An Island is human life, Dolphin song is his yearnings, wishes and efforts. Dolphin is very intelligent, incase Dolphin is misguided, she can't achieve what she desires. Dedicated to global love, all the twenty five poems inspire the misguided human being to become like intelligent Dolphin to sing melodious song for the wellbeing of life, otherwise the life is worthless. The poet Biplab Majumdar wants to give to his readers message of global peace, self amendment, love, beauty and self courage. In order to enliven humanity, self-improvement is very necessary. I do hope the present collection 'Island's Dolphin Song' will be admired by the poetry-lovers and the able readers. jjj 32 The haikus of "GOLDEN HORIZON" For many years, I have been a great admirer of the prodigious works of the Indian English poet Biplab Majumdar, a remarkable poet of considerable merit. This slim collection of haikus contains 30 pages, haikus here are 116. My favourite haikus are those which reveal his compassion, logic, philosophy & noble ideas. The poet Biplab Majumdar has written these haikus in his middle years during the period when there are universal devastating, social, economical, national and political problems, terrorism, wars, social evils and mental pollutions. All his haikus are witty, logical, sensual and celebratory, despite the turmoil of the age, the poet himself remains not only perfectly calm but understands also the responsibility of a true poet. Mammatacharya, the great classical critic and Sanskrit Scholar said 'Kavyam Yashse Arthkrite. Vyavaharvide' (Kavya Prakash 1/1) He means to say that poetry is for fame & to teach behaviour. Every poet is guided by these views. True poet writes for the welfare of the world. When a belief is held dogmatically & the lawyer poet thrusts it down the throat of the readar poem suffers. The views & beliefs in these haikus are 'belief as felt'. The haikus of the collection entitled 'Golden Horizon' by the poet Biplab, 'dedicated to the innocent victims of terrorism all over the world' are full of the humanitarian outlook, the poet is expressing himself in multi-dimentional texture. In the world of the poet Biplab himself says - 'I think, poetry is an art of words mirrored by the emotional escape of a poet's perceptual deconstruction'. (Preface) These are his experimental haikus, but he is fully successful in offering the world a magnificent musterpiece. These haikus are thought-provoking :* Indian poetry Springs from nature Deep spirituality. * Silence sleeps deathless On the banks of the river Water of time flows. 33 (P-1) (P-1) * Poetry transcends when Incomplete reality fuses with Complete idealism. (P-15) * A life long journey Today is mine tomorrow too My works are forever. (P-30) * At last 'the end' comes But the fact is there's an end After the end ever. (P-30) These inspiring haikus are easy to understand though deep in thoughts. All these haikus of exceptionally gifted poet Biplab are suggestive and inspiring for present day world. His highly crafted poetic technique makes this literary achievement as a valuable contribution to Indian English poetry. His rare contribution to international understanding is unforgettable. [ VOK; Vol. 6, Issue 1, Pg. 23 ] jjj 34 D r. Ra m S h a rm a (IND IA) Dr. Ram Sharma [B-1974], is an accomplished poet and writer both in English and Hindi in the field of literature. He has added many feathers to his cap. As a student he has been exceptionally brilliant from class first to M.Phil. He did his doctorate on 'PostModernist Trends in Indian Novels in English : A Study of Anita Desai, Arun Joshi, Amitav Ghosh and Vikram Seth. He is a renowned poet, critic, reviewer and translator. His poetry is indeed of very high order which is read throughout the world. He has several research papers, articles, poems and reviews published in esteemed journals magazines and newspapers of India and abroad including Poets International (Bangalore), Bizz Buzz (Mysore), Rock Pebbles (Orissa), Contemporary Vibes (Chandigarh), Skylark (Aligarh), Shine (Tamilnadu), Poetcrit (Himachal Pradesh), Indian Book Chronicle (Jaipur), The Vedic 35 Path (Haridwar), Metverse Muse (Vishakhapatnam), Young Poet (Tamilnadu), Samvedna (Mangalore), Pegasus (Agra), Hyphen (Shimla), IJPCL (Kerala), Indo-Asian Literature (New Delhi), Replica (Cuttack), Cyber Literature (Patna), Point of View (Ghaziabad, Kohinoor (Bihar), Voice of Kolkata (Kolkata), ReMarkings (Agra). Beside this his works has appeared in such web journals like Muse India, Boloji.com, Literary India, Neo-poet, Academic India, Indian English Literature Forum, Impressions Online Journal, Creative Saplings. His poems are showing presence in foreign ejournals like Poems-hunter.com, Coffe-connection.com, Autumn Leaves, The Houston Literary Review, Asian-American poetry.com, Poetry Sketch Book etc. Hea has to his credit two poetry volumes Muse (2002) and Serene Moments (2008), Poets for World Peace Vol. 1&2 (2010), A String of Words (2010), Anthologies 1 (2011). At present he is working as a senior lecturer in English in J.V.P.G. College, Baraut, Baghapat, U.P., India. 36 Different Shades Of Life As Depicted by Biplab Majumdar In His Poetry Volume 'GOLDEN HORIZON' Biplab Majumdar is the significant voice in contemporary Indian-English poetry. He is a bilingual poet, translator, reviewer and short story writer. Present volume is a haiku collection having different colours and shades. In the preface of this poetry volume, the poet himself asserts, "I think, poetry is an art words mirrored by the emotional escape of a poet's perceptual deconstruction. In any branch of arts, an artist has the innate inclination to mix up his personal shade of colour with the original with a view to give his work a timeless dimension. Each creative person paying due homage to the traditional views, always experiment's with his new forms, new ideas, new colours in order to offer the world a magnificent masterpiece." In Indian philosophy four aims have been told, Dharm (religion,) Arth (Earning money), Kama (Sex), Moksha( Enlightenment). The poet also asserts, Indian poetry Springs from nature Deep spirituality [p. 7] Life has different shades happiness, joy, merriment, contentment etc. In this way life is a puzzle which can't be solved easily. Even great saints are not able to find its answer. Life is a puzzle That remains unsolved ever Till light transcends' [p. 11] Poet feels deathless silence on the bank of the river. Past, Present and Future are the pillars upon which our whole life rests. Poet is comparing defeated persons to withered leaves which are 37 blown away by the wind. Poet is describing life by comparing it with nature. Nature too has different shades lie human life at time it is as enthusiastic like a woman. Affection of the persons should flow like a free flowing river. Affection too flows Ever downwards like a river Do you know why so ? [p. 10] We should be like the earth in accepting and sheltering everyone. Our heart should be as large as earth but when we are wounded we cry in the manner of the earth. We should take lesson of gratitude from the nature. Every blade of grass Gratefully recalls debt of sun But a man does not [p. 10] Marriage or Grihasth life is an important shade in man's life but after that man entangles in a great illusion and these shades become more permanent. Sri Aurobindo writes in his essay, The Essence of Poetry', "This power makes the rhythmic word of the poet the highest form of speech available to man for the expression whether of his self vision or of his world vision. It is noticeable that even the highest experience , the pure spiritual which enters into the things that can never be wholly expressed, still, when it does try to express them and not merely to explain them intellectually, tends instinctively to use, often the rhythmic forms, almost always the manner of speech characteristic of poetry. But poetry attempts to extend this manner of vision and utterance to all experience, even the most objective, and therefore it has a natural urge towards the expression of something in the object beyond its mere appearances, even when these seem outwardly to be all that it is enjoying." 1 [p. 4] The poet tells us that joys are like dewdrops which come and disappear Joys are like dewdrops They fall, evaporate : again A long dryness there 38 [p. 12] Happiness and sadness are two shads which go on together. The cradle of life swings Between two shades of darkness Happiness and sadness [p. 12] In the light of selfishness love disappears so the poet advises us to keep away from selfishness. Dew of love vanishes When the sun peeps in the sky Sun of selfishness. [p. 12] Time decays everything or destroys everything even Shakespeare has forced this thing in his sonnets. Our ultimate reality is death, we have to go in the oblivion where we have to present our true account. Common men are born Day and night, aspire for light Ends in dying dusk. [p. 13] There are many allurements in this world or glitters but our sole aim should be the attainment of truth, In quest of truth In quest of light, I move on Along path of time [p. 14] Life runs very fast and these shade mingles in his life. These shades make a person sensitive and later on a poet. Mind flies like butterflies. Majumdar is best when he mixed images and symbols from life and present these in his verses. Madhav Achwal writes in his paper Ideas and modern poetry, ' The human mind is constantly straining to grapple with the essential nature of this ' Vital force'. Forming ' ideas' is the mind's way of going about this business, whether in the psychological sense, or the metaphysical, ideas are, by their very nature,. Abstractions of and from perpetual experience.' 2 39 [p. 183] These different shades form a good poet. 'Poet's can't resist Inevitable blows of reality They bleed through verses [p. 16] Desires, aspirations, shades, these things are engulfed Old age cares little Spring comes or not, life does get Aged without love [p. 17] The poet gives us the lesson of to be optimistic in all circumstances. All the buds and seeds Tell us the tale of morrow A dream never dies' [p. 18] Like P.B. Shelly, he tells us that our happiness has some tinge of sadness in it because happiness and sadness are the two sides of one coin. Mosaic life does Reflect celebration of Colour, day and night [p. 26] The poet also has faith in OSHO'S Samadhi se sambhog tak After forty but Abnormal sex provides fun Perversion tiptoes. [p. 20] Every experience of life provides the verses a new word or poem whether it is bed or sorrows. The river of muse starts flowing. All the shades remains there in the form of experiences. All come, sit beside The sea, and they get aged Ageless ripples shine' 40 [p. 22] These experiences provide the man a new vision and love remains there in all the manifestations. Life is a deep ocean and we have to delve deep into it to get jewels of life. Love for is important and for love for all Buddha left home and Jesus Christ was crucified. Silently words come to make a poem Poems as night birds Spread wings at night on the beach Of silent darkness [p. 26] The poet himself asserts in the preface, "In my opinion, if anything can be the subject of poetry and if haiku too is considered as one type of poetry, there should be no bar in choosing subjects of haiku. Because it begets variety." Prof. Seiji Hino observes 'Biplab' s poems are very simple but suggestive. They are pregnant with high philosophic insight like the experienced, old and wise man, sayings, In this volume, the poet has presented different shades and experiences of life which compels to write poetry.' Veins of a poet Don't carry blood, but the blue Venom of poetry [p. 30] References : 1. Sri Aurobindo - The Essence of Poetry' in Critical Thought, S. K. Desai, G. N. Devy (ens), Sterling Pub., New Delhi, 1987, PP-4. 2. Madhav Achwal - Ideas and Modern Poetry in Critical Thought, S. K. Desai, G. N. Devy (ens), Sterling Pub., New Delhi, 1987, PP-183. 3. Biplab Majumdar- Golden Horizon, International Poetry Society of Kolkata, Kolkata, 2004, PP-6. jjj 41 M. S . Ve n ka ta Ra m a ia h M. S. Venkata Ramaiah, Editor 'BIZZ BUZZ' was born in 1944 at Mandya where he did his SSLC, PUC and he did his D.E.E. at S.J. Polytechnic, Bangalore in the year 1964. He joined National Dairy Research Institute as Engineer in 1965 and served the organisation in several capacities till he took voluntary retirement in the year 1987. For few years he was consultant for several industries and institutions which include Kannada University, Hampi. Mr. Vekata Ramaiah has started BIZZ BUZZ in 1998 which became a complete literary journal over years. He has brought out his first collection of poems in English 'Flash Point' and also in Kannada 'Bisilu Kolu', both in 2002. His second collection of poems in Kannada 'Hochha Hosathu Have' along with 'Antaryami' on temple history, both came out in 2005. As editor of BIZZ BUZZ he has brought out Six collections of poems in English edited by 42 him, 'The Pride of Asia' on the poetic excellence of Prof. Dr. Kazuyosi Ikeda, Japan, in the year 2002. Mr. Venkata Ramaiah commenced a second centre at Mysore for his literary activities where he started creative works in Kannada under the banner 'Sirigannad Vedike' in the year 2003. The Vedike has conducted several programmes which include, poets meets, symposia, lectures on enlightened presonalities, competitions in Kanada poetry, short stories, Mini-Stories, Criticism of Kannada novel as well as a facous TV Serial 'Muktha'. He has edited two collections of poems in Kannada, one book on 'Kasaragod' of papers presented in the symposium, one book 'Perlara Sahitya' of the papers presented in the symposium arranged by the Vedike. Mr. Venkata Ramaiah has read his Kannada poems in All India Radio, Mysore and Mangalore. He has also given a number of 'Chinthana' lectures at A.I.R. Mysore. He was invited by Udaya T.V. for 'Parichaya' in 2004 and also by A.I.R. Vividhbharathi, Bangalore for 'Sadhana' in 2007. He is the recipient of several Awards given by Kannada Sanghas at, Yelandur, Mysore, Bangalore. He was one of the invited poets to read poem in the prestigious 'Mysore Dasara Kavigoshti' in 2006. Edizioni Universem, Italy, had conferred 'A poem for Life Award' for one of his poems in 2003. He is in the Editorial Advisor to Chetana Literary Group, Mangalore. 43 VIRTUES & VICES : towering literature with the essence of philosophy The book 'Virtues & Vices' aroused curiousity in me after it was handed to me by the author, during my stay in a Kolkata Hotel in November 2001. Biplab Majumdar, well known bilingual poet, has achieved many laurels at his young age. In this collection of four line stanzas about all possible Virtues and Vices, each looking like an aphorism, the poet's efforts are seen in his researched meanings perfect and, very much convincing. It is like unwinding of a coil of superior thoughts in a way. ' Human life is a long journey from ignorance to Eternal light ..... ' (Life) The limits and the limitless things have been given for one to choose and live, in a manner that selfless service, unattached attitude are to be inculcated in life. ' ...... with a heart full of tolerance We can walk with hand in hand. ' (Tolerance) The essence and importance of tolerance have been aptly explained aiming at its benefits. What is memorable and what is not is well established here. ' Discipline makes one tough as an anvil That does not bother the blow of hammer .... ' (Discipline) The essential manner in which one should live in the world is well substanitiated. It is discipline that brings us success in our endeavours. Like this there are many examples under virtues which would transform a person. The author has taken pains to acquire variety of meanings to each one of the virtues as well as vices. ' Steady cheerfulness mirrors happiness ..... 44 a global passport to every heart. ' (Cheerfulness) Even the visible smile on the face has been attributed to the happy condition of the soul and body. There are many such quotations throughout. The author has excelled in providing vivid thoughts in affirmation to each virtue valued precisely high. ' Thinking is the heart of soul It can reveal our life's beauty ' (Thinking) Complex subjects dealing with abstract matter have been very efficiently defined in these lines, the credit should go to the author. However tiny or young the thinking mind may be it transforms the nature to evolve man. ' In this world of dire conflicts Peace comes not through Armament ..... A peaceful mind can perceive alone The purpose of our life and birth. ' (Peace) In a situation like ours however much we stress the need for peace, armament may be necessary too, but it is not guaranteed that we achieve peace through its usage. But universally, what the author is trying to sum up the ultimate goal, the purpose and from that angle peace is necessarily a medium to arrive at solutions. There has been a line of thoughts related to anger as one of the vices. ' Anger is not at all a masculine trait Surely it is a sign of weakness ..... ' (Anger) Once we understand this, anger never gets its priority in life. ' Violence celebrates the festivals of blood Can demolish world within a day ' (Violence) These lines reverberate in our ears especially after 45 September 11, 2001 incidents. Violence has a repeating character. It never gets extinguised. Violence as a culprit leaves its prints in the form of blood, fatality and devastation easy enough to trace it. Violence has no expiry date, but its doses are unbearable for the mankind to survive. In all the topics, the author has exhibited his superiority and in-depth study which are indeed remarkable. The collection 'Virtues & Vices' is a pride collection by virtue of its thoughtful messages and well churned meanings. Biplab Majumdar has shown a path in which the titles traverse through each line of all the poems. He has done his job very carefully giving no room for contradictions. His ability to give the precious life its place on a high pedestal proves that he is akin to values in life. It is also hoped that many more works of greater depths would be seeing the light of the day by him. To conclude, the work of Biplab Majumdar could be considered as inner truth of both positive and negative aspects of life well exposed. [ VOK; Vol. 3, Issue 2, Pg. 29 ] jjj 46 P ro f. P . V. La xm i P ra s a d (IND IA) P. V. Laxmi Prasad hails from Andhrapradesh. He is a lecturer by profession in different Govt. Colleges in Andhrapradesh. He holds M.A. in English Literature from Kakatiya University, Warangal. He cleared the U.G.C. N.E.T. in 1998. At present, he works at Govt. Degree College, Manthani, Karimnagar. As part of creative credentials, he publishes Poetry, Articles, Book-reviews and Shortstories in 33 Journeals of International ruputation. As a poet, he has to his credit 100 published poems in English. He is widely published and anthologized poet. As a critic, he has published 22 articles and 22 book-reviews. He is the official book-reviewer for contemporary Vibes, Chandigarh. He is also in the editorial board of Indian Journal of Post-Colonial Literatures, Kerala. He is the Resource person for A.P. State AIDS control Society, Govt. of A.P. Hyderabad. 47 Biplab Majumdar's "ISLAND'S DOLPHIN SONG" Dedicated to global love and published by International Poetry Society of Kolkata, India, "Island's Dolphin Song" is a collection of 25 poems in English by Biplab Majumdar, a renowned poet of international repute, a recipient of more than 50 awards and coveted honours, and an author of 70 books on prose, poetry, translation, research works and novel. He is one of the brilliant poetic voices in Asian poetic firmament who has attained a phenomenal meteoric rise in his literary career. In the preface to the collection, the poet defines poetry as timeless creations involving a perfect blend of intellect, impulse, imagery and artistic quality in presentation. According to Biplab Majumdar, poetry has to reach to the heart of readers irrespective of the kind of verse in which it is written. The poems of "Island's Dolphin Song" deal with all the worlds i.e., mundane, spiritual and eternal. They are composed on diverse themes --- themes of which are eternal beauties crafted on elegant thoughts, subtle expressions, sound imagery and streaks of imagination and above all, glittering truths guiding the universe. As such, they are, to say, highly imaginative & philosophical verses in that they contain worldly wisdom like nature, imagination, Time, Spiritually, Truth & Beauty, Love as romantic concept cycle of seasons and imaginations soaring finally the moving pictures of dreaded terrorism. The poet begins the collection with a poem titled "In dreamy Lone midnight" where imaginative deposits of the poet are taken on heightened scales. In dreamy lone midnight with stained moon a sparkling stream flows from life to death in vast expanse of meadow's stillness --- In dreamy Lone Midnight A heightened imagination coupled with superb handling of universal 48 objects is quite noteworthy in the context. Else where in the poem, the poet goes crazy by moving in Loneliness in the forests & fields. At moonlit night I get crazy Move alone with Loneliness In fields & forests --- In dreamy Lone Midnight Waves of Dream's is a poem rich in imagery and the richness goes highly penetrative in the lines below : Between Vastness of sea and sky Somewhere lies the endless wisdom of history --- Waves of Dreams The poet is dreaming of the roots of wisdom that is existing between the worlds of sea and sky. In another poem titled "Expectation" the poet strongly expects that a day comes in our life when pebbles of water would be ushered into a bright life-force. Believe Some day the dawn will be ours and our favourite pebbles would be bright in enough unworldliness --- Expectation Realities of life are philosophically expanded in the poem "the Rays of Truth" : Experience gets aged In the morning Sun Under the rays of truth --- The rays of Truth "Last night" is the poem the poet recalls how those words which conquer him for long years have finally matured his mind. Words get vanquished, step by step on decaying bones they come up to the depth of skull --- Last Night Again, the poet wishes to root out the ills of modern world : Wish to extinguish all the burning candles of selfishness with a single puff 49 wish to mop up the grains of jealousy from all human hearts --- Last Night "Dead Birds" presents the doleful picture of birds i.e., Captured, hunted, preyed upon and finally killed. The emptiness of a cage without birds was swaying within my heart I proceeded a bit to West As the Sun --- Dead Birds In the beautiful lines that run through the poem, "Concealed Confessions", the poet sees how the abuses of verbal war reach the level of heated intensity, it is here that life is compared to a thrown arrow through which words pierce into the hearts. Lashes of words reach Its height of intensity Life too takes its turn As a thrown arrow. --- Concealed Confessions Writing on "Friends", the poet pities that the world of friends is replaced by the world of enemies. Friends are leaving one by one being lonely day by day Enemies are taking their positions --- Friends "A Love poem" is a poem set in beautiful imagery and comparison. The poet compares the ebullient moods of lovers with that of parrots and the excitement of lovers is compared with "Lotus" a flower that blooms happy moments for the onlookers. A flight of parrots in sky they plunge into the depth of dreams Hearts of lovers bloom in lotus excitement Thoroughly drenched voice of romance. --- A love poem 50 The poet in a fine display of imagery exhibits the roots of poetry from the skeleton of words : From white bones of words rises up the sandal background of poetry. --- Songs of Yellow Season "Our colourful stories" is a long poem of the collection that gives nostalgic moods of typical Kolkatan. Green buds bloom sporadically in joy at schools and colleges on the streets and roads at shopping malls .... --- Victorial Memorial of My loving city Kolkata --- Our Colourful Stories The title of collection "Island's Dolphin Song" is the title of a poem in which the poet asks dolphin to rise up once again upon the crystal waters of island. A lonely dolphin plays here in this island's cool Spell-bound Sun-rays will create magic upon the crystal water, if you come back once, just for once. --- Island's Dolphin Song In one of the poems "Towards Sky", the poet captures those moments when he feels attracted to colourful clouds & their magic mystery. The poem presents eternal truths of how men are mystified in the mystique surroundings of Nature. Strata of colorific clouds allured me all through High clouds call me frequently with its magic mystery. --- Towards Sky Finally, the poem that concludes the collection is on terrorism remembering 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. Again, the poem runs on beautiful images through which the sight of harrow climaxes : 51 Some hated vultures hover the dome round and round With live-bombs in chest our unsecured movement every day .... Fiesta of thousand bones, Bloody hearts jump in air. At the end, the poet proudly proclaims the victory of eternal power of human entity. Still the historic genius of our living triumphs as a soaring phoenix --- India, Under the Grip of Terrorism To condude the review, I reckon that Biplab Majumdar has come out as an experimenter of superb imagery in the collection --- the experimentation from dreamlands to genuine destinations of life that ever holds out mysteries for man. Radiance of Truths entirely dominates the collection with sound knowledge & wisdom intruded into the poems. It is said that an artist lives in the works he does and similarly, a poet lives in the technique he employs. The poet fits perfectly into the latter and the collection will surely hit the hearts of readers and sustain his position as poet of maturity. [ VOK; Vol. 10, Issue 1, Pg. 34 ] jjj Haiku as accomplished philosophy in Biplab Majumdar's "Golden Horizon" Biplab Majumdar's 'Golden Horizon' is a collection of haiku poems in English. As haiku is known to beget variety and remain 52 congenial to Nature, the collection of one hundred and eighteen haiku has gained significance. In the words of Prof. Seiji Hino, Japan, "the poems are very simple but very suggestive. They are pregnant with high philosophic insight like the experienced, old and wise man's sayings". True to these comments, the haikus deals with subjects of perceptual truth and philosophy. The elements of imagery, scenery, economized vocabulary and notes of spiritualism mark the genius of the poet. There are glimpses of quiet contemplations which give the readers food for thought. Though simple in construction, these haikus leave behind fertile sources of Nature for man. Thought is the key element of any haiku and the haikus in Biplab Majumdar are about the world's most attractive subjects of discussion. Bernard M. Jackson, Much-acclaimed poet-critic of the hour, England remarked that "In the truest sense each poem within this collection is not an end in itself, but each sparks a new beginning. It is indeed impressive how this writer has been able to being such grace of movement, colour and introspection to so many of his poems, Biplab has written his own preface providing an illuminative and instructive forward to the book" The poet strongly asserts, introspects, reflects and reacts to the global phenomena, a great work that demands great thinking. This is where Biplab Majumdar excels as a poet of haiku through the master-piece 'Golden Horizon". He has the innate inclination to mix up his personal shade of colour with the original with a view to give his work a timeless dimension. Every creative person pays due homage to the traditional views, always experiments with his new forms, new ideas, new colours in order to offer the world a magnificent master-piece. Yes, it can be termed as "tradition in experiment" and "experiment in tradition". He experiments haikus in both tradition and modernity and the true spirit of the haikus find place in the world of Nature. In the comments of Prof. Purnima Roy, "poet Majumdar's poems are very suggestive and symbolic and herein lies the true spirit of his haikus. Through these poems, we get one such a poet who is illumined with deep philosophical as well as spiritual ideas and beliefs, and social commitments that declare himself as a complete man. "That is why he says : (Voice of Kolkata 9:1, 2425) 53 " Enigma flows on From realism to surrealism Poetry becomes a poet Poetry transcends when Incomplete reality fuses with Complete idealism. " Haikus that depict nature symbolize eternal lessons from Nature : " Seasons bring blossoms Trees need decades for full growth Maturity takes time. " Man has to take years of life to undergo maturity like seasons that give trees decades fro growth. The poet traces the roots of nature in shaping the maturity of man in the dimensions of Time. The universal truth that worthiness cannot be gained in a day is found in one of haikus: " In quest of truth In quest of light I move on Along path of Time " A haiku full of sustenance and thought that depicts Nature as guide, follower and teacher can be found in the lines : " A fruit loaded branch Bent low to ground, gratitude Never forgets debt. " A philosophically matured Majumdar gets the readers moving in the womb of thought : " Silence sleeps deathless on the banks of the river Water of Time flows " The queen of silence makes her presence in the ever-flowing waters of time. At times, it breaks her silence into sensations wonders, and secrets. But, Time can never reveal how silence pounces upon the world. Silence, though rules for a moment, makes a lasting impression. It has immortal existence and ever active all the time. 54 " Silence Sleeps deathless on the banks of the river Water of Time flows " According to Shaleen Kumar Singh, the critic, who revised Majumdar's works has this to say: "Thus it is, undeniably admitted fact that the poetry of Biplab Majumdar is a bouquet of multicoloured roses and jasmines filled with aroma of spirituality. His poems are all drenched in the rain of spiritual ecstasy and transcendental joys which make him a poet of eternity & par excellence." There is spirituality, ecstasy, and transcendental experience in the haikus. A note of nostalgia also runs through them. Hope, optimism inspiration, introspection--- all greeting haikus are a testimony to poet's handling of this Japanese verse form. The movement of pepping Sun into the sky as a natural object of comparison with that of lovers who disappear on selfish terms. " Dew of love vanishes When the sun peep in the sky Sun of selfishness " The fugitive creature like mind escapes constantly and crafted along the lines of comparison. " Never you will see Butterflies sit for minutes Mind is fugitive. " Mind runs away to far-off places within seconds just as butterflies move from place to place and don't rest at one place. A heightened comparison, indeed. A hopeful & optimistic Majumdar finds that dreams never get buried but keep life brightened. " All the buds & seeds Tell us the tale of morrow A dream never dies " Inspired by nature, the poet sees fruition of dreams, hopes, promises like those of evening buds & seeds that hope to sprout and flower the next morning. A sound knowledge of the poet in using penetrative thoughts 55 moves through the world of birds when they are forced to move round suddenly seeking shelter in the trees signify that mankind is sinful and treacherous. " Birds darted into the crowd of leaves concealed sin in human-breasts. " Continuing the same spirit of haikus, the poet sees life in Kolkata as actually happening when flooded roads make the movement impassable. It is water logged roads that cover veils of darkness for pedestrians, imagery of life in Kolkata in live description : " The roads get flooded I return wading through Water, Water of darkness. " Haikus bring on moments of nostalgia for the poet when he is haunted by memories through the depth of tears: " Lovely drops of tears Alone know the depth of night Memory ever bleeds. " Assertions of haikus get strongly asserted in the lines that describe the glories of poetry. " Veins of a poet don't carry blood but the blue venom of poetry. " Thought as the mainstay of haikus is colourfully mixtured i.e., comparison heightened to give extra force of sustenance. " Milk in poly pack who knows when gets a leak life within body. " life of a man is uncertain like that of milk in poly pack cover that may leak at any time. Uncertainty of life is affirmatively built up with lifeless object. To conclude the paper, Majumdar's assertion of haikus in "Golden Horizon" leave a kind of stunning effect on the thinking of the readers. Rather, introspection is the moving force of philosophy that haikus aim to reveal to the readers through innovation. It is 56 worthwhile to quote what Prof. Kazuyosi Ikeda, the poet from the land of Haikus, Japan: "The poet Biplab Majumdar's haikus are superlatively fascinating having surpassingly profound significance. His haiku glitter gorgeously, like heavenly stars and are exceedingly lucid like genuine pearls in the sea's bottom. Such English haiku are highly evaluated as true haiku by Japanese people" Such is the greatness and uniqueness of haikus and that they are crafted in the true spirit of haikus, quite accomplished and worthwhile existences in the world of haiku as poetry. jjj 57 An ta rya m i S a h u Antaryami Sahu, is a Lecturer in English in M. G. Degree College, Orissa. His poems, articles, reviews have been published in as many as 30 Journals in India and abroad. To name a few, Voice of Kolkata (Kolkata), The Brain wave (Chennai), Poets International (Bangalore), Osaka University News Letter, Osaka, Japan etc. 58 Biplab Majumdar's "GOLDEN HORIZON" Dr. Biplab Majumdar's ''Golden Horizon'' is a collection of haikus. Though now-a days haikus are written in one to five lines Majumdar's haikus are restricted to three lines like the original Japanese haikus and restricted to five-seven-five syllable structure of the Japanese haikus. Majumdar's haikus are not restricted to the world of nature like the traditional Japanese haikus. Dr. Majumdar has suggested in the preface of the book that haiku is one type of poetry and like the other types of poetry, there should be no bar in choosing the subjects of haikus. So anything under the sun can be the subjects of haikus, according to Majumdar. This book of Majumdar is dedicated to the innocent victims of terrorism all over the world. This reflects the poet's humanitarian outlook. If we go ahead with the haikus, we will be sure that Dr. Majumdar is a person, who is concerned for the humanity. His haikus are also full up with high philosophic insights and are extremely instructive for the present day mankind. Biplab Majumdar says of ingratitude of men in some of these haikus. We can see two haikus on Page 10. These haikus are Every blade of grass Gracefully recalls debt of sun But a man does not k We live like the earth Being wounded, bloody by dear ones Compelled to cry within In the former of these haikus Majumdar says a natural object like grass is indebted to the sun on which it depends on its smooth growth but man is not grateful to him who has done favour. The poet has attributed human quality to grass and he wants us to learn from the grass to be indebted to him who has done good to us. In the later of these haikus the poet says that the earth is always wounded. The wound is caused by deforestation, digging up mines, etc. We are also wounded in the same way like that of the earth. Here two messages are entangled. We must not be ungrateful to our environment on which we depend to live and we must not do harm to other human beings - as we all are brothers 59 and sisters being the sons and daughters of Mother Earth. We can see another two haikus at Page 26 to be sure that Majumdar's haikus are full up with worldly knowledge. These two haikus are Children are not born Of love now, so there is much Scarcity of love k Bamiyan Buddhas Tell us, in all ages Jesus is crucified The former of these two haikus reminds me of a maxim 'Corrupt mother bears corrupt children.' This means that a mother bears corrupt children if she is corrupt. The same way if there is no love between the two of a couple, how a child can be born to them with love and if the children are not born out of love, the world will be a loveless place. In this haiku the poet wants to teach us that love begins at home and it is spread to the outside world. Again, we must learn from this that the two of a couple should have love for each other, so that their children will learn to love and can spread it in the outside world and make the world a worthliving place. The latter of these two haiku is one on religious intolerance. Here the poet has juxtaposed the present and the past. The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha in recent time and the crucification of Lord Jesus in the past suggest that there is/ was religious intolerance. Here the poet's message is that we must wage a war against religious intolerance and fanatism so that there will be co-operation among the people of different religions in the world. For restricting my review, I am not taking more examples from this collection. but without doubt, I can say that all the haikus of this collection are full of worldly wisdom and knowledge. The haikus are on the subjects of perceptual truth and philosophy. These haikus are amazingly beautiful, according to their spirit. I would like to recommand all the poets, poetry lovers and critics of the whole world to read this book for their aesthetic pleasure. [ VOK; Vol. 6, Issue 1, Pg. 30 ] jjj 60 Ja s vin d e r S in gh Jasvinder Singh, is a Delhi based freelance jounalist, poet and literary critic. He was born in 1947 in a remote village of District Jalandhar (Punjab), subsequently graduated from the University of Delhi in 1972, and studied M.A. (English) in H.P. His 200 articles on copious stream of subjects got published in magazines and newspapers. So far his 4 anthologies of poems : Shattered Pebbles (1980), The Glimpse (1990), What I Feel (2000), Stray Thoughts (2005) and 480 book reviews for books of Indian authors and poets, and foreign poets published in : The National Herald (New Delhi), The Patriot (New Delhi), The Scoria (Chandigarh), Samvedana (Manglore), Voice of Kolkata (Kolkata), Poetcrit (H.P.), Bizz-Buzz (Mysore), Canopy, Shine, Poet International (Banglore), Perigramma (Greece), Contemporary Vibes (Chandigarh). He was conferred Life Time Achievement Award "In recognition of a lifetime of excellent contributions to Literature and Journalism" from the United Cultural Convention of Austria in August, 2006. 61 Charming Free Verses Biplab Majumdar is a poet par excellence. His poems are spellbinding, thought-provoking and succinct. His revelations take one towards journey of life. He has set a novel trend in the verses which are emulative and avidly admirable. Island's Dolphin Song is Biplab Majumdar's superbly written twenty five poems about which he tells us that they pertain to 'truth and beauty'. In his preface to the poems the poet has informed the readers that he is trying his hand at free verse to perform his journey of success of truth and beauty. In free verse, generally, thoughts get greater importance than strict adherence to rules, as the ancient poets like W. B. Yeats, William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth or P. B. Shelly did follow to make their poems lively and entertaining. It is a nice incidence that the poet has advocated the cause that with changing times the trends also change. In the poem 'In dreamy lone midnight' the poet has made the best use of his imagination through his assertion that : ' Empty I am, destitute break repeatedly in defenselessness as the moon of twelfth lunar day at dark fortnight breaks into pieces upon lapis-lazuli water. ' and ' Someone dips me ruthlessly into your dreadful dreams I break, repeatedly in defenselessness as the moon of twelfth lunar day at dark fortnight breaks .... ' 62 When imagination and imagery get co-ordinated the thoughts emerge glowingly with a subtle revelation of the objectivity as the poet's following lines from the poem 'Rays of truth' suggest : ' Experience gets aged. In the morning Sun under the rays of truth can identify my real friends. ' Friendship is pious and sacred. It enriches life with sustenance and support in love. In this poem thoughts offered by the poet are very convincing and admirable. 'Time gets dreamy' poem also suggests poet's subtle coordintion between thoughts and imagination, with which he presents true reality to phenomena which makes one to realise one's encounters with truth and ground reality in life. At one place in the poem he reveals : ' Even today many a love of this earth get dried in indifference at the curse of spoilt stars. ' One feels Wordsworthian romanticism when going through the poem 'Within Watershed'. Poet's imagination arise his indepth feelings when he tells that : ' Lips are extended towards the lips of uncertainty, conviction and doubt are twisting in violent wind standing with outcast grief Blue even above the head. ' There is a glimps of spirituality in the small but thoughtful and revealing poem 'Om' chanting which one gets enlightened inwardly and outwardly. The poem also inspires introspection over the idea contained in the poem. Other poems in the book which leave a longer-lasting impression on the reader's fancies are 'Friends', 'A love poem', 'A canvas', 'Someone in the garden at midnight', 'Island's Dolphin 63 Song', and whet reader's admiration for poet's sharp acumen of intellect with which he makes his poems attractive and communicative to reveal his finer feelings. The poems also suggest that in Majumdar there dwells a poet who endears himself in every heart of poetry lovers by means of his universal approach to sing the songs of life so enchantingly and rhythmically. jjj Biplab Majumdar : A Poet Par Excellence In the vast firmament of contemporary Indo-Anglican literature Biplab Majumdar has become a constant shining star like Polestar in the universe by virtue of his writings and his editorial dexterity in his poems. He is a multi-faceted personality from a handsome debonair to a distinguished poet, and an editor of international literary journal and a compiler of many anthologies of poems and literature like essays, literary criticism etc. As a poet and by virtue of his inherent qualities he has earned an immaculate disposition in every field he has been attached to. He has been putting in strenuous efforts through his literary journals Voice of Kolkata and Sahitya Utsav to widen the scope of genres of contemporary Indo-Anglican literature, especially poetry and literary criticism. Biplab Majumdar is one of the best known poets who is internationally known for his multi-faceted traits as an author, poet, essayist, a literary critic, story writer and above all a man endowed with humanistic thinking in the society. He has been honoured with numerous national and international awards in recognition on of excellence in poetry and other achievements like a renowned editor of International literary journal. He also holds the distinction of being President of International Poetry Society of Kolkata (India). 64 He has been doing his best to reach literature lovers by means of own meticulous communications through his writings, and his literary journals which are nonetheless his giant steps forward to scale the heights of grand success in his strides to communicate his avid observations, and through his thoughts around himself. He has been doing a yeoman's service to contemporary Indo-Anglican literature by widening its scope to reach in other countries of the world. His works. Golden Horizons, Mera Bharat Mahan (an international poetry anthology edited by him), Virtues and Vices, Island's Dolphin Songs (2009). A collection of writeups on Dr. Kazuyosi Ikeda edited by him, speak volumes of grand achievements in like which are more beneficiary to all and one attached with the activities of writing. A distinct feature of Biplab Majumdar's writings in prose and poetry is that he always brims with newer ideas which are succinct and innovative, and sets emulative trends which are perennial source of inspiration not only for upcoming and fledgling poets/writers but also for the renowned and grown up once. A hallmark of excellence in his writings is that he expresses himself in the most attractive manner. By virtue of his fine poetic diction and other admirable writing qualities, Biplab Majumdar has attained topmost position in the realms of modern literature. It is well known that the purpose of poetry is to penetrate into the virtues and finer feelings of the society and to reveal the subtleties realism of phenomena truthfully. And since eons ago poets have been putting in their best talents to make notable revelations delving upon excellencies with their expressions of earnest perceptions and precincts. Biplab Majumdar has also been such a poet as he has exhibited his best talent to entertain and educate the readers with his remarkable understandings about routine occurrences and phenomenal changes which influence life in one way or the other. His poems reflect the perceptual truth and philosophy as contented by him in his preface to Golden Horizon, an anthology of haiku poems. The poems in this anthology suggest that his thoughts spread the fragrance of ecstasy all around, and that he is an epitome of incessant lover for tradition and greatness of culture without an exaggeration, Majumdar pens down his 65 innovative thoughts on core issues which emanate from his avid observations and experiences in the general drama of life. It has been found that going through the poems of Biplab Majumdar one finds it an opportunity to feel the fascination of an attraction to thoughts which inspire serenity, humanness, and whets in the reader an urge to explore more and more thoughts or the poet by reading his poems more once, and to plunge into an in depth philosophy. To cite an example here is the following excerpt from his poem 'Love' in ' Virtues and Vices'. " A house is changed to a home With the magical power of it, Love is the soul of our living Through our life let us practice it." Another glimpse of poet's strong sense of communication of an emulative idea of optimism when he suggests and entreats in the poem ' Self Revolution' that. " Let us break off the chains of past In order to develop a newer vision, Let's turn and march ahead To give our life a better dimension." Dr. Majumdar has from time provided ample of opportunities to the readers to know about his avid observations emanating from his experiences.He has been a brand ambassador of contemporary Indo-Anglican literature universally. He is a poet of the world. Without a tinkle of doubt may be called a poet par excellence, and a poet extraordinary, because his thoughts in his poems leave a resounding impact on the imagination of the readers. His poems also reveal the charm of handsome thoughts which reflect the charm of his personality to authenticate the saying 'handsome is that handsome does'. With a sting in his pen Majumdar's contemporary literature has been enriched through his innovative and succinct thoughts. He is a noble soul with noble thoughts. jjj 66 Na lin i S h a rm a Nalini Sharma, M.A. in English Literature, B.Ed. Retired Principal, is a bilingnal writer (Hindi & English). Her poems, articles, essays, short stories, novels etc. have been published in reputed journals e.g. Naya Gyanodya, Sarita, Grihashova, Suman Saurabh, Harigandha, Chhatisgarh Today, Woman's Era, Alive, Poet, Metverse Muse, Free Expression etc. So far her 10 books have been published, 4 under publication. She has been honoured with lots of (more than 18) Awards e.g. SAHITYA SHREE, Bharat Bhasa Bhusan, Shreshth Sadhana Samman, Vishist Sadhana Samman, Rashtra Bhasa Sewak Samman, Tulika Samman, Best poet of the year 2003 by Poets International, Metverse Muse Awards, Sarojini Naidu Award and Shweta Patil Award etc. 67 Biplab Majumdar : An Appraisal Of His Poetry Biplab Majumdar, the editor of Voice of Kolkata (English) & Sahitya Utsav (Bengali), has earned global repute as an International poet, translator, reviewer, litterateur and Juvenile writer. A prolific writer he has authored more than 70 books and is the proud recipient of more than 50 awards from different countries. His thought provoking inspiring poems have been published in India, Greece, Italy, Argentina, Australia, Malta, Brazil, Japan, Yugoslavia, England, China, Germany - certainly no mean feat, Kudos to him ! Some exceptional awards worth mentioning conferred upon this genius are GRAND PRIZE OF CIVILIZING OLYMPIAD, GREECE 1999, PADUS AMOENUS, FIRST PRIZE, SILVER MEDEL ITALY, 2000. HON. D LITT USA 2001, THE BEST POET OF 2002-2003 PR CHINA., DECREE OF MERIT AUSTRIA 2003, 1st PRIZE INTERNATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION SOUTH AFRICA 2003, HONOURED KNIGHT MALTA 2005, GOLDEN PLADUS D' ORO ITALY 2006. A gifted man Dr. Majumdar is the Hon. Member of ISGW & A, GREECE, Hon. Member of Padus Amoenus. Italy. Member of WAAC, USA, Advisory Council, Anstead University. ENGLAND, Art Director. IPTRC, PR CHINA and Founder -President, IPSKI, KOLKATA, INDIA. He has successfully carved a niche of his own in the literary world with his valuable contribution to Indian English Poetry. He has won acclaim as an international writer whose works have been translated into quite a number of languages. Indian Languages are Assamese , Bengali, Hindi, Punjabi, Marathi, Tamil, Telgu, and Kannada. Foreign languages include Greek, Italian, Chinese , Maltese Serbian, Spanish, Japanese, German, French, Hebrew, Portuguese and Russian. Through his poetry and other literary activities he is tirelessly striving for international peace and co-operation . In his inimitable simple style he expresses lucidly easily understood by the common man. He does not make use of high flown words and idioms that only highbrow class can understand . With his disarming naivety he captures the heart 68 of the readers . His outpourings are the outbursts of a sensitive heart. Down-to-earth in his approach he suggests practicable ways to improve quality of life. In short he teaches you the art of meaningful living. His poems are highly inspiring and suggestive, pregnant with philosophical insight like the sayings of an experienced old and wise man full of worldly wisdom and knowledge steeped in spiritual. While reading them at times you are misled to think that you are hearing the spiritual religious discourse of a sage. With superb ease he fashions amazing verses that leave the readers awestruck. He deserves accolades for presenting the readers such thought provoking and religiously oriented philosophically illustrations of his poetic outpourings that will certainly act as a beacon to the present day suffering humanity aimlessly floating in the murky water of materialism struggling to get some secure foothold. I am sure these poems will provide them much needed strength and solace. These poems steeped in spirituality will provide an anchor and guide them to have a communion and union with the Almighty a panacea of all the ills. Highly skilled at churning healing verses .Dr. Majumdar like a dedicated physician strives to soothe the tortured psyche of mankind weighed down with multiple worldly woes result of his own doings. His divine handiwork successfully stirs the conscience and one feels the glow of a thousand suns lighting up his soul dispelling the gloom of sorrow and despair. In his poems the poet stresses open the various ingredients essential for attaining mental tranquility. To attain it one needs to be one with the divine and too reach perfection one needs to shun pride, vanity and ego. Thus he is a humanitarian poet. I had the pleasure of going his three poetry books - VIRTUES & VICES (2001) GOLDEN HORIZON (2004) and ISLAND'S DOLPHIN SONG (2009). They are beautifully designed and have quite an impressive look. GOLDEN HORIZON is a collection of 116 haikus dedicated to the innocent victims of terrorism all over the world - a rare tribute indeed that speaks volumes about his sensitive heart. The soul stirring haikus are full of worldly wisdom and knowledge. Here are some of the pick of the bunch that reveal his high 69 sensibility and insight A true patriot he is all praise Indian poetry Indian poetry Spring from nature Deep spirituality The following haiku has a tinge of irony. It touches the reader's heart The marriage is over Parents are happy, anxious for ever Who knows when bad news comes. How true indeed ! He pays a fitting tribute to the tribe of poets Poets are worshippers Eternal worshippers of truth To enlighten the world. It reveals his inherent goodness To be a poet I tried to be good, but It's so difficult. His philosophical musings Seasons bring blossoms Trees need decades for full growth Maturity takes time. He spreads the lesson of love The violin of heart Gets instantly alive with Magic touch of love. ISLAND'S DOLPHIN SONG is a collection of 25 superb poems on varied themes. With ease the poet has used imagery and irony to express his emotions that appeal the readers. In dreamy lone midnight With stained moon A spark stream flows From life to death. 70 Converging all sounds The resounding OM Words hang on it. He muses philosophically Upon the bare breasts of infinite indifference I lay, watching The smile of a dreaming infant. He is in quest of a justifiable reason Does anyone turn the face away From his beloved for nothing ? He laments the loss of his friend just parted or turned into foes Friends are leaving one by one, being Lonely day by day. Enemies are taking their position. He captures Nature in a different mood The echoes of church bells Vibrate in the lonesome olive valley. Shapeless while clustered clouds With wild smell are coming up From the plains. The glory of his KOLKATA gushes out from his heart in the form of a poem Millennium park Beside the waterline of my Loving city KOLKATA. Here is a gem in the crown from the title song. His longing for his beloved manifests itself in the following verse Spell- bound sunrays will create magic Upon the crystal water, if You come back once, Just for Once. (ISLAND'S DOLPHIN SONG) 71 Like a master craftsman he used imagery with superb case to capture his overwhelmig emotions Sometime I come Beside the bank of the loving river At sleepless nights. He sings the glory of nature in its pristine purity. The description is vivid and picturesque that instantly creates a mental picture before our eyes Sun-burnt wings, still the pride of Blue sky how intensely beckons me ! His anguished cry finds expression in INDIA, UNDER THE GRIP OF TERRORISM With the difference of caste, creed, and Religion my mother can not sleep peacefully Even for a night. With live bombs in chest Our unsecured movements everyday. His pain is unfathomable and evokes sad feelings in our hearts. Terrorism has eaten away the vitality of our nation. It has reached beyond endurance level. VIRTUES & VICES is a thoughtful collection of well- crafted poems that will lead man to the right path through the perilous uncertainty of materialism. Aptly title divided into two parts it has 77 poems in total. The first part has 57 poems extolling different virtues while the rest 20 in the second part deal with the vices to be shunned like a deadly disease that surely lead to a man's downfall. An amazingly significant and impressive book ' VIRTUES & VICES ' stresses upon the value of ethics and morals in human life extremely relevant in present scenario for misguided mankind steeped in materialism. The poet endeavors to bring out purity within you by removing the pollution of vices from your body, mind and the spirit. According to the poet the virtue that make life fulfilling and worth living are- life, tolerance, memory, discipline, will power, simplicity, courage, mind, humility, confidence, character, work, silence, honesty, victory, creativity , righteousness, truth, patriotism, joy, maturity, respect, commonsense, success, love, 72 self-revolution, kindness, charity, cheerfulness, equanimity, courtesy, thinking, divinity, action, peace, service, gratitude, freedom, enthusiasm, decision, friendship, education, prayer, optimism, efficiency, hope, humour, justice, morality, leadership, gracefulness, faith, persistence, forgiveness, religion, duty and universal brotherhood. His musings on life Human life is a long journey From ignorance Eternal light Against hatred, anger, greed Life should keep constant fight. He teaches us the value of tolerance 'It makes us forget colour and race' On discipline A man of discipline is a man of honour The storms of life he cares little. Will power is the essential ingredient for success A crack- jaw that 'I can do' Only ensures the philosophy of victory. He eulogizes simplicity 'Devoid of ego, anger and vanity' 'Faith in God in humble chest' On humility 'Humility opens the doors to heart.' Confidence works wonders Ordinary man becomes an extra-ordinary With the golden touch of confidence. On honesty 'Honesty is the most noble virtue' On truth The noble path of golden truth Is the surest path to peace. 73 A true patriot knows no distinction of caste, creed and colour Patriotism is a strong conviction That neither I am a Hindu or Musalman Nor I am a Sikh or Christian My identity is I am an Indian. On love A house is changed to a home With the magical power of it Love is the soul of our living. He exhorts us to practice kindness 'Let's kindle thousands candle of kindness' On cheerfulness 'A cheerful heart promotes health Gives a sparkle to the face.' 'A global passport to every heart' He urges us to cultivate equanimity of mind The mind that is perfectly balanced Not disturbed by joy or sorrow. Success defeat he does not care. He pays a glowing tribute to friendship True friendship is a rare virtue The quest of is a noble goal Where a heart merges with another Friendship becomes a marriage of souls. On education In fact education refines a person And it nourishes, causes to grow Without the light true education Human life becomes full of sorrow. In another poem he says 'Humour is like the salt in a curry' In another poem he preaches us the value of forgiveness 74 Hatred, anger are corrosive venoms Forgive, therefore, for personal gain. The book deals with the issues that concern mankind and society. There are many virtues he wished us all to cultivate to add meaning to life. Virtuous living is the very essence of our existence. The right minded people should not suffer from the sins of hatred and the avarice committed by others. The main aim of composing these poems is to inspire to hear the call of their conscience. Quite vociferously he condemns the vices depicted by him. They are- anger, greed, tension, jealousy, failure, passion, fear, hatred, suspicion, pride, ignorance, lying selfishness, frustration, sorrow, idleness, corruption, desire, crisis and violence. Unless or until we get rid of them we are bound to suffer failure, ignominy and sorrow. In short they are the short-cut to hellish suffering. In the end I must say that the poet is successful in voicing his mission of bringing peace upon this earth. His candid and forthright expressions leave indelible impressions on the heart and the mind of the reader. His poetry is the outburst of his soul. It uplifts the readers to higher level of meditative state. His poetry has philosophy of life and wisdom of the world. In conclusion his poetry is an instrument of love, understanding, peace, harmony, hope, faith and all that is good and perfect. With lucidity and directness he writes enchanting free verse because in his opinion structured verse is suffocating and too much mechanical unable to express his thoughts and feeling properly that I humbly disagree because I never found the followers of traditional verse suffering for want of free expression of their emotions restraining smooth flow of their sensitive outbursts thus letting them practice it with aplomb. I feel as the rules of moral conduct add glory to human life rules of structured/ traditional verse enrich and adorn the damsel of poetry by making it look dignified, gorgeous and captivating with proper metrical construction (uniform in length in terms of meter) and the norms set for number of syllables per line with proper rhymes and rhythmic patterns. A poet is called an unacknowledged legislator of mankind because he tries to set erring on the right path by the baton of his forceful writing and sweep away the dirt of 75 vices with the broom of his hard hitting words. Biplab Majumdar has successfully carried out this duty in this regard. Selected comments published at end of the books are an ample proof of the appreciation of his literary achievements. It is indeed encouraging and extremely heart warming to receive praise from the praise worthy ! None other than Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, a poet par excellence and a connoisseur of good poetry has appreciated Dr. Majumdar's poetry ! No mean feat indeed ! I wish him longer healthy life to enable him to offer us more and beautiful poems full of finer feelings and endowed with subtle philosophy of life. With due regards to his supreme creativity. jjj 76 D r. Ma n o ra n ja n D a s (IND IA) Dr. Monoranjan Das writes both in English and Bengali language, is a prolific writer and poet par excellence. Already in wide publication in the Indian magazines, Das's poems have also found places in various foreign magazines and in many anthologies. Apart from poetry, Dr. Das also takes keen interest in translating many literary works. These translations have earned their own niches in literary world. 'The Future' in English which is edited by him. He was awarded l Bpabion Prize, April, 1999, Greece l Bpabio Prize, March, 2000, Greece l Best Critic Prize, February, 2003, China l Diplama of Finalist Prize, November, 2003, Italy l A Enainoe Prize, March, 2004, Greece l Anonemei Prize, June, 2005, Greece l Dove Peace Prize, (Silver) in Literature, December, 2005, Australia l Bpajon Prize, July, 2006, Greece l Hon. Doctorate, IWA, 2008, USA l Lifetime Achievement Award, 2009, Chennai, India. Dr. Das was born in January 15, 1958, at Narayanpur, in district Nadia, W.B., India is his motherland. He graduated from the University of Kolkata. He is M.A. (English & Economics), L.L.B., B.Ed. He teaches in Kendua Mahendranath High School (H.S.). 77 PERCEPTUAL TRUTH IN BIPLAB MAJUMDAR'S POETRY Biplab Majumdar, the shining poet of modern times, has the sense of beauty where the norm of individuality and objectivity are a form of realistic view, relating to perceptual truth. He, abides with the words through poetry as a road to philosophy. He wants to postulate the applied truth with the explanation of pluralism, basing the life's experience. He has the base of essential identity by abouding the presence of life's virtues and vices. He has the theme accompanying by the poems where reality is accomodated in the new area of truth. The ever-widening poet like Biplab Majumdar has the authentic idea basing on simplicity where the virtue relates to willingness as a path of peace, and sometimes it goes to the wave of ego. Thus he writes, '' Though simplicity is a rare virtue One can have it at ease, Just willingness to be simple Is more than enough to live in peace. A heart that is free as bird Does fly above all silly narrowness, Devoid of ego, anger and vanity Remember simplicity there dwells." 1 Biplab has the quality to terminate his thought through poetry, relating to the perfect wisdom as a form of gentleness where the graceful simplicity is faithful to the Gods humbleness following the best form of best happiness. Thus he writes, " A soul with a perfect wisdom Possesses love and true gentleness, Mercy makes one gracefully simple And he rises above all meaness. Simple living and our simple wants Faith in God in humble chest, Keep us healthy, happy and wise, Simple life is always best." 2 Biplab Majumdar carries about his view in favour of the perceptual truth through poetry that the quintessential kernel of 78 pure thought is delighted by a soul liberated from the prison of ego. He feels, the beautiful is that which has the intrinsic capacity to soothe and it makes us sympathise with life, and makes us one with all that it pervades or manifests, and admire life. He has the truthful expression which is acceptable to readers through the vision of past, present and future as perceptuality, gearing with the earthly and strangely enigmatic depth of moments like light. Thus he writes, " A young girl waits With her mom : past, present, future --Are freezed in a frame. Earth like woman Gets strangely enigmatic At the depth of night." 3 Biplab Majumdar's poetic thought is accorded with the perceptual truth that the unity with life that is displayed in an artistic production by an individual, who in his turns calls us to the unity of ourselves with that life, is the characteristic mark of genius and beauty. Poet, Biplab acts for the perceptual truth, basing the discovery of truth where the mental power of man is privileged with generation, growing with the performance of perpetual task.Thus his idea is compared with the following, " In the discovery of truth, in the development of man's mental powers and privileges, each generation has its assigned part; and it is for us to endeavour to perform our portion of this perpetual task of our species. " 4 Biplab Majumdar gets down his idea through poetry, referring the idea of life and reality, where perceptual truth is characterised with the individual in relation to finite view as unique quality of reality by accepting the freedom of views of the absolute authenticity. He acts upon his philosophical wills, bearing the man's works and activities from ordinary to extra-ordinary with the confidence of golden touch as a fact of supposition glaring with the history of evidence. Thus he writes, " Ordinary man becomes an extraordinary With the golden touch of confidence; This is fact, not a supposition History itself its glaring evidence." 5 79 Notwithstandingly, Majumdar bears upto readers with his poetry, by accepting in his heart the perceptual truth through archetype-personal expression as an ideal awakening of sympathy in all its harmony and divergence in emergence and evolution. He follows the form of courage by heroic dareness through his combination of words. Thus he writes, " Come out from fear and mediocrity Dare to be different from common mass, It is courage that makes a HERO Life is ever for the courageous. " 6 Biplab Majumdar accomplishes in writing poetry, like the intuition of soul which consists the future development as a true and harmonious feeling. He acquaints with worldly things and incidents, relating to the perceptul truth. He holds forth his idea and theme publicly where the life's reeling is to attach with anxiousness. Thus he writes, " The marriage is over Parents are happy, anxious for ever Who knows when bad news comes. " 7 Sometimes he mingles his views through perceptuel truth where season's blooming is related with the full grown trees as the wave of maturity of time. Thus he writes, " Seasons bring blossoms Trees need decades for full growth Maturity takes time. " 8 The ever matured poet, Biplab is accessible to all where realm of beauty and percectual truth are sensible and aesthetic and when the experience realises the state, the norm of life is perfectly free. He bears upon the poetic thought, carrying norm of beauty through experience where the version of any service materially for exciting or less exciting. Thus it may be added, " Experience has taught me, when the versions of the same story given by two wire services differ materially, to prefer the less exciting." 9 Meaningfully it is authenticated that Majumdar's poetry is like a monumental realm beyond space and time, which can be either conceived by the logical intellect or perceived by perceptual senses. His poetry, carries as the quest for perfection, relating to 80 beauty, truth and sweetness where the meditation of life asserts to creation, following nature, philosophy under the faith of life's treatment; and his poetry is the source of life's breath and life's force like first love. This poem may be applicable for Biplab : " His poetry is his quest for perfection Beauty, truth, sweetness and light, His poetry is the best answer To the cause of God's sending Him to this world." 10 Biplab has the realisation with mystic summons to share the bliss perceptuality which is communicable and employs sense sysmbols to give glimpse of transcendental beauty. He describes failure and success of life through perceptuality as an undertaking of reality where the sporting spirit is related to the joy of final victory. Thus he writes, " Risks of failure may be there In all undertakings, that is reality Who can face it with sporting spirit Discovers the joy of final victory." 11 Again with the predestined result, Biplab Majumdar adepts in writing poetry, by positivating the demands and success where the endless journey is mingled with eternal progress. Thus he writes, " Success is ever a predestined result And it demands all positive traits, Real success is an endless journey On and on, an eternal progress." 12 Really speaking Biplab acts for poetry, by adding to the view of worldly things where the truth and integral beauty is instrinsic for the view of assured conduct that englows with throne of God. Thus it may be added, " Keep one thing forever in view --- the truth; and if you do this, though it may seem to lead you away from the opinions of men, it will assuredly conduct you to the throne of God. " 13 Biplab Majumdar actuates by his own will with the meaning of life through perceptnal truth where the purpose with principle holds to the immanent in the historic process leading to an ultimate 81 goal. He is allied to his views with the worldly things where the butterflies' sittings and minds fugitiveness are iterated. Moreover, he, the sweet-poet brings forward his poetic excellency from history where Buddha and Jesus are the same for life's shelter. Thus he writes, " Never you will see Butterflies sit for minutes : Mind is fugitive, ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Bamiyan Buddhas Tell us, in all ages Jesus Is crusified." 14 Authentically speaking, Biplab is ahead of his thought with every change in the process by explaining in terms of monistic principle where the rendrence of historic process is subjectified with the perceptual truth. He has the aptitude for refering theme and thought through poetry where the fundamental knowledge is acknowledged with meaing, through the application of life's principles for ever. Thus we may add, " There is no progress in fundamental truth. --- We may grow in knowledge of its meaning, and in the modes of its application, but its great principles will forever be the same. " 15 He, the great poet Biplab Majumdar is kind to the readers by giving his idea through poetry where the common principle of life, relating to perceptual truth, is the goal and guiding spirit of the historic process that constitutes the supreme value of the process. He bears upon with words and theme by many sentences in poems, where human activities are destined with the change of individual one's powerful or powerless works which is under faith to his heart with HIS grace. Thus he writes, " Man can change is own destiny He is powerful, not at all powerless, With a strong faith in his heart, Can he change life by HIS grace." 16 Truthfully speaking, Biplab bears away the mind of readers, uplifting the human values through his poetry which carries the reality of process as integral element, by cheerfulness and happiness as a vibration of life and soul, i.e., the global passport 82 to heart. Thus he writes, " Steady cheerfulness mirrors happiness, As it known as a finer art, It is vibration of life and soul A global passport to every heart." 17 Biplab has a strong affinity to poetry, where perceptual truth is like a system from the traditional point of view, of life and thought that relates to the time-series, by accepting the ultimate reality of progress. He has the road to feelings, basing on worldly things like the view of butterfly's flying, where God's will live in tempestuous moments as the feeling of whirlwind or stormy day; and the perceptual truth is noticed by his poetry where flood situation of river is the fearful condition of mind, and somehow perceptual truth is viewed into the root of oak and mountain. Thus we may add, " Look at that beautiful butterfly, and learn from it to trust in God. One might wonder where it could live in tempestuous mights, in the whirlwind, or in the stormy day; but I have noticed it is safe and dry under the broad leaf while rivers have been flooded, and the mountain oaks torn up from their roots. " 18 Biplab Majumdar bears away with the good deeds by following form of perceptual truth where the major truth that a philosophy of history can imply the futility and meaningfulness of the empirical concept of progress, and the consequent reality and significance and value of the transcendental being. He brings up his idea through poetry, by symbolizing the burning of candle, lonely room and with the depth of 'self'. He has reality with perceptual feeling by comparing with leaking polypack filled with milk and duration of life. Thus he writes, " The candle was burning In the lonely room, within Your depth it was I ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Milk in polypack Who knows when gets a leak Life within body." 19 Biplab carries away passion, through his ism, with the 83 apparent forms to constitute the appearance of reality. He further forwards his thought through poetry with the base of truth where nature in associated with searching or seeking the result or new view. Thus we may add, " First, let the truth itself teach you that you seek it in your neighbours before seeking it in its own nature. Later, you will see why you should seek it in yourself before seeking it in your neighbours." 20 Biplab Majumdar comes to reality by positivating the philosophy of history and time which shows the explanation of the appearances in the time-surrounding with reference to the perceptual truth that constitutes the ground and being. He, the Biplab assembles the positivity with negativity as a critical difference of higher ordinary range. Thus he writes, " A moment comes to everyones life To say 'yes' or 'no' to a challenge, That critical hour makes the difference Puts us higher or in ordinary range." 21 Majumdar allots his thoughts to the readers, by the progressing of individual's mind like an institution where the progressive purity is mingled with inward spirituality relating to the individualistic mode of mind. He emphasises on hope that shines with life's feelings as a deep relation. Thus he writes, " Hope comes first and life shines If hope is banished life fails, Hope and life are Siamese twins One is finished if other dies. " 22 Biplab postulates his view through poetry where the progress from apparent imperfection to the real perfection, from mistaken bondage to conscious perceptual truth, from the life's reading to the eternal well-being of non-contradiction. He carries off his view, relating to the grand character of truth with enduring capability of universal experience that has a possibility to classify more. Thus we may add, " The grand character of truth is its capability of enduring the test of universal experience, and coming unchanged out of every possible form of fair discussion." 23 84 The acceptable poet, Biplab carries out the main theme of universal truth, with base of perceptual truth because he knows perceptual truth truth reaches to universal truth after a long duration. He comes through the point, basing the real experience of life where the goal of progress must be one of perfection, not of the mere individual, but of the true, of the good, of the beautiful and of the holy; and yet it raises at every step a fresh problem of adjustment. He carries on writing poetry through the base of perceptual truth where talent and genius replacement are greatly persisted with the smiles of sucess by clapping. Thus he writes, " Neither talent nor even the genius Can replace the role of great persistence, When it smiles on the stage of success Educated hands all clap outside the fence. " 24 He, the Biplab Majumdar has the progressive idea through the base of perceptnal truth where the visualise-process is governed by the fundamentality, of the universe and revealed through the activities of the self-governing and free individuals. He feels with the pulse of people, seeing the wetting eyes, those who have broken heart, but they are with greatness. Thus he writes, " Sometimes people cause severse blows Our hearts are broken, eyes get wet; But think of them who can forgive They are stronger; they are great. " 25 He deals with his poetic view, where human progress, therefore, can only mean the coherent progressiveness and adaptiveness with perceptual truth, manifested through a life of concrete experience and of the self-consfident reason. He, the famous poet alights from his thought to the body of poetry, accelerating the fashion, measurement of knowledge where understanding is authorised with the command by rarity as something worse or not. Thus we may add, " Truth, whether in or out of fashion, is the measure of knowledge, and the business of the understanding, whatsoever is beside that, however authorised by consent, or commanded by rarity, is nothing but ignorance, or something worse." 26 85 Biplab Majumdar, the ever sparkling poet of the modern times, bursts upon the purity of thoughts through his basic ism as the movement of moments within the experience of family life and reality where absolute views are entangled with consciousness. He knows suspecion is like a poisonous cobra in life with day to day dealings. Thus he writes, " If once bitten by the poisonous cobra Miserable becomes his life indeed, What to speak of day to day's joy Even hunger, sleep then he badly needs." 27 Moreover, he has the state of his own self-consciousness which is created into the existence of nature. The poet extracts his views from society, relating to human virtues and vices, where pride like disease deters from distant vision and it is like self-made kingdom and lighted darkness. Thus he writes, " Pride is like the disease of eyes Deters to see one from distant vision, And it forms a self-made kingdom It is nothing but a lighted darkness." 28 Generally speakeing, Biplab Majumdar comes on with new phenomena, bearing the systematic philosophy of history in relation to perceptual truth with process of organic movement wherein human reason is the chief factor. He affirms that truth is the expected adaptation of policy which sensifies the worldly affairs with the light as straight lines. Thus we may add, " Truth can hardly be expected to adapt herself to the crooked policy and wily sinsuosities of worldly affairs; for truth, like light, travels only in staight lines. " 29 Majumdar goes upon his authentic principle, forwarding with the life's view, where the gradual realisation of the consciousness is evapourated with the spirit of man. He again goes upon in this way that the changing of life is the main root of perceptual truth where health as well as wealth beamed to fortune like golden sparrows come from the land of hoax. Thus he writes, " ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Today's beauty may be spotted tomorrow, Health, Wealth, fortune are the golden sparrows 86 Those ever come from the land of hoax." 30 Biplab, the heart's of poet of readers, finds the spirit of man with the objective and concrete expression in the actions and institutions of man through perceptuality where vice like pride is mere oblivion by discarding one and all, and there history remembers with collosal or afar ideas. Thus he writes, " Pride leads to nowhere but mere oblivion As it is discarded by one and all, History remembers only some talents humble Who offer the world collosal ideas alone." 31 Biplab's poems do not burst with emotion, but run after reality through realisation where the concrete shape of real subject with action and experience transmits from one to another in the development of thoughts. He knows that perceptual truth is the presentation of history, bearing the movement of times with religion and social reformation. He, moderates his thought with the help of matter of real experience that generalises honesty to know spiritual part of being. Thus his idea is mingled with the following, " Truth is as much as matter of experience as of speculation. --- An honest man will generally find it. --- To know it, one must feel it; above all must live in it. --- Then it becomes vital to his spirit --- a part of his being. " 32 With whole-hearted speaking, Biplab Majumdar's poetry carries the feature of beauty with harmony like musical notes bearing architecture like themes and thoughts are originally viewed perceptual truth, life and the micro events of day to day dealing; and here is his supremecy. References : 1. Biplab Majumdar; Virtues and Vices, Mainstrem Publication, 12, College Roe, Kolkata - 700 009; India; 2001; P-16. 2. Ibid. 3. Biplab Majumdar, Golden Horizon, International Poetry Society of Kolkata, L/1, Suryanagar Housing Estate, 174/A, N. S. C. Bose Road, P.O. : Netaji Nagar, Kolkata - 700 040; India; 2004; P-7 & 10. 4. Whewell - The New Dictionary of Thoughts, Ed. T. Edwards, D. D., C. N. Catrevas, A. M., Standard Literature, India, 2002, P-687. 87 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. As No. 1; P-23. As No. 1; P-18. As No. 3; P-11. As No. 3; P-12. Elmar Devis, Book - as No. 4, P-686. Mandal Bijoy Beg-Indian Poets United The Home of Letters (India), 27, Industrial Colony, Kharavala Nagar, Unit-3, Bhubaneswar-751001, Orissa, India, 2000, P-1 or vi. As No. 1; P-29. As No. 1; P-40. Horace Mann, Book as No. 4, P-687. As No. 3, P-14 & 26. W. Radcliffe, Book - as No. 4, P-687. As No. 1; P-46. As No. 1; P-51. Jeremy Taylor, Book - as No. 4, P-686. As No. 3, P-21 & 27. Bernard of clairvaux, Book - as No. 4, P-686. As No. 1; P-67. As No.1; P-75. Sir John Herschel, Book - as No. 4, P-687. As No. 1; P-83. As No. 1; P-85. Locke, Book as No. 4, P-687. As No. 1; P-106. As No. 1; P-107. Colton, Book as No. 4, P-687. As No. 1; P-107. Ibid. R. Turnbull, Book as No. 4, P-688. jjj 88 Kaleidoscopic Colors of Spirituality in GOLDEN HORIZON by Shaleen Kumar Singh A Japanese Haiku, in the words of Basho, a seer goes as follows :'Dewdrops How Better wash away World's dust' (Excerpted from Kyozan : A true Man of Zen) So are the dewdrops - like Haikus of Dr. Biplab Majumdar which are the celestial experience of truth & ecstacy washing all the dust of worldly ignorance and tomfoolery leading to an El dorado of spirituality. Haiku, the short verse of 5-7-5 syllables structure is a tiny teaching theory of modern poetry. Biplab Majumdar is a modern poet conveying modern themes and subjects of modern life. The nectarine - nutshell poems of Golden Horizon are the pure dewdrops of spiritual Euphoria which contain universal themes of Love, Religion, Truth, Peace, Non-violence, Kindness, Compassion, Aim of Poetry and much more. The book firstly opens with declaration of the sublime source of Indian poetry, the spirituality 'Indian poetry Springs from nature Deep spirituality. ' (Page - 7) The poets are the votaries of eternal human values who give vent to the notions of eternity and infinity. The poet poetizes 'Poets are worshippers Eternal worshippers of Truth To enlighten world. ' (Page 11) The poems of Dr. Majumdar are highly philosophical & deep. Prof. Seiji Hino from Japan writes aptly about the poems of Majumdar, 'They are pregnant with high philosophic insight like the experienced old wise man's sayings.' Selected Comments, (Page 31) 89 He has tried marvellously and excellently in conveying high philosophy in his three-lined haikus. Here one can mark out his outstanding craftmanship in poetry 'Where are you going fast? Do we go anywhere at all Going follows coming. ' (Page 15) **** 'Along edge of Time We do live a carefree life Accompanied with death. ' (Page 16) **** 'All come sit beside The sea, and they get aged Ageless ripples shine. ' (Page 22) **** In his ripe-maturity and indepth understanding into the deeper aspect of life is unique where the fusion of imagery and thoughtfulness is mingled and extemporized 'Men never grows up Only he changes his toys With each spell of time. ' (Page 23) At another place he discloses the dawn of poetry into earth when he says 'Poetry trenscends when Incomplete reality fuses with Complete idealism. ' (Page 15) And in the meantime, he exhorts 'Poets, Strange creatures Their hearts, most sensitive parts Lie outside their bodies. ' (Ibid) He considers it too hard to be a poet in himself and admitting it, he pens 'To be a poet I tried to be good, but 90 It was too difficult. ' (Ibid) But he acknowledges the power of love and hate and its expression, so he states 'Sometimes our eyes say More than the speech of our lips In love or in hate. ' (Page 14) Sometimes the poet is so intensified that he goes into the deepest of philosophy of life and he himself says 'Endure as a tree Silently, Patiently : We Live with unknown birds. ' (Page 17) Similarly, Tagore observes 'Man truly lives in the life that is beyond him. He toils for the unknown master, he stroves for the unborn.' (Tagore R.N., Tagore Birthday Booked. - Andrews, C.F. New Delhi Roopa & Co. d. 17 Jan.) Man is brittle & transcient, but his works and compositions live & remain forever. Dr. Majumdar accepts it finally 'A life long journey Today is mine, tomorrow too My works are for ever. ' (Page 30) Thus it is, undeniably admitted fact that the poetry of Majumdar is a bouquet of multicolured roses and Jasmins filled with the aroma of spirituality. His poems are all drenched in the rain of spiritual ecstacy and transendental joys which make him a poet of eternity and par excellence. [ VOK; Vol. 6, Issue 1, Pg. 26 ] jjj 91 GOLDEN HORIZON : the slim collection of Haikus by Dr. Sunita Jakhar Poets can't resist inevitable blows of reality they bleed through verses (P-16), to drive this point home the poet Biplab Majumdar has dedicated the slim collection of Haikusto the victims of terrorism all over the world. In the preface the poet introduces a traditional Japanese Haiku-3 lined consisting 5-7-5 syllables structure. Poets with their poetic license have moulded its form to suit their need. The book is a collection of experimental haikus on subjects of perceptual truth and philosophy. The first haiku is about the origin of Indian poetry and its depth : Indian poetry spings from nature deep spirituality. Handling abstract topics like silence and love deftly the poet says : H Silence sleeps deathless on the banks of river water of time flows. H Sometimes our eyes say more than the speach of our lips in love or in hate. H The violin of heart gets instantly alive with magic touch of love. H Children are not born of love now, so there is much scarcity of love. The poet feels that defeated persons are weak and light like the dry leaves which can be blown with a whiff : 92 Defeated persons of day today life blown away with withered leaves. An apt picture of marriages in today's context where there is a question mark : The marriage is over parents are happy, anxious for ever who knows when bad news comes. A down-to-earth approach of short lived joys : Joys are like dewdrops they fall, evaporate again a long dryness there. The lucid haikus appeal to the mind and heart through simple words and make the reader ponder over the poets venture into various themes. The ambiguous title 'Golden Horizon' about which one doesn't know whether it is sunrise or sunset ; We hope that the present Golden Horizon is a sunrise which would lead to a long-long day. [ VOK; Vol. 7, Issue 1, Pg. 25 ] jjj 93 ISLAND'S DOLPHIN SONG : a poetry par excellence by Purnima Ray Poet Biplab Majumdar's Island's Dolphin Song is a slim volume of twenty-five thoughtful and suggestive poems. He is not a new name in the arena of Indian English poetry, but widely published in India and abroad as well as recognised well with his seventy books on literary works and fifty literary awards. At the same time he contributes to Indian Literature by editing the Bengali magazine Sahitya Utsav and the English one Voice of Kolkata. Poet Majumdar's poems are very suggestive and thoughtful. As he chooses the free verse to express himself there is a spontaneous flow of emotion loaded with powerful meaning, so there is current as well as speed to move the readers to take part in it with his thoughtfulness and feelings, to concentrate, and to be associated with all this process. The first poem 'In dreamy lone midnight' sets the readers to think as to why the poet chooses the 'midnight' hour, and one gets the answer because it is the prime time to be 'dreamy' as well as to be thoughtful : ' In dreamy lone midnight with stained moon a sparking stream flows from life to death in vast expanse of meadow's stillness .... ' A 'sparkling stream' is a symbol of vibrant Nature, where there's movement and vivacity, yet the poet reminds us the inevitable truth as it 'flow / from life to death', and it is here the poet differs from common humans, and at the same time the poet and the readers get united in their realm of thoughtfulness. The poet is a seeker after 'Truth' and 'Beauty', so he is moving alone : ' .... At moonlit night I get crazy, move alone with loneliness in fields and forests .... ' 94 but he overcomes his craziness, and realizes : ' .... Empty I am, destitute break repeatedly in defencelessness as the moon of the twelfth lunar day at dark fortnight breaks into pieces upon lapis-lazuli water .... ' and we must say that this poet is thoroughly watchful, and rational as he cannot overlook the facts based on science. At one moment the poet finds that he has not the full control over himself, over his process of thinking : '.... Someone dips me ruthlessly into your dreadful dreams I break repeatedly in defencelessness .... ' Here 'someone' is important, and we shall meet this 'someone' again and again later --- 'someone' who is invisible yet powerful. The process stumbles at the thought of vastness of the unlimited 'sea' and 'the sky' : ' Only sea is the proper answer to sky Between these two blues I fly away as pollens, great uproar of blue within heart .... ' The poet becomes spiritual with his rational frame of minds. The line 'only sea is the proper answer to sky' establishes the inevitable relation between the Creator and the Creation, and vastness is their only similarity. The following lines : '.... Bunch of white clouds move carelessly throughout the day waves of frothy dreams get wounded incessently by delicate wind .... ' suggest that mind overpowers body. That is why --95 '.... sea-gulls fly with humid wings waves of frothy dreams get wounded incessently by delicate wind. ' its wings get 'humid' because of experience, experience of realising infinity, experience of truth. So the poet says : '.... Between vastness of sea and sky somewhere lies the endless wisdom of history, some genuine conversations confusedly bustling mind in the blows of waves .... ' we can say that the poet is successful at the outset of his 'journey towards truth and beauty'. In the next poem 'Expectation' the poet becomes philosophical : '.... Pebbles too have no past like time, nor have they stories of tomorrow, .... ' yet he becomes optimistic : '.... Perhaps pebbles are in the promise of crimson dawn .... ' and he shows us the way : '.... I get down the slop, uphill in front of me, let us look for the rest of the night, if we find anything .... ' and makes us believe : '.... Believe, someday the dawn will be ours and our favourite pebbles would be bright in enough unworldliness. ' We should notice the word 'unworldliness', and he suggests that there is light in it. When the poet says in 'The Rays of Truth' : '.... A terrible vow became muscular gradually In every bones 96 A stony promise picks up a burning charcoal in his fist of consciousness .... ' it suggests how a fit of self-realization works and demonstrates itself and emanates the 'rays of truth'. The poet knows that truth will overcome and he writes : '.... Pandavas will return someday to come to terms of their states. ' (Kurukshetra Ahead) In the 'Last Night' he faces himself, his innervoice asking the meaning of his existence as a poet : ' Last night my surrounding four walls with what an endless white ridicule! .... ' As the brain controls all the parts of the body, the mind controls the body, so in this age of devaluation of values as suggesting by 'decaying bones', all is not lost or decayed, so the words full of wisdom and relating to value try their last effort to strike to the sensitive mind : '.... words get vanquished, step by step on decaying bones, they come up to the depth of skull .... ' in order to restore humanity, love and peace in the world : '.... wish to extinguish all the burning candles of selfishness with a single puff ' Like Baudelaire's Albatros, poet Majumdar's 'Sea-gulls' are : '.... hovering over the water-shed of affliction under the sun in midday .... ' (Within water-shed) in the atmospher of '.... conviction and doubt are twisting 97 in violent wind ..... ' 'Sea-gulls' here represent the large-hearted good-souls, yet the poet sees that there is scope for repairing : '.... Standing with outcast grief Blue even above the head. 'Om' is a beautiful poem, where the poet stresses on the importance of the sound, not on the word, for in the language of the sound there is universal appeal, perhaps it has the solomeaning, while a word has several meanings. So 'Om' is not a word, but a sound, and its appeal is enormous : ' Converging all sounds the resounding OM, words hang on it Numerous ducklings towards the call of bran .... ' 'Numerous ducklings' symbolise people of the world speaking in different languages, when the 'call of bran' is the devotion towards God, human's ultimate goal. The poet describes his agony as a poet through a powerful image : '.... The emptiness of a cage without birds was swaying within my heart, I proceeded a bit to West as the sun .... ' (Dead Birds) and expresses his helplessness and futility as a poet : '.... My incomplete inauspicious verses lost their words, rhythm, language being attacked by an incurable disease And all of my bloodless dreams lay before their feet as dead birds .... ' (Dead Birds) 98 The poem 'Friends' beautifully depicts the friendless society, and sets before us an irony : '.... Under this inauspicious hour who live with pressing jaws, are all my F R I E N D S. ' We should also notice the letters of the words 'friends' are placed separately suggesting the broden friendship having no imtimacy, faith and love, and also it is important that it is the poet who remembers them and wants to reunite them with one another. The poet can compose a Love-poem only when the world, particularly Nature is in action, only when there is a healthy environment, when there is spontaneity in Nature : ' A bright song comes up from the roaring stream, extinct bluish flows in marrow A flight of parrots in sky, they plunge into the depth of dreams Hearts of lovers bloom in lotus-excitement .... ' (A Love-Poem) The poem 'A Picture' symbolically depicts the struggle of a creative artist, the process of creativity and the final stage : ' All day long I have been chased In the wood as a shattered stag .... .... .... A tiny spot on the lips of poem, soft breasts of a bird touch its warmth .... .... .... Someone moves the chin of time, surprising violate light upon the dazzling face of dream At last all the tragic clouds vanish to blue. 'A shattered stag' is important, beacause it suggests the 99 latent talent of a creative person is comparable to the stag unconscious of having musk within itself. 'A Canvas' is also a beautiful poem. Here the poet is optimistic, his attitude towards life as well as towards religion is positive : '.... A soft enticing sunset of 21st centry waits patiently .... ' He informs us that the true spirituality has its good effect : ' The echoes of churchbells vibrate in the lonesome olive valley .... ' He again emphasizes that Nature also plays a key role in this matter : '.... Freezed stillness in heart, startles at the call of squirrels, festivity of birds .... ' and it is when a true boon comes before us : '.... Suddenly a shower of flowers .... ' He sings a paean of the woman who adds beauty to beautiful Nature : '.... At this magic moment a teen-age girl comes into the canvas with a marvellous drizzling pose. ' The poet believes in action, but he does not find normal rhythm in the activities of the world of Nature in the poem 'Still Alive' : ' Pages turn over day by day, tune of untruth in the murmur of water --A neglected afternoon drops with faded dry leaves All known alphabets are spreaded around .... ' 'An Afternoon' is 'neglected', because no good work is done, and there is not any proper utilisation of time. In the poem 'Let's set 100 fire' poet Majumdar regrets that time is passing uselessly : ' One more topaz afternoon goes down the hill waving hands towards us .... .... .... Time gets aged gradually with constant chatting .... ' The poet makes us cautious that there is everything we need before us, yet we are inactive : '.... Shapeless white clustered clouds with wild smell are coming up from the plains Still we are unmoved .... ' He kindles fire into our heart : '.... A deep darkness in expectation, when we say, come, let us set fire a bit. ' We should remember that 'fire' is not only a life-giving force but also a symbol of knowledge, yet the optimistic poet can see that everything is not lost : '.... An elongated silence rolls in this exotic ether Destitution of immersion on the waves floats away far with distant boats The rare heart of dusk gently trembles sticking to the pricky thistle of time .... ' and he becomes positive : '.... The immediately extinguished smoke I am, with a dream of dazzling dawn still alive intensely at darkest hour nearby the island. ' And in this perspective the poem 'Somone in the garden at 101 midnight' is very important and very suggestive. The very first lines suggest that nobody or nothing is denied God's mercy : ' Pebbles in the garden are being drenched in torrential downpour at midnight, someone else is there .... ' Obviously 'someone' here is the Creator of the Universe : '.... Innocence sleeps in compact crowd side by side purpose of dream knows him His eyes are sleepless, only endless aspiration of Leonardo is there, .... ' We should notice that 'pebbles' are being drenched externally. The poet suggests also that there is no end of longing and for that 'He' has to be reincarnated. He convincingly declares : '.... He is well-known to the poets, much familiar to poems .... ' because this all-powerful Creator is full of poetry. We see in 'Songs of yellow Season' that Nature is fated or ordained by God to do some good work, but failed to complete its mission. The most thoughtful lines in this poem are : '.... Nothingness is no broken voice of death, she herself shivers at the sound of fallen-leaf .... ' suggesting even 'death' expects some maturity. But the optimistic poet in the midst of all this can compose 'songs of yellow season and love' : '.... From white bone of words rises up the sandal background of poetry .... ' for he knows that this 'love' can make yellow into green. 'Yellow' is yet not the colour of the 'fallen leaf', of ageing, but also 'fruitfulness'. 'Our Colourful Stories' is a beautiful poem, wherein the story of by-gone age and the story of a 'colourful' (suggesting full of 102 incidents) life are mixed up together, and the realization is wellexpressed through a fine imagery : '.... faded light of afternoon on the faces of you and me spreaded they are as the particles of sugar-candy, smithereens of a windscreen smashed by accident lying on the asphalt of the road. ' The poet makes us remember that love is still alive in this colourless age : ' The love of restaurant remaining still today in the gum-sticky curtains .... ' and he believes that Nature remains natural for this : '.... That's why the sun rises even today, goes down to the west green buds bloom sporadically in joy .... ' The title-poem 'Island's Dolphin Song' is the optimistic poet's call to us : '.... Spellbound sunrays will create magic upon the crystal water, if you come back once, just for once. ' for he believes that Nature is natural till now, and the "amorphous thousand hands of air didn't say you goodbye". 'A lonely dolphin' is the poet himself who alone fights for the belief in Truth, Love, Freedom' etc. and encourages people to live for a meaningful life. We should remember that the French poet Baudelaire's 'Albatros' is also a lonely sea-bird and feels uncomfortable in this world full 103 of meanness. In the 'Wintry River' the poet recalls the 'Nightbirds - calls' when 'silence is ruptured'. At wintry 'sleepless night' the poet remains awake, not only that he comes 'beside the bank of the loving river of my heart'; this 'loving river' is nothing but the poet's sensitive and creative soul to enlighten and kindle the conscience and hearts of the people respectively. That's why he says : '.... Scorched-wing I am, blue in dedication, daringly flown away from sky to sky. ' (Towards Sky) How beautiful and poetic these lines are : '.... white shore of sand sleeps beside her as a trusted boy-friend, formless deadbodies of memories move on the wings of chilled fog, all the loving faces get soaked In bluish moonlight, sensitive souls are broken into thousand pieces .... ' (Wintry River) I hope that the above discussion should justify the title of this article and place poet Biplab Majumdar as a poet par excellence. Purnima Ray is a noted poet and sensitive review writer of this hour. She teaches in Burdwan University, W.B. jjj 104 P ro f. Ku rt F. S va te k (AUS TRIA) Prof. Kurt F. Svatek was born 1949 in Vienna, he lived and worked nearly for four decades in southern Lower Austria, and then he returned with his family to his native town. He has made a name for himself as an author for a long time, publishing 44 books of fiction and poetry, several pamphlets on aspects of philology and one schoolbook. His texts were featured in 204 anthologies and 577 magazines and periodicals all over the world and translated into a lot of foreign languages. The author is member of the World Advisory Board of the journals Poets International (Madras/Chennai), Replica (Cuttack) and Voice of Kolkata (Calcutta), Ambassador of Eternity (all India) and Art Advisor of The World Poets Quarterly (China). He has been awarded honors, prizes and distinctions (a total of 141) by Austria, England, France, Italy, Greece, Japan, India, 105 Israel, China, Brazil, Korea, Spain, Hong Kong, Mongolia and USA, has been repeatedly proposed for the Nobel Prize in Literature and in Peace by proponents from India and China and voted the best international poet of the year (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) by several literary periodicals. He is honorary professor, honorary doctor of literature and a corresponding member of numerous academies. In 2005 he was selected "International Man of the Year in recognition of his services to Literature". He has been appointed a „Consular Representative of the United Cultural Convention"(USA) and Senator for life of the World Nations Congress. In 2003 he was awarded the International Peace Prize by the United Cultural Convention and 2004 the Olympic Medal of Peace in Athens. The journal of World Poets Quarterly (China) selected him as the international best poet of the year 2005, the English Poetic Circle in West Sussex as the best poet of the years 2006 and 2008, the Indian magazine Voice of Kolkata 2008 as the poet of this issue. In 2010 he received also the World Poetry Prize for "Distinguished Poet" sponsored by Dr. CHOI Lai Sheung (Hong Kong) and the Hangchon Culture Prize (Korea). A symposium on his works was held in Sringar (Bangalore, India) 2009. Kurt F. Svatek is a member of the Austrian Centre of International P.E.N., the London Diplomatic Academy („Founder Diplomatic Counsellor"), the Academy Thea Athina (Athens), the International Society of Poets (USA), the International Writers and Artists Association (USA), the International Forum for the Literature and Culture of Peace (Haifa), the WAAC / World Academy of Arts and Culture / Hangchon Culture Foundation ( Member of the Executive Board, Seoul, Korea) and of The Cove / Rincón International (USA). Corresponding Member of the Accademia Tiberina (Rome, Italy), the Nova Academia Momento Lítero Cultural, Brasil or the World Academy of Letters (USA) and member of many other literary organizations in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, England, Italy, Greece, India, China, Israel, Korea, Canada and in the USA. The International Poetry for Peace Association appointed him as its Coordinator for Europe. 106 Biplab Majumdar : A Poet Of Beauty And Excellence Biplab Majumdar is a well known excellent poet and editor of the international Journal ' Voice of Kolkata and the Bengali journal Sahitya Utsav. His Poems were published in 22 languages and he received a lot of prestigious awards. Somebody who holds this book in his hands will be put in a cheerful mood. Because the cover page shows a lonely island with palm trees and with a white sand beach, nestled between the blue of sky and the blue of sea. (Quotation from page-8 - Waves of dreams : Only the sea is the proper answer to sky). Who would not like to spend some time alone or with whomever. An Island is any piece of land smaller than a continent and larger than a rock completely surrounded by water. Very small island are also called islets . Although seldom adhered to, it is also proper to call an emergent land feature on an atoll an islet, since an atoll is a type of island. There are different types of Islands. An island can be formed by a raging river ; It can be surrounded by a quit lake or by the breakers of the roaring sea. In all cases an island can withstand the raging floods for a long time. So an island can also be an oasis amidst the throbbing time and resist the often too superficial spirit of the times. The own home may be an island in everyday life. But there exists also prison islands not only for the body but also for the mind. Another type is the volcanic island, built by volcanoes and often not part of any continent or those formed over volcanic hot spots. That's meant of course also symbolical. This is the world in which Biplab Majumdar wants to abduct us mentally. So it's evident that the author describes in the foreword his way from writing structured verses to write more and more free verses. By all the due respect to structured verse in the age of liberalism he will also free the world of words from 107 chains as Pablo Neruda, Mathew Arnold or so many other famous poets have done who feel more comfortable in free verse as in the perfect blend of intellect and mechanical artistic work. It really does not correspond to our busy time to express thoughts and feelings only in such a disciplined form because the world is far away - and was always far away- from being disciplined, peaceful or simply said kept in order. So it can't have happened by chance that the last poem, titled India, under the grip of terrorism (page-32) is turned towards terrorism remembering the awful terror attacks in Mumbai 2008. The cut hand of security cries bitterly Beneath the demolishing pandemonium Blusted jeeps and buses to and fro; Blood-soaked hands and legs, cut heads Fiesta of thousand bones, bloody hearts Jump in air Still the historic genius of our living Triumphs as a soaring phoenix I remembered reading these lines to the bloody attempt on the life of gurus in a Sikh temple in Vienna in spring 2009 probably by Sikhs of another sects or with other dogmas that produced also disturbances in a part of India. What can we put forward ? Peaceableness, religious freedom, tolerance, cooperation and sympathy or to support peace and .love with poetry as Biplab Majumdar and many other poets did, at the beginning in the last century the Austrian Nobel prize winner for peace Bertha Von Suttner with her book against war yet before first world war. But we all have to hope to be a bit more successful as she was. Only the world does not look accordingly. Biplab Majumdar : With the difference of caste, creed and Religion my mother cannot sleep peacefully Even for a night …… 108 But he is also confident (A picture, page -20) ..…. At last all the tragic clouds Vanish to blue. One of the remarkable features of the author is both his hard work on the poems and his self-criticism coupled with the feeling of his own value. So he selected from a mountain of written poems only 25 for this book. Surely with the result to offer timeless quality, to connect best possible form and sound, truth and dreams, philosophy and reality, darkness and colour, thoughtfulness and zest for life, and to show us the way to a life rich in content and in love. An island can be solitary and lonely in the nearly endless ocean or live with a lot of sisters and brothers. All that definite the character: or charming, to be prepared and forearmed or open and free. But in all cases if you were once there you will come back surely as the dolphins and the sea-gulls do. Spell-bound sunrays will create magic Upon the crystal water, if You come back once, Just for Once. (Island's Dolphin Song, page-28) All great poets are singing of ethics and morals in human life, work for present day humankind, for peace, international understanding, international cooperation and peace. Their poems are mostly pregnant with high philosophical instinct like the experienced, old and wise men's and women's sayings, just as Biplab Majumdar is doing. jjj 109 Bernard M. Jackson (ENGLAND) Bernard M. Jackson, a retired teacher, is a notable English poet and international writer of repute. As a review writer, many of his appraisals have been published in India, the U.K., Australia, the U.S.A., Greece and Korea. Formerly a prominent member of CINQUE PORTS POETS (Sussex, England) he was later appointed its secretary by Foundermember, Dame Stella Browning. BMJ has also been awarded membership of the Americanbased INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WRITERS AND ARTISTS (Blufton, Ohio - U.S.A.) and is a recipient of the Gold Medallion Award, together with Fellowship of the Temple of Arts Academy, New Zealand. His poems have a number of times featured in THIS ENGLAND and EVERGREEN magazines, besides being 110 extensively published in WRITERS' FORUM and in many other magazine publications. He is Articles Editor for QUANTUM LEAP poetry magazine (Scotland) and principal review writer for REACH POETRY (Leics., - England). For several years now, he has officiated as Adviser to NORFOLK POETS AND WRITERS (Norwich - England) and is a member of THE SALOPIAN POETRY SOCIETY (Shropshire - England). BMJ's work in India is rather more widespread. He is U.K. Adviser and close working associate with METVERSE MUSE (Visakhapatnam - India), and review writer for a number of other high profile Indian magazines. He has recently been named CRITIC OF THE YEAR by the INTERNATIONAL POETRY SOCIETY OF KOLKATA. Six of his poetry collections have been, in recent years, published in the U.K. 111 VIRTUES & VICES : it is a veritable celebration of life itself ' Man can change his own destiny He is powerful, not at all powerless, With a strong Faith in his heart Can he change life by His grace. ' (Biplab Majumdar) Perhaps one of the greatest identifying differences between English poetry written by an Indian poet and that which has actually been written by an English poet, is that the Indian poet is often inclined to write with a higher spiritual intent and, what is more, such high-minded poetry is generally more readily acceptable to his enlightened circle of readers. This is not to say that English poets do not produce poetry of a spiritual nature. Frequently they may, indeed, do so, but as regards to publications, religious poetry is very much regarded as a specific genre in the U. K., and few poetry magazines allow for its inclusion. How delightful, then, to be presented with such an inspired, thought-provoking collection of spiritual verses written by an eminent Indian poet and editor, who has won such acclaim as an International writer, and whose extensive works have already been translated into quite a number of languages. 'VIRTUES & VICES', A handbook of sensitively composed spiritual maxims is presented in a well-developed series of quatrains, whose topics cover such titles as : Life, Discipline, Humility, Truth, Patriotism, Commonsense, Courtesy, Peace etc. - While, conversely, the poet examines such occasions as : Anger, Greed, Fear, Hatred, Idleness, Desire, Violence - and a number of other such issues. As an English poet, I have always been fascinated by the poetry of my Indian brother-poets. There are noticeable differences in syntax and figures of speech, however, and sometimes in grammatical agreement, too, but on the other and hand, the Indian poet generally makes maximum use of the resources to hand, and his deployed imagery is quite startling and resoundingly effective. Biplab, time and time again, exemplifies these finer qualities : ' Love is considered a beautiful bouquet 112 Where humility, friendship and tolorance Uniformly smile as colourful flowers To fill the world with sweet fragrance. (LOVE) As the above verse patiently shows, Biplab is a poet at the very heart of the matter. At no time does he resort to any form of obscurity in his verses; and it should ever be borne in mind that the very essence of genius is to be bound in Simplicity, itself. Coincidentally, there is a poem include here on the theme of Simplicity, wherein he tells us : ' A soul with perfect wisdom Possesses love and true gentleness, mercy makes one gracefully simple And he rises above all meanness. ' (SIMPLICITY) This is a collection that may be opened at any page, for truly this work, in its entirety, is imbued with an underlying tenderness of spirit, which is the very main-spring of its universal appeal. We need poets like Biplab Majumdar to bridge those gulfs that exist between the major religions of the world, and in this context, Biplab poses the question : ' Why do we go to Mecca, Medina? Why do we go to Varanashi? Better we should delve into us Only Truth can provide ecstasy. ' (TRUTH) Indeed, the whole of his poem, 'TRUTH', which flows like a beautiful stream throughout its eleven sparkling verses, is redolent with the sheer joy of Living. Here I feel I should mention that though of a different religious persuasion, I wholeheartedly embraced the wisdom contained within these superb quatrains, especially where the poet maintains that : ' For revelation of sublime truth A man needs his moral perfection. To acquire truth, must practise it. Truth is the religion of all religions. ' (TRUTH) .... And that final line, 'Truth is the religion of all religions', 113 simple in context but infinitely powerful in concept and decree, seems to epitomise the full force of this inspired writer's work. It is in the common sharing of these precepts that true brotherhood between the nations is to be forged in future generations. Let the world in general be made aware that our enlightened poets, regardless of creed, nationality, caste or social distinction, are the major trail-blazers in a world crying out for Peace, Justice and Equal Opportunities. The concluding section of Biplab's collection deals with vices; and here again, his approach is entirely positive. Rather than dwelling upon the sordid manifestations of such matters, he has left such details to the Tabloid Press, known the world over for such indulgences. Instead, he has directed us back towards the welcome path of Righteousness, as in his poem, 'FRUSTRATION', where he wisely advises : ' In order to arrest the vice of frustration One must trace back to its source, His inherent strength, Faith, must be reinforced Should form an inner balanced disposition. ' The poet's fine use of simile and metapphor is here again seen much in evidence. Selfishness, he avers, is 'like a deserted sea-beach', a fine simile. Metaphorically, he also excels as he states that 'A man who thinks for self alone / Lives in a self-made glass capsule'. And again, within the same poem, he emphatically states that Selfishness 'that unholy hidden rat ....' As always, whenever I read such a great spiritual work, I instinctively turn to examine the final poem in the collection. What, I wondered, would be his final thoughts" - And I can truly say that I was not to be disappointed in my quest. The final poem contained four verses on the theme of VIOLENCE, and in his final verse, Biplab Majumdar leaves us with this hauntingly memorable plea : ' Violence celebrates the festival of blood Can demolish the world within a day, The violin of violence should be seized Let us all unite to stop its play. ' (VIOLENCE) In commending this lovely collection to a greater circle of readers, let me remind critics, review-writers and poetry-lovers 114 everywhere that 'VIRTUES & VICES' by Biplab Majumdar, Poet and Founder-Member of INTERNATIONAL POETRY SOCIETY OF KOLKATA, is not just another poetry collection, it is a veritable celebration of Life itself. --- Read and enjoy. It has been a great privilege to be allowed to review this book. [ VOK; Vol. 3, Issue 1, Pg. 29 ] jjj MERA BHARAT MAHAN : an anthology of poems " For we are guardians who must strive to see That we preserve our hard-own liberty Restoring concord, and ending strife, In every sphere of national life. " Dr. Louella lobo Prabhu (KARNATAKA) India is much more than merely a vast land with great political, economic and cultural potential, she is virtually a sub-continent, a massive united nation endowed with extensive resources that will one day enable her to become a super-power and leader in the fields of Peace, Justice and Brotherhood in the world at large. When India finally achieved her independence from the British (her former Colonial rulers), the relinquishing of control by Britain was effected with the greatest of amicability so that true bonds of friendship were fostered and encouraged between our two nations in the ensuing years. Perhaps the most important part of the legacy we British left behind was the English language, itself; for it must be remembered that India being a nation of several major languages, the adoption of the English language has proved to be most beneficial in all matters of Governmental legislation and international commerce; also in medical science and in all areas 115 of educational development. Furthermore, schools and universities throughout India readily accept and appreciate the approved classical writings of notable English novelists and poets, so that we now share a common literary heritage. But it must ever be emphasised and entirely borne in mind that though the Indian writer may choose to write in English, his thoughts, ancestral motivations, political perceptions and spiritual concepts are essentially Indian. Biplab Majumdar (Editor of Voice of Kolkata), a tireless international worker for world peace, has within his worthy publication, 'MERA BHARAT MAHAN', gathered together the work of a number of prominent Indian writers, ably complemented with the poems of well-known international supportive poets happy to be included in this prestigious shared anthology. Many readers will be impressed to discover will be impressed to discover here ( page 10) a delightful offering by His Excellency, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the President of India. Proof, if any were indeed required, of how smoothly India's democratic process can work for the good of the community as a whole. Dr. Kalam's poem, 'GRATITUDE', an allegorical representation of Man's special relationship with God reminds us that we must ever pay due respect and thanksgiving to our Creator, the Father of us all. Several of the Indian poets, so included, have expressed sadness and disappointment that India, their motherland, has not matched up to her true potential in the years since independence was declared: " The world's biggest democracy Is almost slipping into oligarchy. Let us put an end to the rule of a few; Keeping Democratic spirit in view, our laws need a through review. " INDIA -by R. A. Janakiraman Weighed against this phlegmatic response, there are poems filled with the unquenchable flame of patriotic spirit and sentiment : " Unique is my motherland Unique her shining soul unique are India's ideals unique the spiritual role. " UNIQUE IS MY MOTHERLAND by Jayanta Bhattacharjee (WEST BENGAL) 116 It would seem that the death of Mahatma Gandhi, in the midtwentieth century has had far-reaching effects that are acutely felt even to this day, yet India is a great and wonderful nation, and ever shall remain so. In his concise introduction, Dr. Biplab Majumdar extends a warm welcome to a number of notable international poets whose poems appear by special invitation. As the editor generously maintains, it is important that friends from abroad should be included in an anthology of this nature for, as with any auspicious celebration, honoured guests are ever to be made welcome. It must be borne in mind, of course that the included international poets (from 11 other countries) have, in the main, opted to write on other subjects, but the importance of their presence and sterling support is immeasurable. Here you will find 4 finely conceived poems in the Sitigotyo mode, by Japanese poet, Dr. Kazuyosi Ikeda; there are poems, too, by Prof. Joy B. Cripps (Australia), Dr. Rosemary C. Wilkinson (U. S. A), Patricia Prime (New Zealand) and several other well-known poets, myself included. As an international review writer, I am very impressed by the tremendous effort that has been devoted to the preparation of this worthy publication, and in that same context, I am doubly proud to be featurned alongside His Excellency the President of India and fellow-poets who have so ably participated in this fine venture. [ VOK; Vol. 5, Issue 1, Pg. 26 ] jjj 117 Patricia Prime (NEWZEALAND) Patricia Prime, is co-editor of the New Zealand haiku magazine, Kokako, review editor of Haibun Today, and writes reviews for Takahe, Gusts and Atlas Poetica, and for several Indian magazines, Simply Haiku, Haibun Today, Stylus and for several print journals. Patricia writes the Japanese short forms of poetry haiku, tanka, haibun and tanka prose and has published her poetry worldwide. She has also nominated tanka for the Take Five Anthologies 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. Her poems, interviews and reviews were published in the World Poetry Almanac (Mongolia) in 2009, 2010 and 2011. She is a member of GIEWEC (India) and is on the Advisory Board of New Fiction Journal (India). She has interviewed several poets and editors for Takahe and for the online magazines. 118 VIRTUES & VICES : an excellent manoeuvre of human values 'The timeless quality that makes the best of Biplab Majumdar's work is due in part to careful attention to form and sound. Each poem is tuned to the ear in a way that makes them ideal to be learnt by heart, form the subtle assoance of 'Humility', the conventional end-rhyme of pieces such as 'Faith', or the formal lyrical construction of the collection's many songs. This is consistent with Majumdar's use of imagery, which largely avoids ornate metaphor or convoluted description. The natural imagery is uncomplicated, e.g. eyes 'get wet', and a colourful flower 'may be beautiful'. Aphorisms fall thick and fast : 'human life is a long journey'. 'simplicity is a ratre virtue' and 'maturity demands we live in the present'. The permanence of the land and, by comparison, the transience of existence, is a theme given a bittersweet treatment in many of the poems. Take the world we live in 'Creativity', for instance : ' The world where we live in today All of it were immersed in thoughts, The superb minds with creative rays Shaped the world, everything brought. ' Or the eternally graceful face of 'Gracefulness', or faith, which is 'the best of friends' and thrives long after the crossing of 'the human border'. These are poems about virtues, as in 'Optimism'. ' To cross the hurdles of our life Optimism puts a greater fight, Handles stresses with better grip It makes the burden easy and light. ' The emotional response to the many virtues (and vices) represented in this collection is itself changeable, however. The natural world is insensible to human emotion, bloodless and beyond personification. Yet at the same time : ' The world where a man does stay 119 That is sustained by his society, The dues he owes must repay That is called a man's 'duty'. ' An abiding affection for humanity is also a theme of 'Virtues & Vices' in which the physical experience of existing within the landscape is championed over the internalised landscape of the mind. Actuality wins out over the labours of the human imagination, and it is here that Majumdar's approach diverges from the romantic tradition. It would be impossible to discuss Majumdar's manoeuvre without dwelling on the poems in the latter half of the book, those dealing with vice. These poems are characterised by a contemplation of the world of fallen humanity, finding truth in common emotions and experiences, often recorded in Majumdar's case by aphorisms and vignettes. This technique is well demonstrated in the poem 'Greed'. Majumdar alludes to philosophical dilemmas, from the man who 'succeeds in any field' ('Failure') to the clash of religious and ethical traditions in 'Lying'. The poet has evolved an economy in style that is admirably demonstrated in his superbly controlled vignettes. The poems are characterised by the eternal themes of memory, loss and the inevitability of change, and they also ask questions. There are self-referential moments, too, where the poet questions the nature of humanity and the purpose of life, as in 'Desire'. ' Desire is known the prime factor That drives a man into strife, Desire alone is the dearest mother Of anything that comes to our lives. ' Majumdar's highly crafted poetic technique makes this an accomplished and valuable contribution to poetry. This is an attractively presented book that will make a welcome addition to many bookshelves. [ POET; Vol. 42, No. 8 ] jjj 120 Prof. Kazuyosi Ikeda (JAPAN) Prof. Dr. Kazuyosi Ikeda D.Sc., D.Litt., DDG, IOM, LFWLA, LPIBA, MOIF has been repeatedly nominated for Nobel Prize in Literature from different corners of the globe. He was a Professor of Theoretical Physics at Osaka University and a Poet. He was born on 15 July 1928. Professor Ikeda is active and has various responsibilities in numerous organisations, including New York Academy of Sciences, Modern Poets Society (board member), World Parnassians Guild International (honorary director), Confederation of Chivalry (Grand Council), Accademia Ferdinandea di Scienze, Letiere ed Arti (academician of honour), Maison Internationable des Intellectuals (senator), Accademia Internationale Trinacria Lettere-Arte-Scienze (academician of merit), National and Professors-Students Coalitions for Unification of North South East West (chairman, Osaka Branches), Olympoetry Movement (honorary founder, representative of Japan), Council 121 of the States for Protection of Life (Senator and Minister plenipotentiary for Asian States), International Parliament for Safety and Peace (Senator, Minister plenipotentiary for Japan) and the London Diplomatic Academy (founding member). For outstanding contributions to theoretical physics and poetry, he is listed in over 40 International biographical volumes, Including 20 dedication sections. His numerous distinctions include Chevalier Grand Cross, Golden Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement, 20th Century Achievement Award, Catania Prize, Pandit Prize, International Commendation of Success in the Profession of Science and Poetry, Cultural Doctroate in Poetical Literature, Outstanding Scientist of the 20th Century, Albert Einstein Academy Award for Outstanding Achievement, International Order of Merit, World Laureate, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose National Award for Excellence in the field of Poetry and Environmental Sciece, Prize Oscar 2000, Grand Prize of author, International Literary Prize "Libro d" Oro", International Artistic-Literary Prize of Primavera Catanase, International Medal for Scientific Excellence, Man of the Year 2001, Global Peace and Friendship Award, Greatest Minds of the 21st Century Award, Lifetime Achievement Award. D.Litt. (hon), Dr Environmental Science (hon), and titles of Grand Ambassador of Achievemnet, Interational Man of the Millennium. Knight of the Templar 'Order, Knight of the Lofsensto Ursinius Order, Knight of the Holy Grail Order, Knight of the Universal Knights Order, Knight of the San Ciriaco Order and Knight of the Year 1995, International Writers and Artists Association, Outstanding Man of the 20th Century, Best World Poet of the Year and Poet of the Millennium, Voice of Kolkata Award, 2003, India, besides being inducted into the World Who's Who Hall of Fame and others. 122 VIRTUES & VICES : a superb poetry book, singing of ethics and morals in human life An amazingly significant, impressive and brilliant book of poetry has appeared in front of us. It is the book titled 'Virtues & Vices' written by Biplab Majumdar. That title itself is unique and attractive; it means both the bright and dark sides of the spiritual essence of human life, and gives the reader a mental impulse of gravity and of solemnity and at the same time an intense desire to read the book immediately. The first poem titled 'Life' is the most important one, governing the whole spirit of the book. The first, second and last stanzas of the poem, consisting of five stanzas, are as follows : ' Accept life as a precious gift From the hand of Supreme Power, You can achieve a great wonder Love your life, have an affair ..... Human life is a long journey From ignorance to eternal light, Against hatred, anger, greed Life should keep on constant fight ..... A life-long quest to know oneself To find integrity of inner soul Liberty is the essence of life And salvation is the final goal. ' The fundamental bases of the poet's thoughts are the religious belief that human life, which is very precious, is a gift from the supreme God, and the ethical idea that man should love and esteem his own life. These are the most important principles underlying human life in this world, which run through the whole of the book. Majumdar considers life to be continual progress from a low level to a high one of human virtues and to be severe fights against various vices, such as hatred, anger and greed. He regards life as a very long journey of knowing oneself towards the goal of perfection and salvation of one's soul. The above is the highestlevel recognition of human life from both the religious and ethical standpoints, and the poet sings of this sublime idea with the use 123 of rhythmic and beautiful words. Thus the reader's mind becomes full of highly sacred spirit, strongly emotional feelings and deeply intelligent thoughts. The book is divided into two parts, Virtues and Vices. In the poems in these parts, various examples of the virtues, on the bright side of life, and the vices, on the dark side of life, which have been mentioned in the first poem 'life' as things to be attained and as things to be rejected, respectively, are sung movingly and enchantingly with refined poetical words. The part one (Virtues) contains tolerance, memory, discipline, willpower, simplicity, courage, mind, humility, confidence, character, work, silence, honesty, victory, creativity, righteousness, truth, patriotism, joy, maturity, respect, commonsense, success, love, self-revolution, kindness, charity, cheerfulness, equanimity, courtesy, thinking, divinity, actions, peace, service, gratitude, freedom, enthusiasm, decision, friendship, education, prayer, optimism, efficiency, hope, humour, justice, morality, leadership, optimism, efficiency, hope, humour, justice, morality, leadership, gracefulness, faith, persistence, forgiveness, religion, duty, and universal brotherhood. On the other hand, in the part two (Vices) the reader finds anger, greed, tension, jealousy, failure, passion, fear, hatred, suspicion, pride, ignorance, lying, selfishness, frustration, sorrow, idleness, corruption, desire, crisis, and violence. The above magnificent display of virtues and vices astonishes the reader's eyes. The items on the bright and dark sides of life have been almost exhaustively taken up and rhythmically sung by Majumdar. How extensive, profound and keen his discernment of the world and his insight into life are! Each poem penetrates deep into the reader's heart, to make him approach virtues and recede from vices, and to make him walk on the correct way towards the noble and sublime goal of life. Biplab Majumdar is a great poet enveloping the whole world of human beings and establishing a glorious, glittering flower garden of happiness and justice on earth. Let us see a poem in the part one, entitled 'Righteousness'. ' Righteousness in heart provides celestial radiance Fortifies a man with such a power, 124 He becomes invincible that all vices dare His intense integrity reflects morning's holiness. (three stanzas omitted) Righteousness bestows beauty in character Brings harmony in home, strength in society, It paves the way to national integrity Global peace becomes a possibility there. ' This poem, singing finely of righteousness, is powerful so as to reject all vices, and is brilliant, beauteous and holy like the sunlight to the morning. Finally the poet grasps righteousness from the high standpoint of society and nation, and emphasizes that it brings about social strong harmony and the world's eternal peace. The poem is gracious, and the thoughts contained are lofty. Let us read one more poem, entitled 'Action', from the part one. ' Dreams and hopes, aims and goals All are baseless, absurd things, Until start we marching ahead Nothing solid there can we gain. (three stanzas omitted) Action sculptures earthly existence And it determines our final fate, Let us practise that art of action Behold! Yonder the golden gate. ' A mere theory, not accompanied by action, is usually despised as 'an armchair theory'. The poet sings of this thought with a very delicate sense. 'Theory' is of course essential for action. The poet does not deny this fact : In the second stanza (omitted here) he compares theory, without action, to the treasure of truth or the pearl of wisdom remaining eternally in the depth of the ocean. Action is picking up it onto earth. The poet's wording expressing the indispensability of action, while indicating the great beauty to the poem. Let us pick up one poem, entitled 'Jealousy', from the part two (Vices). ' No one is a complete failure Until he gets jealous of others, At that moment he ceases to grow 125 Jealousy makes him a devil's brother. (three stanzas omitted) Jealousy is a sign of weakness Out and out a destructive force, Jealousy is an emotional immaturity One must root out finding the source. ' Jealousy is one of the worst feelings, which captures many people's hearts. The poet's power rejecting this vice is extraordinarily great. In the first stanza he uses the word 'a devil's brother'. In the other stanzas omitted, he attackes jealousy severely. In the last stanza the words 'weakness', 'destructive' and 'immaturity' will weaken or even remove this harmful sense in human heart. These words in pleasing rhythm soak deep in the reader's mind; the effects are enormous. This humble review only shows an outline and a small part of the book by Biplab Majumdar. Please read the whole volume. The reader will find that it is a superb poetry book, singing of ethics and morals in human life, and being extremely instructive for present-day humankind. [ VOK; Vol. 4, Issue 1, Pg. 30 ] jjj GOLDEN HORIZON : an excellent collection of english haiku This book 'Golden Horizon' is a collection of 116 Haiku created by the Indian distinguished poet Dr. Biplab Majumdar. The poetry form Haiku was originated and developed in Japan, so I, a Japanese poet and critic, feel a wondrous destiny and an immense pleasure in writing a review of such an excellent collection of English 126 Haiku. Each page, on which elegant drawings and inspiring haiku coexist in exquisite harmony, gives the reader's heart enormous delight and inexpressible lyricism. The poet Dr. Biplab Majumdar's haiku are superlatively fascinating, having surpassingly profound significance. His haiku glitter gorgeously like heavenly stars and are exceedingly lucid like genuine pearls in the sea's bottom. His haiku have the two peerless features. First, their forms are very beautiful, exactly following the 5-7-5 syllable metre. This metre makes the Japanese traditional poetry structure, peculiar to haiku. In Japan, short poems not following the 5-7-5 metre are not called haiku. In the countries into which haiku have been introduced from Japan, sometimes short poems of three lines, not in the 5-7-5 metre, are created and are called haiku. It is our great pleasure that there are haiku poets, like Dr. Majumdar, who obey exactly the 5-7-5 metre in writing English haiku. Such English haiku are highly evaluated as true haiku by Japanese people. Second, the poet Majumdar's haiku have remarkable features in their contents. Many of his haiku contain profound philosophical significance; even if he sings of natural phenomena he often connect them with philosophies, e.g. the problems of how to live in this world, and the problems of human mind, human love, social life, poet's activities, effects of poetry, etc. His poems which purely sings of sketches in nature are very few. In the realm of haiku in Japan, there are groups of haiku poets placing emphasis on the sketches of nature only, while there are groups of poets who mainly sink in the problems of human mind philosophically. Haiku poets' tendencies of creation are various in Japan and in the West. I am extremely Impressed and immensely moved with the eminence, profundity and sublimity of the philosophies underlying the poet Majumdar's splendid works. I myself am active not only as a poet and critic but also as a translator of haiku and other forms of poetry. Often I translate English poems into Japanese. I translate English haiku, wheather in the 5-7-5 metre or not, into Japanese 5-7-5 haiku, otherwise Japenese people do not read the translated works as haiku. (Incidentally, I translate other forms of English poems, whether fixed-form poetry or free verse, into Japanese sitigotyo poems; hitherto I have translated Shakespeare's Sonnets and many other English poems into Japanese sitigotyo poems.) I have translated 127 all haiku in the poet Majumdar's book 'Golden Horizon' into Japanese 5-7-5 haiku. In the following, whenever I quote his haiku, I will add my translated Japanese 5-7-5 haiku in italics. I have selected two of his haiku making sketches of nature; such sketch haiku are very few in the book. All come, sit beside Umi no soba The sea, and they get aged Mina oyu, Nami wa Ageless ripples shine Towani tatu (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) The poet portrays the agelessness of ripples in contrast to the agedness of all things beside the sea. Though the haiku is a sketch, one can find a metaphor from it. The haiku, below, beautifies a song as a body coming on the wings of air; it is imaginative rather than realistic; accordingly, the above and the next haiku are not pure sketch haiku. Body of a song Utagoe wo Comes in on the wings of air Kuuki no Tubasa Kisses my hearing Nosete kuru (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) In many of the poet Majumdar's haiku taking up nature, he connects them with the phases of life, the moving of mind, the beauty of a girl, the philosophy of living, etc. For example, Lone wind of evening Yuukaze ni Brings here a soggy darkness Kuraki Kyoosyuu Of nostalgic wound Mune uzuku (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) in which the wind is connected with the sentiment of nostalgia. The following is a beautiful depiction of the human mind with the use of the image of a lake. A transparent lake Sora no Iro Reflects the colour of sky Utusu Kosui ya, Will you call it mind? Hito no Kokoro (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) The next haiku portrays a man stepping towards the Northstar. From the scientific point of view, the movement of the 128 earth and the star is very speedy, so the distance between the man and the star does not necessarily shorter, but the reader realises the man's futile endeavour to approach the ideal; the profundity of this haiku is admirable. Distance gets shorter Hokkyoku-sei, At every step of moment, Hitoasi gotoni Yonder the Northstar Tikazukeri (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) Next, let us enjoy the magnificent haiku including the books title 'Golden Horizon'. Golden horizon Kin no Tihei Speaks eternal duality Towa no Nigensei: Sunset or sunrise! Hi no De-iri! (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) The noble, lofty philosophy contained in this haiku is amazingly significant. If buildings and mountains vanished in imagination, the horizon would be a gigantic cirular line around us. This single circle involves duality eternally, because across this line the two opposite phenomena Sunset and Sunrise are repeated for ever. In extraordinary sublimity the horizon matches gold. Thus the poet calls it golden horizon. It symbolises all pairs in duality in the universe: light and dark, heaven and earth, joy and sorrow, positive and negative, male and female, etc. Duality, symbolised by Horizon, implies important essence in the structure of the universe; the above haiku is exceedingly meaningful, so the book 'Golden Horizon' is immeasurably significicant. Incidentally, the poet's haiku and my translation of it are a pair in duality. Let us transfer to another haiku, in which the poet pictures an amorous scene involving the moon, a bed, a woman, wine and a poem, to evoke bewitching feelings in the reader's heart. Also my translation will allure Japanese reader's hearts to fall in amorousness. Breezy moonlit night Tuki to Sake Warm woman and some fine wine Omina no Nedoko Bed becomes a poem Si-huukei (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) In the next haiku too, a woman appears on the stage of 129 poetry; She is heartless, so the poet suffers from solitude. I am drenched in rain Ware Ame ni You are responsible for it Nururu wa kimi yue, The rain of solitude Kododu no Ame (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) Also in the following haiku the woman is heartless. She does not come to the poet, so that he feels inclined to the fullmoon. I await for long Kimi mo Haru mo Neither you nor spring comes, I Matedomo Koneba, Move towards fullmoon Tuki ni mukau (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) But the poet sings of a warmhearted woman, with burning sentiment; The candle was burning Roosoku-beya In the lonely room, within Kimi no Hukami ni Your depth it was I Ware ariki (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) A woman is often compared to a flower. Maintaining this old custom, however, the poet Majumdar sings of women very freshly and enchantingly: Every flower bears Yo no Omina Fragrance of its own, like each Sorezore kusiki Woman of this earth Hana no Ka ya (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) Dawn smiles on the rose Akebono no It appears so beautiful Bara, Hatukoi no Teen girl in first love Otome, kana (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) Dewdrops on petals: Hana no Tuyu Sentimental as the lips Kanasi, Otome no Of a young lady Kutibiru ya (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) The poet Majumdar's haiku portraying his philosophical 130 conceptions and thoughts are of surpassing lucidity and of marvellous eminence, sometimes with relation to the observation of the natural world. The following emphasises the role of the brain of control in maintaining the stainless, pure life: Eye, ear, nose, tongue, even Gokan mina Skin, all of them are innocent Tumi nasi, Gai wa All poison in brain Noo ni ari (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) The next haiku asserts the necessity for thanks to the sun which gives grace to all creation: Every blade of grass Kusa no Ha wa Greatfully recalls debt of sun Hi no On ni syasu, But a man does not Hito wa sezu (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) Now read a haiku, singing of the fear for aging. Ascribing it to the sinless things is very witty: I am afraid of Osorosi ya Watch and calender, only Ware wo oisasu They make me aged Tokei Koyomi (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) The force of eyes superior to lips in expressing love or hate is depicted as Sometimes our eyes say Ai-zoo wo More than the speech of our lips Me wa Kuti yorimo In love or in hate ooku iu (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) The time flows eternally from the origin of the universe, carrying human lives and sentiments, hence the grand and magnificent haiku: The endless rivers Goosyo yori From the distant dawn of TIME: Toki towani nagaru: Desire, joy and pain Hi-Ki-yokuboo (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) Man lives along the flow of time – truly with sharp danger but apparently with tranquil safety –, and the shadow of death ever 131 adheres to him, hence the haiku with immense profundities: Along edge of time Sei nodoka We do live a carefree life Toki ni soi-yuku Accompanied with death Si wo turete (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) However, our life should be flooded with merry dreams, hence the hopeful, encouraging haiku: All the buds and seeds Me mo Tane mo Tell us the tale of morrow Asu wo katarite A dream never dies Yume kiezu (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) Love suddenly visits us, this is brilliancy of our life, thus The violin of heart Mune no Koto Gets instantly alive with Ai no Ma no Te ni Magic touch of love Sugu hibiku (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) The effects of languages in our life are important, and they should be lucid. The poet compares languages to fishes, sea: Our life ever moves through Uo no goto Transparency of words, a fish Sumeru Kotoba In world of water Umi oyogu (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) Another striking feature of Biplab Majumdar's book of poetry 'Golden Horizon' is that it cantains many poems singing of poetry and poets. Thus the book is that poetry of poetry, and Majumdar is a poet singing of a poet. This peerless characteristic plays the meaningful roles of poetry's self-expression and poets' selfdepiction. Let us quote, from Majumdar's haiku, the one picturing the valuable, wondrous situation in which poetry is born. Poems as night birds Si wa Seiya Spread wings at night on the beach Hamadori no goto Of silent darkness Hane hirogu (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) 132 'Night' symbolises the poet's quiet, deep meditation for creating poetry. Poetry is not necessarily born at night. The situation in the above haiku beautifully and adequately expresses the mental state of the poet creating poetry. Majumdar emphasises the surrealistic spirit of the poet by the following three haiku. This is important, because even poets writing realistic poems cherish surrealistic thoughts in order to make good poems. Enigma flows on Nazo haramu From realism to surrealism Tyoo-genzitu ga Poetry becomes a poet Si woba umu (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) Poetry transcends when Genzitu ga Incomplete reality fuses with Risoo ni tokete Complete idealism Si sugururu (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) Poets can't resist Genzitu ni Inevitable blows of reality Aragau Sizin They bleed through verses Kokoro itamu (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) The poet Majumdar pictures poets as strange persons very inspiringly interestingly and humorously in the following two haiku. These are dexterous and applicable to artists in general including poets, writers, painters, sculptors, etc. Poets, strange creatures Sizin niwa Their hearts, most sensitive parts Taigai ni satoki Lie outside their bodies Kokoro ari (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) Veins of a poet Sizin niwa Don't carry blood, but the blue Doku aru aoki Venom of poetry Si no Ti nagaru (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) However, Majumdar does not forget the noble, sublime and lofty mission of poets in the society and in the world, thus Poets are worshippers Sizin towani 133 Eternal worshippers of truth Sinri tootobi To enlighten world Yo ni osiu (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) Finally, I will quote the following touching haiku containing the poet Majumdar's modest and sincere soul. To be a poet Yoki Sizin I tried to be good, but Taramu to sesi ga It's so difficult Ito katasi (Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda) My soul is utterly the same as this. I ardently request the reader of this review to get the book 'Golden Horizon' and to enjoy greatly and appreciate highly all of Dr. Biplab Majumdar's haiku in the book and to be deeply immersed in the extraordinarily brilliant and enormously gorgeous poetic world established by him. [ POET; Vol. 45, No. 11 ] jjj MERA BHARAT MAHAN : an anthology of poems This book ''Mera Bharat Mahan" is a superexcellent, inspiring and fascinating anthology of poems, edited by the Indian worldfamous poet and editor Dr. Biplab Majumdar. It contains the representative works of 63 Indian poets and 12 foreign poets. This magnificent anthology, as shown by its title "My India is Great", vividly manifests how greatly the Indian poetry is prospering and how proudly and energetically Indian poets are proceeding on the brilliant way deeply admired in the world. All Indian poets are bilingual, using their native language and English. This anthology 134 contains English poems. As this book clearly shows, Indian poets' English is surpassing,beautiful, elegant and graceful. The English poetry written by Indian poets may be said to be an admirable, superb pattern of the English poetry in the world. The poem by His Excellency the President of India adds great dignity to this book; it is an immense pleasure not only for Indian readers but also for foreign readers. The editor, Biplab Majumdar's genius for editing is amazingly outstanding. Owing to his peerless editing, this book is brilliantly glittering in the literary field in India and abroad. (Incidentally, it is my great honour that my poetry has been included in the 12 foreign poet's works and occupies one page in such an invaluable book.) Originally God, the Creator, created the universe and all the things (including men) in the universe with intense aspiration for the happiness of all creation, the global brotherhood and the eternal peace of the world; but enmity, hatred, conflict, terrorism, war, and misery have not yet been eradicated on earth. I believe that poets can realise the brotherhood and everlasting peace by unifying the hearts of the people in the world with beautiful, rhythmic words. The poets included in this splendid anthology are all strongly peace-loving. This book will be a most powerful instrument for making our earth a paradise of brotherly love and eternal peace. This book will shed a dazzling light full of happiness and peace on the earth polluted with cruelties, tragedies and strifes. All poems in this book are full of genuine love for humankind and intense desire for peace. I cannot measure excellence. All poems are the most excellent. I will quote the poem by the editor of this book, i.e., Biplab Majumdar's poem, paying my highest respect to his superlative achievements of editing this admirable anthology : MERA BHARAT MAHAN by Biplab Majumdar Mountains, plains, plateaues, seas and sandy desrts Enrich my land with smiling six seasons, Resonating murmurs of pious candid rivers Are the boons that heaven happily showers. Behind the curtain though dragon terrrorism hisses 135 Heaps of problems, vices disturb her brain, A country that has witnessed many ups and downs Recalls history, her innate sublime supreme strength. Age-old principles of universal peace, brotherhood Tolerance, forgiveness and her lofty spiritual values, Made this land unique, strong and stout A colourful heritage she carries in breasts. High and low, rich and poor here merrily breathe And in crisis they all chant spontaneous bold slogan; Nevertheless diversity in class, colour and creed Brothers are we and MERA BHARAT MAHAN. The reader, whether Indian or foreign, is requested to get this superb book and read it earnestly and sincerely and much enjoy and highly appreciate each poem enchanting tasteful, inspiring and thrilling. Then, in front of him, a hopeful, vast, bright and paradisiacal world will be opened vividly as a panoramic spiritual view. [ VOK; Vol. 5, Issue 1, Pg. 23 ] jjj 136 List o f So m e Bo o ks by BIPLAB MAJUMDAR POEMS 1. Kichhu Sadharan Kavita 2. Jhara Bakuler Swapney 3. Mahasamayer Antarjali 4. Kavita Samagra (Vol. 1) 5. Nirjita Nirjan Kaanchghar 6. Adhunik Australian Kavita 7. Adhunik Greek Kavita 8. Bharatbarser Kavita 9. Americar Kavita 10. Miriamer Gaan 11. Dr. Ikeder Kavita 12. Nirvachita Kavita : Kurt F. Svatek 13. Virtues & Vices 14. Golden Horizon 15. Island's Dolphin Song 16. Island's Dolphin Song (Greek) RHYMES 17. Khoka Khukur Chhara 18. Kamlaphulir Tieta 19. Railcom Jhamajham 20. Dalim Gachhe Mou 21. Chand Utheche Phool Phuteche 22. Bone Thake Bagh 23. Pakhisab Kare Rab 24. Book Varti Chhara PROSE / TRANSLATION / OTHERS 25. Murti Bungalowr Bibhisika 26. Locker Rahasya 27. Murder In Victoria 28. Golcha Murder Rahasya 29. Alpo Salpo Bagher Galpo 30. Hitopadesher Notun Galpo 31. Galpo Balen Shakespeare 32. Sherwooder Robinhood 33. Alice In Worderland 137 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. Macbeth King Lear Romeo And Juliet Panchatantrer Galpokatha Jataker Galpo Adventure of Sindbad Nirbachita Detective Galpo Greek Puraner Galpo Baronia Nari Acharya Prafulla Chandra Vivekanander Chhelebela Austrier Rupkatha Scotlander Rupkatha Japaner Rupkatha Germanir Rupkatha Greecer Rupkatha Russiar Rupkatha Rupkatha Panchak Rainbow Rhymes-I Rainbow Rhymes-II Rainbow Rhymes-III Chiildren's Ramayana Children's Mahabharata All About Love Mera Bharat Mahan Prof. Ikeda : The Living Legend Prof. Ikeda : A Phenomenon In World Poetry Banibitaan Smaranio Viggyani Muslim Manishider Jibankatha Kalo Raat Nil Aatanka Rahasya Galpo : E. A. Poe Bharat Aamar Bharatbarsa Dashti Kishore Upanyas (Vol-I) Dashti Kishore Upanyas (Vol-II) Dashti Kishore Upanyas (Vol-III) Lis t o f So m e MAGAZINES whe re his wo rks ha ve be e n publishe d Lis t o f Be ng ali Mag azine s k SHUKTARA k TATHYA KENDRA k NABA KALLOL k GRIHASHOVA k KISHORE BHARATI k KAVI PATRA k CHANDRAMAS k EBONG k RITI k SAHITYA UTSAV k EDANING k UPALABDHI KATHA k SANGEET TARANGA k KAVITAR AAKASH k MUKTI PATH k DHARABAHIK k AAGDUM BAGDUM k GUIENIPIG k EKHON RODDUR k AAJKER KAVITA k EAKHON KAVITA k ANUPATRI k PAPARATJI k SUMANA k KOLKATAR KAVITAR KAGAJ k KALOTAN k VASUDHA k KALPONIK k MONOBHUMI k ARATRIK k ANOPEKSHO k PRIYA SHILPA k MANASI k JANA SAMUDRA k PANCHISE VAISAKH k 1400 SAHITYA k MANJARI k PROTNABHASH k SAHITYANKUR k KAVITANKUR k AGUNER PHULKI k SAMAY k CHOTODER SONARKHANI k METHO PATH k ABAYAB k PARNOMOCHI k CHHARAMUKH k ADDAYA k KALER KHABAR k SANDHIKAL O PADAKSHEP k ANANNYA NANDANIK k CHOKH k LEKHANI k NILAKASH k SAGAR BELA k SAHITYA KAHAN k SAHITYA MANGAL k MANGAL PATH k SAILADAHA k SAMASAMAY k ACADEMY OF BENGALI POETRY k LUBDHAK k MUKTA KALAM k COFEE HOUSE k SAHITYA BISARI k DOORBIN k AARAKSHA BARTA k SPANDAN k MEGHNAD k ANUBHAB k SAHITYA RANG BERANG k KETAKI k EBONG AAMRA k JHORO HAOWA k SAILI k UNMESH k CAMELIA k PRORENATA k EHO DELHI k JALAPROPAT SAHITYA k VITEMATI k AAJKER ANUBHAB k JALANGI SAHITYA PATRIKA k OXYGEN k MANDAKRANTA k ARUNDHUTI k ANJAS k PRABAHA k SAMOKAL k NILAKSHAR k VASUNDHARA k AROHA k ANASWAR k NABA NAKSHTRA k AGNISIKHA k KAVI SAMMELAN k EKUSH SATAK k TAMOHAR k PRIYA CHITRASATHI k UDVAS k CHARUPATRA k ROSHNI k ARITRA k EKALER GANDIB k SAMBHAB Lis t o f Eng lis h Mag azine s k THE FUTURE (WB) k METVERSE MUSE (TN) k CONTEMPORARY VIBES (CHANDIGARH) k MANDAKINI (UP) k POET (TN) 138 k POETCRIT (HP) k KOHINOOR (ASSAM) k BY WORD (NEW DELHI) k CANOPY (UP) k POETS' INTERNATIONAL (KARNATAKA) k CYBER LITERATURE (BIHAR) k GREEN LOTUS (ORISSA) k KAFLA INTERCONTINENTAL (CHANDIGARH) k LITCRIT INDIA (HP) k INDO-ASIAN LITERATURE (DELHI) k BRIDGE IN MAKING (WB) k HINDUSTHANI INNOVATOR (MP) k SHINE (TAMILNADU) k SRABONI (WB) k THE STORM (WB) k BIZZ BUZZ (KARNATAKA) k VOICE OF KOLKATA (WB) Lis t o f Mag azine s o f Othe r Lang uag e s k CHIRAG QUARTERLY (PUNJAB) k AKKHAR (PUNJAB) k JANA PARIBAR (MAHARASHTRA) k UDAYAVANI (KARNATAKA) k PURBASHA (ASSAM) k PRASANNA BHARATI (KERALA) k ILAKKIA CHIRAGU (TAMILNADU) Lis t o f Mag azine s o f Othe r Co untrie s k PERIGRAMMA (GREECE) k FREE XPRESSION (AUSTRALIA) k INTERNATIONAL POETRY LETTER (ARGENTINA) k SCENTS AND SOUNDS (ENGLAND) k FOKUS (MALTA) k ERNST UND HEITER (GERMANY) k KELAINO (GREECE) k BALI (BRAZIL) k LOTOS (YUGOSLAVIA) k ESTRO (BRAZIL) k OINIKHTEE (GREECE) k POMEZIA-NOTIZIA (ITALY) k WORLD POETS QUARTERLY (P. R. CHINA) k INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE (GERMANY) k LITERATE-SP (BRAZIL) k POETIC CIRCLE OF FRINDSHIP (ENGLAND) k CHINESE POETRY INTERNATIONAL (P. R. CHINA) Po e ms Publis he d in the fo llo wing Lag uag e s k BENGALI k ENGLISH k HINDI k PUNJABI k MARATHI k ASSAMESE k TAMIL k TELUGU k KANNADA k GREEK k HEBREW k SPANISH k FRENCH k SERBIAN k MALTESE k JAPANESE k CHINESE k RUSSIAN k PORTUGUESE k ITALIAN k GERMAN 139 Lis t o f ANTHOLOGIES 1. Heaven, 1999, Ed. B. Dutta, Kolkata, INDIA. 2. Padus Amoenus, 2000, Ed. Silvia Ragazzini Martelli & Luciano Martelli, Sissa, ITALY. 3. The Brain Wave, 2000, Ed. Prof. K. Jagannathan, Chennai, INDIA. 4. Poetry Bridge-in-Making Millennium : 2000, Ed. P. K. Majumder, Kolkata, INDIA. 5. Heaven, 2000, Ed. B. Dutta, Kolkata, INDIA. 6. Indian Poets United, 2000, Ed. M. B. Beg, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, INDIA. 7. Eta Otepa Tou Anemon, 2001, Ed. Dr. Danae G. Papastratou, Athens, GREECE. 8. Heaven, 2001, Ed. B. Dutta, Kolkata, INDIA. 9. The Road between Mountains, 2001, Ed. Dejan Bogojevic, YUGOSLAVIA. 10. We the World Poets, 2001, Ed. M. B. Beg, Orissa, INDIA. 11. Poetry Bridge-in Making, 2001, Ed. P. K. Majumder, Kolkata, INDIA. 12. Padus Amoenus Anthology, 2001, Ed. Silvia R. Martelli & Luciano Martelli, Sissa, ITALI. 13. Millennium Mood, 2001, Ed. Dr. C. L. Khatri, Bihar, INDIA. 14. Mukhor Hok Kabitar Mukh, 2002, Ed. S. Das, Kolkata, INDIA. 15. Mandakini, 2002, Ed. Dr. Mahashweta Chaturvedi, Uttarpradesh, INDIA. 16. Padus Amoenus, 2002, Ed. Silvia R. Martelli & Luciano Martelli, Sissa, ITALY. 17. Titiksha, 2002, Ed. Prof. Suresh Ch. Dwivedi, Allahabad, Uttarpradesh, INDIA. 18. Stars In Transition, 2002, Ed. Dr. V. S. Skandaprasad, Mangalore, Karnataka, INDIA. 19. Manjari Special Issue on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, 2002, Ed. S. Saha & Amit Pal, Kolkata, INDIA. 20. Pratibader Kavita, 2002, Ed. Apurba Goswami, Kolkata, INDIA. 21. Chhotoder Abriteer Class, 2002, Ed. A. Bandyopadhyay, Kolkata, INDIA. 22. Selected Poems of Contemporary International Poets (EnglishChinese), Dec. 2002, Ed. Dr. Zhang Zhi & Dr. Choi Laisheung, IPTRC, Chongquing City, P. R. CHINA. 23. Above Treetops, 2003, Ed. Dejan Bogojevic, YUGOSLAVIA. 24. I Vincitori Del 'Padus Amoenus', 2003, Ed. Silvia R. Martelli & Luciano Martelli, Sissa, ITALY. 25. Baxobharti Bachai Chhara, 2003, Ed. Tulsi Basak, Kolkata, INDIA. 140 26. Prufoker Gaan, 2003, Ed. S. S. Das, Kolkata, INDIA. 27. Mera Bharat Mahan, 2003, Ed. Biplab Majumdar (D.Litt.), Kolkata, INDIA. 28. Gendaishi - Kennkyuu, 2003-2007, Ed. Genzo Watanabe, Fukushima-Kenj, JAPAN. 29. Panathinea 2004, Ed. Chrissoula Varveri-Varra (D.Litt.), Athens, GREECE. 30. Millennium Peace, 2004, Ed. Paulose V. D., Assam, INDIA. 31. Fourth World of Poems, 2004, Ed. M. S. Venkataramaiah, Bangalore, Karnataka, INDIA. 32. Mon Jaha Chai, 2006, Ed. S. S. Das, Kolkata, INDIA. 33. Anthology of Poetry of Greek Literary Writers, 2007, Ed. Vassilik Kalahani, Kiato, GREECE. 34. Kavitanjali, 2007, Ed. S. S. Das, Kolkata, INDIA. 35. Contemparary Poets, 2007, Ed. M. S. Venkata Ramaiah, Bangalore, Karnataka, INDIA. 36. Shrestha Bhuter Galpo, 2007, Ed. U. Bijoli, Kolkata, INDIA. 37. Bhalobasar Dooi Diganta (Vol. 27), 2007, Ed. Amal Mukhopadhyay, Kolkata, INDIA. 38. Anthology of Indian Poetry, Perigramma, 2008, Ed. Dr. Danae G. Papastratou, Attens, GREECE. 39. Veyiolugum Kudisaigal (Leakage of Sunrays into the Huts), Tamil, 2008, Ed. M. Ramalingam, Pattukkotta, Tamilnadu, INDIA. 40. Angel of Muse, Aug. 2008, Ed. Dr. Zhang Zhi, Chongqing City, P. R. CHINA. 41. Nirbachita 200 Chhara, 2009, Ed. Keshabranjan Dey, Kolkata, INDIA. 42. Nirbachita Kavita Sankalan, 2009, Ed. Samir Roy, West Bengal, INDIA. 43. Kavita Samay Manushyattwa, Jan. 2009, Ed. S. Chattopadhyay & Amalendu Dey, Kolkata, INDIA. 44. Romanchakar Bhuter Galpo, 2009, Ed. U. Bijoli, Kolkata, INDIA. 45. Chhando Chhara, 2010, Ed. Samir Roy, W.B., INDIA. 46. Nirvachio Kavita Sankalan, 2010, Ed. Samir Roy, W.B., INDIA. 47. Poetry World, Vol. I, 2010, Ed. Ashis Sanyal & Partha Raha, Kolkata, INDIA. 48. Poetry World, Vol. II, 2011, Ed. Ashis Sanyal & Partha Raha, Kolkata, INDIA. 49. Francis Hopkinson, An Anthology in Memoriam, Nov. 2010, Ed. Grace A. Adele, USA. 50. Ekush Shataker Kavita, 2010, Ed. Biplab Majumdar & Jayanta Rashik, Kolkata, INDIA. 51. Sara Bangla Sahitya Utsav Sankalan, 2011, Publisher, Durgadas Midda, Kolkata, INDIA. 141 List o f AWARDS 1. The Grand Prize of Civilizing Olympiad, 1999, Athens, GREECE. 2. M. M. Award, 1999, Kolkata, INDIA. 3. Padus Amoenus, International Poetry Competition (First Prize, Silver Medal), 2000, Sissa, ITALY. 4. BPABEION Prize, 2000, Athens, GREECE. 5. BPABBIO Prize, 2000, Athens, GREECE. 6. Celebration of Poets Award, 2000, Athens, GREECE. 7. Honoured Poet, Purbasha, 2000, Assam, INDIA. 8. Award for Anthology, 2000, Athens, GREECE. 9. Dr. S. B. Smriti Award, 2001, Kolkata, INDIA. 10. 10 Premio F. C. (Silver Medal), 2001, Sissa, ITALY. 11. Hon. D.Litt., WAAC (UNESCO), 2001, USA. 12. E. E. A. Award, 2002, Athens, GREECE. 13. 70 P. L. Internazionale (Bronze Medal), 2002, Sissa, ITALY. 14. Honorary Member, Advisory Courcil, ANSTED UNIVERSITY, 2003, MALAYSIA. 15. Honoured at National Poets Conference, 2003, Kolkata, INDIA. 16. GOURANGA BHOWMIK Smriti Puraskar, 2003, Kolkata, INDIA. 17. Hon. Member International Society of Greek Writers LettersArts-Culture, 2003, Athens, GREECE. 18. MANASI Sahitya Samman, 2003, Kolkata, INDIA. 19. The Best Poet of 2002, 2003, P. R. CHINA. 20. The "GLAFKE" Award, 2003, Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA. 21. Decree of Merit, 2003, AUSTRIA. 22. 1st Prize in Int. Traditional Poetry Compt. 2003, Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA. 23. Padus Amoenus Silver Plated Memento, 2004, Sissa, ITALY. 24. BPABBIO Award, 2004, Athens, GREECE. 25. Celebration of Poets Award, 2004, Athens, GREECE. 26. Award for Editing the Best International Poetry Magazine IWA, 2004, USA. 27. Award for Anthology, 2004, Athens, GREECE. 142 28. PADUS AMOENUS Award, 2004, Sissa, ITALY. 29. Honorary KNIGHT, 2005, Gzira, MALTA. 30. A BPABEIO Award, 2005, Athens, GREECE. 31. ANUPATRI Maanpatra, 2005, West Bengal, INDIA. 32. Editor of the Best International Poetry Magazine, IPTRC, 2005, P. R. CHINA. 33. 10 Premio Speciale Estero Calcutta, 2005, Sissa, ITALY. 34. Hon. Member XASTERON Club, 2005, GREECE. 35. PADUS D'ORO, Gold Plated Memento, 2006, Sissa, ITALY. 36. Honoured by Edaning Nattogoshthi, 2006, Kolkata, INDIA. 37. BPABEION Award for 2006, Athens, GREECE. 38. KELAINO Award "Prize for your Spirit", 2006, GREECE. 39. Award for Editing the Best Magazine in India, IWA, 2006, USA. 40. 10 Premio Estero India, 2007, Sissa, ITALY. 41. SANGEET TARANGAA Literary Award, Kolkata, INDIA. 42. BPABEI0 Prize, 2007, Athens, GREECE. 43. Diploma of St. George in Locrida, 2008, Athens, GREECE. 44. Celebration of Poets Awards, 2008, Athens, GREECE. 45. Honoured by Austrian Poetry Circle, 2008, Vienna, AUSTRIA. 46. Settere Padus D'ore Memento, 2009, Sissa, ITALY. 47. Sahitya Gaurav Awards, 2009, Orissa, INDIA. 48. A. BPABEIO, ISGW&A, 2010, Athens, GREECE. 49. Vishistha Kavi Sambardhana, Pbngpks, 2010, Kolkata, INDIA. 50. Lifetime Achievemnet Award, Jan. 2010, International Poets Academy, Chennai, INDIA. 51. Samman Arghya, Roshni, 2011, Howrah, W.B., INDIA. 52. MANDAKINI Award, 2011, Bareilly, U.P., INDIA. 53. PADUS D'ORO A, 2011, Sissa, ITALY. 143 Selected Comments F Dear Dr. Biplab Majumdar, July 28, 2003 Thank you for sending me your poem book ''Mera Bharat Mahan''. I liked the poems particularly your poem ''Mera Bharat Mahan'' as in page 14. My greetings and best wishes to you. Yours Sincerely, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, PRESIDENT OF INDIA F Dr. Majumdar is an exceptionally gifted man, a poet and translator, who as I do, works untiredly for international cooperation and peace .......................... I wish to vouch for his integrity and his admirable and rare commitment to international understanding. Dr. Gustawa Stendig Lindberg, Chairperson - Miriam Felicia, Lindberg Memorial Foundation, ISRAEL F Your poems are very simple but very suggestive. They are pregnant with high philosophic insight like the experienced, old and wise men's sayings. Prof. Seiji Hino, JAPAN F It is a modern Upanishad. (About VIRTUES & VICES) M. Ramalingam, Ed. : Shine, INDIA F 25th Jan., 2010 ......... you are a rare genius, who really deserves all worldly exposure and encouragement to further touch the pinnacles of literary glory in the contemporary field of world poetry. Prof. Syed Ameeruddin, Founder-President, International Poets Academy, Chennai, INDIA jjjjj 144

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Poetic Perspective of BIPLAB MAJUMDAR

Poetic Perspective of BIPLAB MAJUMDAR

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