Litterateurs rejoice! I have a book of poetry to recommend to those who prefer the thought-provoking nuances that this medium of creative writing provides. And the book in question is Kahat Kabiran by Dr Rashmi Bajaj.
A bilingual poet and literary critic from Bhiwani in Haryana, Dr Bajaj calls herself the Kabiran in this case. Just like the visionary Kabir, she dares to call a spade a spade on all important issues, risking the benefits which can accrue to writers if they choose to be politically correct.
“Literature was my first love and writing are my greatest passion. I believe writing is a means of creating an egalitarian, humanitarian world where justice, freedom, and equality blend with love, peace, and harmony,” she shares emphatically.
She has authored seven books, six of which are collections of poetry, and one is a work of criticism. Her poetry collections have been hailed by eminent critics. Besides her creative writing, she has also penned “Women Indo-Anglian Poets: A Critique,” which was selected by the U.S. Library of Congress among the best publications in 1996.
“Even though I am a Professor of English, I have chosen the Hindi language as my medium of creative writing as I want to connect with a larger audience to work towards raising everyone’s consciousness on significant politico-socio-cultural issues. Women’s issues have majorly continued to be the focus of my writing. My first four published poetry volumes are exclusively dedicated to women’s issues. These include women and the identity crisis, rebellion against the oppressive, sexist, and misogynist socio-cultural ecosystem, and sending out a strong message of women empowerment,” she shares.
Her most recent work, Kahat Kabiran is a poetry collection of literary and socio-cultural significance and has rich research value due to the themes it highlights. The book contains 64 poems divided into four sections. Explaining its intent, she says, “I wish to leave behind a legacy of a fearless, radiant sun to dispel the all-consuming, all-enveloping darkness. My poems deal with varied themes including gender justice and women’s issues, the corona crisis, love, and the maladies in the current virulent Indian political landscape. The collection concludes with an important poem ‘Yatra Abhi Bahut Hai Baaki’ wherein I express my vision and resolution to work for creating a world where all lives matter.”
Since its release, the book has garnered appreciation from both eminent critics and general readers. Book reviews praising the poems have appeared in all leading national dailies in Hindi, and the book has been talked about in prestigious English papers and discussed even on significant national TV channels.
Dr Bajaj has published books at an interval of three to four years ever since she started writing. Kahat Kabiran was also published four years after her last work, Jurrat Khwaab Dekhne Ki, was released at the World Book Fair in 2018. She says though the poems were composed at different times, it took her a year to bring the book out in its present form.
When asked about challenges, she says, “The most formidable was the intellectual challenge. To write objectively in an ideology governed scenario and then go beyond existing stereotypes of poetry with its run-of-the-mill themes, were quite tough to deal with.”
Her publisher, Sanjay Kumar of Ayan Prakashan in New Delhi, was very supportive and provided the right amount of cooperation, and she is happy to have developed a cordial relationship with him. She is presently working on another collection of her poems as well as an important work of criticism on the New Theory of Feminism.
She ends by urging her readers to grab their copy of Kahat Kabiran, “The poem ‘Maine Khwab Dekha Hai’ is a very moving feminist poem from the collection which has drawn a lot of attention. The famous Bollywood actor Yashpal Sharma even released his evocative video recitation of this poem. This book is thematically different from my usual publications, and I feel my readers will feel enriched once they go through it. Kahat Kabiran is presently available for readers to buy on Amazon.”
Noor Anand Chawla pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com.