There is always a light

There is always a light
Don't be afraid if you are alone or surrounded by darkness. In some part of the world, the day has just begun. There is a always a light waiting for you to find your way to touch its radiance.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

That Poem Called Life

By Ananya Mukherjee
Singapore



Poetry is about finding life in the silence of sleepy summer afternoons in Delhi of the past, in murky flashes of lights in dingy pubs reeking of garlic, spices and tobacco, in the simple weaving of a humble weaver, in the gurgles of the bi-cycle tyres as they meander their ways through flooded Mumbai by-lanes....and if it is Gulzar, chances are you will find life in the imagery and visualise yourself as the protagonist sharing a parallel existence, living each moment of the metaphorical literary utopia while his deep throated voice resonates in your ears!

Rich in literary speech yet simplistic to the point of innocence, Gulzar’s musings are a treat to those craving for an intellectual stimulation as well as the ordinary man who yearns to express himself and capture the memories of human realisations in phrases and couplets.

In a 90-minutes poetry session at Singapore’s esteemed Esplanade Concert Hall, the poet and lyricist teams up with Pavan Varma, another literary genius and the Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, and encapsulates the essence of romance...towards life.  “Shayeri is about life,” the poet begins his session with the magical statement.

Needless to rationalise, his inspiration from the simple everyday business of life is well reflected in his writings. His metaphors leave the audience enthralled. From that night in the mountains where two waterfalls converse like two long lost rustic friends having suddenly met to finding the elixir of life in the birth of his grandchild, to the thoughts that burnt and continued to live amidst the ashes, his literary acumen emotes perfectly in harmony with the sensitive articulation of a poet, a lover, a father and a friend.

Pavan Varma does a fair job in translating some of Gulzar’s works in English for a wider audience, yet, somewhere between the lines, the beauty of the language is lost. His own sonnets from a collection called Yudhishthir and Draupadi are, however par excellence and take his insightful interpretation of an episode in Mahabharata to a new level. Gulzar’s transliteration of the collection recreates the charm in a new flavour retaining the essence of the original yet adding a personal tint to the analysis.  

At the end of the evening, as I have traversed miles in a parallel space with the duo, exploring various facets of human nature, relationships, articulating the innate unsaid feelings, contemporary and in reflection, am left with a mixed sense of contentment and a craving for more....and yes, his last poem “Meghna” does leave me with very moist eyes. 

23 comments:

  1. Lovely as your dark eyes..ur thought that u penned down here...

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  2. Ramyani Dasgupta SinhaNovember 12, 2011 at 6:54 PM

    lovely...

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  3. "Qatra qatra milti hain".....Ananya wonderful. Very much thoughtfully crafted. Thanks.

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  4. Brilliantly captured! Kudos!

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  5. A beautiful write-up, Ananya. I can well understand and visualize the effects he must have had on the crowd there. In fact I missed out a great chance when he and Jagjt Singh together had enthralled a crowd here a few months back.........that was the last, the duo had mesmerized with their shayaris and ghazals before Jagjit Singh's untimely death.

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  6. Heartfelt like the freshly laid flowers at an idol's feet!

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  7. Simply superb Ananya. It's my unfortunate luck to have missed yesterday's concert. As you know how much I love and respect Gulzar sahab's poetry. Ananya..... tui rupe gune shotty ananya...."

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  8. very beautifully written.....in one word "daroon"...nice to see ur lil mag again....was missing it....

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  9. artistically articulated as usual....u r taking urself to a diff level dear.....suggest sis, keep doing more and more.

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  10. Excellent one!!! keep uup the gud workk!!!

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  11. Very well written article Ananya!!! The heading itself summarises your thoughts. Absolutley loved it!

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  12. Loved reading........absolutely......Thanks fr sharing dearest Ann........

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  13. my poet..this sounds like a dream....was it...?...

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  14. After reading your article, I felt I was actually present there with you...and I am left "with a craving for more "!:-)

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  15. Sharmistha DuttaguptaNovember 13, 2011 at 3:46 PM

    Loved it!!! Gulzar is one of my favourites too:-)

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  16. Shabdo se bune jharne se aapne shabdo ko samjhaya.... I kept wondering whom to marvel- The Poet or the Writer :)

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  17. Lovely!!
    Glad to see you are back!!

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  18. the most soulful poetries i have ever heard and read....amazing man...

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  19. Excellent....Very thoughtful article.Moner madhurir anobodho shailpik nidorshan. Keep it up Ananya

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  20. when a poet interprets and presents another...this is what happens! loved it!

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  21. I was present therein the theatre on that evening, Annie's lyrical review reminds me after long 2 years of the joy I felt on that day being an indian. Annie gives me a glimpse of Jhumpa L at times.

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