Friday, February 9, 2018

Banaras And The Other By Ashwani Kumar

There is nothing lecherous about it(the book)... in fact Banaras is famed to be the city of salvation - where people come to die. I met Ashwani Kumar sir and his fun-loving personality coupled with his zestful frivolity immediately brought a connect.

His soul drives the wheels around(in the book) in different directions as it strives in search of meaning, it takes past nuances of great men and history and mythology and many such other works to derive and gain a sense of contentment and peace.



As I open the trench of knowledge, I'm embraced by the winds - influential and seductive as they appear to be, seem to tempt me to dip into the ocean and experience the impressions that Banaras has made on the poets senses and expressions.
In his book, Banaras and The Other - I not only visited Vara Nashi but also learnt the soul of the poem - " Anatomy of Baranassey" depicts a melodious Karuna - inflicted upon a life having smelt, seen, heard, touched and tasted the vibes of zillion deaths.
The morbid reality, which the city thrives upon that people from all over the world go there to die - to attain moksha - created (a serene polished illusion in the minds of visitors to the city ignorant about) the scars of undoable marks upon its inhabitants - one of which perhaps has been the poet.

Its beautiful!!
I learnt a lot from the " Saturn in the Sixth House" to the meaning of the words like perineum to waning moon 14th night of the Waning Moon to "spewed lies, more lies - until they became cobalt truths."

The quotes in the blank pages in this book is very thought provoking.

The poems breathe life into you as their groundedness bleeds out moments frozen that are 'dead' todayand yet due to the desirous hearts wanting that those moments be never forgotten create history books merely for awareness.

The phrase " Spat a mouthful of tobacco" was eye catching on page 17.

The "spirit" in the Lemonade B**ch (poem)

The thought fragrating mixed cultures and blurred identities in the "Second Portrait" is commendable.

The poems have a very vivid visual narrative too that turns the ignition of visual memory on.

Eye catchy as the visuals describe a ' moon lit darkness' with a ' hunt for dragonflies' in The Last Poem.

I adore the thought of " researching the DNA of our parents" the thought behind these words is very sharp in many selves.

Superb poem as it ended with  - I resembled you, I me and my many selves.

I learnt a new word today called Palaeontology, a branch of science studying fossils to learn about history of life on Earth.

A beautiful dedication made to Alan and Ghalib Khurdi, may their memories remain timeless within the pages of the book.

The feelings a reader voyages through whilst reading the poems in the book truly puts them into your element or your element into them.

I taste the playfulness of life, smell the frivolity in the words and I hear the living beats of your heart distinctly as my eyes read and browse further on.

The movement named 'Femen' is very provocative and interesting to hear about as people make their own life's purpose this one certainly goes back timelessly back to the ancient days.

Most of the poems in the book are of 'past time' thus setting the undertone as seemingly factual and incontrovertible.

There is a motley of lot of things put together in the book. The good part I'm pointing at is- it does not drill into or let the reader stay or even for a moment attach themselves to a belief or feeling.

'Eating Fathers Flesh' rebels a notion into a poem with life nuances that are dews of momentary experience.


With this I come to the end of my review. 

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