पंजाब केसरी के Youth Today में एक साक्षात्कार

आज ( 9 जुलाई, 2019) के पंजाब केसरी के Youth Today में मेरा एक साक्षात्कार।
राकेश शर्मा जी का बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद।http://mpaper.punjabkesari.com/…/09-07-2019-Punjab-Kesari-Y…

Between Creator and Creation: In Love With Simran- A Romantic Thriller

Between Creator and Creation: In Love With Simran- A Romantic Thriller: I picked In Love With A Simran by Kulpreet Yadav taking it as a romance novel but in a few pages it became apparent that it was a...

In Love With Simran- A Romantic Thriller

I picked In Love With A Simran by Kulpreet Yadav taking it as a romance novel but in a few pages it became apparent that it was a fast paced thriller or say a romantic thriller.

The story begins with a short conversation in a class and then between two friends: Simran and Sanjana. And before the reader can establish who the Simran is, she is murdered and her best friend Sanjana takes the charge of story.

Sanjana comes to know that her friend was in love with a rich, successful business man Nik Sethi. And he becomes her prime suspect. When she finds the police is dilly-dallying the investigation, she sets out on a journey of investigation, revenge and love. It is her journey that gives readers goose bumps.

In her search for killers Sanjana faces many threats and encounters fake policemen, goons, Nik’s security and staff- all trying their best to hide the truth. To look for help she has only an ailing mother and that too in a distant city. But Sanjana refuses to end her search and is ready to put herself in the hands of trouble and death. Will Sanjana succeed in finding the killer of her friend, is the question that takes the story ahead.

The writer may have started it as a romantic novel, but like his most of the earlier books, he ended up writing another thriller. The language is simple and characters, be it Simran whose appearance is very short, Sanjana and Nike Sethi succeed in establishing connection with readers.

Yet, I feel it could have been better, particularly the middle part and last few pages. Nevertheless, the story holds the reader’s attention till the end. If you love racy thrillers, this one is for you.  

Rapescars …a sensitive issue dealt with empathy and finesse

Nowadays, most of us write or try to write what people will like or enjoy reading. But Gaurav Sharma is one writer, who still believes that writing can change the society. Therefore he picks up a subject that is confronting our society. He says rather it is a subject that picks him up to write on it
.
The issue of rape and sexual harassment is not a new thing, we have been regularly and consistently struggling to deal with this menace, and it has not been very long we witnessed tragic and barbaric Nirbhaya incident.

Gaurav Sharma’s second novel, Rapescars… deals with this sensitive issue but from a different point of view. The story not only deals with this social malaise but also the side-effects of it such as trauma, stigma, public disapproval and then life-long psychological and mental struggle for the survival.

As the story begins Akriti and Raman appear like any normal couple, and we find a romantic story in progress. As a reader I thought there would be an attack by an unknown person. But story takes a sudden turn and leaves us grasping.

Though we never come to know why Raman did what he did, we find a girl who is not going to let him get off easily. And when he is nailed and is about to receive the punishment, she feels the quantum of punishment is nominal in comparison to what she has gone through. So she decides to intervene and proposes marriage with her rapist. Incredulous isn’t it? Yes, it is but story doesn’t end with marriage, it only takes an interesting turn.

And if you want to know what happened thereafter you must read this book, Rapescars…

You may not agree with writer’s conclusion but Akriti’s point of view may compel you to understand a victim’s psychology. It does create some unease but Akriti’s character is strong and keeps the reader attached to her. The language of the book is simple, flawless and gripping. It is not a voluminous book and can be finished in a few sittings.

My congratulations to Gaurav Sharma for handling such a sensitive issue with empathy and finesse.

पाठकों के दिल को जो छू ले: "मधुकर और मैं..."

वैसे तो मैं कोशिश करता हॅूं कि प्रत्येक वर्ष कम से कम 50 पुस्तकें पढ लूं। इस दृष्टिकोण से 2018 का वर्ष निराशाजनक रहा है। मैं लगभग दस पुस्तक ही पढ़ पाया होगा। परन्तु इन दस में से कुछ पुस्तकें अविस्मरणीय हैं, और उनमें एक है कुसुम तिवारी की कविताओं का संग्रह, 'मधुकर और मैं...'

एक समय था जब मैं बहुत कविताएं पढ़ता था, परन्तु पिछले कुछ सालों में उसमें बहुत कमी आयी है और उसका कारण उपन्यास और प्रेरणादायी पुस्तकें हैं। एक कारण और है कि ऑनलाइन इतनी कविताएं पढ़ने का मिल जाती है कि पुस्तक खरीदने की नौबत ही नहीं आती। परन्तु किसी कवि के बारे में कोई राय बनाने के लिए आपकों उनकी सारी रचनाओं को या जितनी भी हो सके, एक साथ, तन्मयता के साथ पढ़ना होता है।

"मधुकर और मैं..." शुरू करते ही मैं इसमें ऐसे खोया कि याद ही न रहा कितने पृष्ठ पढ़ डाला एक बार में। "मधुकर की व्यथा" से शुरू हुई थी बात और "गोपियों की याचना" पर आ गई: "सोलह सहस्त्र बृज बालाएँ

थी खड़ी भुजाएँ फैलाएँ

अंगों का कर स्पर्श मधुर

था दिया वचन तुमने मधुकर"

कुछ याद आया आपको? मुझे ऐसा लगा कि मैं सूरदास का उद्धव-गोपी संवाद पढ़ रहा हॅूं और गोपियां उद्धव से कह रही हैं,   

"अँखियाँ हरि दरसन की प्यासी ।
देख्यौ चाहतिं कमलनैन कौं, निसि-दिन रहतिं उदासी ॥

भाव चाहे वही हो, भाषा की नूतनता लुभावनी है। यही कारण है कि संग्रह की शुरूआत में ही आप मधुकर के प्यार में डूब जाते हैं और किसी गोपी की विरह बार-बार आपको उद्वेलित करती है।  

कहीं तो ऐसा लगा कि एक दूसरी मीरा बाई से मिल रहा हूं जो मधुकर के प्यार में फिर से सुधबुध खो बैठी है:

इन उठती गिरती साँसों के

स्पंदन का मूल्य चुकाना है,

निराकार में लय होने से

पूर्व मुझे अपनाना है,

हे...मधुकर तुमको आना है.....

इस प्रेमालाप में विघ्न तब आया जब अचानक "मैं" और उसकी दुनिया बीच में आ गई:

मैं आईना हूँ

मुझमें तुम्हें अपना

हर वो रंग नजर आएगा...

और ऐसे में मुझे मधुकर से दूर जान बहुत खला। पर यह सही भी है क्योंकि जीवन मधुकर से परे भी है और इस मैं में दुःख-सुख से भरी एक विशाल दुनिया है:

ली करवट हवा ने अचानक यॅूं सहसा।

सम्हल भी ना पाई लगा घाव ऐसा।

गिरी टूटकर वो जमीं पर कुछ ऐसे।

गिरा हो धरा पर गगन चाँद जैसे।  

बदलती हवा कुछ भी ला सकती है। वह प्यार, महोब्‍बत के बदले त्रासदी, दु:ख, वेबफाई, दर्द भी ला सकती है:

"फि़र दर्पण कोई टूटा है

फ़िर ख्‍वाब किसी का टूटा है...

भाषाई दृष्टिकोण से तो मैंने इसे पढ़ा ही नहीं या कभी मुझे उसकी जरूरत ही नहीं पड़ी। कुसुम जी हिन्दी की प्रोफेसर हैं, पर भाषा की सरलता और तरलता में उनकी विद्वता कहीं बाधा नहीं बनती है। कविताएं पहाड़ी नदियों की तरह बड़ी सरलता के साथ-साथ कलकल करती, बाधाओं से टकराती बहती जाती हैं और कहीं अचानक खाई आ जाने पर निर्मल झरने की गुनगुनाहट ही नहीं बल्कि मधुर दृश्य भी उत्पन्न करती है।

कविता प्रेमियों के लिए "मधुकर और मैं..." सचमुच सब रसों से परिपूर्ण एक दावत है, मैं तो यही कहूंगा कि आप हरगिज इंकार न करें। यह रहा उनका निमंत्रण:  

"कवयित्री नहीं हॅूं मैं

स्नेह और प्यार रखती हॅूं

पाठकों के दिल को जो छू ले

वो भावों का संसार रखती हॅूं...

एक पाठक के रूप में कुसुम जी को बहुत-बहुत बधाई देता हॅूं और उम्मीद करता हॅूं कि जल्द ही उनकी और रचनाएं पढ़ने को मिलेगी।  

From-Bitter the Heart, Sweeter the Cry

From Bitter the Heart, Sweeter the Cry

Another Poem from The First Step

The First Step is available on: https://www.flipkart.com/the-first-step/p/itmf5tfxfwajsgxk?pid=9789387916029

Dung Cake- A poem from The First Step

The First Step is available on  https://www.flipkart.com/the-first-step/p/itmf5tfxfwajsgxk?pid=9789387916029

https://www.amazon.in/dp/9387916022/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_U_QxIiBb5JVFYA6

Musings from a reporter’s diary

In November 2001 I joined an English Daily in Jammu. It was my first job as a journalist and I was so excited. But it didn't take me long to realize that of course I was in a beautiful place but it was a terrible time, which of course continues even today. The poem, it may not be a perfect one but first of its kind, tells what I witnessed very next month i.e. December 2001, the month and year parliament was attacked.

Musings from a reporter’s diary

December 1: Six members of Village Defence Committee
And four members of minority community
Were not spared to see another day.
And a major with his team on their way

Fought and fought till they were eroded.
In Kashmir 41 got hurt when grenade exploded.
December 3: One BSF Jawan became the target
When there was a blast in the market.

In Srinagar six Army men were killed,
Usual for a paradise-turned-battle field.
December 4: Gun fight gulped two army personnel
Who had gone to look for a mail.

December 5: Militants killed a judge in Rajouri
Along with 3 others and felt no sorry.
December 7: Two army men were gunned down.
And a house of a policeman was blown.

December 8: “Heavy Indo-Pak firing claims innocent lives,
Twenty-seven get injured and nine dies.”
December 11: Militants injured two security men
When they tried to catch them in vain.

December 12: “At R S Pura border fire Pakistani rangers
Killing one and injuring many others.”
December 13: Blackest day in the history of a democratic nation
Parliament attacked in an undemocratic fashion.

In Jammu 26 blasts rocked Kanachak sector,
A suicide attack on BSF camp was another matter.
December 15: Total eliminated were more than thirteen,
Leaders, Jawans, ultras and a boy of sixteen.

Four ultras captured in the rally
50 kg RDX seized in the valley.
December 17: On the occasion of the Id
One tahshildar became shaheed.

December 19: Fifty eight escaped death
When enemies in wrath
Tried to kill, but one met
What was forced in his fate.

December 20: Infiltration bid was foiled
When for days army toiled
And recovered some explosive,
But two died for not being apprehensive.

December 22: They killed six women
As if they butchered some hens.
And four men were left to die
In chilling cold under the open sky.

December 23: Three BSF men sacrificed their lives
Without caring for their kids and wives.
The day sent away three more brothers
One was ordinary and two were leaders.

December 24: Two army personnel sent back to the creator,
One injured at Sondodi under Samba sector.
December 25: For days continued firing across the border
Two jawans, 2 men and a woman- was death’s order.

December 26: Militants attacked an army camp and a van
And killed three army and two ordinary men.
Life in this paradise continued to be hellish,
When living is difficult, how can you relish?

December 27: A senior IPS officer had a narrow escape
When his van crashed at a narrow shape.
Twenty nine got injured when a bus
Driver lost his ability of minus and plus.

December 28: There seems no end of strife.
In Srinagar six lost their lives:
One was licence holder
Five were foreigners.

December 29: Clash continues for days
No trace of hopeful rays.
Ten people were injured
As a grenade militant hurled.

December 30: At one place a family lost its four earning members.
At other Army men were attacked in a blatant manner:
Six civilians got hurt but four militants eliminated.
Besides under an avalanche 3 BSF men got buried.

December 31: The year’s end was not the end of people’s misery
It eliminated thousands of lives and people’s treasury.
When the sun will rise and we will realize sunrays’ worth?
Or will remain in the darkness this paradise on earth?

December 2001/January 2002

The First Step

Good news is that The First Step has been published and is now available online and in bookstores. The online link is https://www.flipkart.com/the-first-step/p/itmf5tfxfwajsgxk…

The First Step

Finally, my first collection of poems, The First Step has been published. It will be available Online and in Bookstores from 31st May, 2018.

Love Forever@ Rajpath

           If anything that excites us more than or equal to our school or college days, that is our first job. And if this new beginning is coupled with another one, say, we find the love of our life, then it becomes the focal point of life. Love Forever @ Rajpath by Kalpana Mishra begins its journey from this point and gives it such a twist that readers remain hooked to it till the end.  

As story unfolds, we find curiosity bug making some young men uneasy to discover all about the new entrants in their service, an office of one of the ministries of Government of India. And we are introduced to Kartik, a dynamic but introvert guy. Then there is only girl in the new batch Shalini, who soon becomes the centre of attraction for everyone.   

Coincidently, I started my career also almost at the same time, in 2003, and in the same kind of set up. Not only that, like the male protagonist of the novel, Kartik, I also hail from Bihar. So while reading the book, it was like looking back and trying to recall if I knew them. Not only the descriptions of government set-up but also the life styles of the both characters, particularly the idiosyncrasy of the Bihari boy, his family background, kidnapping scenes became alive for me and I could see the characters moving around. 

I had been attracted to this book at the very first glance because I had also named my first novel Love@... But at the eleventh hour I changed it to A Rose on The Platform. I apprehended that we might have the similar kind of stories. Then I came in contact with the author Kalpana Mishra through the Facebook and decided to read it.

And I am glad to read it.  It is an interesting book.

The most of the events take place in Delhi and anyone who lives in Delhi can easily connect to it. The story flows smoothly and doesn’t promise anything out of the world. It is grounded and makes us part of it. We become characters and feel their joy and pain.

It has been drafted in a very well planned manner, language crispy and to the point. It makes an interesting reading and I would recommend it to anyone who loves romance novels. 

|Book :  Love Forever@ Rajpath

Author: Kalpana Mishra

Publisher: Srishti Publishers, Delhi 

Aatm-Sakshatkar Abhi Baki Hai… Answering the perennial questions…

 

       

These days we often hear that poetry is dying out, no one reads poetry and no one buys poetry books. The last one may be a bit true, as we hardly buy a book of poems but neither it is dying out nor it has any dearth of readers. And poets, their number is flourishing like never before. Question though there is one: how many of them write good poetry, poetry that will survive the test of time?

      Well, frankly speaking, apart from my college days I have never bought a book of poems. Last time, I had bought a collection of poems was a decade ago. It is more or less due to online availability of poems, and also because my office library, parliament library, has reach collection of books. But anyway, I never gave up reading poetry.

Recently, I bought a book, Aatm-sakshatkar Abhi Baki Hai…, after reading a poem from it on Facebook. Though Vikash Bhattacharya has been a Facebook friend for quite a long time, I didn’t know him personally.

      But I am happy not only to read his book but also to have a friend like him, who is a genius and a multi-talented person.

      I would call Aatm-Sakshatkar Abhi Baki Hai… a collection of gems. It reminded me of poems by Bhavani Prasad Mishra, the noted Hindi poet.

Vikash pours out his heart into his poems. And emotion flows like a river in the summer, cool and calm yet reminding us of its flow, its breathing and its deepness.  

     The success of these poems lies in its flow, its simplicity and simple words, and then without difficulty their ability to tell us the most complicated aspects of the life. The Poet is so fascinated with life that he keeps on questioning about several aspects of it, though at heart, he knows that these questions have never been answered. No, he doesn’t philosophize; he tells us the plain truth through his own experiences.

     What strikes me most is that many of his poems, directly or indirectly, talk about the ultimate truth of our life- death. I did ask him, why so many poems on it.   ‘Death intrigues me,’ was his reply. And it is quite visible throughout the book. But beauty of it is that he doesn’t make us sad about it. 

     Poems like Ye Reteeli Zindgi… (The Sandy Life), Shav Yatra (Funeral Procession), Mrituy (Death), Sadak Durghatna (Road accident), Samay ka Chakra (The Wheel of Time) etc talk about the grim realities of our life.

    What is more interesting is that a poem, Meri Priyatma (My Beloved), which we may take as a romantic one, and  in fact it is as long as we don’t go into the deeper meaning of it, also talks about the ultimate truth.

      It has been after quite a long time, I have read such beautiful and intriguing poems. I am more than happy to recommend this book to readers, especially poetry lovers. And I think smooth flow of these poems will take them along nicely, giving them soothing pleasures and some new perspectives to their otherwise mundane life.  

Details:
Book: Aatm Sakshatkar Abhi Baki Hai...
Poet: Vikash Bhattacharya

Publisher: Zorba Books

Genre: Poetry 

Language: Hindi

Available on: Amazon.in; Zorbabooks.com and book stores

The Girl Who Loved A Spy

        For last three or four years, I have been trying to read all kinds of books, expanding my world beyond the horizon of literary books.  And to my surprise, the spy novels and thrillers have surreptitiously but very beautifully made a niche for themselves in my heart. A little credit for this goes to my first failed attempt to write a thriller.  Without being a good reader, one cannot be a good writer. Better the book, greater the chances of improvement.

      The Girl Who Loved A Spy by Kulpreet Yadav is one such book. This is the third book in the Andy Karan series and I have been waiting eagerly for this after reading the second book in the series, The Girl Who Love a Pirate, in early 2016.

     Set in Delhi NCR, Rewari and Mumbai, it is certainly a gem for the lovers of spy novels. The story begins with the murder of a drunkard in a village in Rewari and it immediately sets the pace to the story as the murder raises a question why someone would kill a poor drunkard man.

     As Andy sets out on the mission, his boss Monica seems too concerned for him, hinting a brewing love in her heart for the smart and dashing spy and adding another twist to the story. Andy has an insurmountable challenge because his gut feeling is that a sinister plan is being hatched against the country and soon he discovers it.

A more determined Andy continues on the mission despite several warnings, dangers, murders and withdrawal of permission to investigate the matter. Monica doesn’t want to put his life in danger. But Andy is an Army man to the core and he cannot leave the nation in danger.

         Kulpreet Yadav moves with his story in a very immaculate manner and his style is so flawless that it keeps readers hooked to the end of the story. He keeps his language simple and his sentences are short and neat not leaving any space for the ambiguity.

        The Girl Who Loved a Spy is a treat for those who love thrill and suspense. 

About the book:

Title: The Girl Who Loved a Spy

Publisher:  Rumour Books India

Author:  Kulpreet Yadav

First Edition:  2016

Price: Varies from seller to seller (originally priced Rs.199)

The First Step

Ten years ago, I selected 50 poems that I considered were good ones from my coffer of published or unpublished poems and made a collection and named it 'The First Step'. It was entitled so, simply because of two reasons. First, it was going to be my first published book and second, it had a poem, The First Step, which was written when my daughter started to walk. Now, finally after lying in shelf for 10 years, it is going to be published.  So the first poem of the collection is: 

Yes, Life is What We Make it

   I don’t know if it is a mere coincidence or luck but it is happening with me. Last month, after a break of more than four months, I decided to go on reading spree. I picked up three books, taking them guaranteed for their similarity. But no, each one of them was unique, poles apart in subject matter. I have already written about two, here is third one, Life is What You Make it by Preeti Shenoy. I have been following her, reading reviews of her books but unable to read any, just because my wish list was already very long and then in between I kept picking books recommended by friends, social media etc. As she has written many books, I wasn’t sure for which one I should go. I followed a friend’s suggestion. And it was indeed a good one.  

Life is What you Make it begins like a usual, popular love story and just after a few pages I was sure how it was going to end. Nonetheless, I was enjoying it, as I love romantic novels, when suddenly it shattered my perspective and took hold over me by its narrative. I hadn’t expected such a sharp turn in the middle of the story. Of course, there is mention of mental illness in the prologue, but the way the story turned was beyond my imagination.

Life if full of surprises, no doubts about that. Tide may turn either way, it can take you in or it may throw you out. But once you are in, into the deep water, it’s all up to your courage and conviction, your ability to fight and to struggle, and your desire to keep yourself alive. And that is what happens with Ankita Sharma, the protagonist of the novel. She is a disciplined, obedient girl who wants to excel in life. But a small passage of love in her life changes the course of her life. Had only she listened to her inner voice, it could have been altogether a different story. But that what we call the destiny.

A sensitive issue has been dealt in the most sophisticated manner. It is a book that gives us hope: hope to survive, hope to struggle; how to be winner, how to find alternatives and above all hope to not to be hopeless. Also it warns us not to be blind to follow a race: race for materialistic life or for dreams or for wealth or for happiness. This is my conclusion as a reader, writer’s perspectives or yours may vary.  But it is a good book. The readers looking for an intense love story may face disappointment but those who just want to read a good story will certainly enjoy it.

Preeti Shenoy is author of many books. Apart from Life is What You Make It, her other books are 34 Bugglegums and Candies, Tea For Two and A Piece of Cake, The Secret Wish List and The One You Cannot Have, It Happens For a Reason, Why We Love The Way We Do and most recent one is It’s All in the Planets. She is also an artist and is based in Bangalore.

Love in The Exile - Surkhet Valley to Kathmandu

            As my eyes fell on the piles of the printed copies of my first novel A Rose on The Platform, I noticed another stack of books, which had been printed and brought along with my book for the distribution. The first impression that the title of the book, The Exile, left on my mind was that it might be a political story.  Then I noticed that the writer, Bir Singh, was from Nepal. I felt an immediate affinity. Nepal has been almost a second home to me. Not only that I have many relatives over there but also my only sister is married to a Nepali. I have spent some memorable moments in bordering areas of Nepal during my growing up years.

Though from the day one I noticed the book, I wanted to read it, it took me a few months as I had been busy promoting my own book. Now when I have finished reading it, I really feel good that I read this book. It was a refreshing experience. I have read a few books and stories in Nepali but not anything written by a Nepali writer in English.

After knowing that writer was a Nepali, my impression about the book that it might be a political story got more solid as Nepal has been witnessing continuous political turmoil for many years now. But I was wrong.

The story of exile is very simple. It is a love story of two teenagers belonging to two different castes: Ruplal is a lower caste and Keshari is from upper caste. Finding that the guardian of social barriers would never concede their union, they elope from a small hilly village in Surkhet Velly to the largest city and capital of the country, Kathmandu.
What they had thought would be a simple way to start a new life, turns out to be an awful journey. Naïve and simple, as they are, they are cheated and rejected by the clever and dishonest city people. Not only that even to find a house, Ruplal has to struggle a lot. These simple and small incidents have been narrated in such a flawless and lucid manner, it grips readers mind immediately. The writer doesn’t intend to talk big things, he simply concentrates on very mundane and small steps, incidents of our day to day life; how two teenagers unaware of city life, the boy is only high school educated and girl is illiterate, struggle to find a house, to find a job, to deal with people etc. But these simple things underline brutal and tragic aspect of social evils that have been plaguing our societies, particularly Hindu society, for centuries. And even big city like Kathmandu is not an exception.
When I asked the writer whether it was a real story, he responded positively, ‘The story it narrates is realistic. It is based on a few events that occurred in my native village. Such events are almost frequent in our country, Nepal. Some five months ago, in the neighbouring district of Kathmandu they killed a boy of early twenties who being a dalit eloped with a Brahman girl. Situation is still horrible in Nepal.’

Then at the end of the story, after many years of his arrival in Kathmandu, the protagonist of the novel visits his village Gandapani though in the darkness of the night. What he finds there terrifies him. The protectors of caste had not only destroyed his home but also the lives that had nourished him. And Keshari too had lost so many things. He somehow places her letter to her mother at her brother’s house, in which she, who has by now learned to read and write, opens her heart to her mother, the story of her elopement with Ruplal.

The writer believes that writing can change the society. ‘Of course, it does. Writing can bring about a desired change in the society. It pokes the ear of stake holders, politicians and phenomenally the media persons who propagate the issue raised by a writer. When the issue airs around everyone, it creates discussion that definitely finds solution.’

Bir Singh has certainly made a place among emerging writers in Nepal writing in English. By profession, he is a teacher and lives in Kathmandu. Though he started writing long back 1982, this is his first attempt in English, which is certainly remarkable and worth reading, and more so if you (Indians) want to know what is going on in your neighbouring country. His other books are in Nepali, which include Chetana, Pradesi, Abhiyan and Andheri Raat.

About the Book:
Title: The Exile
Writer: Bir Singh (Kathmandhu, Nepal)
Publisher: Mahaveer Publisher, Delhi.
First Edition: 2016
Price: £5.95 $ 7.99
Available on Amazon and Leading book stores in Nepal