About FOOTPRINTS IN THE BAJRA (Cedar Books, New Delhi); By Nabina Das

"Fittingly for a poet, Nabina’s novel also has a strong lyrical core. 'Footprints in the Bajra' takes the homely image of the millet field as its central metaphor. ... But the novel is less a thriller about guerrilla action than a subtly colored character study of a fascinating group of individuals who intersect at various points in their lives ..." -- DEBRA CASTILLO, author, editor and distinguished professor (Cornell University, April 17, 2010).

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Footprints in the Bajra is a serious book that moves at a smart uncontrived pace. It voices deep concerns about how and why the deprived and the marginalized in certain parts of our country join the Maoist ranks; how they adopt desperate and often terrible measures to wrench justice and to make their voices heard... a confident debut novel, a good read, which will leave you with plenty to mull over. -- PRITI AISOLA, author (See Paris for Me, Penguin-India, 2009) in DANSE MACABRE XXXIV.

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In her debut novel, Nabina Das writes about an India where social divides stand taller than multistoried shopping malls. Footprints in the Bajra, inspired by what she saw while touring the interiors of Bihar as part of a travelling theatre group, inquires into why the Maoists have an influence over a large section of Indian society. Das talked to Uttara Choudhury in New York about her book, and its protagonist Muskaan -- DAILY NEWS AND ANALYSIS, Mumbai, March 28, 2010.

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"The interspersion of references from both the West and India do not clash. Shakespeare and Lazarus as reference points are brought in with ease, as also Valmiki and Goddess Chhinnamasta, and nothing jars ... The language is poetic and creates visual images of beauty and ugliness side by side." -- ABHA IYENGAR, poet (Yearnings: Serene Woods, 2010) and fiction writer in MUSE INDIA, May-Jun 2010


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Shwetank Dubey says Nabina Das ably recreates the milieu of Maoist-infested regions of India -- Nabina Das has chosen the first person account of narrating a story from the main characters of the novel, Nora the sheherwali (urban dweller), Muskaan the rebel, Suryakant Sahay the crafty clandestine planner and Avadhut the frontrunner of all the operations... the book deals with something that no urban resident is bound to know on his own — the life and times of people living in Maoist infested areas and why do they give in to the temptation provided by the Red Brigade. -- PIONEER newspaper, April 25, 2010.
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'"If you misrepresent them, they'll abduct and kill you," says Muskaan, our hostess'... goes the first line with which Nabina Das settles everything about her novel -- style, subject and pace... Excellent plotline. Wonderful detail. A beautifully crafted book. -- Karunamay Sinha; THE STATESMAN, Sunday supplement "8th Day", May 16, 2010.
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"This is bitter-sweet, if a rather longish tale of a modern-day Maoist revolution and the seeds of destruction and betrayal that lie embedded in it." -- Business World, May 17, 2010

Friday, April 17, 2009

Day 17: “All I want is You”

Here was the Day 17 prompt: "For today's prompt, I want you to write a poem with the following title: "All I want is (blank)," where you fill in the blank with a word or phrase of your choosing. Some example titles, then, could be: "All I want is to eat fried chicken"; "All I want is world peace"; "All I want is for everyone to tell me I'm beautiful"; or "All I want is a handful of quarters." Read more at: April PAD Challenge: Day 17


“All I want is You”

On the sepia pages a never-ending story
On my cherry desk an ink inscribing only deep love
On the swept porch a wind-chime speaking your voice
On my head, a swear word, a mouthful, I’d never want to forget!

In the placid shower a purer Ganga streaming
In my photoshopped dreams a bright collage unpainted
In the night sky a foreign moon crafted of unknown softness
In the mornings a ray bright enough lighting up all three worlds!

By my running gear the throb of your heart
By my coffee cup an addiction stranger and darker
By the roadside a pretty pebble for my diamond-less ring
By my side your face, a legend that says Shakespeare’s never been in love!

All I want is you.


Image from the Internet: Girl Before A Mirror by Picasso
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4 comments:

gulnaz said...

wow nabina enchanting lines!!

April 19, 2009 at 12:47 PM
fleuve-souterrain said...

I'm glad you liked the poem Gul. Have missed your presence here...!

April 20, 2009 at 5:28 PM
Anonymous said...

Aha A lovely soothing poem . absolute delight

In my photoshopped dreams a bright collage unpainted

wow .. you rock sweetheart.. write on. YAY!

April 22, 2009 at 8:45 AM
fleuve-souterrain said...

Tiku
that's my fav line too:)
Glad you liked it. Followed your advice to write a soft nice poem...

April 22, 2009 at 2:32 PM

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