I A PE N

Saraswati Nagar, Itaba-pipra Road,

Pipra, P.O. : Dumri, Dist. : Begusarai, Bihar - 851 117, India
Poetic Perspectives of
BIPLAB MAJUMDAR
Edited by :
Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary
POETI C PERSPECTI VES OF BI PLAB MAJ UMDAR
A critical anthology on the works of Biplab Majumdar
Edited by
DR. ARBIND KUMAR CHOUDHARY
ISBN : 978-81-906165-6-0
Author
First Publication :
10th January 2012
Publisher :
IAPEN
Saraswati Nagar, Itaba-pipra Road, Pipra,
P.O. : Dumri, Dist. : Begusarai, Bihar - 851 117, India
Printer :
VIJAY PRINTING WORKS
Begusarai, Bihar - 851 101, India
Price :
100, US$ 5
Dedicated
to
All thePoets
and
Poetry Lovers
Cont ent s
Biplab Majumdar
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY ........................................................ 7
AN INTERVIEW.............................................................. 9
Articles
PROF. SURESH CHANDRA DWIVEDI
THE RAYS OF TRUTH IN BIPLAB MAJ UMDAR'S EPIPHANIES ...... 16
DR. ARBIND KUMAR CHOUDHARY
POETIC PERSPECTIVES OF BIPLAB MAJ UMDAR ......................... 23
DR. MAHASHWETA CHATURVEDI
BIPLAB'S ISLAND DOLPHIN SONGIS AN INSPIRATION TO
HUMAN HEARTS .......................................................................... 31
THE HAIKUS OF "GOLDEN HORIZON" .......................................... 33
DR. RAM SHARMA
DIFFERENT SHADES OF LIFE AS DEPICTEDBY BIPLAB MAJ UMDAR
IN HIS POETRY VOLUME 'GOLDEN HORIZON' .............................. 37
M. S. VENKATA RAMAIAH
VIRTUES & VICES : TOWERINGLITERATURE WITH THE ESSENCE OF
PHILOSOPHY ................................................................................. 44
PROF. P. V. LAXMI PRASAD
BIPLAB MAJ UMDAR'S "ISLAND'S DOLPHIN SONG" .................... 48
HAIKU AS ACCOMPLISHED PHILOSOPHY IN BIPLAB MAJ UMDAR'S
"GOLDEN HORIZON" ........................................................................ 52
ANTARYAMI SAHU
BIPLAB MAJ UMDAR'S "GOLDEN HORIZON" ................................... 59
JASVINDER SINGH
CHARMINGFREE VERSES .............................................................. 62
BIPLAB MAJ UMDAR : A POET PAR EXCELLENCE ........................... 64
NALINI SHARMA
BIPLAB MAJ UMDAR : AN APPRAISAL OF HIS POETRY ................... 68
DR. MANORANJAN DAS
PERCEPTUAL TRUTH IN BIPLAB MAJ UMDAR'S POETRY ................ 78
SHALEEN KUMAR SINGH
KALEIDOSCOPIC COLORS OF SPIRITUALITY IN GOLDEN HORIZON.. 89
DR. SUNITA JAKHAR
GOLDEN HORIZON : THE SLIM COLLECTION OF HAIKUS ................ 92
PURNIMA RAY
ISLAND'S DOLPHIN SONG: A POETRY PAR EXCELLENCE .............. 94
PROF. KURT F. SVATEK
BIPLAB MAJ UMDAR : A POET OF BEAUTY ANDEXCELLENCE ....... 107
BERNARD M. JACKSON
VIRTUES & VICES : IT IS A VERITABLE CELEBRATION OF
LIFE ITSELF ...................................................................................... 112
MERA BHARAT MAHAN : AN ANTHOLOGY OF POEMS ................... 115
PATRICIA PRIME
VIRTUES & VICES : AN EXCELLENT MANOEUVRE OF
HUMAN VALUES .............................................................................. 119
PROF. KAZUYOSI IKEDA
VIRTUES & VICES : A SUPERB POETRY BOOK, SINGINGOF ETHICS
AND MORALS IN HUMAN LIFE ........................................................ 123
GOLDEN HORIZON : AN EXCELLENT COLLECTION OF
ENGLISH HAIKU ............................................................................... 126
MERA BHARAT MAHAN : AN ANTHOLOGY OF POEMS ................... 134
About the author
LIST OF SOME BOOKS ......................................................137
LIST OF SOME MAGAZINES ...................................................138
LIST OF ANTHOLOGIES ..........................................................140
LIST OF AWARDS ...................................................................142
SELECTEDCOMMENTS ..........................................................144
7
BI PLAB MAJ UMDAR, D. Litt, Honoured KNIGHT, is
one of the brilliant stars in Asian poetic firmament. Born in
Kolkata, India on 10th January, 1966 has attained a phenomenal
meteoric rise in his literary career. He has written nearly 70
books on poetry, prose, rhyme, translation, research works, novels
, short story etc. Most of his works are in Bengali, his mother
tongue.
He is a Forensic Document Examiner by profession.
Biplab Majumdar - a living literary legend - a prolific
source of creative cascades revered and adored all over the
world for his multifaceted literary talent . He wrote his first
poem at the age of 12, but his first book "Kichu Sadharan
Kavita" was published at 31 (1997).
8
His poems have been published in Bengali, English,
Assamese , Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telegu, Kannada,
Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Hebrew, French, Japanese, Chinese,
Maltese, Spanish, Serbian, Russian, German, etc. languages in
India , Greece, Italy, Austria , Germany, Japan, Australia,
Argentina, China, Brazil, .Malta, England, Yugoslavia etc.
countries.
For his outstanding contribution to literature he has
received more than 50 awards from different parts of the
globe. Some of his exceptional awards are :
K The Grand Prize of Civilizing Olympiad, 1999, Athens,
GREECE.
K Padus Amoenus , 2000, sissa, ITALY.
K Hon. D. Litt, 2001, WAAC, (UNESCO), USA.
K The Best Poet of 2002, 2003 P.R. CHINA
K The Glafka, 2003 SOUTH AFRICA.
K Decree of Merit, 2003, AUSTRIA.
K Honorary KNIGHT. 2005, MALTA.
K Golden Padus D'ORO. 2009, ITALY, etc.
Some of his famous works are Golden Horizon, Jhara
Bakuler Swapney, Locker Rahasya, Murder in Victoria, Virtues
& Vices etc.
Biplab Majumdar, a dedicated and tireless worker of
literature and international understanding, has been successfully
editing " SAHITYA UTSAV" (Bengali) and "VOICE OF
KOLKATA" (English) , two literary magazines since last 12
years.
He is the founder of "International Poetry Society of
Kolkata, India".
"Global love, peace and brotherhood through poetry and
literature" is the mission in his life.
Address :
BIPLAB MAJUMDAR, 3/34, SURYANAGAR, Kolkata-40, INDIA
Cell- 98040 39249 E-mail : biplab66@gmail.com
9
BI PLAB MAJ UMDAR
in an interview with
Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary
Editor - Ayush & Kohinoor
J When did you write your first poem?
I wrote my first poem at the age of twelve. That has been lost,
never published. Subsequently when I was 18, I felt a
tremendous attraction to compose poems from the deepest core
of my heart.
J Do you have the reminiscences of Childhood days?
I was born in a middle class family. During my childhood I
was very naughty. I was always a headache to my mother. I
was fond of outdoor games and liked to play all day long if I
was allowed to. At the same time I had an obsession for reading
story books, rhymes, comics, fairy tales, ghost stories etc.
J How could your literary genius blossom? Any person/poet in
your life, who impressed you most?
I told you during my adolescence I felt a strong urge to express
my feelings through poetry. Perhaps that urge was develoved
in my subconscious mind due to excessive poetry reading. I
wrote a good number of poems but did not dare to send them
for publication, lest they were rejected. My poems were kept
in diaries for a quite long period. My first book "Kichu
Sadharan Kavita" (Some Ordinary Poems, 1997) was published
at the age of 31.
Later I have been impressed by the works of Rabindra Nath
Tagore, Jibananda Das, Sankha Ghose, Sunil Gangopadhyay,
Purnendu Patri etc. some eminent poets in Bengal. At the same
time Shelly, Keats, Yeats, Neruda, Matthew Arnold are always
inspirational for me.
J You have written and translated more than thousand poems
in Bengali and English. Your poems have been translated
10
into 22 languages, published in different countries, critically
discussed by so many poets and scholars. What is poetry in
your context? Is poetry a gymnasium of words or glacier of
thought?
Poetry is neither a gymnasium of words nor glacier of thought.
It is the right compilation of intellect, imagery, impulse, basic
grammer and artistic presentation of thought, these are inherent
elements of good poetry.
Once in the Preface of my book Golden Horizon I wrote,
"poetry is an art of words mirrored by the emotional escape of
a poet's perceptual deconstruction." I mean what a poet feels
or perceives that cause reactions in his brain. He deconstructs
the feelings through his personal analysis, interpretation and
evaluation in his subconscious mind and subsequently he pens
his personal equations in an artistic flavour that the world calls
as poetry.
J Is poetry an art or a skill?
Of course poetry is an art, rather I should say, it is an art of
words. Many a person compiles a bunch of philosophical ideas,
social anomalies, atrocities, or surmonial speeches etc. in the
name of poetry. But the fact is, true poetry is something else.
The greatest discovery in the life of a poet is to know what is
poetry actually. Whatever we think or feel that should be
presented in an artistic way, it must attain that height of
aesthetics. Poetry is the highest form of art, to know this art is
the needed skill that a poet has to learn.
J Shall we allow the parameters of grammer to poetry?
A poet must know the parameters of grammer to poetry. He
should be aware of different forms of it. At the initial stage he
may practise with different forms, later he may adopt the form
in which he is most comfortable. It is not true that a poet should
always follow the structured verse only, otherwise his poetry
will not be accepted by the readers. From Pablo Neruda to
Matthew Arnold, lots of world famous poets accepted free verse
to reach the heart of their admirers.
11
J You are considered as one of the finest poets of today's India.
What do you think should be the role of a poet in the present
day society?
I think a poet can play a vital role in the present day society.
Because when all the electronics medias try to divert away the
present generation from the basic cultural flow of one's country,
poetry helps there to come back to the roots. It is not an art
devoted to worship beauty and truth only but also has a strong
commitment towards society and civilization.
There was a time when poetry was dedicated to glorify love
stories, tragedies etc. Sometimes poetry was written for the
sake of poetry. But with the passage of time poetry came
forward to assimilate the day to day incidents, different social
problems, everydayness etc. and became the most humane
language, an important cultural subject. In today's life poetry
is an artistic expression that provides us a sense of unity. But it
is a pity in most of the cases a poet does not get the dignity of
an artist.
J Why Indian poetry does not get patronage from the readers,
admirers and Corporate houses?
I do not agree with the statement that Indian poetry does not
get patronage from the readers and admirers. Yes, it is true that
the percentage of poetry loving people is meagre. Because the
fact is poetry is not for all. In all ages in all countries poetry is
only for a selected class of people who are thoughtful, deep,
tender and beautiful by heart.
Poetry does not get patronage of the Corporate houses because
it cannot give them good return. Publishers show cold shoulder
towards poetry because it does not sell like hot cakes. Perhaps
nowhere in the world a man will dare to take poetry writing as
a profession.
J Is it necessary to organize the orientation or workshop for
the budding poets? Do you think that by organizing such
events we can create their poetic sensibility?
12
By organizing workshops we can encourage the budding poets
to a greater extent. We can spread the message of poetry among
the common people. Poetry reading sessions, discussions over
different subjects of poetry, exchanging views etc. can attract
the present generation more and more. If the senior poets deliver
lectures on the basic difference between a poem and a good
poem, the soul purpose and mission of poetry, the prospects of
poetry in our day to day life and future, the need and glory of
translating poetry etc. we can create a congenial atmosphere
for them. And it will certainly enhance the dignity of poetry,
at the same time arise the poetic sensibility of the budding
poets.
J What is your message to the budding poets? What is your
expectaton from them?
Man is attacted to beauty by nature. Every human being has
this secret sense. That is why they love, sing a song, goes on
tourism, read books, listen to music etc. But common man
cannot express their felt beauty in the form of art. There is the
diference between a common man and an artist. Budding poets
must remember that they are no ordinary man, they have a god
gifted special soul. And they can enrich this magnificient world
with their inborn personal contribution. As there is no such
school where one can be taught poetry writings, therefore, what
I expect from the budding poets is they will read more and
more works by the famous poets, especially the works of the
contemporary poets so that they can learn the secret of the art.
J We know you have been successfully editing the two poetry
magazines e.g. VOI CE OF KOLKATA (English) and
SAHITYA UTSAV (Bengali). VOK has been awarded as "The
Best Poetry Magazine in I ndia" in I taly, China, USA and
South Africa. Please say something about those magazines.
I have been editing VOICE OF KOLKATA uninturreptedly
for last 12 years and at present it reaches to 40 countries around
the world. Poets of Greece, Italy, USA, Australia, China,
Canada, Russia, France, England, Cyprus, Brazil, Spain,
13
Morocco etc. write in it. "Global Love, Peace and Brotherhood
through poetry" is the mast line of it.
In SAHITYA UTSAV (1999) there is a special column "Kavitar
Viswayan" (Globalization of Poetry) in which poems of
contemporary poets across the globe are translated into Bengali.
Another column "Pradeshic Batayane" (Through the
neighbouring window) is there in which poets across India get
place among the poets and readers of Bengal. All these are
done in order to encourage the feelings of mutual respect and
brotherhood.
J We see that most of your works are dedicated to the cultural
friendship between two countries or victims of terrorist
activities, global love etc. What thought plays behind such
exceptional dedications?
If you think for a moment will find that all the branches of art
are destined to the welfare of mankind and society. The
development of science and technology, the progress of a nation
etc. are ultimately aimed at good for human beings. From the
deepest core of my bosom I expect a peaceful, pollution free,
war free world. So all my deeds, thoughts, creations are
dedicated to the welfare of common people. You may think
such dedications are my humble prayers before the powerful
political leaders of the world who take decisions regarding
fate of millions of innocent lives.
J You have got lots of awards from Greece, Italy, USA, Malta,
South Africa, China, Malaysia, Austria, the number may
touch 50. Do you believe that awards and rewards are
showered on the basis of proximity and sycophancy?
As far my knowledge goes you are partly true. I have heard
that lobbying is done to bag the famous awards. Till now I
have not got such awards and I am not interested in them if I
have to follow such practice. In my life whatever awards, reward
etc. came that were due to love or respect on my works. I do
not pay more importance on this thing because though at the
intial stage awards, rewards may be good but time comes when
14
a poet or writer expects nothing but immortality of his creation.
J You have earned so much name and fame as an International
poet, an editor, a critic, translator, short story and juvenile
writer --- are you satisfied as a person vis-a-vis your literary
persuit?
Poetry has given me an identity, but to speak the truth I am not
satisfied with the work that I have done so far. I have done
very little that I want to do in my life time. Till today I have
written 76 books, out of them nearly 70 books have been
published. I believe my best works are yet to come.
As a person I am satisfied with my worldly status but regarding
literary persuit I have to scale new height. As you know every
ceiling when reached becomes a floor. So a creative person
should not be satisfied with his present position. On and on, he
must march ahead.
------ k k k ------
15
Prof. Suresh Chandra Dwivedi
Prof. Suresh Chandra Dwivedi, is a great scholar in India heading
the department of English, University of Allahabad. A poet, critic,
translator and editor of distinction. He writes poetry and criticism
in Hindi, English and Bhojpuri languages regularly. Apart from
these he edits TITIKSHA, the international journal of culture,
literature and criticism from the dept. of English, University of
Allahabad.
Prof. Dwivedi got Hon. D.Litt. from the World Academy of
Arts & Letters, California in 1988, Bharatiya Sahitya Sudha Ratna
Award in 2004, Life-Time Achievement Award from International
Poets Academy, Chennai in 2009, Certificate of Honour from Prof.
Ikeda International Earth University, Japan in 2004.
16
The Rays Of Truth In
Biplab Majumdar's Epiphanies
" Kala-kam parmatmanam lati grahnati iti kala "
" Atma Sanskarti vava Chilpani "
I have known Biplab Majumdar for more than two decades
as an eminent poet, editor, intellectual and translator, I welcome
him as one of the finest poets of our times. He is certainly a brilliant
poet who has produced some of the most astonishing and
remarkable poetic collections in our troubled times. He shines
like a poetic star in the Asian poetic sky. Indeed he is a valuable
poetic voice who has written excellent poetry for the
promotion of global love, peace, brotherhood and human
values. He was born and educated in Kolkata and to me is a
representative poetic voice rising from Kolkata. He has authored
nearly 70 books on poetry, prose, rhyme, translation, research
works and novels etc. All these books have made a home in the
hearts of many national poets, professors, editors, readers and
scholars like Hon. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, M. Ramalingam. M.S.
Venkata Ramaiya, Mahashwata Chaturvedi, Shaleen Kumar
Singh, Purnima Ray, Antaryami Sahu and Shubha Dwivedi.
Besides these noted Indian scholars and writers, his poetry and
personality have been praised by such international scholars and
poets as Prof. Dr. Kazuyosi Ikeda, Dr. Gustawa Stending Lindberg,
Prof. Seiji Hino, Patricia Prime, Bernard M. Jackson etc. He has
won national and International honours, recognitions and awards.
Mostly he writes in Bengali and his corpus is full of the Bengali
flora and fauna, Bengali social, cultural, political, historical and
anthropological atmospheres that beautifully conveys and exhibits
fragrance of Bengali soil which we often get in the novels of
Mahashweta Devi or poems of Tagore. Biplab Majumdar's poems
have been published and translated in more than 22 languages.
That shows his great popularity in India and abroad. According to
Dr. Shubha Dwivedi, " Biplab Majumdar is a great Indian English
poet because his poetry gives us an element of wonder ". I have
greatly enjoyed poems of Island's Dolphin Songs. The titles of
the poems like " Wave of Dreams ". " Expectation ". " The Rays of
Truth ". " Om " " Friends " " Towards Sky " " India, under the grip of
Terrorism " are simply wonderful. Through resasved and
17
chittasamvad they endow us with enlargement of our hearts. That
precisely is the need of hour in a Biplab Majumdar poem:
Rasanubhuti is all in all. He knows that Rasa is Rasa and it is of
paramount importance. The wars, terrorism, social evils make him
sorrowful. He experiences Shoka (sorrow) in his heart. And the
sorrow ultimately takes the shape of a Sloka (a poem). Poems of
this volume like " In Dreamy Love Midnight ". " Waves of Dreams
". " Expectation ", " The Rays of Youth ", Time Gets Dreams ", "
Kuruskhetra ahead ", " Last Night ", " Within Water-shed ", " Om ",
" Dead Birds ", " Concealed Confessions ", " Friends ", " A Love
Poem ", " A Picture ", " A Canvas ", " Someone in the Garden at
the midnight ", " Songs of Yellow Season ", " Let's Set Free ", "
Island's Dolphin Song ", " Autumnal afternoon ", " Wintry river ", "
Towards Sky ", " Indian under the Grip of Terrorism " have been
written in a certain blissful state of mind. The poems of this volume
remind me the poems of Epiphanies and Other poems written by
Suresh Chandra Dwivedi Poet- Professor of Allahabad University.
Both are the major poetic voices of our times who believe in the
power of the world Shabda as a Brahma and their poems believe
in some divine intrusion in the mundane affairs. The poems of
Island's Dolphin Songs and Epiphanies and Other Poems are two
very important poetry books of our times where the poets minds
are established in the Satva- guna devoid of Rajas or Tamas.
What the world needs today is the tendency of Satvik. Island's
Dolphin Songs will be read for a very long period of time for Peace.
Love, Equality, Liberty, Fraternity and Humanism. I have gladly
read and enjoyed all the Rasas present in the poems of this volume.
I am quite sure that the volume will be read by poetry lovers all
over the world for its technical skills like rhythm, imagery,
symbolism, irony, suggestion, vakrokti and capacity to present
series of pictures from Bengal. The volume uses images both as
an ornament and speech. Biplab uses images which become
speech ultimately. The images like " unfathomed depth of your
eyes " and " I break repeatedly/ in defencelessness/ as the moon
of twelfth lunar day/ at dark fortnight/ breaks into pieces upon lapis-
lazuli water " are eye- catching and quite attractive. The volume
should be read by all professors, students and readers of poetry
for Biplab's image- making technique and his capacity to show us
a series of pictures from Bengal which a gifted poet of Bengal like
Biplab can show us so beautifully, nicely and artistically. Every
18
poem contains divine manifestation. The poem comes to Biplab
as a divine event where he seed flashes of epiphany. 21st century
will be the century of the poetry of Epiphany. Tired of wars, riots,
violence, apartheid, recessions, greed selfishness, anger, jealousy,
madness, rat race competitions, fast food, junk-food, pollution and
health-hazards more and more readers will go to Poetry of
Epiphany. Poems of Biplab fill us with new-meaning new ideas,
new experiences and succeed in the enlargement of our hearts.
Biplab's images transport us beyond tiredness, troubles, turmoils,
terrorism and anguishes of a tattered economy. They come to us
like a divine event and fill us with experience of wholeness,
harmony, radiance sense of revelation, light, love, beauty and
goodness. The poet of Bengal addresses the entire humanity. What
Biplab thinks today others must think it tomorrow. His poems
fill us with a sense of epiphany and hope for the future. If the
terrorism has come today, peace cannot be far behind. Island's
Dolphin Songs must be read and heard carefully. Biplab is full of
basic creative power and basic creative impulse. He has the
capacity to make new songs and experience new thoughts. His
images are hard, sharp, sensitive and it is quite admirable that he
is hitching his wagon to the new stars shining high in the sky. His
poems are glittering, astonishing, profoundly remarkable and
unforgettable. He is master of facts. I am impressed by his
wonderful sense of fact and universal appeal. If wide appeal
is the test of true poetry, Biplab is a true artist who has always
combined technical skill, epiphany and a sense of fact. Biplab
is never heavy, prosaic or dull. He is always imaginative and has
produced poetic lines like bricks of stones and diamonds. He
endows his every fact of life a sense of wonder, joy, epiphany and
wisdom. He builds a temple of epiphany on each word and poetic
line. In Biplab we experience a solution of extraordinary in ordinary.
The soul of the commonest object begins to shine in Biplab. As
taste of pudding is in its eating, I strongly recommend this book to
all the poetry lovers to enjoy the sudden spiritual joys of Biplab.
Poets and critics like Prof. Dr. A.P.J. Kalam, Ikeda, Lindberg, Hino,
M. Ramalingam, Patricia Prime, Bernard M. Jackson, Shubha
Dwivedi, M.S. Venkata, Ramaiah, Mahashweta Chaturvedi,
Shaleen Kumer Singh, Antarjami Sahu and most of other poets.
Critics and professors of distinction have praised the elements of
Biplab Majumdar's poetry. A poet has to pass the test of other
19
poets, scholars, critics and editors. I am personally of this
opinion that Biplab has succeeded in satisfying the demands
of poets and critics all over the world. His poetry is entirely a
product of his own imaginative efforts, concentration, wisdom, felt
experience and blissful state of mind. Biplab is aware of the
dreams, aspirations and sorrows of our times. He is a poet
with higher purposes of life. He deserves all honours.
A poem by Biplab is a short composition in verse where
Bodhichitta is an important merit. His poetry fills our hearts with
qualities of generosity, ethics, patience, right efforts, right
concentration and wisdom. As the poet is generous and he shares
his felt experience in his book " Island's Dolphin Songs " we readers
also should be generous and willing to give. The poems of this
book take us miserliness, selfishness and terrorism and inspire
us to be generous, full of patience feel epiphany in day to day life.
I am totally impressed by Biplab's power of imagination as
revealed in this book. I have seen Dolphin's and heard its songs
in 2007 with my wife Prabha Dwivedi and poets of Orissa like S.
Samal, L.N. Mahapatra, Seemanchal Patnaik, T. Pati. I had enjoyed
the way the Dolphins made movements as moon makes
movements in the sky. It was a wonderful experience. Within such
short span of times I am enjoying Dolphin's songs again. Biplab
combines Nature and human nature in this volume.
I am reminded of Coleridge :
" O lady we receive what we give
In our life alone doth nature live. "
Biplab's Dolphins are singing songs to us all the time. What
is required of us is to pursue Anand, Rasanubhuti, Brahmaswad
and bliss of mind. The volume is characterized by a concentrated
and heightened language. If poetry is an emotive speech vakyam
rasatmakam Kavyam this book of Biplab is an excellent piece of
poetry. Here is God's plenty- utterances of a Bengali poet on
Bengali life, mingling of nature & human nature, selective choice
of words for their sound and suggestive power, the use of proper
poetic technique, rhyme, rhythm, vision, imagery and symbols.
To read this volume is to experience the light and epiphany of the
lines, and to appreciate the subtleties, of cadence rhythm the variety
of pace and pattern and music of Biplab Majumdar's poetry.
To sum up, Biplab Majumdar is a great poet of Tattvagyan
20
or knowledge of Brahman. He sings of the soul or self and aims at
Atmagyan. It is bliss-gyan or Anand which is the stahaym in his
poems. The Atman is the basis and root of all his poems. It is
upon this rock that poems of both Lok and Lokottar have been
composed by Biplab. Even mundane and external objects reveal
tattvagyan or epiphany. The impact of Bible, Bhagvadgita and
Bengali's folk tradition stimulates him to write poetry of love, light,
friendship and epiphany.
References :
1. R. Parthasarathy, the Twentieth Century Indian Poets (O.U.P., Delhi,
1984).
2. I.W. Bjor Kman, LLA.S., Hyderabad, Vol. 13, No. 2.
3. S.C. Dwivedi, Titiksha. The International journal of culture literature
Criticism special number on Sansked Poetics, Guest Ed. Shubha
Dwivedi, Allahabad, 2009.
4. S. Radhakrishnan, The Creative Life (Vision Books, 1975).
5. V. Raghavan, The Number of Rasas, (Adyar Madrass, 1975).
6. Dance of Shiva and Dance & Music of Dolphins, " Suresh Chandra
Dwivedi in conversation with Shubha Dwivedi of Amity University,
NOIDA, dated 15-08-2009.
7. Biplab Majumdar, Islands's Dolphin Songs, (Kolkata, 2009)

j j j
21
Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary
Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary is the founding father of
International Association of Poets, Essayists and Novelists (2006)
at Begusarai, Bihar and one of the founding members of World
Literature Society, Agartala, cum editor of two reputed literary
magazines KOHI NOOR (ISSN 0973-6395) and AYUSH (ISSN
0974-8075) known globally amidst the creative milieu. Some of
his poems are translated into Portuguese by Teresinka Pereira,
president of the I .W.A.,U.S.A ,German by Kurt.F.Svatek, nominated
2002,04.06,08 for Nobel Prize for literature, Greek by P.C Zaloni
,editor of Kleino ,Maltese by Patrick Sammut, Vice-president of
Maltese Poets Association, Italian by Toni Picconi, Mongolian by
Hadaa Sendoo, editor of World Poetry Almanac and several Indian
languages . He has been published in England , Greece ,Malta,
Mangolia, and Cyprus .There are one thousand poems in English
22
on websites of many poetry societies including six poetry collections
entitled 1. Eternal Voices(2007), 2. Universal Voices(2008) ,3.
My Songs (2008) ,4.Melody(2009), 5. Nature Poems(2010) and
6. Love Poems (2010) to his credit. He is viewed ,reviewed and
interviewed globally .He has also interviewed prominent literary
luminaries such as Teresinka Pereira , John .B. Lee, Stephen Gill
,Kurt.F. Svatek, Joy Rainey King,Paul Curtis, Charu Sheel Singh,
D.C.Chambial, M.Chaturvedi, Biplab Majumdar and many others
known globally.
He is included in Cambridge Dictionary of International
Writers in 2009, World Poetry Almanac, Ulaanbator, 2008 & 2009
and International Writers Dictionary,Seoul, 2010. Presently Dr.
Choudhary is heading the Deptt of English at Rangachahi
College, Majuli, Assam.
Visit : www.kohinoorjournal.blogspot.com
Email : arbind442002@yahoo.co.in / kohnoor@rediffmail.com
/ arbind.choudhary11@gmail.com
23
Poetic Perspectives of
Biplab Majumdar
Biplab Majumdar is a glittering star of the creative milieu
across the globe. As the poet, critic, reviewer, translator and ,above
all, an editor he has earned his name in a short span of time. The
muse lovers can inhale the fragrance of his poetic rosarium to its
utmost degree and can exhale the fetor of earthly filth. He is happy
to proclaim himself as a citizen of the world devoid of caste, creed
and class. The main motto of his creative thought is to provide a
majestic platform to raise voice in favour of the unnoticed voices
for the welfare of whole mankind. To
Prof. Kazuyosi Ikeda, "Dr. Majumdar is a great poet enveloping
the whole world of human beings and establishing a glorious,
glittering flower garden of happiness and Justice on earth." The
literary Eden garden that is planted by him will remain ever fragrant
& cynosure even in the years to came amidst the muse lovers in
general and sufferers in particular.
Dr. Majoranjan Das in his book Biplab Majumdar : "A Critical
Analysis and Evaluation of His Poetry", (2009) that is dedicated
to trio global literary luminaries Dr. Zhang Zhi, Dr. Syed Ameeruddin
and Dr. A.K. Choudhary, opines that " Majumdar confirms his view
with the statements of beauty, where the aesthetic enjoyment and
the divinely spirit are exalted more as glimpsed soul, that is the
extreme joy of life. He, the unconfined poet of the modern poetry
world, is confident of his upliftment through poetry where the nature
of the world like dewy grass, night, morning etc are related to
slumberous mass as a way of starry floor or watery shore resemble
the theme of Blake.''
1
He later adds that "As a true tester of the
beauty of nature Biplab Majumdar contrasts himself with poetry
and optimism where only the soul and what pertains to it is truly
beautiful and the beauty of nature is only the reflection of nature
beauty of the spirit. Notwithstanding Biplab has the thematic
parallelism with Shelley where the sun's beauty is encircled with
the gathering of dawn, and immortal awakening of life is godlike
delight is sunk into the light of lamps."
2
I think the true gardener
is a lover of his flowers, not a critic of them. To Reginald Farrer I
think the true gardener is the reverent servant of Nature, not her
24
truculent, wife-beating master. I think the true gardener, the older
he grows, should more and more develop a humble, grateful and
uncertain spirit.
To John Keats Poetry should please by a fine excess and
not by singularity. It should strike the reader as a wording of his
own highest thoughts, and appear almost as a remembrance. To
Coleridge A poet ought not to pick nature's pocket. Let him borrow,
and so borrow as to repay by the very act of borrowing. Examine
nature accurately, but write from recollection, and trust more to
the imagination than the memory.
In an interview the poet responds about the idea of good
poetry.
" Like all other branches of Art, good poetry also is the right
blend of intellect, impulse, imagery, basic grammar and hide and
seek quality in presentation. These are the inherent ingredients of
most of the timeless creations.
" Veins of a poet
Don't carry blood
But the blue
Venom of poetry. "
3
The poet opines in the preface of Golden Horizon' " Poetry
is an art of words mirrored by the emotional escape of a poet's
perceptual deconstruction. In any branch of arts, an artist has the
innate indignation to mix up his personal shade of colours with the
original with a view to give his work a timeless dimension. Each
creative person paying due homage to the traditional views, always
experiments with his new forms, new ideas, new colours in order
to offer the world a magnificent masterpiece.''
4
To Antonin Artaud Written poetry is worth reading once,
and then should be destroyed. Let the dead poets make way for
others. Then we might even come to see that it is our veneration
for what has already been created, however beautiful and valid it
may be, that petrifies us. Prof. Kazuyosi Ikeda, president of
International Earth Environment University, Japan, has glorified
his poetic caliber as a Haikuist: " The poet Dr. Biplab Majumdar's
haiku are superlatively fascinating, having surpassingly profound
significance. His haiku glitter gorgeously like heavenly stars and
25
are exceedingly lucid like genuine pearls in the sea's bottom. His
haiku have the two peerless features. First, their forms are very
beautiful, exactly following the 5-7-5 syllable meter. This meter
makes the Japanese traditional poetry structure, peculiar to haiku.
In the countries in to which haiku have been introduced from Japan,
sometimes short poems of three lines, not in the 5-7-5 meter, are
created and are called, haiku. It is our great pleasure that there
are haiku poets, like Dr. Majumdar, who obey exactly the 5-7-5
meter in writing English haiku. Such English haiku are highly
evaluated as true haiku by Japanese people.
Secondly, the poet Majumdar's haiku have remarkable
features in there contents.
I am extremely impressed and immensely moved with the
eminence, profundity and sublimity of the philosophies underlying
the poet Majumdar's splendid works."
5
To Ikeda each haiku within this collection (Golden Horizon)
is not an end in itself, but each sparks a new beginning.
" Seasons bring blossoms
Trees need decades for full growth
Maturity takes time. "
6
Dr. Mahashweta Chaturvedi, an editor-poet, claims, " All
his haiku are witty, logical, sensual and celebratory, despite the
tsunami of the age, the poet himself remains not only perfectly
calm but understands also the responsibility of a true poet."
7
In an interview Dr. Majumdar expressed his ideals in such
a beautiful way, " I prefer to speak for mankind in the voice of the
unheard. My deed and creations speak for the deprived lot. I am
not an active member of any social organization and political party,
neither I am a leftist nor rightist. But contemporary events are
reflected in my writings. As a poet and writer, I think my duty is to
present my thoughts, beliefs, reactions, protests, philosophy of
life etc. before the world in an aesthetical and artistic manner.
The basic purpose of my artistic and creative thought is to
provide a Majestic platform to raise voice for the common good
and welfare of whole mankind so that it may reverberate in the
universe."
8
26
To Bertrand Russell It has been said that man is a rational
animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could
support this.
To Thomas Paine The world is my country, all mankind are
my brethren, and to do good is my religion.
To G. K. Chesterton But a somewhat more liberal and
sympathetic examination of mankind will convince us that the cross
is even older than the gibbet, that voluntary suffering was before
and independent of compulsory; and in short that in most important
matters a man has always been free to ruin himself if he chose.
To Leigh Hunt Whenever evil befalls us, we ought to ask
ourselves, after the first suffering, how we can turn it into good.
So shall we take occasion, from one bitter root, to raise perhaps
many flowers. Biplab Majumdar sings:
" Human life is a long Journey
From ignorance to eternal light,
Against hatred, anger, greed
Life should keep on constant fight. "
9
Life itself is a bone of contention. It ever leads from ignorance
to eternity, from earthly to spirituality and from hatred to love and
affection. Human life is a long Journey. It always contends for
divine light. Hatred, anger and greed dazzle the divine psyche.
Spiritual life gives immense pleasure to the sensitive souls to its
utmost degree. Kirby Larson opines that The lessons this life
has planted in my heart pertain more to caring than crops, more to
Golden Rule than gold, more to the proper choice than to the
popular choice.
Like E.M. Foster the poet brings to light the heavenly
quality of tolerance, a sign of maturity . Like D.C. Chambial
the poet wonders why men do not follow the axiom of discipline
like the nature ? But his heart is filled with Ulysses' type will
power in life white people can reach mountains summit.
These striking lines of his poem mind' -
" Success or defect that life mirrors
Is nothing at all but a mind's affair. ''
10
27
reminds the muse lovers the following lines of Paradise Lost I
by Milton -
" Mind is its own place and in itself
Can make a hell of Heaven, Heaven of hell. "
11
The root cause of all sorts of miseries is the realization of
the raw minds. This is the reason the poet suggests that a
nature mind can face all worldly strife. The mature heart is ever
benign. To him love is called a miracle medicine. It can heal up
a mortal wound. One can imagine the profound impact of duo
lines composed by Biplab Majumdar and A.K. Choudhary :
" Love is the soul of our living
Through our life let us practice it. "
12
And,
" Love is the fragrance of life.
It blooms only in perfect psyche. "
13
Like monumental star his poetry is beyond time and space.
He is found ever optimistic for the betterment of mankind as a
whole. His heart murmurs.
" All even cheerful view of life
A hopeful attitude to all events,
All will turn out well at end
The only message that optimism sends. "
14
To him thinking is the heart of soul. It can reveal life's beauty.
To him failure offers us the golden chance to begin again with
more prudence. To him Fear is the sickness of soul.
To Keats Don't be discouraged by a failure. It can be a
positive experience. Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success,
in as much as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek
earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out
some form of error which we shall afterwards carefully avoid. Walt
Whitman opines thatHave you heard that it was good to gain the
day? I also say it is good to fall, battles are lost in the same spirit
in which they are won.
Some of his striking proverbial lines appeal to the heart and
28
mind of the muselovers across the globe.
* Life should keep on constant fight. P.9,
* Liberty is the essence of life and salvation is the final
goal. P.10,
* Tolerance surely is a sign of maturity. P.11,
* A man of discipline is a man of honour. P.14,
* Life is ever for the courageous. P.18,
* In fact, character is higher than truth . P.25,
* Golden silence is the eternal speech. P.27,
* Truth is superior to man's wisdom. P.32,
* Truth is the religion of all religions. P.34,
* Self-conquest is our first most goal. P.45,
* Thinking is the heart of soul. P.55,
* Gratitude is the father of virtues. P.62,
* Forgive to glorify the human race. P.65,
* Fear is the sickness of the soul. P. 103,
* Desire alone is the dearest mother. P. 115,
Aphorisms fall thick and fast, " human life is a long journey".
" Simplicity is a rare virtue", and " Maturity demands we live in the
present".
Some of the popular phrases are used here and there through
his poems such as hand in hand, day by day, face to face, on and
on, get rid of, wink at, again and again, neat and clean, beware of,
more and more, out and out, look for, add fuel to fire, at all and
several others by this famous poet. Here is some examples of
alliteration used by the poet in his poems.
Miracle means to make us fearless,Love the word, serve
the world whoever you may be,Past, pride and passions,Learn to
live and live to learn,Colour, class and creed,Snatches sleep,
steats our peace,
Slowly but steadily it stealthily cuts,Please him poorly in the
mesh of passions. The usage of such words - plethora of pride,
fangs of failure, deserts of defeat, and malice and prejudice etc
reminds us Syed Ameeruddin's works. Peacefulness is his
inborn style . Simplicity, free expression and clarity are the
29
ornaments of his writings. In a nutshell one can claim that
Biplab Majumdar is a great poet of the 21st century whose
poetic garden is perfuming the creative milieu across the
globe . He is serving the humanity through his poetry in
the tradition of bards. His literary lamp will remove the
darkness of hate, greed and J ealously in the years to come.
References :
1. M. Das, Biplab Majumdar : A Critical Analysis and Evaluation of his
Poetry, (2009), P-36. Future Publication, Kolkata.
2. Ibid, P-42
3. A.K. Sharma, C.V, issue 14, 2009, P-10
4. Biplab Majumdar : Golden Horizon (2004) IPSKI, Kolkata P-5
5. Kazuyosi Ikeda, Voice of Kolkata, Vol-6, Issue 1, P-26
6. Golden Horizon - P-6
7. M. Chaturdevi, Voice of Kolkata Vol-6, Issue 1 , P-23
8. A. K. Sharma ed C.V, issue 14, 2009, P-10
9. Biplab Majumdar : Virtues & Vices, P-9
10. Ibid, P-19
11. Milton, P.L.I, Lines.254-255
12. Virtues & Vices, P-44
13. A.K. Choudhary, My Songs, (2008), P-20
14. Virtues & Vices, P-73.

j j j
30
Dr. Mahashweta Chaturvedi
Dr. Mahashweta Chaturvedi , Ph.D., D.Litt., L.L.B. is an
internationally renowned, Indian English poetess. She writes in
English, Sanskrit & Hindi.
Some of her poems have been translated into Greek, Latin,
French, German, Spanish, Urdu, Czech, Japanese, Chinese,
Nepalise, Russian, Hebrew, Bengali etc. languages. Recepient of
nearly 70 Awards from different corners of the world, member /
Hon. Member of nearly 40 Literary Organisations, author of 35
books in Hindi, 10 in English, 3 in Sanskrit. Mahashweta is a
wonder in the realm of Literature. More than 250 Research papers,
4 Ph. D. works, 4 Dissertation works on her literary achievements
have been done so far. Her biodata have been included in 50
National & International Who's who and reference books. A
Research Guide, editor of an I nternational Magazine
'Mandakini', the founder secretary of Mandakini Sahityak Avam
Sanskritic Sanstha. A Legendary figure in Indian literature.
31
Biplab's ISLAND'S DOLPHIN SONG
is an inspiration to human hearts
Biplab Majumdar, an International eminent Indian English
poet, a prolific writer, a champion of global peace, has been hailed
in the recent times as a poet of the millennium by creative writers
all over the world. He edits 'Voice of Kolkata' & 'Sahitya Utsav'
and his poems are published in many languages.
Biplab Majumdar has more than 60 books & booklets to
his credit. He has so far received many prizes & honours. Most of
his works are in Bengali, his mother tongue. 'Island's Dolphin Song'
is his recent collection of English poems. The collection of twenty
five poems starts --- 'In Dreamy lone midnight',
' At moonlit night
I get crazy
move alone with lonliness
in filds & forests
Empty I am '
For the poet Biplab 'a thing of beauty is joy forever.' The
poem 'Waves of dreams' inspires 'Between vastness of sea and
sky somewhere lies the endless wisdom of history'. Like P. B.
Shelly who says 'If winter comes can spring be far behind', the
poet Biplab too says 'Believe, someday the dawn will be ours and
our favourite pebbles would be bright in enough unworldliness'
(Page-9) It's optimistic approach to life is indeed inspiring. The
Poet has profound faith in the Rays of truth.
Degeneration of the modern time causes creation of poems
like 'Kurushetra Ahead' ---
' A steel swear gets sharpened
in myriads neurons of grey matter
Pandavas will return someday
To come to terms of their states. ' (Page-12)
The poet is the staunch believer in the omnipotence of 'Om",
one of the best names of the Lord 'the Omniscient." Here all the
32
three alphabets A - U - M, are symbolical --- A = Symboliges the
Almighty, U = Symboliges the being, M = Symboliges the Nature,
hence it is the best name of our Father. I also wrote 'Recite Oum',
each & every moment. In the dark days we need faith and
inspiration as we are globally falling apart. In such a self annihilation
situation has taken shape, poets have to play defining role. The
study of poetry forms our character, courage, peace, welfare &
many other excellent qualities. Poets are the pillars on which love
and peace rests. The poet Biplab writes to awaken the hearts ---
' Sun-burnt wings, still the pride of
blue sky how intensely beckons me
Repeatedly arose the finger of prohibition
'Beware Beware Ikarus.' ' (P-31)
The poet Biplab's poems are not only simple but very
inspiring. Pregnant with high philosophical insight, and Indian
mythology, he delineates the function of the human being. His
collection of poems entitled 'Island's Dolphin Song' is symbolical,
An Island is human life, Dolphin song is his yearnings, wishes
and efforts. Dolphin is very intelligent, incase Dolphin is misguided,
she can't achieve what she desires. Dedicated to global love, all
the twenty five poems inspire the misguided human being to become
like intelligent Dolphin to sing melodious song for the wellbeing of
life, otherwise the life is worthless.
The poet Biplab Majumdar wants to give to his readers
message of global peace, self amendment, love, beauty and
self courage. In order to enliven humanity, self-improvement is
very necessary. I do hope the present collection 'Island's Dolphin
Song' will be admired by the poetry-lovers and the able readers.

j j j
33
The haikus of "GOLDEN HORIZON"
For many years, I have been a great admirer of the
prodigious works of the Indian English poet Biplab Majumdar,
a remarkable poet of considerable merit. This slim collection of
haikus contains 30 pages, haikus here are 116. My favourite
haikus are those which reveal his compassion, logic, philosophy
& noble ideas. The poet Biplab Majumdar has written these haikus
in his middle years during the period when there are universal
devastating, social, economical, national and political problems,
terrorism, wars, social evils and mental pollutions.
All his haikus are witty, logical, sensual and celebratory,
despite the turmoil of the age, the poet himself remains not only
perfectly calm but understands also the responsibility of a true
poet. Mammatacharya, the great classical critic and Sanskrit
Scholar said 'Kavyam Yashse Arthkrite. Vyavaharvide' (Kavya
Prakash 1/1)
He means to say that poetry is for fame & to teach behaviour.
Every poet is guided by these views. True poet writes for the
welfare of the world. When a belief is held dogmatically & the lawyer
poet thrusts it down the throat of the readar poem suffers. The
views & beliefs in these haikus are 'belief as felt'.
The haikus of the collection entitled 'Golden Horizon' by the
poet Biplab, 'dedicated to the innocent victims of terrorism all over
the world' are full of the humanitarian outlook, the poet is expressing
himself in multi-dimentional texture. In the world of the poet Biplab
himself says - 'I think, poetry is an art of words mirrored by the
emotional escape of a poet's perceptual deconstruction'. (Preface)
These are his experimental haikus, but he is fully successful in
offering the world a magnificent musterpiece. These haikus are
thought-provoking :-
* Indian poetry
Springs from nature
Deep spirituality. (P-1)
* Silence sleeps deathless
On the banks of the river
Water of time flows. (P-1)
34
* Poetry transcends when
Incomplete reality fuses with
Complete idealism. (P-15)
* A life long journey
Today is mine tomorrow too
My works are forever. (P-30)
* At last 'the end' comes
But the fact is there's an end
After the end ever. (P-30)
These inspiring haikus are easy to understand though deep
in thoughts. All these haikus of exceptionally gifted poet Biplab
are suggestive and inspiring for present day world. His highly
crafted poetic technique makes this literary achievement as
a valuable contribution to Indian English poetry. His rare
contribution to international understanding is unforgettable.
[ VOK; Vol. 6, Issue 1, Pg. 23 ]

j j j
35
Dr. Ram Sharma (I NDI A)
Dr. Ram Sharma [B-1974], is an accomplished poet and writer
both in English and Hindi in the field of literature. He has added
many feathers to his cap. As a student he has been exceptionally
brilliant from class first to M.Phil. He did his doctorate on 'Post-
Modernist Trends in Indian Novels in English : A Study of Anita
Desai, Arun Joshi, Amitav Ghosh and Vikram Seth.
He is a renowned poet, critic, reviewer and translator. His
poetry is indeed of very high order which is read throughout the
world. He has several research papers, articles, poems and reviews
published in esteemed journals magazines and newspapers of India
and abroad including Poets International (Bangalore), Bizz Buzz
(Mysore), Rock Pebbles (Orissa), Contemporary Vibes
(Chandigarh), Skylark (Aligarh), Shine (Tamilnadu), Poetcrit
(Himachal Pradesh), Indian Book Chronicle (Jaipur), The Vedic
36
Path (Haridwar), Metverse Muse (Vishakhapatnam), Young Poet
(Tamilnadu), Samvedna (Mangalore), Pegasus (Agra), Hyphen
(Shimla), IJPCL (Kerala), Indo-Asian Literature (New Delhi),
Replica (Cuttack), Cyber Literature (Patna), Point of View
(Ghaziabad, Kohinoor (Bihar), Voice of Kolkata (Kolkata), Re-
Markings (Agra).
Beside this his works has appeared in such web journals like
Muse India, Boloji.com, Literary India, Neo-poet, Academic India,
Indian English Literature Forum, Impressions Online Journal,
Creative Saplings. His poems are showing presence in foreign e-
journals like Poems-hunter.com, Coffe-connection.com, Autumn
Leaves, The Houston Literary Review, Asian-American poetry.com,
Poetry Sketch Book etc. Hea has to his credit two poetry volumes
Muse (2002) and Serene Moments (2008), Poets for World Peace
Vol. 1&2 (2010), A String of Words (2010), Anthologies 1 (2011).
At present he is working as a senior lecturer in English in J .V.P.G.
College, Baraut, Baghapat, U.P., India.
37
Different Shades Of Life As
Depicted by Biplab Majumdar
In His Poetry Volume
'GOLDEN HORIZON'
Biplab Majumdar is the significant voice in contemporary
Indian-English poetry. He is a bilingual poet, translator, reviewer
and short story writer. Present volume is a haiku collection having
different colours and shades. In the preface of this poetry volume,
the poet himself asserts,
"I think, poetry is an art words mirrored by the emotional
escape of a poet's perceptual deconstruction. In any branch of
arts, an artist has the innate inclination to mix up his personal
shade of colour with the original with a view to give his work a
timeless dimension. Each creative person paying due homage to
the traditional views, always experiment's with his new forms, new
ideas, new colours in order to offer the world a magnificent
masterpiece."
In Indian philosophy four aims have been told, Dharm
(religion,) Arth (Earning money), Kama (Sex), Moksha(
Enlightenment). The poet also asserts,
Indian poetry
Springs from nature
Deep spirituality
[p. 7]
Life has different shades happiness, joy, merriment,
contentment etc. In this way life is a puzzle which can't be solved
easily. Even great saints are not able to find its answer.
Life is a puzzle
That remains unsolved ever
Till light transcends'
[p. 11]
Poet feels deathless silence on the bank of the river. Past,
Present and Future are the pillars upon which our whole life rests.
Poet is comparing defeated persons to withered leaves which are
38
blown away by the wind. Poet is describing life by comparing it
with nature. Nature too has different shades lie human life at time
it is as enthusiastic like a woman. Affection of the persons should
flow like a free flowing river.
Affection too flows
Ever downwards like a river
Do you know why so ?
[p. 10]
We should be like the earth in accepting and sheltering
everyone. Our heart should be as large as earth but when we are
wounded we cry in the manner of the earth. We should take lesson
of gratitude from the nature.
Every blade of grass
Gratefully recalls debt of sun
But a man does not
[p. 10]
Marriage or Grihasth life is an important shade in man's life
but after that man entangles in a great illusion and these shades
become more permanent. Sri Aurobindo writes in his essay, The
Essence of Poetry',
"This power makes the rhythmic word of the poet the highest
form of speech available to man for the expression whether of his
self vision or of his world vision. It is noticeable that even the
highest experience , the pure spiritual which enters into the things
that can never be wholly expressed, still, when it does try to
express them and not merely to explain them intellectually, tends
instinctively to use, often the rhythmic forms, almost always the
manner of speech characteristic of poetry. But poetry attempts to
extend this manner of vision and utterance to all experience, even
the most objective, and therefore it has a natural urge towards the
expression of something in the object beyond its mere
appearances, even when these seem outwardly to be all that it is
enjoying."
1
[p. 4]
The poet tells us that joys are like dewdrops which come
and disappear
Joys are like dewdrops
They fall, evaporate : again
A long dryness there
39
[p. 12]
Happiness and sadness are two shads which go on together.
The cradle of life swings
Between two shades of darkness
Happiness and sadness
[p. 12]
In the light of selfishness love disappears so the poet advises
us to keep away from selfishness.
Dew of love vanishes
When the sun peeps in the sky
Sun of selfishness.
[p. 12]
Time decays everything or destroys everything even
Shakespeare has forced this thing in his sonnets. Our ultimate
reality is death, we have to go in the oblivion where we have to
present our true account.
Common men are born
Day and night, aspire for light
Ends in dying dusk.
[p. 13]
There are many allurements in this world or glitters but our
sole aim should be the attainment of truth,
In quest of truth
In quest of light, I move on
Along path of time
[p. 14]
Life runs very fast and these shade mingles in his life. These
shades make a person sensitive and later on a poet. Mind flies
like butterflies. Majumdar is best when he mixed images and
symbols from life and present these in his verses. Madhav Achwal
writes in his paper Ideas and modern poetry,
' The human mind is constantly straining to grapple with the
essential nature of this ' Vital force'. Forming ' ideas' is the mind's
way of going about this business, whether in the psychological
sense, or the metaphysical, ideas are, by their very nature,.
Abstractions of and from perpetual experience.'
2
40
[p. 183]
These different shades form a good poet.
'Poet's can't resist
Inevitable blows of reality
They bleed through verses
[p. 16]
Desires, aspirations, shades, these things are engulfed
Old age cares little
Spring comes or not, life does get
Aged without love
[p. 17]
The poet gives us the lesson of to be optimistic in all
circumstances.
All the buds and seeds
Tell us the tale of morrow
A dream never dies'
[p. 18]
Like P.B. Shelly, he tells us that our happiness has some
tinge of sadness in it because happiness and sadness are the
two sides of one coin.
Mosaic life does
Reflect celebration of
Colour, day and night
[p. 26]
The poet also has faith in OSHO'S Samadhi se sambhog
tak
After forty but
Abnormal sex provides fun
Perversion tiptoes.
[p. 20]
Every experience of life provides the verses a new word or
poem whether it is bed or sorrows. The river of muse starts flowing.
All the shades remains there in the form of experiences.
All come, sit beside
The sea, and they get aged
Ageless ripples shine'
41
[p. 22]
These experiences provide the man a new vision and love
remains there in all the manifestations. Life is a deep ocean and
we have to delve deep into it to get jewels of life. Love for is
important and for love for all Buddha left home and Jesus Christ
was crucified. Silently words come to make a poem
Poems as night birds
Spread wings at night on the beach
Of silent darkness
[p. 26]
The poet himself asserts in the preface,
"In my opinion, if anything can be the subject of poetry and if
haiku too is considered as one type of poetry, there should be no
bar in choosing subjects of haiku. Because it begets variety." Prof.
Seiji Hino observes 'Biplab' s poems are very simple but
suggestive. They are pregnant with high philosophic insight like
the experienced, old and wise man, sayings, In this volume, the
poet has presented different shades and experiences of life which
compels to write poetry.'
Veins of a poet
Don't carry blood, but the blue
Venom of poetry
[p. 30]
References :
1. Sri Aurobindo - The Essence of Poetry' in Critical Thought, S. K.
Desai, G. N. Devy (ens), Sterling Pub., New Delhi, 1987, PP-4.
2. Madhav Achwal - Ideas and Modern Poetry in Critical Thought,
S. K. Desai, G. N. Devy (ens), Sterling Pub., New Delhi, 1987,
PP-183.
3. Biplab Majumdar- Golden Horizon, International Poetry Society of
Kolkata, Kolkata, 2004, PP-6.

j j j
42
M. S. Venkata Ramaiah
M. S. Venkata Ramaiah, Editor 'BIZZ BUZZ' was born in 1944 at
Mandya where he did his SSLC, PUC and he did his D.E.E. at S.J.
Polytechnic, Bangalore in the year 1964. He joined National Dairy
Research Institute as Engineer in 1965 and served the organisation
in several capacities till he took voluntary retirement in the year
1987. For few years he was consultant for several industries and
institutions which include Kannada University, Hampi.
Mr. Vekata Ramaiah has started BIZZ BUZZ in 1998 which
became a complete literary journal over years. He has brought
out his first collection of poems in English 'Flash Point' and also
in Kannada 'Bisilu Kolu', both in 2002. His second collection of
poems in Kannada 'Hochha Hosathu Have' along with 'Antaryami'
on temple history, both came out in 2005. As editor of BIZZ BUZZ
he has brought out Six collections of poems in English edited by
43
him, 'The Pride of Asia' on the poetic excellence of Prof. Dr.
Kazuyosi Ikeda, Japan, in the year 2002.
Mr. Venkata Ramaiah commenced a second centre at Mysore
for his literary activities where he started creative works in Kannada
under the banner 'Sirigannad Vedike' in the year 2003. The Vedike
has conducted several programmes which include, poets meets,
symposia, lectures on enlightened presonalities, competitions in
Kanada poetry, short stories, Mini-Stories, Criticism of Kannada
novel as well as a facous TV Serial 'Muktha'. He has edited two
collections of poems in Kannada, one book on 'Kasaragod' of
papers presented in the symposium, one book 'Perlara Sahitya' of
the papers presented in the symposium arranged by the Vedike.
Mr. Venkata Ramaiah has read his Kannada poems in All
India Radio, Mysore and Mangalore. He has also given a number
of 'Chinthana' lectures at A.I.R. Mysore. He was invited by Udaya
T.V. for 'Parichaya' in 2004 and also by A.I.R. Vividhbharathi,
Bangalore for 'Sadhana' in 2007. He is the recipient of several
Awards given by Kannada Sanghas at, Yelandur, Mysore,
Bangalore. He was one of the invited poets to read poem in the
prestigious 'Mysore Dasara Kavigoshti' in 2006. Edizioni
Universem, Italy, had conferred 'A poem for Life Award' for one of
his poems in 2003. He is in the Editorial Advisor to Chetana
Literary Group, Mangalore.
44
VIRTUES & VICES :
towering literature
with the essence of philosophy
The book 'Virtues & Vices' aroused curiousity in me after
it was handed to me by the author, during my stay in a Kolkata
Hotel in November 2001. Biplab Majumdar, well known bilingual
poet, has achieved many laurels at his young age. In this collection
of four line stanzas about all possible Virtues and Vices, each
looking like an aphorism, the poet's efforts are seen in his
researched meanings perfect and, very much convincing.
It is like unwinding of a coil of superior thoughts in a way.
' Human life is a long journey
from ignorance to Eternal light ..... '
(Life)
The limits and the limitless things have been given for one
to choose and live, in a manner that selfless service, unattached
attitude are to be inculcated in life.
' ...... with a heart full of tolerance
We can walk with hand in hand. '
(Tolerance)
The essence and importance of tolerance have been aptly
explained aiming at its benefits. What is memorable and what is
not is well established here.
' Discipline makes one tough as an anvil
That does not bother the blow of hammer .... '
(Discipline)
The essential manner in which one should live in the world
is well substanitiated. It is discipline that brings us success in our
endeavours. Like this there are many examples under virtues
which would transform a person. The author has taken pains to
acquire variety of meanings to each one of the virtues as well as
vices.
' Steady cheerfulness mirrors happiness .....
45
a global passport to every heart. '
(Cheerfulness)
Even the visible smile on the face has been attributed to
the happy condition of the soul and body. There are many such
quotations throughout. The author has excelled in providing vivid
thoughts in affirmation to each virtue valued precisely high.
' Thinking is the heart of soul
It can reveal our life's beauty '
(Thinking)
Complex subjects dealing with abstract matter have been
very efficiently defined in these lines, the credit should go to the
author. However tiny or young the thinking mind may be it
transforms the nature to evolve man.
' In this world of dire conflicts
Peace comes not through Armament .....
A peaceful mind can perceive alone
The purpose of our life and birth. '
(Peace)
In a situation like ours however much we stress the need
for peace, armament may be necessary too, but it is not guaranteed
that we achieve peace through its usage. But universally, what
the author is trying to sum up the ultimate goal, the purpose and
from that angle peace is necessarily a medium to arrive at solutions.
There has been a line of thoughts related to anger as one
of the vices.
' Anger is not at all a masculine trait
Surely it is a sign of weakness ..... '
(Anger)
Once we understand this, anger never gets its priority in
life.
' Violence celebrates the festivals of blood
Can demolish world within a day '
(Violence)
These lines reverberate in our ears especially after
46
September 11, 2001 incidents. Violence has a repeating character.
It never gets extinguised. Violence as a culprit leaves its prints in
the form of blood, fatality and devastation easy enough to trace it.
Violence has no expiry date, but its doses are unbearable for the
mankind to survive.
In all the topics, the author has exhibited his superiority
and in-depth study which are indeed remarkable. The collection
'Virtues & Vices' is a pride collection by virtue of its thoughtful
messages and well churned meanings. Biplab Majumdar has
shown a path in which the titles traverse through each line of all
the poems. He has done his job very carefully giving no room for
contradictions. His ability to give the precious life its place on
a high pedestal proves that he is akin to values in life. It is
also hoped that many more works of greater depths would be
seeing the light of the day by him.
To conclude, the work of Biplab Majumdar could be
considered as inner truth of both positive and negative
aspects of life well exposed.
[ VOK; Vol. 3, Issue 2, Pg. 29 ]

j j j
47
Prof. P. V. Laxmi Prasad (I NDI A)
P. V. Laxmi Prasad hails from Andhrapradesh. He is a lecturer by
profession in different Govt. Colleges in Andhrapradesh. He holds
M.A. in English Literature from Kakatiya University, Warangal.
He cleared the U.G.C. N.E.T. in 1998. At present, he works at
Govt. Degree College, Manthani, Karimnagar. As part of creative
credentials, he publishes Poetry, Articles, Book-reviews and Short-
stories in 33 Journeals of International ruputation. As a poet, he
has to his credit 100 published poems in English. He is widely
published and anthologized poet. As a critic, he has published 22
articles and 22 book-reviews. He is the official book-reviewer for
contemporary Vibes, Chandigarh. He is also in the editorial board
of Indian Journal of Post-Colonial Literatures, Kerala. He is the
Resource person for A.P. State AIDS control Society, Govt. of A.P.
Hyderabad.
48
Biplab Majumdar's
"ISLAND'S DOLPHIN SONG"
Dedicated to global love and published by International
Poetry Society of Kolkata, India, "Island's Dolphin Song" is a
collection of 25 poems in English by Biplab Majumdar, a renowned
poet of international repute, a recipient of more than 50 awards
and coveted honours, and an author of 70 books on prose, poetry,
translation, research works and novel. He is one of the brilliant
poetic voices in Asian poetic firmament who has attained a
phenomenal meteoric rise in his literary career. In the preface to
the collection, the poet defines poetry as timeless creations
involving a perfect blend of intellect, impulse, imagery and artistic
quality in presentation. According to Biplab Majumdar, poetry
has to reach to the heart of readers irrespective of the kind of
verse in which it is written.
The poems of "Island's Dolphin Song" deal with all the
worlds i.e., mundane, spiritual and eternal. They are composed
on diverse themes --- themes of which are eternal beauties crafted
on elegant thoughts, subtle expressions, sound imagery and
streaks of imagination and above all, glittering truths guiding the
universe.
As such, they are, to say, highly imaginative & philosophical
verses in that they contain worldly wisdom like nature, imagination,
Time, Spiritually, Truth & Beauty, Love as romantic concept cycle
of seasons and imaginations soaring finally the moving pictures
of dreaded terrorism.
The poet begins the collection with a poem titled "In dreamy
Lone midnight" where imaginative deposits of the poet are taken
on heightened scales.
In dreamy lone midnight
with stained moon
a sparkling stream flows
from life to death
in vast expanse of
meadow's stillness
--- In dreamy Lone Midnight
A heightened imagination coupled with superb handling of universal
49
objects is quite noteworthy in the context. Else where in the poem,
the poet goes crazy by moving in Loneliness in the forests & fields.
At moonlit night
I get crazy
Move alone with Loneliness
In fields & forests
--- In dreamy Lone Midnight
Waves of Dream's is a poem rich in imagery and the richness
goes highly penetrative in the lines below :
Between Vastness of sea and sky
Somewhere lies the endless wisdom
of history
--- Waves of Dreams
The poet is dreaming of the roots of wisdom that is existing between
the worlds of sea and sky.
In another poem titled "Expectation" the poet strongly
expects that a day comes in our life when pebbles of water would
be ushered into a bright life-force.
Believe Some day the dawn will be ours
and our favourite pebbles would be bright
in enough unworldliness
--- Expectation
Realities of life are philosophically expanded in the poem "the Rays
of Truth" :
Experience gets aged
In the morning Sun
Under the rays of truth
--- The rays of Truth
"Last night" is the poem the poet recalls how those words which
conquer him for long years have finally matured his mind.
Words get vanquished, step by step
on decaying bones
they come up to the depth of skull
--- Last Night
Again, the poet wishes to root out the ills of modern world :
Wish to extinguish all the burning
candles of selfishness with a single puff
50
wish to mop up the grains of jealousy
from all human hearts
--- Last Night
"Dead Birds" presents the doleful picture of birds i.e., Captured,
hunted, preyed upon and finally killed.
The emptiness of a cage
without birds was swaying
within my heart
I proceeded a bit to West
As the Sun
--- Dead Birds
In the beautiful lines that run through the poem, "Concealed
Confessions", the poet sees how the abuses of verbal war reach
the level of heated intensity, it is here that life is compared to a
thrown arrow through which words pierce into the hearts.
Lashes of words reach
Its height of intensity
Life too takes its turn
As a thrown arrow.
--- Concealed Confessions
Writing on "Friends", the poet pities that the world of friends is
replaced by the world of enemies.
Friends are leaving one by one
being lonely day by day
Enemies are taking their positions
--- Friends
"A Love poem" is a poem set in beautiful imagery and
comparison. The poet compares the ebullient moods of lovers with
that of parrots and the excitement of lovers is compared with
"Lotus" a flower that blooms happy moments for the onlookers.
A flight of parrots in sky
they plunge into the depth
of dreams
Hearts of lovers
bloom in lotus excitement
Thoroughly drenched
voice of romance.
--- A love poem
51
The poet in a fine display of imagery exhibits the roots of poetry
from the skeleton of words :
From white bones of words
rises up the sandal background
of poetry.
--- Songs of Yellow Season
"Our colourful stories" is a long poem of the collection that gives
nostalgic moods of typical Kolkatan.
Green buds
bloom sporadically in joy
at schools and colleges
on the streets and roads
at shopping malls ....
--- Victorial Memorial of
My loving city Kolkata
--- Our Colourful Stories
The title of collection "Island's Dolphin Song" is the title of a poem
in which the poet asks dolphin to rise up once again upon the
crystal waters of island.
A lonely dolphin plays here
in this island's cool
Spell-bound Sun-rays will create magic
upon the crystal water, if
you come back once,
just for once.
--- Island's Dolphin Song
In one of the poems "Towards Sky", the poet captures those
moments when he feels attracted to colourful clouds & their magic
mystery. The poem presents eternal truths of how men are
mystified in the mystique surroundings of Nature.
Strata of colorific clouds
allured me all through
High clouds call me frequently
with its magic mystery.
--- Towards Sky
Finally, the poem that concludes the collection is on terrorism
remembering 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. Again, the poem runs
on beautiful images through which the sight of harrow climaxes :
52
Some hated vultures hover
the dome round and round
With live-bombs in chest
our unsecured movement
every day ....
Fiesta of thousand bones,
Bloody hearts jump in air.
At the end, the poet proudly proclaims the victory of eternal power
of human entity.
Still the historic genius
of our living
triumphs as a soaring phoenix
--- India, Under the Grip of Terrorism
To condude the review, I reckon that Biplab Majumdar has come
out as an experimenter of superb imagery in the collection --- the
experimentation from dreamlands to genuine destinations of life
that ever holds out mysteries for man. Radiance of Truths entirely
dominates the collection with sound knowledge & wisdom
intruded into the poems. It is said that an artist lives in the
works he does and similarly, a poet lives in the technique he
employs. The poet fits perfectly into the latter and the collection
will surely hit the hearts of readers and sustain his position as
poet of maturity.
[ VOK; Vol. 10, Issue 1, Pg. 34 ]

j j j
Haiku as accomplished
philosophy in Biplab
Majumdar's "Golden Horizon"
Biplab Majumdar's 'Golden Horizon' is a collection of haiku
poems in English. As haiku is known to beget variety and remain
53
congenial to Nature, the collection of one hundred and eighteen
haiku has gained significance. In the words of Prof. Seiji Hino,
Japan, "the poems are very simple but very suggestive. They
are pregnant with high philosophic insight like the experienced,
old and wise man's sayings". True to these comments, the haikus
deals with subjects of perceptual truth and philosophy. The
elements of imagery, scenery, economized vocabulary and notes
of spiritualism mark the genius of the poet. There are glimpses of
quiet contemplations which give the readers food for thought.
Though simple in construction, these haikus leave behind fertile
sources of Nature for man. Thought is the key element of any
haiku and the haikus in Biplab Majumdar are about the world's
most attractive subjects of discussion.
Bernard M. Jackson, Much-acclaimed poet-critic of the
hour, England remarked that "In the truest sense each poem within
this collection is not an end in itself, but each sparks a new
beginning. It is indeed impressive how this writer has been able
to being such grace of movement, colour and introspection to so
many of his poems, Biplab has written his own preface providing
an illuminative and instructive forward to the book" The poet
strongly asserts, introspects, reflects and reacts to the global
phenomena, a great work that demands great thinking. This is
where Biplab Majumdar excels as a poet of haiku through the
master-piece 'Golden Horizon". He has the innate inclination
to mix up his personal shade of colour with the original with
a view to give his work a timeless dimension. Every creative
person pays due homage to the traditional views, always
experiments with his new forms, new ideas, new colours in order
to offer the world a magnificent master-piece. Yes, it can be termed
as "tradition in experiment" and "experiment in tradition". He
experiments haikus in both tradition and modernity and the true
spirit of the haikus find place in the world of Nature.
In the comments of Prof. Purnima Roy, "poet Majumdar's
poems are very suggestive and symbolic and herein lies the true
spirit of his haikus. Through these poems, we get one such a
poet who is illumined with deep philosophical as well as spiritual
ideas and beliefs, and social commitments that declare himself as
a complete man. "That is why he says : (Voice of Kolkata 9:1, 24-
25)
54
" Enigma flows on
From realism to surrealism
Poetry becomes a poet
Poetry transcends when
Incomplete reality fuses with
Complete idealism. "
Haikus that depict nature symbolize eternal lessons from
Nature :
" Seasons bring blossoms
Trees need decades for full growth
Maturity takes time. "
Man has to take years of life to undergo maturity like seasons
that give trees decades fro growth. The poet traces the roots of
nature in shaping the maturity of man in the dimensions of Time.
The universal truth that worthiness cannot be gained in a day is
found in one of haikus:
" In quest of truth
In quest of light
I move on
Along path of Time "
A haiku full of sustenance and thought that depicts Nature
as guide, follower and teacher can be found in the lines :
" A fruit loaded branch
Bent low to ground, gratitude
Never forgets debt. "
A philosophically matured Majumdar gets the readers moving
in the womb of thought :
" Silence sleeps deathless
on the banks of the river
Water of Time flows "
The queen of silence makes her presence in the ever-flowing
waters of time. At times, it breaks her silence into sensations
wonders, and secrets. But, Time can never reveal how silence
pounces upon the world. Silence, though rules for a moment,
makes a lasting impression. It has immortal existence and ever
active all the time.
55
" Silence Sleeps deathless
on the banks of the river
Water of Time flows "
According to Shaleen Kumar Singh, the critic, who revised
Majumdar's works has this to say: "Thus it is, undeniably admitted
fact that the poetry of Biplab Majumdar is a bouquet of multi-
coloured roses and jasmines filled with aroma of spirituality. His
poems are all drenched in the rain of spiritual ecstasy and
transcendental joys which make him a poet of eternity & par
excellence."
There is spirituality, ecstasy, and transcendental experience
in the haikus. A note of nostalgia also runs through them. Hope,
optimism inspiration, introspection--- all greeting haikus are a
testimony to poet's handling of this Japanese verse form.
The movement of pepping Sun into the sky as a natural object
of comparison with that of lovers who disappear on selfish terms.
" Dew of love vanishes
When the sun peep in the sky
Sun of selfishness "
The fugitive creature like mind escapes constantly and
crafted along the lines of comparison.
" Never you will see
Butterflies sit for minutes
Mind is fugitive. "
Mind runs away to far-off places within seconds just as
butterflies move from place to place and don't rest at one place. A
heightened comparison, indeed.
A hopeful & optimistic Majumdar finds that dreams never
get buried but keep life brightened.
" All the buds & seeds
Tell us the tale of morrow
A dream never dies "
Inspired by nature, the poet sees fruition of dreams, hopes,
promises like those of evening buds & seeds that hope to sprout
and flower the next morning.
A sound knowledge of the poet in using penetrative thoughts
56
moves through the world of birds when they are forced to move
round suddenly seeking shelter in the trees signify that mankind
is sinful and treacherous.
" Birds darted into
the crowd of leaves
concealed sin in human-breasts. "
Continuing the same spirit of haikus, the poet sees life in
Kolkata as actually happening when flooded roads make the
movement impassable. It is water logged roads that cover veils
of darkness for pedestrians, imagery of life in Kolkata in live
description :
" The roads get flooded
I return wading through Water,
Water of darkness. "
Haikus bring on moments of nostalgia for the poet when he
is haunted by memories through the depth of tears:
" Lovely drops of tears
Alone know the depth of night
Memory ever bleeds. "
Assertions of haikus get strongly asserted in the lines that
describe the glories of poetry.
" Veins of a poet
don't carry blood
but the blue venom of poetry. "
Thought as the mainstay of haikus is colourfully mixtured
i.e., comparison heightened to give extra force of sustenance.
" Milk in poly pack
who knows when gets a leak
life within body. "
life of a man is uncertain like that of milk in poly pack cover
that may leak at any time. Uncertainty of life is affirmatively built
up with lifeless object.
To conclude the paper, Majumdar's assertion of haikus in
"Golden Horizon" leave a kind of stunning effect on the thinking of
the readers. Rather, introspection is the moving force of philosophy
that haikus aim to reveal to the readers through innovation. It is
57
worthwhile to quote what Prof. Kazuyosi Ikeda, the poet from the
land of Haikus, Japan: "The poet Biplab Majumdar's haikus are
superlatively fascinating having surpassingly profound
significance. His haiku glitter gorgeously, like heavenly stars and
are exceedingly lucid like genuine pearls in the sea's bottom. Such
English haiku are highly evaluated as true haiku by Japanese
people" Such is the greatness and uniqueness of haikus and that
they are crafted in the true spirit of haikus, quite accomplished
and worthwhile existences in the world of haiku as poetry.

j j j
58
Antaryami Sahu
Antaryami Sahu, is a Lecturer in English in M. G. Degree College,
Orissa. His poems, articles, reviews have been published in as
many as 30 Journals in India and abroad. To name a few, Voice of
Kolkata (Kolkata), The Brain wave (Chennai), Poets International
(Bangalore), Osaka University News Letter, Osaka, Japan etc.
59
Biplab Majumdar's
"GOLDEN HORIZON"
Dr. Biplab Majumdar's ''Golden Horizon'' is a collection of
haikus. Though now-a days haikus are written in one to five lines
Majumdar's haikus are restricted to three lines like the original
Japanese haikus and restricted to five-seven-five syllable structure
of the Japanese haikus. Majumdar's haikus are not restricted to
the world of nature like the traditional Japanese haikus. Dr.
Majumdar has suggested in the preface of the book that haiku is
one type of poetry and like the other types of poetry, there should
be no bar in choosing the subjects of haikus. So anything under
the sun can be the subjects of haikus, according to Majumdar.
This book of Majumdar is dedicated to the innocent victims of
terrorism all over the world. This reflects the poet's humanitarian
outlook. If we go ahead with the haikus, we will be sure that Dr.
Majumdar is a person, who is concerned for the humanity. His
haikus are also full up with high philosophic insights and are
extremely instructive for the present day mankind.
Biplab Majumdar says of ingratitude of men in some of these
haikus. We can see two haikus on Page 10. These haikus are -
Every blade of grass
Gracefully recalls debt of sun
But a man does not
k
We live like the earth
Being wounded, bloody by dear ones
Compelled to cry within
In the former of these haikus Majumdar says a natural object
like grass is indebted to the sun on which it depends on its smooth
growth but man is not grateful to him who has done favour. The
poet has attributed human quality to grass and he wants us to
learn from the grass to be indebted to him who has done good to
us. In the later of these haikus the poet says that the earth is
always wounded. The wound is caused by deforestation, digging
up mines, etc. We are also wounded in the same way like that of
the earth. Here two messages are entangled. We must not be
ungrateful to our environment on which we depend to live and we
must not do harm to other human beings - as we all are brothers
60
and sisters being the sons and daughters of Mother Earth.
We can see another two haikus at Page 26 to be sure that
Majumdar's haikus are full up with worldly knowledge. These two
haikus are -
Children are not born
Of love now, so there is much
Scarcity of love
k
Bamiyan Buddhas
Tell us, in all ages Jesus
is crucified
The former of these two haikus reminds me of a maxim
'Corrupt mother bears corrupt children.' This means that a mother
bears corrupt children if she is corrupt. The same way if there is
no love between the two of a couple, how a child can be born to
them with love and if the children are not born out of love, the
world will be a loveless place. In this haiku the poet wants to teach
us that love begins at home and it is spread to the outside world.
Again, we must learn from this that the two of a couple should
have love for each other, so that their children will learn to love
and can spread it in the outside world and make the world a
worthliving place. The latter of these two haiku is one on religious
intolerance. Here the poet has juxtaposed the present and the
past. The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha in recent time and
the crucification of Lord Jesus in the past suggest that there is/
was religious intolerance. Here the poet's message is that we must
wage a war against religious intolerance and fanatism so that there
will be co-operation among the people of different religions in the
world.
For restricting my review, I am not taking more examples
from this collection. but without doubt, I can say that all the
haikus of this collection are full of worldly wisdom and
knowledge. The haikus are on the subjects of perceptual truth
and philosophy. These haikus are amazingly beautiful,
according to their spirit. I would like to recommand all the poets,
poetry lovers and critics of the whole world to read this book for
their aesthetic pleasure.
[ VOK; Vol. 6, Issue 1, Pg. 30 ]

j j j
61
J asvinder Singh
J asvinder Singh, is a Delhi based freelance jounalist, poet and
literary critic. He was born in 1947 in a remote village of District
Jalandhar (Punjab), subsequently graduated from the University
of Delhi in 1972, and studied M.A. (English) in H.P.
His 200 articles on copious stream of subjects got published
in magazines and newspapers.
So far his 4 anthologies of poems : Shattered Pebbles (1980),
The Glimpse (1990), What I Feel (2000), Stray Thoughts (2005)
and 480 book reviews for books of Indian authors and poets, and
foreign poets published in : The National Herald (New Delhi),
The Patriot (New Delhi), The Scoria (Chandigarh), Samvedana
(Manglore), Voice of Kolkata (Kolkata), Poetcrit (H.P.), Bizz-Buzz
(Mysore), Canopy, Shine, Poet International (Banglore),
Perigramma (Greece), Contemporary Vibes (Chandigarh).
He was conferred Life Time Achievement Award "In
recognition of a lifetime of excellent contributions to Literature
and Journalism" from the United Cultural Convention of Austria
in August, 2006.
62
Charming Free Verses
Biplab Majumdar is a poet par excellence. His poems are
spellbinding, thought-provoking and succinct. His revelations take
one towards journey of life. He has set a novel trend in the verses
which are emulative and avidly admirable.
Island's Dolphin Song is Biplab Majumdar's superbly written
twenty five poems about which he tells us that they pertain to
'truth and beauty'.
In his preface to the poems the poet has informed the
readers that he is trying his hand at free verse to perform his
journey of success of truth and beauty.
In free verse, generally, thoughts get greater importance
than strict adherence to rules, as the ancient poets like W. B.
Yeats, William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth or P. B. Shelly
did follow to make their poems lively and entertaining. It is a nice
incidence that the poet has advocated the cause that with changing
times the trends also change.
In the poem 'In dreamy lone midnight' the poet has made
the best use of his imagination through his assertion that :
' Empty I am, destitute
break repeatedly
in defenselessness
as the moon of twelfth
lunar day
at dark fortnight
breaks into pieces
upon lapis-lazuli water. '
and
' Someone dips me
ruthlessly
into your dreadful dreams
I break, repeatedly
in defenselessness
as the moon of twelfth lunar day
at dark fortnight breaks .... '
63
When imagination and imagery get co-ordinated the
thoughts emerge glowingly with a subtle revelation of the objectivity
as the poet's following lines from the poem 'Rays of truth' suggest
:
' Experience gets aged.
In the morning Sun
under the rays of truth
can identify my real friends. '
Friendship is pious and sacred. It enriches life with
sustenance and support in love. In this poem thoughts offered by
the poet are very convincing and admirable.
'Time gets dreamy' poem also suggests poet's subtle co-
ordintion between thoughts and imagination, with which he presents
true reality to phenomena which makes one to realise one's
encounters with truth and ground reality in life. At one place in the
poem he reveals :
' Even today many a love
of this earth
get dried in indifference
at the curse of spoilt stars. '
One feels Wordsworthian romanticism when going
through the poem 'Within Watershed'. Poet's imagination arise his
indepth feelings when he tells that :
' Lips are extended towards
the lips of uncertainty,
conviction and doubt
are twisting in violent wind
standing with outcast grief
Blue even above the head. '
There is a glimps of spirituality in the small but thoughtful
and revealing poem 'Om' chanting which one gets enlightened
inwardly and outwardly. The poem also inspires introspection over
the idea contained in the poem.
Other poems in the book which leave a longer-lasting
impression on the reader's fancies are 'Friends', 'A love poem', 'A
canvas', 'Someone in the garden at midnight', 'Island's Dolphin
64
Song', and whet reader's admiration for poet's sharp acumen of
intellect with which he makes his poems attractive and
communicative to reveal his finer feelings.
The poems also suggest that in Majumdar there dwells a
poet who endears himself in every heart of poetry lovers by means
of his universal approach to sing the songs of life so enchantingly
and rhythmically.

j j j
Biplab Majumdar :
A Poet Par Excellence
In the vast firmament of contemporary Indo-Anglican
literature Biplab Majumdar has become a constant shining star
like Polestar in the universe by virtue of his writings and his editorial
dexterity in his poems. He is a multi-faceted personality from a
handsome debonair to a distinguished poet, and an editor
of international literary journal and a compiler of many
anthologies of poems and literature like essays, literary
criticism etc.
As a poet and by virtue of his inherent qualities he has earned
an immaculate disposition in every field he has been attached to.
He has been putting in strenuous efforts through his literary
journals Voice of Kolkata and Sahitya Utsav to widen the scope
of genres of contemporary Indo-Anglican literature, especially
poetry and literary criticism.
Biplab Majumdar is one of the best known poets who is
internationally known for his multi-faceted traits as an author, poet,
essayist, a literary critic, story writer and above all a man endowed
with humanistic thinking in the society. He has been honoured
with numerous national and international awards in recognition on
of excellence in poetry and other achievements like a renowned
editor of International literary journal. He also holds the distinction
of being President of International Poetry Society of Kolkata (India).
65
He has been doing his best to reach literature lovers by means of
own meticulous communications through his writings, and his
literary journals which are nonetheless his giant steps forward to
scale the heights of grand success in his strides to communicate
his avid observations, and through his thoughts around himself.
He has been doing a yeoman's service to contemporary
Indo-Anglican literature by widening its scope to reach in other
countries of the world. His works. Golden Horizons, Mera Bharat
Mahan (an international poetry anthology edited by him), Virtues
and Vices, Island's Dolphin Songs (2009). A collection of write-
ups on Dr. Kazuyosi Ikeda edited by him, speak volumes of grand
achievements in like which are more beneficiary to all and one
attached with the activities of writing.
A distinct feature of Biplab Majumdar's writings in prose
and poetry is that he always brims with newer ideas which
are succinct and innovative, and sets emulative trends which
are perennial source of inspiration not only for upcoming and
fledgling poets/writers but also for the renowned and grown
up once. A hallmark of excellence in his writings is that he
expresses himself in the most attractive manner. By virtue of
his fine poetic diction and other admirable writing qualities, Biplab
Majumdar has attained topmost position in the realms of modern
literature.
It is well known that the purpose of poetry is to penetrate
into the virtues and finer feelings of the society and to reveal the
subtleties realism of phenomena truthfully. And since eons ago
poets have been putting in their best talents to make notable
revelations delving upon excellencies with their expressions of
earnest perceptions and precincts. Biplab Majumdar has also been
such a poet as he has exhibited his best talent to entertain and
educate the readers with his remarkable understandings about
routine occurrences and phenomenal changes which influence
life in one way or the other.
His poems reflect the perceptual truth and philosophy as
contented by him in his preface to Golden Horizon, an anthology
of haiku poems. The poems in this anthology suggest that his
thoughts spread the fragrance of ecstasy all around, and that he
is an epitome of incessant lover for tradition and greatness of
culture without an exaggeration, Majumdar pens down his
66
innovative thoughts on core issues which emanate from his avid
observations and experiences in the general drama of life.
It has been found that going through the poems of Biplab
Majumdar one finds it an opportunity to feel the fascination of an
attraction to thoughts which inspire serenity, humanness, and
whets in the reader an urge to explore more and more thoughts or
the poet by reading his poems more once, and to plunge into an in
depth philosophy.
To cite an example here is the following excerpt from his
poem 'Love' in ' Virtues and Vices'.
" A house is changed to a home
With the magical power of it,
Love is the soul of our living
Through our life let us practice it."
Another glimpse of poet's strong sense of communication of
an emulative idea of optimism when he suggests and entreats in
the poem ' Self Revolution' that.
" Let us break off the chains of past
In order to develop a newer vision,
Let's turn and march ahead
To give our life a better dimension."
Dr. Majumdar has from time provided ample of opportunities
to the readers to know about his avid observations emanating
from his experiences. He has been a brand ambassador of
contemporary Indo-Anglican literature universally. He is a
poet of the world. Without a tinkle of doubt may be called a
poet par excellence, and a poet extraordinary, because his
thoughts in his poems leave a resounding impact on the
imagination of the readers. His poems also reveal the charm of
handsome thoughts which reflect the charm of his personality to
authenticate the saying 'handsome is that handsome does'. With
a sting in his pen Majumdar's contemporary literature has been
enriched through his innovative and succinct thoughts. He is a
noble soul with noble thoughts.

j j j
67
Nalini Sharma
Nalini Sharma, M.A. in English Literature, B.Ed. Retired
Principal, is a bilingnal writer (Hindi & English). Her poems,
articles, essays, short stories, novels etc. have been published in
reputed journals e.g. Naya Gyanodya, Sarita, Grihashova, Suman
Saurabh, Harigandha, Chhatisgarh Today, Woman's Era, Alive,
Poet, Metverse Muse, Free Expression etc. So far her 10 books
have been published, 4 under publication.
She has been honoured with lots of (more than 18) Awards
e.g. SAHITYA SHREE, Bharat Bhasa Bhusan, Shreshth Sadhana
Samman, Vishist Sadhana Samman, Rashtra Bhasa Sewak Samman,
Tulika Samman, Best poet of the year 2003 by Poets International,
Metverse Muse Awards, Sarojini Naidu Award and Shweta Patil
Award etc.
68
Biplab Majumdar :
An Appraisal Of His Poetry
Biplab Majumdar, the editor of Voice of Kolkata (English) &
Sahitya Utsav (Bengali), has earned global repute as an
International poet, translator, reviewer, litterateur and Juvenile
writer. A prolific writer he has authored more than 70 books and is
the proud recipient of more than 50 awards from different countries.
His thought provoking inspiring poems have been published in
India, Greece, Italy, Argentina, Australia, Malta, Brazil, Japan,
Yugoslavia, England, China, Germany - certainly no mean feat,
Kudos to him !
Some exceptional awards worth mentioning conferred upon
this genius are GRAND PRIZE OF CIVILIZING OLYMPIAD,
GREECE 1999, PADUS AMOENUS, FIRST PRIZE, SILVER
MEDEL ITALY, 2000. HON. D LITT USA 2001, THE BEST POET
OF 2002-2003 PR CHINA., DECREE OF MERIT AUSTRIA 2003,
1st PRIZE INTERNATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION SOUTH
AFRICA 2003, HONOURED KNIGHT MALTA 2005, GOLDEN
PLADUS D' ORO ITALY 2006.
A gifted man Dr. Majumdar is the Hon. Member of ISGW &
A, GREECE, Hon. Member of Padus Amoenus. Italy. Member of
WAAC, USA, Advisory Council, Anstead University. ENGLAND,
Art Director. IPTRC, PR CHINA and Founder -President, IPSKI,
KOLKATA, INDIA. He has successfully carved a niche of his
own in the literary world with his valuable contribution to
Indian English Poetry. He has won acclaim as an international
writer whose works have been translated into quite a number
of languages. Indian Languages are Assamese , Bengali, Hindi,
Punjabi, Marathi, Tamil, Telgu, and Kannada. Foreign languages
include Greek, Italian, Chinese , Maltese Serbian, Spanish,
Japanese, German, French, Hebrew, Portuguese and Russian.
Through his poetry and other literary activities he is
tirelessly striving for international peace and co-operation
. In his inimitable simple style he expresses lucidly easily
understood by the common man. He does not make use of
high flown words and idioms that only highbrow class can
understand . With his disarming naivety he captures the heart
69
of the readers . His outpourings are the outbursts of a sensitive
heart. Down-to-earth in his approach he suggests practicable
ways to improve quality of life. In short he teaches you
the art of meaningful living. His poems are highly inspiring
and suggestive, pregnant with philosophical insight like
the sayings of an experienced old and wise man full of
worldly wisdom and knowledge steeped in spiritual. While
reading them at times you are misled to think that you are
hearing the spiritual religious discourse of a sage. With superb
ease he fashions amazing verses that leave the readers awe-
struck.
He deserves accolades for presenting the readers such
thought provoking and religiously oriented philosophically
illustrations of his poetic outpourings that will certainly act as a
beacon to the present day suffering humanity aimlessly floating in
the murky water of materialism struggling to get some secure
foothold. I am sure these poems will provide them much needed
strength and solace. These poems steeped in spirituality will
provide an anchor and guide them to have a communion and union
with the Almighty a panacea of all the ills. Highly skilled at churning
healing verses .Dr. Majumdar like a dedicated physician strives
to soothe the tortured psyche of mankind weighed down with
multiple worldly woes result of his own doings. His divine
handiwork successfully stirs the conscience and one feels
the glow of a thousand suns lighting up his soul dispelling
the gloom of sorrow and despair. In his poems the poet stresses
open the various ingredients essential for attaining mental
tranquility. To attain it one needs to be one with the divine and too
reach perfection one needs to shun pride, vanity and ego. Thus
he is a humanitarian poet.
I had the pleasure of going his three poetry books - VIRTUES
& VICES (2001) GOLDEN HORIZON (2004) and ISLAND'S
DOLPHIN SONG (2009). They are beautifully designed and have
quite an impressive look.
GOLDEN HORIZON is a collection of 116 haikus dedicated
to the innocent victims of terrorism all over the world - a rare
tribute indeed that speaks volumes about his sensitive heart. The
soul stirring haikus are full of worldly wisdom and knowledge.
Here are some of the pick of the bunch that reveal his high
70
sensibility and insight -
A true patriot he is all praise Indian poetry -
Indian poetry
Spring from nature
Deep spirituality -
The following haiku has a tinge of irony. It touches the reader's
heart -
The marriage is over
Parents are happy, anxious for ever
Who knows when bad news comes.
How true indeed !
He pays a fitting tribute to the tribe of poets -
Poets are worshippers
Eternal worshippers of truth
To enlighten the world.
It reveals his inherent goodness -
To be a poet
I tried to be good, but
It's so difficult.
His philosophical musings -
Seasons bring blossoms
Trees need decades for full growth
Maturity takes time.
He spreads the lesson of love -
The violin of heart
Gets instantly alive with
Magic touch of love.
ISLAND'S DOLPHIN SONG is a collection of 25 superb
poems on varied themes. With ease the poet has used imagery
and irony to express his emotions that appeal the readers.
In dreamy lone midnight
With stained moon
A spark stream flows
From life to death.
71
Converging all sounds
The resounding OM
Words hang on it.
He muses philosophically -
Upon the bare breasts of infinite indifference
I lay, watching
The smile of a dreaming infant.
He is in quest of a justifiable reason -
Does anyone turn the face away
From his beloved for nothing ?
He laments the loss of his friend just parted or turned
into foes -
Friends are leaving one by one, being
Lonely day by day.
Enemies are taking their position.
He captures Nature in a different mood -
The echoes of church bells
Vibrate in the lonesome olive valley.
Shapeless while clustered clouds
With wild smell are coming up
From the plains.
The glory of his KOLKATA gushes out from his heart in the
form of a poem -
Millennium park
Beside the waterline of my
Loving city KOLKATA.
Here is a gem in the crown from the title song. His longing
for his beloved manifests itself in the following verse -
Spell- bound sunrays will create magic
Upon the crystal water, if
You come back once,
Just for
Once.
(ISLAND'S DOLPHIN SONG)
72
Like a master craftsman he used imagery with superb case
to capture his overwhelmig emotions -
Sometime I come
Beside the bank of the loving river
At sleepless nights.
He sings the glory of nature in its pristine purity. The
description is vivid and picturesque that instantly creates a mental
picture before our eyes -
Sun-burnt wings, still the pride of
Blue sky how intensely beckons me !
His anguished cry finds expression in INDIA, UNDER THE
GRIP OF TERRORISM
With the difference of caste, creed, and
Religion my mother can not sleep peacefully
Even for a night.
With live bombs in chest
Our unsecured movements everyday.
His pain is unfathomable and evokes sad feelings in our
hearts. Terrorism has eaten away the vitality of our nation. It has
reached beyond endurance level.
VIRTUES & VICES is a thoughtful collection of well- crafted
poems that will lead man to the right path through the perilous
uncertainty of materialism. Aptly title divided into two parts it has
77 poems in total. The first part has 57 poems extolling different
virtues while the rest 20 in the second part deal with the vices to
be shunned like a deadly disease that surely lead to a man's
downfall.
An amazingly significant and impressive book ' VIRTUES &
VICES ' stresses upon the value of ethics and morals in human
life extremely relevant in present scenario for misguided mankind
steeped in materialism. The poet endeavors to bring out purity
within you by removing the pollution of vices from your body, mind
and the spirit. According to the poet the virtue that make life fulfilling
and worth living are- life, tolerance, memory, discipline, will power,
simplicity, courage, mind, humility, confidence, character, work,
silence, honesty, victory, creativity , righteousness, truth,
patriotism, joy, maturity, respect, commonsense, success, love,
73
self-revolution, kindness, charity, cheerfulness, equanimity,
courtesy, thinking, divinity, action, peace, service, gratitude,
freedom, enthusiasm, decision, friendship, education, prayer,
optimism, efficiency, hope, humour, justice, morality, leadership,
gracefulness, faith, persistence, forgiveness, religion, duty and
universal brotherhood.
His musings on life -
Human life is a long journey
From ignorance Eternal light
Against hatred, anger, greed
Life should keep constant fight.
He teaches us the value of tolerance -
'It makes us forget colour and race'
On discipline -
A man of discipline is a man of honour
The storms of life he cares little.
Will power is the essential ingredient for success -
A crack- jaw that 'I can do'
Only ensures the philosophy of victory.
He eulogizes simplicity -
'Devoid of ego, anger and vanity'
'Faith in God in humble chest'
On humility -
'Humility opens the doors to heart.'
Confidence works wonders -
Ordinary man becomes an extra-ordinary
With the golden touch of confidence.
On honesty -
'Honesty is the most noble virtue'
On truth -
The noble path of golden truth
Is the surest path to peace.
74
A true patriot knows no distinction of caste, creed and
colour -
Patriotism is a strong conviction
That neither I am a Hindu or Musalman
Nor I am a Sikh or Christian
My identity is I am an Indian.
On love -
A house is changed to a home
With the magical power of it
Love is the soul of our living.
He exhorts us to practice kindness -
'Let's kindle thousands candle of kindness'
On cheerfulness -
'A cheerful heart promotes health
Gives a sparkle to the face.'
'A global passport to every heart'
He urges us to cultivate equanimity of mind -
The mind that is perfectly balanced
Not disturbed by joy or sorrow.
Success defeat he does not care.
He pays a glowing tribute to friendship -
True friendship is a rare virtue
The quest of is a noble goal
Where a heart merges with another
Friendship becomes a marriage of souls.
On education -
In fact education refines a person
And it nourishes, causes to grow
Without the light true education
Human life becomes full of sorrow.
In another poem he says -
'Humour is like the salt in a curry'
In another poem he preaches us the value of forgiveness -
75
Hatred, anger are corrosive venoms
Forgive, therefore, for personal gain.
The book deals with the issues that concern mankind and
society. There are many virtues he wished us all to cultivate to
add meaning to life. Virtuous living is the very essence of our
existence. The right minded people should not suffer from the sins
of hatred and the avarice committed by others. The main aim of
composing these poems is to inspire to hear the call of their
conscience. Quite vociferously he condemns the vices depicted
by him. They are- anger, greed, tension, jealousy, failure, passion,
fear, hatred, suspicion, pride, ignorance, lying selfishness,
frustration, sorrow, idleness, corruption, desire, crisis and
violence. Unless or until we get rid of them we are bound to suffer
failure, ignominy and sorrow. In short they are the short-cut to
hellish suffering.
In the end I must say that the poet is successful in voicing
his mission of bringing peace upon this earth. His candid and
forthright expressions leave indelible impressions on the
heart and the mind of the reader. His poetry is the outburst
of his soul. It uplifts the readers to higher level of meditative
state. His poetry has philosophy of life and wisdom of the
world. In conclusion his poetry is an instrument of love,
understanding, peace, harmony, hope, faith and all that is
good and perfect.
With lucidity and directness he writes enchanting free verse
because in his opinion structured verse is suffocating and too
much mechanical unable to express his thoughts and feeling
properly that I humbly disagree because I never found the followers
of traditional verse suffering for want of free expression of their
emotions restraining smooth flow of their sensitive outbursts thus
letting them practice it with aplomb. I feel as the rules of moral
conduct add glory to human life rules of structured/ traditional verse
enrich and adorn the damsel of poetry by making it look dignified,
gorgeous and captivating with proper metrical construction (uniform
in length in terms of meter) and the norms set for number of
syllables per line with proper rhymes and rhythmic patterns.
A poet is called an unacknowledged legislator of
mankind because he tries to set erring on the right path by
the baton of his forceful writing and sweep away the dirt of
76
vices with the broom of his hard hitting words. Biplab
Majumdar has successfully carried out this duty in this regard.
Selected comments published at end of the books are an
ample proof of the appreciation of his literary achievements. It is
indeed encouraging and extremely heart warming to receive praise
from the praise worthy ! None other than Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam,
a poet par excellence and a connoisseur of good poetry has
appreciated Dr. Majumdar's poetry ! No mean feat indeed !
I wish him longer healthy life to enable him to offer us more
and beautiful poems full of finer feelings and endowed with subtle
philosophy of life. With due regards to his supreme creativity.

j j j
77
Dr. Manoranjan Das (I NDI A)
Dr. Monoranjan Das writes both in English and Bengali language,
is a prolific writer and poet par excellence. Already in wide
publication in the Indian magazines, Das's poems have also found
places in various foreign magazines and in many anthologies. Apart
from poetry, Dr. Das also takes keen interest in translating many
literary works. These translations have earned their own niches in
literary world. 'The Future' in English which is edited by him.
He was awarded l Bpabion Prize, April, 1999, Greece l
Bpabio Prize, March, 2000, Greece l Best Critic Prize, February,
2003, China l Diplama of Finalist Prize, November, 2003, Italy
l A Enainoe Prize, March, 2004, Greece l Anonemei Prize,
June, 2005, Greece l Dove Peace Prize, (Silver) in Literature,
December, 2005, Australia l Bpajon Prize, July, 2006, Greece
l Hon. Doctorate, IWA, 2008, USA l Lifetime Achievement
Award, 2009, Chennai, India.
Dr. Das was born in January 15, 1958, at Narayanpur, in district
Nadia, W.B., India is his motherland. He graduated from the
University of Kolkata. He is M.A. (English & Economics), L.L.B.,
B.Ed. He teaches in Kendua Mahendranath High School (H.S.).
78
PERCEPTUAL TRUTH IN
BIPLAB MAJUMDAR'S POETRY
Biplab Majumdar, the shining poet of modern times, has
the sense of beauty where the norm of individuality and objectivity
are a form of realistic view, relating to perceptual truth. He, abides
with the words through poetry as a road to philosophy. He wants
to postulate the applied truth with the explanation of pluralism,
basing the life's experience. He has the base of essential identity
by abouding the presence of life's virtues and vices. He has the
theme accompanying by the poems where reality is accomodated
in the new area of truth. The ever-widening poet like Biplab
Majumdar has the authentic idea basing on simplicity where the
virtue relates to willingness as a path of peace, and sometimes it
goes to the wave of ego. Thus he writes,
'' Though simplicity is a rare virtue
One can have it at ease,
Just willingness to be simple
Is more than enough to live in peace.
A heart that is free as bird
Does fly above all silly narrowness,
Devoid of ego, anger and vanity
Remember simplicity there dwells."
1
Biplab has the quality to terminate his thought through
poetry, relating to the perfect wisdom as a form of gentleness where
the graceful simplicity is faithful to the Gods humbleness following
the best form of best happiness. Thus he writes,
" A soul with a perfect wisdom
Possesses love and true gentleness,
Mercy makes one gracefully simple
And he rises above all meaness.
Simple living and our simple wants
Faith in God in humble chest,
Keep us healthy, happy and wise,
Simple life is always best."
2
Biplab Majumdar carries about his view in favour of the
perceptual truth through poetry that the quintessential kernel of
79
pure thought is delighted by a soul liberated from the prison of
ego. He feels, the beautiful is that which has the intrinsic capacity
to soothe and it makes us sympathise with life, and makes us one
with all that it pervades or manifests, and admire life. He has the
truthful expression which is acceptable to readers through the
vision of past, present and future as perceptuality, gearing with
the earthly and strangely enigmatic depth of moments like light.
Thus he writes,
" A young girl waits
With her mom : past, present, future ---
Are freezed in a frame.
Earth like woman
Gets strangely enigmatic
At the depth of night."
3
Biplab Majumdar's poetic thought is accorded with the
perceptual truth that the unity with life that is displayed in an artistic
production by an individual, who in his turns calls us to the unity of
ourselves with that life, is the characteristic mark of genius and
beauty. Poet, Biplab acts for the perceptual truth, basing the
discovery of truth where the mental power of man is privileged
with generation, growing with the performance of perpetual
task.Thus his idea is compared with the following,
" In the discovery of truth, in the development of
man's mental powers and privileges, each
generation has its assigned part; and it is for us
to endeavour to perform our portion of this
perpetual task of our species. "
4
Biplab Majumdar gets down his idea through poetry,
referring the idea of life and reality, where perceptual truth is
characterised with the individual in relation to finite view as unique
quality of reality by accepting the freedom of views of the absolute
authenticity. He acts upon his philosophical wills, bearing the man's
works and activities from ordinary to extra-ordinary with the
confidence of golden touch as a fact of supposition glaring with
the history of evidence. Thus he writes,
" Ordinary man becomes an extraordinary
With the golden touch of confidence;
This is fact, not a supposition
History itself its glaring evidence."
5
80
Notwithstandingly, Majumdar bears upto readers with his
poetry, by accepting in his heart the perceptual truth through
archetype-personal expression as an ideal awakening of sympathy
in all its harmony and divergence in emergence and evolution. He
follows the form of courage by heroic dareness through his
combination of words. Thus he writes,
" Come out from fear and mediocrity
Dare to be different from common mass,
It is courage that makes a HERO
Life is ever for the courageous. "
6
Biplab Majumdar accomplishes in writing poetry, like the
intuition of soul which consists the future development as a true
and harmonious feeling. He acquaints with worldly things and
incidents, relating to the perceptul truth. He holds forth his idea
and theme publicly where the life's reeling is to attach with
anxiousness. Thus he writes,
" The marriage is over
Parents are happy, anxious for ever
Who knows when bad news comes. "
7
Sometimes he mingles his views through perceptuel truth
where season's blooming is related with the full grown trees as
the wave of maturity of time. Thus he writes,
" Seasons bring blossoms
Trees need decades for full growth
Maturity takes time. "
8
The ever matured poet, Biplab is accessible to all where
realm of beauty and percectual truth are sensible and aesthetic
and when the experience realises the state, the norm of life is
perfectly free. He bears upon the poetic thought, carrying norm of
beauty through experience where the version of any service
materially for exciting or less exciting. Thus it may be added,
" Experience has taught me, when the versions of
the same story given by two wire services differ
materially, to prefer the less exciting."
9
Meaningfully it is authenticated that Majumdar's poetry is
like a monumental realm beyond space and time, which can be
either conceived by the logical intellect or perceived by perceptual
senses. His poetry, carries as the quest for perfection, relating to
81
beauty, truth and sweetness where the meditation of life asserts
to creation, following nature, philosophy under the faith of life's
treatment; and his poetry is the source of life's breath and life's
force like first love. This poem may be applicable for Biplab :
" His poetry is his quest for perfection
Beauty, truth, sweetness and light,
His poetry is the best answer
To the cause of God's sending
Him to this world."
10
Biplab has the realisation with mystic summons to share
the bliss perceptuality which is communicable and employs sense
sysmbols to give glimpse of transcendental beauty. He describes
failure and success of life through perceptuality as an undertaking
of reality where the sporting spirit is related to the joy of final victory.
Thus he writes,
" Risks of failure may be there
In all undertakings, that is reality
Who can face it with sporting spirit
Discovers the joy of final victory."
11
Again with the predestined result, Biplab Majumdar adepts
in writing poetry, by positivating the demands and success where
the endless journey is mingled with eternal progress. Thus he
writes,
" Success is ever a predestined result
And it demands all positive traits,
Real success is an endless journey
On and on, an eternal progress."
12
Really speaking Biplab acts for poetry, by adding to the
view of worldly things where the truth and integral beauty is
instrinsic for the view of assured conduct that englows with throne
of God. Thus it may be added,
" Keep one thing forever in view --- the truth; and if
you do this, though it may seem to lead you away
from the opinions of men, it will assuredly conduct
you to the throne of God. "
13
Biplab Majumdar actuates by his own will with the meaning
of life through perceptnal truth where the purpose with principle
holds to the immanent in the historic process leading to an ultimate
82
goal. He is allied to his views with the worldly things where the
butterflies' sittings and minds fugitiveness are iterated. Moreover,
he, the sweet-poet brings forward his poetic excellency from history
where Buddha and Jesus are the same for life's shelter. Thus he
writes,
" Never you will see
Butterflies sit for minutes :
Mind is fugitive,
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Bamiyan Buddhas
Tell us, in all ages Jesus
Is crusified."
14
Authentically speaking, Biplab is ahead of his thought with
every change in the process by explaining in terms of monistic
principle where the rendrence of historic process is subjectified
with the perceptual truth. He has the aptitude for refering theme
and thought through poetry where the fundamental knowledge is
acknowledged with meaing, through the application of life's
principles for ever. Thus we may add,
" There is no progress in fundamental truth. --- We
may grow in knowledge of its meaning, and in the
modes of its application, but its great principles
will forever be the same. "
15
He, the great poet Biplab Majumdar is kind to the readers
by giving his idea through poetry where the common principle of
life, relating to perceptual truth, is the goal and guiding spirit of the
historic process that constitutes the supreme value of the process.
He bears upon with words and theme by many sentences in
poems, where human activities are destined with the change of
individual one's powerful or powerless works which is under faith
to his heart with HIS grace. Thus he writes,
" Man can change is own destiny
He is powerful, not at all powerless,
With a strong faith in his heart,
Can he change life by HIS grace."
16
Truthfully speaking, Biplab bears away the mind of readers,
uplifting the human values through his poetry which carries the
reality of process as integral element, by cheerfulness and
happiness as a vibration of life and soul, i.e., the global passport
83
to heart. Thus he writes,
" Steady cheerfulness mirrors happiness,
As it known as a finer art,
It is vibration of life and soul
A global passport to every heart."
17
Biplab has a strong affinity to poetry, where perceptual
truth is like a system from the traditional point of view, of life and
thought that relates to the time-series, by accepting the ultimate
reality of progress. He has the road to feelings, basing on worldly
things like the view of butterfly's flying, where God's will live in
tempestuous moments as the feeling of whirlwind or stormy day;
and the perceptual truth is noticed by his poetry where flood
situation of river is the fearful condition of mind, and somehow
perceptual truth is viewed into the root of oak and mountain. Thus
we may add,
" Look at that beautiful butterfly, and learn from it to
trust in God. One might wonder where it could
live in tempestuous mights, in the whirlwind, or in
the stormy day; but I have noticed it is safe and
dry under the broad leaf while rivers have been
flooded, and the mountain oaks torn up from their
roots. "
18
Biplab Majumdar bears away with the good deeds by
following form of perceptual truth where the major truth that a
philosophy of history can imply the futility and meaningfulness of
the empirical concept of progress, and the consequent reality and
significance and value of the transcendental being. He brings up
his idea through poetry, by symbolizing the burning of candle, lonely
room and with the depth of 'self'. He has reality with perceptual
feeling by comparing with leaking polypack filled with milk and
duration of life. Thus he writes,
" The candle was burning
In the lonely room, within
Your depth it was I
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Milk in polypack
Who knows when gets a leak
Life within body."
19
Biplab carries away passion, through his ism, with the
84
apparent forms to constitute the appearance of reality. He further
forwards his thought through poetry with the base of truth where
nature in associated with searching or seeking the result or new
view. Thus we may add,
" First, let the truth itself teach you that you seek it
in your neighbours before seeking it in its own
nature. Later, you will see why you should seek it
in yourself before seeking it in your neighbours."
20
Biplab Majumdar comes to reality by positivating the
philosophy of history and time which shows the explanation of the
appearances in the time-surrounding with reference to the
perceptual truth that constitutes the ground and being. He, the
Biplab assembles the positivity with negativity as a critical
difference of higher ordinary range. Thus he writes,
" A moment comes to everyones life
To say 'yes' or 'no' to a challenge,
That critical hour makes the difference
Puts us higher or in ordinary range."
21
Majumdar allots his thoughts to the readers, by the
progressing of individual's mind like an institution where the
progressive purity is mingled with inward spirituality relating to the
individualistic mode of mind. He emphasises on hope that shines
with life's feelings as a deep relation. Thus he writes,
" Hope comes first and life shines
If hope is banished life fails,
Hope and life are Siamese twins
One is finished if other dies. "
22
Biplab postulates his view through poetry where the
progress from apparent imperfection to the real perfection, from
mistaken bondage to conscious perceptual truth, from the life's
reading to the eternal well-being of non-contradiction. He carries
off his view, relating to the grand character of truth with enduring
capability of universal experience that has a possibility to classify
more. Thus we may add,
" The grand character of truth is its capability of
enduring the test of universal experience, and
coming unchanged out of every possible form of
fair discussion."
23
85
The acceptable poet, Biplab carries out the main theme of
universal truth, with base of perceptual truth because he knows
perceptual truth truth reaches to universal truth after a long
duration. He comes through the point, basing the real experience
of life where the goal of progress must be one of perfection, not of
the mere individual, but of the true, of the good, of the beautiful and
of the holy; and yet it raises at every step a fresh problem of
adjustment. He carries on writing poetry through the base of
perceptual truth where talent and genius replacement are greatly
persisted with the smiles of sucess by clapping. Thus he writes,
" Neither talent nor even the genius
Can replace the role of great persistence,
When it smiles on the stage of success
Educated hands all clap outside the fence. "
24
He, the Biplab Majumdar has the progressive idea through
the base of perceptnal truth where the visualise-process is
governed by the fundamentality, of the universe and revealed
through the activities of the self-governing and free individuals.
He feels with the pulse of people, seeing the wetting eyes, those
who have broken heart, but they are with greatness. Thus he
writes,
" Sometimes people cause severse blows
Our hearts are broken, eyes get wet;
But think of them who can forgive
They are stronger; they are great. "
25
He deals with his poetic view, where human progress,
therefore, can only mean the coherent progressiveness and
adaptiveness with perceptual truth, manifested through a life of
concrete experience and of the self-consfident reason. He, the
famous poet alights from his thought to the body of poetry,
accelerating the fashion, measurement of knowledge where
understanding is authorised with the command by rarity as
something worse or not. Thus we may add,
" Truth, whether in or out of fashion, is the measure
of knowledge, and the business of the
understanding, whatsoever is beside that,
however authorised by consent, or commanded
by rarity, is nothing but ignorance, or something
worse."
26
86
Biplab Majumdar, the ever sparkling poet of the modern
times, bursts upon the purity of thoughts through his basic ism as
the movement of moments within the experience of family life and
reality where absolute views are entangled with consciousness.
He knows suspecion is like a poisonous cobra in life with day to
day dealings. Thus he writes,
" If once bitten by the poisonous cobra
Miserable becomes his life indeed,
What to speak of day to day's joy
Even hunger, sleep then he badly needs."
27
Moreover, he has the state of his own self-consciousness
which is created into the existence of nature. The poet extracts
his views from society, relating to human virtues and vices, where
pride like disease deters from distant vision and it is like self-made
kingdom and lighted darkness. Thus he writes,
" Pride is like the disease of eyes
Deters to see one from distant vision,
And it forms a self-made kingdom
It is nothing but a lighted darkness."
28
Generally speakeing, Biplab Majumdar comes on with new
phenomena, bearing the systematic philosophy of history in relation
to perceptual truth with process of organic movement wherein
human reason is the chief factor. He affirms that truth is the
expected adaptation of policy which sensifies the worldly affairs
with the light as straight lines. Thus we may add,
" Truth can hardly be expected to adapt herself to
the crooked policy and wily sinsuosities of worldly
affairs; for truth, like light, travels only in staight
lines. "
29
Majumdar goes upon his authentic principle, forwarding
with the life's view, where the gradual realisation of the
consciousness is evapourated with the spirit of man. He again
goes upon in this way that the changing of life is the main root of
perceptual truth where health as well as wealth beamed to fortune
like golden sparrows come from the land of hoax. Thus he writes,
" ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Today's beauty may be spotted tomorrow,
Health, Wealth, fortune are the golden sparrows
87
Those ever come from the land of hoax."
30
Biplab, the heart's of poet of readers, finds the spirit of
man with the objective and concrete expression in the actions
and institutions of man through perceptuality where vice like pride
is mere oblivion by discarding one and all, and there history
remembers with collosal or afar ideas. Thus he writes,
" Pride leads to nowhere but mere oblivion
As it is discarded by one and all,
History remembers only some talents humble
Who offer the world collosal ideas alone."
31
Biplab's poems do not burst with emotion, but run after
reality through realisation where the concrete shape of real subject
with action and experience transmits from one to another in the
development of thoughts. He knows that perceptual truth is the
presentation of history, bearing the movement of times with religion
and social reformation. He, moderates his thought with the help of
matter of real experience that generalises honesty to know spiritual
part of being. Thus his idea is mingled with the following,
" Truth is as much as matter of experience as of
speculation. --- An honest man will generally find
it. --- To know it, one must feel it; above all must
live in it. --- Then it becomes vital to his spirit --- a
part of his being. "
32
With whole-hearted speaking, Biplab Majumdar's poetry
carries the feature of beauty with harmony like musical notes
bearing architecture like themes and thoughts are originally viewed
perceptual truth, life and the micro events of day to day dealing;
and here is his supremecy.
References :
1. Biplab Majumdar; Virtues and Vices, Mainstrem Publication, 12,
College Roe, Kolkata - 700 009; India; 2001; P-16.
2. Ibid.
3. Biplab Majumdar, Golden Horizon, International Poetry Society of
Kolkata, L/1, Suryanagar Housing Estate, 174/A, N. S. C. Bose
Road, P.O. : Netaji Nagar, Kolkata - 700 040; India; 2004; P-7 & 10.
4. Whewell - The New Dictionary of Thoughts, Ed. T. Edwards, D. D.,
C. N. Catrevas, A. M., Standard Literature, India, 2002, P-687.
88
5. As No. 1; P-23.
6. As No. 1; P-18.
7. As No. 3; P-11.
8. As No. 3; P-12.
9. Elmar Devis, Book - as No. 4, P-686.
10. Mandal Bijoy Beg-Indian Poets United The Home of Letters (India),
27, Industrial Colony, Kharavala Nagar, Unit-3, Bhubaneswar-751001,
Orissa, India, 2000, P-1 or vi.
11. As No. 1; P-29.
12. As No. 1; P-40.
13. Horace Mann, Book as No. 4, P-687.
14. As No. 3, P-14 & 26.
15. W. Radcliffe, Book - as No. 4, P-687.
16. As No. 1; P-46.
17. As No. 1; P-51.
18. Jeremy Taylor, Book - as No. 4, P-686.
19. As No. 3, P-21 & 27.
20. Bernard of clairvaux, Book - as No. 4, P-686.
21. As No. 1; P-67.
22. As No.1; P-75.
23. Sir John Herschel, Book - as No. 4, P-687.
24. As No. 1; P-83.
25. As No. 1; P-85.
26. Locke, Book as No. 4, P-687.
27. As No. 1; P-106.
28. As No. 1; P-107.
29. Colton, Book as No. 4, P-687.
30. As No. 1; P-107.
31. Ibid.
32. R. Turnbull, Book as No. 4, P-688.

j j j
89
Kaleidoscopic Colors of
Spirituality in GOLDEN HORIZON
by Shaleen Kumar Singh
A Japanese Haiku, in the words of Basho, a seer goes as
follows :-
'Dewdrops
How Better wash away
World's dust'
(Excerpted from Kyozan : A true Man of Zen)
So are the dewdrops - like Haikus of Dr. Biplab Majumdar
which are the celestial experience of truth & ecstacy washing all
the dust of worldly ignorance and tomfoolery leading to an El dorado
of spirituality. Haiku, the short verse of 5-7-5 syllables structure is
a tiny teaching theory of modern poetry. Biplab Majumdar is a
modern poet conveying modern themes and subjects of modern
life. The nectarine- nutshell poems of Golden Horizon are the pure
dewdrops of spiritual Euphoria which contain universal themes of
Love, Religion, Truth, Peace, Non-violence, Kindness,
Compassion, Aim of Poetry and much more. The book firstly opens
with declaration of the sublime source of Indian poetry, the
spirituality -
'Indian poetry
Springs from nature
Deep spirituality. ' (Page- 7)
The poets are the votaries of eternal human values who give
vent to the notions of eternity and infinity. The poet poetizes -
'Poets are worshippers
Eternal worshippers of Truth
To enlighten world. ' (Page 11)
The poems of Dr. Majumdar are highly philosophical & deep.
Prof. Seiji Hino from Japan writes aptly about the poems of
Majumdar, 'They are pregnant with high philosophic insight like
the experienced old wise man's sayings.'
Selected Comments, (Page 31)
90
He has tried marvellously and excellently in conveying high
philosophy in his three-lined haikus. Here one can mark out his
outstanding craftmanship in poetry -
'Where are you going fast?
Do we go anywhere at all
Going follows coming. ' (Page 15)
****
'Along edge of Time
We do live a carefree life
Accompanied with death. ' (Page 16)
****
'All come sit beside
The sea, and they get aged
Ageless ripples shine. ' (Page 22)
****
In his ripe-maturity and indepth understanding into the deeper
aspect of life is unique where the fusion of imagery and
thoughtfulness is mingled and extemporized -
'Men never grows up
Only he changes his toys
With each spell of time. ' (Page 23)
At another place he discloses the dawn of poetry into earth
when he says -
'Poetry trenscends when
Incomplete reality fuses with
Complete idealism. '
(Page 15)
And in the meantime, he exhorts -
'Poets, Strange creatures
Their hearts, most sensitive parts
Lie outside their bodies. ' (Ibid)
He considers it too hard to be a poet in himself and admitting
it, he pens -
'To be a poet
I tried to be good, but
91
It was too difficult. ' (Ibid)
But he acknowledges the power of love and hate and its
expression, so he states -
'Sometimes our eyes say
More than the speech of our lips
In love or in hate. ' (Page 14)
Sometimes the poet is so intensified that he goes into the
deepest of philosophy of life and he himself says -
'Endure as a tree
Silently, Patiently : We
Live with unknown birds. ' (Page 17)
Similarly, Tagore observes 'Man truly lives in the life that is
beyond him. He toils for the unknown master, he stroves for the
unborn.' (Tagore R.N., Tagore Birthday Booked. - Andrews, C.F.
New Delhi Roopa & Co. d. 17 Jan.) Man is brittle & transcient, but
his works and compositions live & remain forever. Dr. Majumdar
accepts it finally -
'A life long journey
Today is mine, tomorrow too
My works are for ever. '
(Page 30)
Thus it is, undeniably admitted fact that the poetry of
Majumdar is a bouquet of multicolured roses and Jasmins filled
with the aroma of spirituality. His poems are all drenched in the
rain of spiritual ecstacy and transendental joys which make
him a poet of eternity and par excellence.
[ VOK; Vol. 6, Issue 1, Pg. 26 ]

j j j
92
GOLDEN HORIZON :
the slim collection of Haikus
by Dr. Sunita Jakhar
Poets can't resist
inevitable blows of reality
they bleed through verses
(P-16), to drive this point home the poet Biplab Majumdar
has dedicated the slim collection of Haikus to the victims of
terrorism all over the world.
In the preface the poet introduces a traditional Japanese
Haiku-3 lined consisting 5-7-5 syllables structure. Poets with their
poetic license have moulded its form to suit their need. The book
is a collection of experimental haikus on subjects of perceptual
truth and philosophy.
The first haiku is about the origin of Indian poetry and its
depth :
Indian poetry
spings from nature
deep spirituality.
Handling abstract topics like silence and love deftly the poet
says :
H Silence sleeps deathless
on the banks of river
water of time flows.
H Sometimes our eyes say
more than the speach of our lips
in love or in hate.
H The violin of heart
gets instantly alive with
magic touch of love.
H Children are not born
of love now, so there is much
scarcity of love.
The poet feels that defeated persons are weak and light like
the dry leaves which can be blown with a whiff :
93
Defeated persons
of day today life blown away
with withered leaves.
An apt picture of marriages in today's context where there is
a question mark :
The marriage is over
parents are happy, anxious for ever
who knows when bad news comes.
A down-to-earth approach of short lived joys :
Joys are like dewdrops
they fall, evaporate again
a long dryness there.
The lucid haikus appeal to the mind and heart through simple
words and make the reader ponder over the poets venture into
various themes. The ambiguous title 'Golden Horizon' about which
one doesn't know whether it is sunrise or sunset ; We hope that
the present Golden Horizon is a sunrise which would lead to a
long-long day.
[ VOK; Vol. 7, Issue 1, Pg. 25 ]

j j j
94
ISLAND'S DOLPHIN SONG :
a poetry par excellence
by Purnima Ray
Poet Biplab Majumdar's Island's Dolphin Song is a slim
volume of twenty-five thoughtful and suggestive poems. He is not
a new name in the arena of Indian English poetry, but widely
published in India and abroad as well as recognised well with his
seventy books on literary works and fifty literary awards. At the
same time he contributes to Indian Literature by editing the Bengali
magazine Sahitya Utsav and the English one Voice of Kolkata.
Poet Majumdar's poems are very suggestive and
thoughtful. As he chooses the free verse to express himself
there is a spontaneous flow of emotion loaded with powerful
meaning, so there is current as well as speed to move the
readers to take part in it with his thoughtfulness and feelings, to
concentrate, and to be associated with all this process.
The first poem 'In dreamy lone midnight' sets the readers
to think as to why the poet chooses the 'midnight' hour, and one
gets the answer because it is the prime time to be 'dreamy' as well
as to be thoughtful :
' In dreamy lone midnight
with stained moon
a sparking stream flows
from life to death
in vast expanse of
meadow's stillness .... '
A 'sparkling stream' is a symbol of vibrant Nature, where
there's movement and vivacity, yet the poet reminds us the
inevitable truth as it 'flow / from life to death', and it is here the poet
differs from common humans, and at the same time the poet and
the readers get united in their realm of thoughtfulness. The poet is
a seeker after 'Truth' and 'Beauty', so he is moving alone:
' .... At moonlit night
I get crazy,
move alone with loneliness
in fields and forests .... '
95
but he overcomes his craziness, and realizes :
' .... Empty I am, destitute
break repeatedly in defencelessness
as the moon of the twelfth lunar day
at dark fortnight
breaks into pieces
upon lapis-lazuli water .... '
and we must say that this poet is thoroughly watchful, and rational
as he cannot overlook the facts based on science. At one moment
the poet finds that he has not the full control over himself, over his
process of thinking :
'.... Someone dips me ruthlessly
into your dreadful dreams
I break repeatedly
in defencelessness .... '
Here 'someone' is important, and we shall meet this
'someone' again and again later --- 'someone' who is invisible yet
powerful. The process stumbles at the thought of vastness of the
unlimited 'sea' and 'the sky' :
' Only sea is the proper answer to sky
Between these two blues
I fly away as pollens,
great uproar of blue within heart .... '
The poet becomes spiritual with his rational frame of minds.
The line 'only sea is the proper answer to sky' establishes the
inevitable relation between the Creator and the Creation, and
vastness is their only similarity. The following lines :
'.... Bunch of white clouds
move carelessly
throughout the day
waves of frothy dreams
get wounded incessently
by delicate wind .... '
suggest that mind overpowers body. That is why ---
96
'.... sea-gulls fly with humid wings
waves of frothy dreams
get wounded incessently
by delicate wind. '
its wings get 'humid' because of experience, experience of realising
infinity, experience of truth. So the poet says :
'.... Between vastness of sea and sky
somewhere lies the endless wisdom of history,
some genuine conversations
confusedly bustling mind
in the blows of waves .... '
we can say that the poet is successful at the outset of his 'journey
towards truth and beauty'.
In the next poem 'Expectation' the poet becomes
philosophical :
'.... Pebbles too have no past like time, nor
have they stories of tomorrow, .... '
yet he becomes optimistic :
'.... Perhaps pebbles are in the promise
of crimson dawn .... '
and he shows us the way :
'.... I get down the slop, uphill in front of
me, let us look for the rest of the night,
if we find anything .... '
and makes us believe :
'.... Believe, someday the dawn will be ours
and our favourite pebbles would be
bright in enough unworldliness. '
We should notice the word 'unworldliness', and he
suggests that there is light in it. When the poet says in 'The Rays
of Truth' :
'.... A terrible vow became muscular gradually
In every bones
97
A stony promise picks up a burning charcoal
in his fist of consciousness .... '
it suggests how a fit of self-realization works and demonstrates
itself and emanates the 'rays of truth'. The poet knows that truth
will overcome and he writes :
'.... Pandavas will return someday
to come to terms of their states. '
(Kurukshetra Ahead)
In the 'Last Night' he faces himself, his innervoice asking
the meaning of his existence as a poet :
' Last night my surrounding four walls
with what an endless white ridicule! .... '
As the brain controls all the parts of the body, the mind
controls the body, so in this age of devaluation of values as
suggesting by 'decaying bones', all is not lost or decayed, so the
words full of wisdom and relating to value try their last effort to
strike to the sensitive mind :
'.... words get vanquished, step by step
on decaying bones,
they come up to the depth of skull .... '
in order to restore humanity, love and peace in the world :
'.... wish to extinguish all the burning candles
of selfishness with a single puff '
Like Baudelaire's Albatros, poet Majumdar's 'Sea-gulls'
are :
'.... hovering over
the water-shed of affliction
under the sun in midday .... '
(Within water-shed)
in the atmospher of
'.... conviction and doubt
are twisting
98
in violent wind ..... '
'Sea-gulls' here represent the large-hearted good-souls,
yet the poet sees that there is scope for repairing :
'.... Standing with
outcast grief
Blue even above the head.
'Om' is a beautiful poem, where the poet stresses on the
importance of the sound, not on the word, for in the language of
the sound there is universal appeal, perhaps it has the solo-
meaning, while a word has several meanings. So 'Om' is not a
word, but a sound, and its appeal is enormous :
' Converging all sounds
the resounding OM,
words hang on it
Numerous ducklings towards
the call of bran .... '
'Numerous ducklings' symbolise people of the world
speaking in different languages, when the 'call of bran' is the
devotion towards God, human's ultimate goal. The poet describes
his agony as a poet through a powerful image :
'.... The emptiness of a cage without birds was
swaying within my heart,
I proceeded a bit to West
as the sun .... '
(Dead Birds)
and expresses his helplessness and futility as a poet :
'.... My incomplete inauspicious verses
lost their words, rhythm, language
being attacked by an incurable disease
And all of my bloodless dreams
lay before their feet
as dead birds .... '
(Dead Birds)
99
The poem 'Friends' beautifully depicts the friendless society,
and sets before us an irony :
'.... Under this inauspicious hour
who live with pressing jaws,
are all my F R I E N D S. '
We should also notice the letters of the words 'friends' are
placed separately suggesting the broden friendship having no
imtimacy, faith and love, and also it is important that it is the poet
who remembers them and wants to reunite them with one another.
The poet can compose a Love-poem only when the world,
particularly Nature is in action, only when there is a healthy
environment, when there is spontaneity in Nature :
' A bright song comes up
from the roaring stream, extinct bluish
flows in marrow
A flight of parrots in sky, they
plunge into the depth of dreams
Hearts of lovers
bloom in lotus-excitement .... '
(A Love-Poem)
The poem 'A Picture' symbolically depicts the struggle of
a creative artist, the process of creativity and the final stage :
' All day long I have been chased
In the wood as a shattered stag
.... .... ....
A tiny spot on the lips of poem, soft breasts
of a bird touch its warmth
.... .... ....
Someone moves the chin of time,
surprising violate light
upon the dazzling face of dream
At last all the tragic clouds
vanish to blue.
'A shattered stag' is important, beacause it suggests the
100
latent talent of a creative person is comparable to the stag
unconscious of having musk within itself. 'A Canvas' is also a
beautiful poem. Here the poet is optimistic, his attitude towards
life as well as towards religion is positive :
'.... A soft enticing sunset of 21st centry
waits patiently .... '
He informs us that the true spirituality has its good effect :
' The echoes of churchbells
vibrate in the lonesome olive valley .... '
He again emphasizes that Nature also plays a key role in
this matter :
'.... Freezed stillness in heart, startles
at the call of squirrels,
festivity of birds .... '
and it is when a true boon comes before us :
'.... Suddenly a shower of flowers .... '
He sings a paean of the woman who adds beauty to beautiful
Nature :
'.... At this magic moment a teen-age girl
comes into the canvas with a
marvellous drizzling pose. '
The poet believes in action, but he does not find normal
rhythm in the activities of the world of Nature in the poem 'Still
Alive' :
' Pages turn over day by day, tune of
untruth in the murmur of water ---
A neglected afternoon drops
with faded dry leaves
All known alphabets are spreaded around .... '
'An Afternoon' is 'neglected', because no good work is done, and
there is not any proper utilisation of time. In the poem 'Let's set
101
fire' poet Majumdar regrets that time is passing uselessly :
' One more topaz afternoon goes down
the hill waving hands towards us
.... .... ....
Time gets aged gradually
with constant chatting .... '
The poet makes us cautious that there is everything we need
before us, yet we are inactive :
'.... Shapeless white clustered clouds
with wild smell are coming up
from the plains
Still we are unmoved .... '
He kindles fire into our heart :
'.... A deep darkness in expectation, when
we say, come, let us set fire a bit. '
We should remember that 'fire' is not only a life-giving force
but also a symbol of knowledge, yet the optimistic poet can see
that everything is not lost :
'.... An elongated silence rolls
in this exotic ether
Destitution of immersion on the waves
floats away far
with distant boats
The rare heart of dusk gently trembles
sticking to the pricky thistle of time .... '
and he becomes positive :
'.... The immediately extinguished smoke I am,
with a dream of dazzling dawn
still alive intensely
at darkest hour
nearby the island. '
And in this perspective the poem 'Somone in the garden at
102
midnight' is very important and very suggestive. The very first
lines suggest that nobody or nothing is denied God's mercy :
' Pebbles in the garden are being drenched
in torrential downpour at midnight,
someone else is there .... '
Obviously 'someone' here is the Creator of the Universe :
'.... Innocence sleeps in compact crowd side by side
purpose of dream knows him
His eyes are sleepless, only endless aspiration
of Leonardo is there, .... '
We should notice that 'pebbles' are being drenched externally.
The poet suggests also that there is no end of longing and for that
'He' has to be reincarnated. He convincingly declares :
'.... He is well-known to the poets, much
familiar to poems .... '
because this all-powerful Creator is full of poetry. We see in 'Songs
of yellow Season' that Nature is fated or ordained by God to do
some good work, but failed to complete its mission. The most
thoughtful lines in this poem are :
'.... Nothingness is no broken voice of death,
she herself shivers
at the sound of fallen-leaf .... '
suggesting even 'death' expects some maturity. But the optimistic
poet in the midst of all this can compose 'songs of yellow season
and love' :
'.... From white bone of words
rises up the sandal background of poetry .... '
for he knows that this 'love' can make yellow into green. 'Yellow'
is yet not the colour of the 'fallen leaf', of ageing, but also
'fruitfulness'.
'Our Colourful Stories' is a beautiful poem, wherein the story
of by-gone age and the story of a 'colourful' (suggesting full of
103
incidents) life are mixed up together, and the realization is well-
expressed through a fine imagery :
'.... faded light of afternoon
on the faces
of you and me
spreaded they are as the particles
of sugar-candy, smithereens
of a windscreen smashed
by accident
lying on the asphalt of the road. '
The poet makes us remember that love is still alive in this
colourless age :
' The love of restaurant
remaining still today
in the gum-sticky curtains .... '
and he believes that Nature remains natural for this :
'.... That's why the sun rises
even today,
goes down to the west
green buds
bloom sporadically in joy .... '
The title-poem 'Island's Dolphin Song' is the optimistic
poet's call to us :
'.... Spellbound sunrays will create magic
upon the crystal water, if
you come back once,
just for
once. '
for he believes that Nature is natural till now, and the "amorphous
thousand hands of air didn't say you goodbye". 'A lonely dolphin'
is the poet himself who alone fights for the belief in Truth, Love,
Freedom' etc. and encourages people to live for a meaningful life.
We should remember that the French poet Baudelaire's 'Albatros'
is also a lonely sea-bird and feels uncomfortable in this world full
104
of meanness. In the 'Wintry River' the poet recalls the 'Nightbirds
- calls' when 'silence is ruptured'. At wintry 'sleepless night' the
poet remains awake, not only that he comes 'beside the bank of
the loving river of my heart'; this 'loving river' is nothing but the
poet's sensitive and creative soul to enlighten and kindle the
conscience and hearts of the people respectively. That's why he
says :
'.... Scorched-wing I am, blue
in dedication,
daringly flown away from sky to sky. '
(Towards Sky)
How beautiful and poetic these lines are :
'.... white shore of sand sleeps beside
her as a trusted boy-friend, formless
deadbodies of memories move on the wings
of chilled fog, all the loving faces get soaked
In bluish moonlight, sensitive souls are
broken into thousand pieces .... '
(Wintry River)
I hope that the above discussion should justify the title of
this article and place poet Biplab Majumdar as a poet par
excellence.
Purnima Ray is a noted poet and sensitive review writer of this
hour. She teaches in Burdwan University, W.B.

j j j
105
Prof. Kurt F. Svatek (AUSTRI A)
Prof. Kurt F. Svatek was born 1949 in Vienna, he lived and worked
nearly for four decades in southern Lower Austria, and then he
returned with his family to his native town.
He has made a name for himself as an author for a long
time, publishing 44 books of fiction and poetry, several pamphlets
on aspects of philology and one schoolbook. His texts were featured
in 204 anthologies and 577 magazines and periodicals all over
the world and translated into a lot of foreign languages. The author
is member of the World Advisory Board of the journals Poets
International (Madras/Chennai), Replica (Cuttack) and Voice of
Kolkata (Calcutta), Ambassador of Eternity (all India) and Art
Advisor of The World Poets Quarterly (China).
He has been awarded honors, prizes and distinctions (a total
of 141) by Austria, England, France, Italy, Greece, Japan, India,
106
Israel, China, Brazil, Korea, Spain, Hong Kong, Mongolia and
USA, has been repeatedly proposed for the Nobel Prize in
Literature and in Peace by proponents from India and China and
voted the best international poet of the year (2005, 2006, 2007,
2008) by several literary periodicals. He is honorary professor,
honorary doctor of literature and a corresponding member of
numerous academies. In 2005 he was selected "International Man
of the Year in recognition of his services to Literature". He has
been appointed a Consular Representative of the United Cultural
Convention"(USA) and Senator for life of the World Nations
Congress. In 2003 he was awarded the International Peace Prize
by the United Cultural Convention and 2004 the Olympic Medal
of Peace in Athens. The journal of World Poets Quarterly (China)
selected him as the international best poet of the year 2005, the
English Poetic Circle in West Sussex as the best poet of the years
2006 and 2008, the Indian magazine Voice of Kolkata 2008 as the
poet of this issue. In 2010 he received also the World Poetry Prize
for "Distinguished Poet" sponsored by Dr. CHOI Lai Sheung (Hong
Kong) and the Hangchon Culture Prize (Korea). A symposium on
his works was held in Sringar (Bangalore, India) 2009.
Kurt F. Svatek is a member of the Austrian Centre of
International P.E.N., the London Diplomatic Academy (Founder
Diplomatic Counsellor"), the Academy Thea Athina (Athens), the
International Society of Poets (USA), the International Writers
and Artists Association (USA), the International Forum for the
Literature and Culture of Peace (Haifa), the WAAC / World
Academy of Arts and Culture / Hangchon Culture Foundation (
Member of the Executive Board, Seoul, Korea) and of The Cove /
Rincn International (USA). Corresponding Member of the
Accademia Tiberina (Rome, Italy), the Nova Academia Momento
Ltero Cultural, Brasil or the World Academy of Letters (USA)
and member of many other literary organizations in Austria,
Germany, Switzerland, England, Italy, Greece, India, China, Israel,
Korea, Canada and in the USA. The International Poetry for Peace
Association appointed him as its Coordinator for Europe.
107
Biplab Majumdar : A Poet Of
Beauty And Excellence
Biplab Majumdar is a well known excellent poet and editor
of the international Journal ' Voice of Kolkata and the Bengali
journal Sahitya Utsav. His Poems were published in 22
languages and he received a lot of prestigious awards.
Somebody who holds this book in his hands will be put
in a cheerful mood. Because the cover page shows a lonely
island with palm trees and with a white sand beach, nestled
between the blue of sky and the blue of sea. (Quotation from
page-8 - Waves of dreams : Only the sea is the proper
answer to sky). Who would not like to spend some time alone
or with whomever.
An Island is any piece of land smaller than a continent
and larger than a rock completely surrounded by water. Very
small island are also called islets . Although seldom adhered to,
it is also proper to call an emergent land feature on an atoll an
islet, since an atoll is a type of island.
There are different types of Islands. An island can be
formed by a raging river ; It can be surrounded by a quit lake
or by the breakers of the roaring sea. In all cases an island
can withstand the raging floods for a long time. So an island
can also be an oasis amidst the throbbing time and resist the
often too superficial spirit of the times. The own home may be
an island in everyday life.
But there exists also prison islands not only for the body
but also for the mind. Another type is the volcanic island, built
by volcanoes and often not part of any continent or those
formed over volcanic hot spots. That's meant of course also
symbolical.
This is the world in which Biplab Majumdar wants to
abduct us mentally.
So it's evident that the author describes in the foreword
his way from writing structured verses to write more and
more free verses. By all the due respect to structured verse in
the age of liberalism he will also free the world of words from
108
chains as Pablo Neruda, Mathew Arnold or so many other
famous poets have done who feel more comfortable in free
verse as in the perfect blend of intellect and mechanical artistic
work. It really does not correspond to our busy time to express
thoughts and feelings only in such a disciplined form because
the world is far away - and was always far away- from being
disciplined, peaceful or simply said kept in order.
So it can't have happened by chance that the last poem,
titled India, under the grip of terrorism (page-32) is turned
towards terrorism remembering the awful terror attacks in
Mumbai 2008.
The cut hand of security cries bitterly
Beneath the demolishing pandemonium
Blusted jeeps and buses to and fro;
Blood-soaked hands and legs, cut heads
Fiesta of thousand bones, bloody hearts
Jump in air
Still the historic genius of our living
Triumphs as a soaring phoenix
I remembered reading these lines to the bloody attempt
on the life of gurus in a Sikh temple in Vienna in spring 2009
probably by Sikhs of another sects or with other dogmas that
produced also disturbances in a part of India.
What can we put forward ? Peaceableness, religious
freedom, tolerance, cooperation and sympathy or to support
peace and .love with poetry as Biplab Majumdar and many
other poets did, at the beginning in the last century the Austrian
Nobel prize winner for peace Bertha Von Suttner with her
book against war yet before first world war. But we all have to
hope to be a bit more successful as she was. Only the world
does not look accordingly.
Biplab Majumdar :
With the difference of caste, creed and
Religion my mother cannot sleep peacefully
Even for a night

109
But he is also confident (A picture, page -20)
...
At last all the tragic clouds
Vanish to blue.
One of the remarkable features of the author is both his hard
work on the poems and his self-criticism coupled with the feeling
of his own value. So he selected from a mountain of written poems
only 25 for this book. Surely with the result to offer timeless quality,
to connect best possible form and sound, truth and dreams,
philosophy and reality, darkness and colour, thoughtfulness and
zest for life, and to show us the way to a life rich in content and in
love.
An island can be solitary and lonely in the nearly endless
ocean or live with a lot of sisters and brothers. All that definite the
character: or charming, to be prepared and forearmed or open
and free. But in all cases if you were once there you will come
back surely as the dolphins and the sea-gulls do.
Spell-bound sunrays will create magic
Upon the crystal water, if
You come back once,
Just for
Once.
(Island's Dolphin Song, page-28)
All great poets are singing of ethics and morals in human
life, work for present day humankind, for peace, international
understanding, international cooperation and peace. Their poems
are mostly pregnant with high philosophical instinct like the
experienced, old and wise men's and women's sayings, just as
Biplab Majumdar is doing.

j j j
110
Bernard M. J ackson (ENGLAND)
Bernard M. J ackson, a retired teacher, is a notable English poet
and international writer of repute. As a review writer, many of his
appraisals have been published in India, the U.K., Australia, the
U.S.A., Greece and Korea.
Formerly a prominent member of CINQUE PORTS POETS
(Sussex, England) he was later appointed its secretary by Founder-
member, Dame Stella Browning.
BMJ has also been awarded membership of the American-
based INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WRITERS AND
ARTISTS (Blufton, Ohio - U.S.A.) and is a recipient of the Gold
Medallion Award, together with Fellowship of the Temple of Arts
Academy, New Zealand. His poems have a number of times featured
in THIS ENGLAND and EVERGREEN magazines, besides being
111
extensively published in WRITERS' FORUM and in many other
magazine publications. He is Articles Editor for QUANTUM LEAP
poetry magazine (Scotland) and principal review writer for REACH
POETRY (Leics., - England). For several years now, he has
officiated as Adviser to NORFOLK POETS AND WRITERS
(Norwich - England) and is a member of THE SALOPIAN POETRY
SOCIETY (Shropshire - England).
BMJ's work in India is rather more widespread. He is U.K.
Adviser and close working associate with METVERSE MUSE
(Visakhapatnam - India), and review writer for a number of other
high profile Indian magazines. He has recently been named CRITIC
OF THE YEAR by the INTERNATIONAL POETRY SOCIETY OF
KOLKATA.
Six of his poetry collections have been, in recent years,
published in the U.K.
112
VIRTUES & VICES : it is a veritable
celebration of life itself
' Man can change his own destiny
He is powerful, not at all powerless,
With a strong Faith in his heart
Can he change life by His grace. '
(Biplab Majumdar)
Perhaps one of the greatest identifying differences between
English poetry written by an Indian poet and that which has actually
been written by an English poet, is that the Indian poet is often
inclined to write with a higher spiritual intent and, what is more,
such high-minded poetry is generally more readily acceptable to
his enlightened circle of readers. This is not to say that English
poets do not produce poetry of a spiritual nature. Frequently they
may, indeed, do so, but as regards to publications, religious poetry
is very much regarded as a specific genre in the U. K., and few
poetry magazines allow for its inclusion. How delightful, then, to
be presented with such an inspired, thought-provoking collection
of spiritual verses written by an eminent Indian poet and editor,
who has won such acclaim as an International writer, and whose
extensive works have already been translated into quite a number
of languages.
'VIRTUES & VICES', A handbook of sensitively composed
spiritual maxims is presented in a well-developed series of
quatrains, whose topics cover such titles as : Life, Discipline,
Humility, Truth, Patriotism, Commonsense, Courtesy, Peace etc.
- While, conversely, the poet examines such occasions as : Anger,
Greed, Fear, Hatred, Idleness, Desire, Violence - and a number
of other such issues. As an English poet, I have always been
fascinated by the poetry of my Indian brother-poets. There are
noticeable differences in syntax and figures of speech, however,
and sometimes in grammatical agreement, too, but on the other
and hand, the Indian poet generally makes maximum use of the
resources to hand, and his deployed imagery is quite startling and
resoundingly effective. Biplab, time and time again, exemplifies
these finer qualities :
' Love is considered a beautiful bouquet
113
Where humility, friendship and tolorance
Uniformly smile as colourful flowers
To fill the world with sweet fragrance.
(LOVE)
As the above verse patiently shows, Biplab is a poet at
the very heart of the matter. At no time does he resort to any
form of obscurity in his verses; and it should ever be borne
in mind that the very essence of genius is to be bound in
Simplicity, itself. Coincidentally, there is a poem include here on
the theme of Simplicity, wherein he tells us :
' A soul with perfect wisdom
Possesses love and true gentleness,
mercy makes one gracefully simple
And he rises above all meanness. '
(SIMPLICITY)
This is a collection that may be opened at any page,
for truly this work, in its entirety, is imbued with an underlying
tenderness of spirit, which is the very main-spring of its
universal appeal. We need poets like Biplab Majumdar to
bridge those gulfs that exist between the major religions of
the world, and in this context, Biplab poses the question :
' Why do we go to Mecca, Medina?
Why do we go to Varanashi?
Better we should delve into us
Only Truth can provide ecstasy. '
(TRUTH)
Indeed, the whole of his poem, 'TRUTH', which flows like
a beautiful stream throughout its eleven sparkling verses, is redolent
with the sheer joy of Living. Here I feel I should mention that though
of a different religious persuasion, I wholeheartedly embraced the
wisdom contained within these superb quatrains, especially where
the poet maintains that :
' For revelation of sublime truth
A man needs his moral perfection.
To acquire truth, must practise it.
Truth is the religion of all religions. '
(TRUTH)
.... And that final line, 'Truth is the religion of all religions',
114
simple in context but infinitely powerful in concept and decree,
seems to epitomise the full force of this inspired writer's work. It is
in the common sharing of these precepts that true brotherhood
between the nations is to be forged in future generations. Let the
world in general be made aware that our enlightened poets,
regardless of creed, nationality, caste or social distinction, are the
major trail-blazers in a world crying out for Peace, Justice and
Equal Opportunities.
The concluding section of Biplab's collection deals
with vices; and here again, his approach is entirely positive.
Rather than dwelling upon the sordid manifestations of such
matters, he has left such details to the Tabloid Press, known the
world over for such indulgences. Instead, he has directed us back
towards the welcome path of Righteousness, as in his poem,
'FRUSTRATION', where he wisely advises :
' In order to arrest the vice of frustration
One must trace back to its source,
His inherent strength, Faith, must be reinforced
Should form an inner balanced disposition. '
The poet's fine use of simile and metapphor is here again
seen much in evidence. Selfishness, he avers, is 'like a deserted
sea-beach', a fine simile. Metaphorically, he also excels as he
states that 'A man who thinks for self alone / Lives in a self-made
glass capsule'. And again, within the same poem, he emphatically
states that Selfishness 'that unholy hidden rat ....' As always,
whenever I read such a great spiritual work, I instinctively
turn to examine the final poem in the collection. What, I
wondered, would be his final thoughts" - And I can truly say
that I was not to be disappointed in my quest. The final poem
contained four verses on the theme of VIOLENCE, and in his final
verse, Biplab Majumdar leaves us with this hauntingly memorable
plea :
' Violence celebrates the festival of blood
Can demolish the world within a day,
The violin of violence should be seized
Let us all unite to stop its play. '
(VIOLENCE)
In commending this lovely collection to a greater circle of
readers, let me remind critics, review-writers and poetry-lovers
115
everywhere that 'VIRTUES & VICES' by Biplab Majumdar, Poet
and Founder-Member of INTERNATIONAL POETRY SOCIETY
OF KOLKATA, is not just another poetry collection, it is a veritable
celebration of Life itself.
--- Read and enjoy. It has been a great privilege to be
allowed to review this book.
[ VOK; Vol. 3, Issue 1, Pg. 29 ]

j j j
MERA BHARAT MAHAN :
an anthology of poems
" For we are guardians who must strive to see
That we preserve our hard-own liberty
Restoring concord, and ending strife,
In every sphere of national life. "
Dr. Louella lobo Prabhu (KARNATAKA)
India is much more than merely a vast land with great political,
economic and cultural potential, she is virtually a sub-continent, a
massive united nation endowed with extensive resources that will
one day enable her to become a super-power and leader in the
fields of Peace, Justice and Brotherhood in the world at large.
When India finally achieved her independence from the British (her
former Colonial rulers), the relinquishing of control by Britain was
effected with the greatest of amicability so that true bonds of
friendship were fostered and encouraged between our two nations
in the ensuing years. Perhaps the most important part of the legacy
we British left behind was the English language, itself; for it must
be remembered that India being a nation of several major
languages, the adoption of the English language has proved to be
most beneficial in all matters of Governmental legislation and
international commerce; also in medical science and in all areas
116
of educational development. Furthermore, schools and universities
throughout India readily accept and appreciate the approved
classical writings of notable English novelists and poets, so that
we now share a common literary heritage. But it must ever be
emphasised and entirely borne in mind that though the Indian writer
may choose to write in English, his thoughts, ancestral motivations,
political perceptions and spiritual concepts are essentially Indian.
Biplab Majumdar (Editor of Voice of Kolkata), a tireless
international worker for world peace, has within his worthy
publication, 'MERA BHARAT MAHAN', gathered together the
work of a number of prominent Indian writers, ably
complemented with the poems of well-known international
supportive poets happy to be included in this prestigious
shared anthology. Many readers will be impressed to discover
will be impressed to discover here ( page 10) a delightful offering
by His Excellency, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the President of
India. Proof, if any were indeed required, of how smoothly India's
democratic process can work for the good of the community as a
whole. Dr. Kalam's poem, ' GRATITUDE' , an allegorical
representation of Man's special relationship with God reminds us
that we must ever pay due respect and thanksgiving to our
Creator, the Father of us all. Several of the Indian poets, so
included, have expressed sadness and disappointment that India,
their motherland, has not matched up to her true potential in the
years since independence was declared:
" The world's biggest democracy
Is almost slipping into oligarchy.
Let us put an end to the rule of a few;
Keeping Democratic spirit in view,
our laws need a through review. "
INDIA -by R. A. Janakiraman
Weighed against this phlegmatic response, there are poems
filled with the unquenchable flame of patriotic spirit and sentiment :
" Unique is my motherland
Unique her shining soul
unique are India's ideals
unique the spiritual role. "
UNIQUE IS MY MOTHERLAND
by Jayanta Bhattacharjee (WEST BENGAL)
117
It would seem that the death of Mahatma Gandhi, in the mid-
twentieth century has had far-reaching effects that are acutely felt
even to this day, yet India is a great and wonderful nation, and
ever shall remain so.
In his concise introduction, Dr. Biplab Majumdar extends a
warm welcome to a number of notable international poets whose
poems appear by special invitation. As the editor generously
maintains, it is important that friends from abroad should be included
in an anthology of this nature for, as with any auspicious celebration,
honoured guests are ever to be made welcome. It must be borne
in mind, of course that the included international poets (from 11
other countries) have, in the main, opted to write on other subjects,
but the importance of their presence and sterling support is
immeasurable. Here you will find 4 finely conceived poems in the
Sitigotyo mode, by Japanese poet, Dr. Kazuyosi Ikeda; there are
poems, too, by Prof. Joy B. Cripps (Australia), Dr. Rosemary C.
Wilkinson (U. S. A), Patricia Prime (New Zealand) and several
other well-known poets, myself included.
As an international review writer, I am very impressed by
the tremendous effort that has been devoted to the preparation of
this worthy publication, and in that same context, I am doubly proud
to be featurned alongside His Excellency the President of India
and fellow-poets who have so ably participated in this fine venture.
[ VOK; Vol. 5, Issue 1, Pg. 26 ]

j j j
118
Patricia Prime (NEWZEALAND)
Patricia Prime, is co-editor of the New Zealand haiku magazine,
Kokako, review editor of Haibun Today, and writes reviews for
Takahe, Gusts and Atlas Poetica, and for several Indian magazines,
Simply Haiku, Haibun Today, Stylus and for several print journals.
Patricia writes the Japanese short forms of poetry haiku,
tanka, haibun and tanka prose and has published her poetry
worldwide. She has also nominated tanka for the Take Five
Anthologies 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. Her poems, interviews and
reviews were published in the World Poetry Almanac (Mongolia)
in 2009, 2010 and 2011. She is a member of GIEWEC (India) and
is on the Advisory Board of New Fiction Journal (India).
She has interviewed several poets and editors for Takahe
and for the online magazines.
119
VIRTUES & VICES : an excellent
manoeuvre of human values
'The timeless quality that makes the best of Biplab
Majumdar's work is due in part to careful attention to form
and sound. Each poem is tuned to the ear in a way that makes
them ideal to be learnt by heart, form the subtle assoance of
'Humility', the conventional end-rhyme of pieces such as 'Faith',
or the formal lyrical construction of the collection's many songs.
This is consistent with Majumdar's use of imagery, which
largely avoids ornate metaphor or convoluted description. The
natural imagery is uncomplicated, e.g. eyes 'get wet', and a colourful
flower 'may be beautiful'.
Aphorisms fall thick and fast : 'human life is a long journey'.
'simplicity is a ratre virtue' and 'maturity demands we live in the
present'. The permanence of the land and, by comparison, the
transience of existence, is a theme given a bittersweet treatment
in many of the poems.
Take the world we live in 'Creativity', for instance :
' The world where we live in today
All of it were immersed in thoughts,
The superb minds with creative rays
Shaped the world, everything brought. '
Or the eternally graceful face of 'Gracefulness', or faith,
which is 'the best of friends' and thrives long after the crossing of
'the human border'.
These are poems about virtues, as in 'Optimism'.
' To cross the hurdles of our life
Optimism puts a greater fight,
Handles stresses with better grip
It makes the burden easy and light. '
The emotional response to the many virtues (and vices)
represented in this collection is itself changeable, however. The
natural world is insensible to human emotion, bloodless and beyond
personification. Yet at the same time :
' The world where a man does stay
120
That is sustained by his society,
The dues he owes must repay
That is called a man's 'duty'. '
An abiding affection for humanity is also a theme of 'Virtues
& Vices' in which the physical experience of existing within the
landscape is championed over the internalised landscape of the
mind. Actuality wins out over the labours of the human imagination,
and it is here that Majumdar's approach diverges from the romantic
tradition.
It would be impossible to discuss Majumdar's manoeuvre
without dwelling on the poems in the latter half of the book, those
dealing with vice. These poems are characterised by a
contemplation of the world of fallen humanity, finding truth in
common emotions and experiences, often recorded in Majumdar's
case by aphorisms and vignettes. This technique is well
demonstrated in the poem 'Greed'.
Majumdar alludes to philosophical dilemmas, from the man
who 'succeeds in any field' ('Failure') to the clash of religious and
ethical traditions in 'Lying'.
The poet has evolved an economy in style that is admirably
demonstrated in his superbly controlled vignettes. The poems
are characterised by the eternal themes of memory, loss and
the inevitability of change, and they also ask questions. There
are self-referential moments, too, where the poet questions
the nature of humanity and the purpose of life, as in 'Desire'.
' Desire is known the prime factor
That drives a man into strife,
Desire alone is the dearest mother
Of anything that comes to our lives. '
Majumdar's highly crafted poetic technique makes this
an accomplished and valuable contribution to poetry. This is
an attractively presented book that will make a welcome addition
to many bookshelves.
[ POET; Vol. 42, No. 8 ]

j j j
121
Prof. Kazuyosi Ikeda (JAPAN)
Prof. Dr. Kazuyosi I keda D.Sc., D.Litt., DDG, IOM, LFWLA,
LPIBA, MOIF has been repeatedly nominated for Nobel Prize in
Literature from different corners of the globe.
He was a Professor of Theoretical Physics at Osaka
University and a Poet. He was born on 15 July 1928.
Professor Ikeda is active and has various responsibilities
in numerous organisations, including New York Academy of
Sciences, Modern Poets Society (board member), World
Parnassians Guild International (honorary director),
Confederation of Chivalry (Grand Council), Accademia
Ferdinandea di Scienze, Letiere ed Arti (academician of honour),
Maison Internationable des Intellectuals (senator), Accademia
Internationale Trinacria Lettere-Arte-Scienze (academician of
merit), National and Professors-Students Coalitions for Unification
of North South East West (chairman, Osaka Branches), Olympoetry
Movement (honorary founder, representative of Japan), Council
122
of the States for Protection of Life (Senator and Minister
plenipotentiary for Asian States), International Parliament for
Safety and Peace (Senator, Minister plenipotentiary for Japan)
and the London Diplomatic Academy (founding member).
For outstanding contributions to theoretical physics and
poetry, he is listed in over 40 International biographical volumes,
Including 20 dedication sections. His numerous distinctions include
Chevalier Grand Cross, Golden Academy Award for Lifetime
Achievement, 20th Century Achievement Award, Catania Prize,
Pandit Prize, International Commendation of Success in the
Profession of Science and Poetry, Cultural Doctroate in Poetical
Literature, Outstanding Scientist of the 20th Century, Albert
Einstein Academy Award for Outstanding Achievement,
International Order of Merit, World Laureate, Netaji Subhash
Chandra Bose National Award for Excellence in the field of Poetry
and Environmental Sciece, Prize Oscar 2000, Grand Prize of
author, International Literary Prize "Libro d" Oro", International
Artistic-Literary Prize of Primavera Catanase, International Medal
for Scientific Excellence, Man of the Year 2001, Global Peace and
Friendship Award, Greatest Minds of the 21st Century Award,
Lifetime Achievement Award. D.Litt. (hon), Dr Environmental
Science (hon), and titles of Grand Ambassador of Achievemnet,
Interational Man of the Millennium. Knight of the Templar 'Order,
Knight of the Lofsensto Ursinius Order, Knight of the Holy Grail
Order, Knight of the Universal Knights Order, Knight of the San
Ciriaco Order and Knight of the Year 1995, International Writers
and Artists Association, Outstanding Man of the 20th Century,
Best World Poet of the Year and Poet of the Millennium, Voice of
Kolkata Award, 2003, India, besides being inducted into the World
Who's Who Hall of Fame and others.
123
VIRTUES & VICES : a superb
poetry book, singing of ethics
and morals in human life
An amazingly significant, impressive and brilliant book of
poetry has appeared in front of us. It is the book titled 'Virtues &
Vices' written by Biplab Majumdar.
That title itself is unique and attractive; it means both the
bright and dark sides of the spiritual essence of human life, and
gives the reader a mental impulse of gravity and of solemnity and
at the same time an intense desire to read the book immediately.
The first poem titled 'Life' is the most important one,
governing the whole spirit of the book. The first, second and last
stanzas of the poem, consisting of five stanzas, are as follows :
' Accept life as a precious gift
From the hand of Supreme Power,
You can achieve a great wonder
Love your life, have an affair .....
Human life is a long journey
From ignorance to eternal light,
Against hatred, anger, greed
Life should keep on constant fight .....
A life-long quest to know oneself
To find integrity of inner soul
Liberty is the essence of life
And salvation is the final goal. '
The fundamental bases of the poet's thoughts are the
religious belief that human life, which is very precious, is a gift
from the supreme God, and the ethical idea that man should love
and esteem his own life. These are the most important principles
underlying human life in this world, which run through the whole of
the book. Majumdar considers life to be continual progress from a
low level to a high one of human virtues and to be severe fights
against various vices, such as hatred, anger and greed. He regards
life as a very long journey of knowing oneself towards the goal of
perfection and salvation of one's soul. The above is the highest-
level recognition of human life from both the religious and ethical
standpoints, and the poet sings of this sublime idea with the use
124
of rhythmic and beautiful words. Thus the reader's mind becomes
full of highly sacred spirit, strongly emotional feelings and deeply
intelligent thoughts.
The book is divided into two parts, Virtues and Vices. In
the poems in these parts, various examples of the virtues, on the
bright side of life, and the vices, on the dark side of life, which
have been mentioned in the first poem 'life' as things to be attained
and as things to be rejected, respectively, are sung movingly and
enchantingly with refined poetical words.
The part one (Virtues) contains tolerance, memory,
discipline, willpower, simplicity, courage, mind, humility,
confidence, character, work, silence, honesty, victory, creativity,
righteousness, truth, patriotism, joy, maturity, respect,
commonsense, success, love, self-revolution, kindness, charity,
cheerfulness, equanimity, courtesy, thinking, divinity, actions,
peace, service, gratitude, freedom, enthusiasm, decision,
friendship, education, prayer, optimism, efficiency, hope, humour,
justice, morality, leadership, optimism, efficiency, hope, humour,
justice, morality, leadership, gracefulness, faith, persistence,
forgiveness, religion, duty, and universal brotherhood.
On the other hand, in the part two (Vices) the reader finds
anger, greed, tension, jealousy, failure, passion, fear, hatred,
suspicion, pride, ignorance, lying, selfishness, frustration, sorrow,
idleness, corruption, desire, crisis, and violence.
The above magnificent display of virtues and vices
astonishes the reader's eyes. The items on the bright and dark
sides of life have been almost exhaustively taken up and
rhythmically sung by Majumdar. How extensive, profound and
keen his discernment of the world and his insight into life
are! Each poem penetrates deep into the reader's heart, to make
him approach virtues and recede from vices, and to make him
walk on the correct way towards the noble and sublime goal of
life. Biplab Majumdar is a great poet enveloping the whole
world of human beings and establishing a glorious, glittering
flower garden of happiness and justice on earth.
Let us see a poem in the part one, entitled 'Righteous-
ness'.
' Righteousness in heart provides celestial radiance
Fortifies a man with such a power,
125
He becomes invincible that all vices dare
His intense integrity reflects morning's holiness.
(three stanzas omitted)
Righteousness bestows beauty in character
Brings harmony in home, strength in society,
It paves the way to national integrity
Global peace becomes a possibility there. '
This poem, singing finely of righteousness, is powerful so
as to reject all vices, and is brilliant, beauteous and holy like the
sunlight to the morning. Finally the poet grasps righteousness from
the high standpoint of society and nation, and emphasizes that it
brings about social strong harmony and the world's eternal peace.
The poem is gracious, and the thoughts contained are lofty.
Let us read one more poem, entitled 'Action', from the part
one.
' Dreams and hopes, aims and goals
All are baseless, absurd things,
Until start we marching ahead
Nothing solid there can we gain.
(three stanzas omitted)
Action sculptures earthly existence
And it determines our final fate,
Let us practise that art of action
Behold! Yonder the golden gate. '
A mere theory, not accompanied by action, is usually
despised as 'an armchair theory'. The poet sings of this thought
with a very delicate sense. 'Theory' is of course essential for action.
The poet does not deny this fact : In the second stanza (omitted
here) he compares theory, without action, to the treasure of truth
or the pearl of wisdom remaining eternally in the depth of the ocean.
Action is picking up it onto earth. The poet's wording expressing
the indispensability of action, while indicating the great beauty to
the poem.
Let us pick up one poem, entitled 'Jealousy', from the part
two (Vices).
' No one is a complete failure
Until he gets jealous of others,
At that moment he ceases to grow
126
Jealousy makes him a devil's brother.
(three stanzas omitted)
Jealousy is a sign of weakness
Out and out a destructive force,
Jealousy is an emotional immaturity
One must root out finding the source. '
Jealousy is one of the worst feelings, which captures many
people's hearts. The poet's power rejecting this vice is
extraordinarily great. In the first stanza he uses the word 'a devil's
brother'. In the other stanzas omitted, he attackes jealousy
severely. In the last stanza the words 'weakness', 'destructive'
and 'immaturity' will weaken or even remove this harmful sense in
human heart. These words in pleasing rhythm soak deep in the
reader's mind; the effects are enormous.
This humble review only shows an outline and a small part
of the book by Biplab Majumdar. Please read the whole volume.
The reader will find that it is a superb poetry book, singing of
ethics and morals in human life, and being extremely
instructive for present-day humankind.
[ VOK; Vol. 4, Issue 1, Pg. 30 ]

j j j
GOLDEN HORIZON : an excellent
collection of english haiku
This book 'Golden Horizon' is a collection of 116 Haiku
created by the Indian distinguished poet Dr. Biplab Majumdar. The
poetry form Haiku was originated and developed in Japan, so I, a
Japanese poet and critic, feel a wondrous destiny and an immense
pleasure in writing a review of such an excellent collection of English
127
Haiku. Each page, on which elegant drawings and inspiring haiku
coexist in exquisite harmony, gives the reader's heart enormous
delight and inexpressible lyricism.
The poet Dr. Biplab Majumdar's haiku are superlatively
fascinating, having surpassingly profound significance. His
haiku glitter gorgeously like heavenly stars and are
exceedingly lucid like genuine pearls in the sea's bottom. His
haiku have the two peerless features. First, their forms are very
beautiful, exactly following the 5-7-5 syllable metre. This metre
makes the Japanese traditional poetry structure, peculiar to haiku.
In Japan, short poems not following the 5-7-5 metre are not called
haiku. In the countries into which haiku have been introduced from
Japan, sometimes short poems of three lines, not in the 5-7-5
metre, are created and are called haiku. It is our great pleasure
that there are haiku poets, like Dr. Majumdar, who obey exactly
the 5-7-5 metre in writing English haiku. Such English haiku are
highly evaluated as true haiku by J apanese people.
Second, the poet Majumdar's haiku have remarkable features
in their contents. Many of his haiku contain profound philosophical
significance; even if he sings of natural phenomena he often
connect them with philosophies, e.g. the problems of how to live
in this world, and the problems of human mind, human love, social
life, poet's activities, effects of poetry, etc. His poems which purely
sings of sketches in nature are very few. In the realm of haiku in
Japan, there are groups of haiku poets placing emphasis on the
sketches of nature only, while there are groups of poets who mainly
sink in the problems of human mind philosophically. Haiku poets'
tendencies of creation are various in Japan and in the West. I am
extremely Impressed and immensely moved with the
eminence, profundity and sublimity of the philosophies
underlying the poet Majumdar's splendid works.
I myself am active not only as a poet and critic but also as a
translator of haiku and other forms of poetry. Often I translate
English poems into Japanese. I translate English haiku, wheather
in the 5-7-5 metre or not, into Japanese 5-7-5 haiku, otherwise
Japenese people do not read the translated works as haiku.
(Incidentally, I translate other forms of English poems, whether
fixed-form poetry or free verse, into Japanese sitigotyo poems;
hitherto I have translated Shakespeare's Sonnets and many other
English poems into Japanese sitigotyo poems.) I have translated
128
all haiku in the poet Majumdar's book 'Golden Horizon' into
Japanese 5-7-5 haiku. In the following, whenever I quote his haiku,
I will add my translated Japanese 5-7-5 haiku in italics.
I have selected two of his haiku making sketches of nature;
such sketch haiku are very few in the book.
All come, sit beside Umi no soba
The sea, and they get aged Mina oyu, Nami wa
Ageless ripples shine Towani tatu
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
The poet portrays the agelessness of ripples in contrast to
the agedness of all things beside the sea. Though the haiku is a
sketch, one can find a metaphor from it. The haiku, below,
beautifies a song as a body coming on the wings of air; it is
imaginative rather than realistic; accordingly, the above and the
next haiku are not pure sketch haiku.
Body of a song Utagoe wo
Comes in on the wings of air Kuuki no Tubasa
Kisses my hearing Nosete kuru
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
In many of the poet Majumdar's haiku taking up nature, he
connects them with the phases of life, the moving of mind, the
beauty of a girl, the philosophy of living, etc. For example,
Lone wind of evening Yuukaze ni
Brings here a soggy darkness Kuraki Kyoosyuu
Of nostalgic wound Mune uzuku
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
in which the wind is connected with the sentiment of
nostalgia. The following is a beautiful depiction of the human mind
with the use of the image of a lake.
A transparent lake Sora no Iro
Reflects the colour of sky Utusu Kosui ya,
Will you call it mind? Hito no Kokoro
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
The next haiku portrays a man stepping towards the
Northstar. From the scientific point of view, the movement of the
129
earth and the star is very speedy, so the distance between the
man and the star does not necessarily shorter, but the reader
realises the man's futile endeavour to approach the ideal; the
profundity of this haiku is admirable.
Distance gets shorter Hokkyoku-sei,
At every step of moment, Hitoasi gotoni
Yonder the Northstar Tikazukeri
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
Next, let us enjoy the magnificent haiku including the books
title 'Golden Horizon'.
Golden horizon Kin no Tihei
Speaks eternal duality Towa no Nigensei:
Sunset or sunrise! Hi no De-iri!
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
The noble, lofty philosophy contained in this haiku is
amazingly significant. If buildings and mountains vanished in
imagination, the horizon would be a gigantic cirular line around us.
This single circle involves duality eternally, because across this
line the two opposite phenomena Sunset and Sunrise are repeated
for ever. In extraordinary sublimity the horizon matches gold. Thus
the poet calls it golden horizon. It symbolises all pairs in duality in
the universe: light and dark, heaven and earth, joy and sorrow,
positive and negative, male and female, etc. Duality, symbolised
by Horizon, implies important essence in the structure of the
universe; the above haiku is exceedingly meaningful, so the book
'Golden Horizon' is immeasurably significicant. Incidentally, the
poet's haiku and my translation of it are a pair in duality.
Let us transfer to another haiku, in which the poet pictures
an amorous scene involving the moon, a bed, a woman, wine and
a poem, to evoke bewitching feelings in the reader's heart. Also
my translation will allure Japanese reader's hearts to fall in
amorousness.
Breezy moonlit night Tuki to Sake
Warm woman and some fine wine Omina no Nedoko
Bed becomes a poem Si-huukei
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
In the next haiku too, a woman appears on the stage of
130
poetry; She is heartless, so the poet suffers from solitude.
I am drenched in rain Ware Ame ni
You are responsible for it Nururu wa kimi yue,
The rain of solitude Kododu no Ame
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
Also in the following haiku the woman is heartless. She does
not come to the poet, so that he feels inclined to the fullmoon.
I await for long Kimi
mo Haru mo
Neither you nor spring comes, I Matedomo Koneba,
Move towards fullmoon Tuki ni mukau
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
But the poet sings of a warmhearted woman, with burning
sentiment;
The candle was burning Roosoku-beya
In the lonely room, within Kimi no Hukami ni
Your depth it was I Ware ariki
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
A woman is often compared to a flower. Maintaining this old
custom, however, the poet Majumdar sings of women very freshly
and enchantingly:
Every flower bears Yo no Omina
Fragrance of its own, like each Sorezore kusiki
Woman of this earth Hana no Ka ya
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
Dawn smiles on the rose Akebono no
It appears so beautiful Bara, Hatukoi no
Teen girl in first love Otome, kana
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
Dewdrops on petals: Hana no Tuyu
Sentimental as the lips Kanasi, Otome no
Of a young lady Kutibiru ya
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
The poet Majumdar's haiku portraying his philosophical
131
conceptions and thoughts are of surpassing lucidity and of
marvellous eminence, sometimes with relation to the observation
of the natural world. The following emphasises the role of the brain
of control in maintaining the stainless, pure life:
Eye, ear, nose, tongue, even Gokan mina
Skin, all of them are innocent Tumi nasi, Gai wa
All poison in brain Noo ni ari
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
The next haiku asserts the necessity for thanks to the sun
which gives grace to all creation:
Every blade of grass Kusa no Ha wa
Greatfully recalls debt of sun Hi no On ni syasu,
But a man does not Hito wa sezu
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
Now read a haiku, singing of the fear for aging. Ascribing it
to the sinless things is very witty:
I am afraid of Osorosi ya
Watch and calender, only Ware wo oisasu
They make me aged Tokei Koyomi
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
The force of eyes superior to lips in expressing love or hate
is depicted as
Sometimes our eyes say Ai-zoo wo
More than the speech of our lips Me wa Kuti yorimo
In love or in hate ooku iu
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
The time flows eternally from the origin of the universe,
carrying human lives and sentiments, hence the grand and
magnificent haiku:
The endless rivers Goosyo yori
From the distant dawn of TIME: Toki towani nagaru:
Desire, joy and pain Hi-Ki-yokuboo
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
Man lives along the flow of time truly with sharp danger but
apparently with tranquil safety , and the shadow of death ever
132
adheres to him, hence the haiku with immense profundities:
Along edge of time Sei nodoka
We do live a carefree life Toki ni soi-yuku
Accompanied with death Si wo turete
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
However, our life should be flooded with merry dreams,
hence the hopeful, encouraging haiku:
All the buds and seeds Me mo Tane mo
Tell us the tale of morrow Asu wo katarite
A dream never dies Yume kiezu
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
Love suddenly visits us, this is brilliancy of our life, thus
The violin of heart Mune no Koto
Gets instantly alive with Ai no Ma no Te ni
Magic touch of love Sugu hibiku
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
The effects of languages in our life are important, and they
should be lucid. The poet compares languages to fishes, sea:
Our life ever moves through Uo no goto
Transparency of words, a fish Sumeru Kotoba
In world of water Umi oyogu
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
Another striking feature of Biplab Majumdar's book of poetry
'Golden Horizon' is that it cantains many poems singing of poetry
and poets. Thus the book is that poetry of poetry, and Majumdar
is a poet singing of a poet. This peerless characteristic plays the
meaningful roles of poetry's self-expression and poets' self-
depiction.
Let us quote, from Majumdar's haiku, the one picturing the
valuable, wondrous situation in which poetry is born.
Poems as night birds Si wa Seiya
Spread wings at night on the beach Hamadori no goto
Of silent darkness Hane hirogu
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
133
'Night' symbolises the poet's quiet, deep meditation for
creating poetry. Poetry is not necessarily born at night. The
situation in the above haiku beautifully and adequately expresses
the mental state of the poet creating poetry.
Majumdar emphasises the surrealistic spirit of the poet by
the following three haiku. This is important, because even poets
writing realistic poems cherish surrealistic thoughts in order to
make good poems.
Enigma flows on Nazo haramu
From realism to surrealism Tyoo-genzitu ga
Poetry becomes a poet Si woba umu
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
Poetry transcends when Genzitu ga
Incomplete reality fuses with Risoo ni tokete
Complete idealism Si sugururu
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
Poets can't resist Genzitu ni
Inevitable blows of reality Aragau Sizin
They bleed through verses Kokoro itamu
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
The poet Majumdar pictures poets as strange persons very
inspiringly interestingly and humorously in the following two haiku.
These are dexterous and applicable to artists in general including
poets, writers, painters, sculptors, etc.
Poets, strange creatures Sizin niwa
Their hearts, most sensitive parts Taigai ni satoki
Lie outside their bodies Kokoro ari
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
Veins of a poet Sizin niwa
Don't carry blood, but the blue Doku aru aoki
Venom of poetry Si no Ti nagaru
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
However, Majumdar does not forget the noble, sublime and
lofty mission of poets in the society and in the world, thus
Poets are worshippers Sizin towani
134
Eternal worshippers of truth Sinri tootobi
To enlighten world Yo ni osiu
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
Finally, I will quote the following touching haiku containing
the poet Majumdar's modest and sincere soul.
To be a poet Yoki Sizin
I tried to be good, but Taramu to sesi ga
It's so difficult Ito katasi
(Translated into Japanese by Kazuyosi Ikeda)
My soul is utterly the same as this. I ardently request the
reader of this review to get the book 'Golden Horizon' and to enjoy
greatly and appreciate highly all of Dr. Biplab Majumdar's haiku in
the book and to be deeply immersed in the extraordinarily brilliant
and enormously gorgeous poetic world established by him.
[ POET; Vol. 45, No. 11 ]

j j j
MERA BHARAT MAHAN :
an anthology of poems
This book ''Mera Bharat Mahan" is a superexcellent, inspiring
and fascinating anthology of poems, edited by the Indian world-
famous poet and editor Dr. Biplab Majumdar. It contains the
representative works of 63 Indian poets and 12 foreign poets. This
magnificent anthology, as shown by its title "My India is Great",
vividly manifests how greatly the Indian poetry is prospering and
how proudly and energetically Indian poets are proceeding on the
brilliant way deeply admired in the world. All Indian poets are
bilingual, using their native language and English. This anthology
135
contains English poems. As this book clearly shows, Indian poets'
English is surpassing,beautiful, elegant and graceful. The English
poetry written by Indian poets may be said to be an admirable,
superb pattern of the English poetry in the world. The poem by
His Excellency the President of India adds great dignity to this
book; it is an immense pleasure not only for Indian readers but
also for foreign readers. The editor, Biplab Majumdar's genius
for editing is amazingly outstanding. Owing to his peerless
editing, this book is brilliantly glittering in the literary field in
India and abroad. (Incidentally, it is my great honour that my
poetry has been included in the 12 foreign poet's works and
occupies one page in such an invaluable book.)
Originally God, the Creator, created the universe and all the
things (including men) in the universe with intense aspiration for
the happiness of all creation, the global brotherhood and the eternal
peace of the world; but enmity, hatred, conflict, terrorism, war,
and misery have not yet been eradicated on earth. I believe that
poets can realise the brotherhood and everlasting peace by
unifying the hearts of the people in the world with beautiful, rhythmic
words. The poets included in this splendid anthology are all strongly
peace-loving. This book will be a most powerful instrument for
making our earth a paradise of brotherly love and eternal peace.
This book will shed a dazzling light full of happiness and peace on
the earth polluted with cruelties, tragedies and strifes.
All poems in this book are full of genuine love for humankind
and intense desire for peace. I cannot measure excellence. All
poems are the most excellent. I will quote the poem by the editor
of this book, i.e., Biplab Majumdar's poem, paying my highest
respect to his superlative achievements of editing this admirable
anthology :
MERA BHARAT MAHAN
by
Biplab Majumdar
Mountains, plains, plateaues, seas and sandy desrts
Enrich my land with smiling six seasons,
Resonating murmurs of pious candid rivers
Are the boons that heaven happily showers.
Behind the curtain though dragon terrrorism hisses
136
Heaps of problems, vices disturb her brain,
A country that has witnessed many ups and downs
Recalls history, her innate sublime supreme strength.
Age-old principles of universal peace, brotherhood
Tolerance, forgiveness and her lofty spiritual values,
Made this land unique, strong and stout
A colourful heritage she carries in breasts.
High and low, rich and poor here merrily breathe
And in crisis they all chant spontaneous bold slogan;
Nevertheless diversity in class, colour and creed
Brothers are we and MERA BHARAT MAHAN.
The reader, whether Indian or foreign, is requested to get
this superb book and read it earnestly and sincerely and much
enjoy and highly appreciate each poem enchanting tasteful,
inspiring and thrilling. Then, in front of him, a hopeful, vast, bright
and paradisiacal world will be opened vividly as a panoramic
spiritual view.
[ VOK; Vol. 5, Issue 1, Pg. 23 ]

j j j
137
List of Some Books by BIPLAB MAJ UMDAR
POEMS
1. Kichhu Sadharan Kavita
2. J hara Bakuler Swapney
3. Mahasamayer Antarjali
4. Kavita Samagra (Vol. 1)
5. Nirjita Nirjan Kaanchghar
6. Adhunik Australian Kavita
7. Adhunik Greek Kavita
8. Bharatbarser Kavita
9. Americar Kavita
10. Miriamer Gaan
11. Dr. Ikeder Kavita
12. Nirvachita Kavita : Kurt F. Svatek
13. Virtues & Vices
14. Golden Horizon
15. Island's Dolphin Song
16. Island's Dolphin Song (Greek)
RHYMES
17. Khoka Khukur Chhara
18. Kamlaphulir Tieta
19. RailcomJ hamajham
20. DalimGachhe Mou
21. Chand Utheche Phool Phuteche
22. Bone Thake Bagh
23. Pakhisab Kare Rab
24. Book Varti Chhara
PROSE / TRANSLATION / OTHERS
25. Murti Bungalowr Bibhisika
26. Locker Rahasya
27. Murder In Victoria
28. Golcha Murder Rahasya
29. Alpo Salpo Bagher Galpo
30. Hitopadesher Notun Galpo
31. Galpo Balen Shakespeare
32. Sherwooder Robinhood
33. Alice In Worderland
34. Macbeth
35. King Lear
36. Romeo And J uliet
37. Panchatantrer Galpokatha
38. J ataker Galpo
39. Adventure of Sindbad
40. Nirbachita Detective Galpo
41. Greek Puraner Galpo
42. Baronia Nari
43. Acharya Prafulla Chandra
44. Vivekanander Chhelebela
45. Austrier Rupkatha
46. Scotlander Rupkatha
47. J apaner Rupkatha
48. Germanir Rupkatha
49. Greecer Rupkatha
50. Russiar Rupkatha
51. Rupkatha Panchak
52. Rainbow Rhymes-I
53. Rainbow Rhymes-II
54. Rainbow Rhymes-III
55. Chiildren's Ramayana
56. Children's Mahabharata
57. All About Love
58. Mera Bharat Mahan
59. Prof. Ikeda : The Living Legend
60. Prof. Ikeda : A Phenomenon
In World Poetry
61. Banibitaan
62. Smaranio Viggyani
64. MuslimManishider J ibankatha
65. Kalo Raat Nil Aatanka
66. Rahasya Galpo : E. A. Poe
67. Bharat Aamar Bharatbarsa
68. Dashti Kishore Upanyas (Vol-I)
69. Dashti Kishore Upanyas (Vol-II)
70. Dashti Kishore Upanyas (Vol-III)
138
List of Some MAGAZI NES where
his works have been published
List of Bengali Magazines
k SHUKTARA k TATHYA KENDRA k NABA KALLOL k GRIHASHOVA
k KISHORE BHARATI k KAVI PATRA k CHANDRAMAS k EBONG
k RITI k SAHITYA UTSAV k EDANING k UPALABDHI KATHA
k SANGEET TARANGA k KAVITAR AAKASH k MUKTI PATH
k DHARABAHIK k AAGDUM BAGDUM k GUIENIPIG k EKHON
RODDUR k AAJKER KAVITA k EAKHON KAVITA k ANUPATRI
k PAPARATJI k SUMANA k KOLKATAR KAVITAR KAGAJ k KALOTAN
k VASUDHA k KALPONIK k MONOBHUMI k ARATRIK
k ANOPEKSHO k PRIYA SHILPA k MANASI k JANA SAMUDRA
k PANCHISE VAISAKH k 1400 SAHITYA k MANJARI
k PROTNABHASH k SAHITYANKUR k KAVITANKUR k AGUNER
PHULKI k SAMAY k CHOTODER SONARKHANI k METHO PATH
k ABAYAB k PARNOMOCHI k CHHARAMUKH k ADDAYA
k KALER KHABAR k SANDHIKAL O PADAKSHEP k ANANNYA
NANDANIK k CHOKH k LEKHANI k NILAKASH k SAGAR BELA
k SAHITYA KAHAN k SAHITYA MANGAL k MANGAL PATH
k SAILADAHA k SAMASAMAY k ACADEMY OF BENGALI POETRY
k LUBDHAK k MUKTA KALAM k COFEE HOUSE k SAHITYA
BISARI k DOORBIN k AARAKSHA BARTA k SPANDAN
k MEGHNAD k ANUBHAB k SAHITYA RANG BERANG k KETAKI
k EBONG AAMRA k JHORO HAOWA k SAILI k UNMESH
k CAMELIA k PRORENATA k EHO DELHI k JALAPROPAT SAHITYA
k VITEMATI k AAJKER ANUBHAB k JALANGI SAHITYA PATRIKA
k OXYGEN k MANDAKRANTA k ARUNDHUTI k ANJAS
k PRABAHA k SAMOKAL k NILAKSHAR k VASUNDHARA
k AROHA k ANASWAR k NABA NAKSHTRA k AGNISIKHA
k KAVI SAMMELAN k EKUSH SATAK k TAMOHAR k PRIYA
CHITRASATHI k UDVAS k CHARUPATRA k ROSHNI k ARITRA
k EKALER GANDIB k SAMBHAB
List of English Magazines
k THE FUTURE (WB) k METVERSE MUSE (TN) k CONTEMPORARY
VIBES (CHANDIGARH) k MANDAKINI (UP) k POET (TN)
139
k POETCRIT (HP) k KOHINOOR (ASSAM) k BY WORD (NEW DELHI)
k CANOPY (UP) k POETS' INTERNATIONAL (KARNATAKA) k CYBER
LITERATURE (BIHAR) k GREEN LOTUS (ORISSA) k KAFLA
INTERCONTINENTAL (CHANDIGARH) k LITCRIT INDIA (HP)
k INDO-ASIAN LITERATURE (DELHI) k BRIDGE IN MAKING (WB)
k HINDUSTHANI INNOVATOR (MP) k SHINE (TAMILNADU)
k SRABONI (WB) k THE STORM (WB) k BIZZ BUZZ (KARNATAKA)
k VOICE OF KOLKATA (WB)
List of Magazines of Other Languages
k CHIRAG QUARTERLY (PUNJAB) k AKKHAR (PUNJAB) k JANA
PARIBAR (MAHARASHTRA) k UDAYAVANI (KARNATAKA)
k PURBASHA (ASSAM) k PRASANNA BHARATI (KERALA) k ILAKKIA
CHIRAGU (TAMILNADU)
List of Magazines of Other Countries
k PERIGRAMMA (GREECE) k FREE XPRESSION (AUSTRALIA)
k INTERNATIONAL POETRY LETTER (ARGENTINA) k SCENTS AND
SOUNDS (ENGLAND) k FOKUS (MALTA) k ERNST UND HEITER
(GERMANY) k KELAINO (GREECE) k BALI (BRAZIL) k LOTOS
(YUGOSLAVIA) k ESTRO (BRAZIL) k OINIKHTEE (GREECE)
k POMEZIA-NOTIZIA (ITALY) k WORLD POETS QUARTERLY (P. R.
CHINA) k INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE (GERMANY)
k LITERATE-SP (BRAZIL) k POETIC CIRCLE OF FRINDSHIP (ENGLAND)
k CHINESE POETRY INTERNATIONAL (P. R. CHINA)
Poems Published in the following Laguages
k BENGALI k ENGLISH k HINDI k PUNJABI k MARATHI
k ASSAMESE k TAMIL k TELUGU k KANNADA k GREEK
k HEBREW k SPANISH k FRENCH k SERBIAN k MALTESE
k JAPANESE k CHINESE k RUSSIAN k PORTUGUESE k ITALIAN
k GERMAN
140
List of ANTHOLOGI ES
1. Heaven, 1999, Ed. B. Dutta, Kolkata, INDIA.
2. Padus Amoenus, 2000, Ed. Silvia Ragazzini Martelli & Luciano
Martelli, Sissa, ITALY.
3. The Brain Wave, 2000, Ed. Prof. K. Jagannathan, Chennai,
INDIA.
4. Poetry Bridge-in-Making Millennium : 2000, Ed. P. K. Majumder,
Kolkata, INDIA.
5. Heaven, 2000, Ed. B. Dutta, Kolkata, INDIA.
6. Indian Poets United, 2000, Ed. M. B. Beg, Bhubaneswar, Orissa,
INDIA.
7. Eta Otepa Tou Anemon, 2001, Ed. Dr. Danae G. Papastratou,
Athens, GREECE.
8. Heaven, 2001, Ed. B. Dutta, Kolkata, INDIA.
9. The Road between Mountains, 2001, Ed. Dejan Bogojevic,
YUGOSLAVIA.
10. We the World Poets, 2001, Ed. M. B. Beg, Orissa, INDIA.
11. Poetry Bridge-in Making, 2001, Ed. P. K. Majumder, Kolkata,
INDIA.
12. Padus Amoenus Anthology, 2001, Ed. Silvia R. Martelli & Luciano
Martelli, Sissa, ITALI.
13. Millennium Mood, 2001, Ed. Dr. C. L. Khatri, Bihar, INDIA.
14. Mukhor Hok Kabitar Mukh, 2002, Ed. S. Das, Kolkata, INDIA.
15. Mandakini, 2002, Ed. Dr. Mahashweta Chaturvedi,
Uttarpradesh, INDIA.
16. Padus Amoenus, 2002, Ed. Silvia R. Martelli & Luciano Martelli,
Sissa, ITALY.
17. Titiksha, 2002, Ed. Prof. Suresh Ch. Dwivedi, Allahabad,
Uttarpradesh, INDIA.
18. Stars In Transition, 2002, Ed. Dr. V. S. Skandaprasad, Mangalore,
Karnataka, INDIA.
19. Manjari Special Issue on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, 2002,
Ed. S. Saha & Amit Pal, Kolkata, INDIA.
20. Pratibader Kavita, 2002, Ed. Apurba Goswami, Kolkata, INDIA.
21. Chhotoder Abriteer Class, 2002, Ed. A. Bandyopadhyay, Kolkata,
INDIA.
22. Selected Poems of Contemporary International Poets (English-
Chinese), Dec. 2002, Ed. Dr. Zhang Zhi & Dr. Choi Laisheung,
IPTRC, Chongquing City, P. R. CHINA.
23. Above Treetops, 2003, Ed. Dejan Bogojevic, YUGOSLAVIA.
24. I Vincitori Del 'Padus Amoenus', 2003, Ed. Silvia R. Martelli &
Luciano Martelli, Sissa, ITALY.
25. Baxobharti Bachai Chhara, 2003, Ed. Tulsi Basak, Kolkata,
INDIA.
141
26. Prufoker Gaan, 2003, Ed. S. S. Das, Kolkata, INDIA.
27. Mera Bharat Mahan, 2003, Ed. Biplab Majumdar (D.Litt.),
Kolkata, INDIA.
28. Gendaishi - Kennkyuu, 2003-2007, Ed. Genzo Watanabe,
Fukushima-Kenj, JAPAN.
29. Panathinea 2004, Ed. Chrissoula Varveri-Varra (D.Litt.), Athens,
GREECE.
30. Millennium Peace, 2004, Ed. Paulose V. D., Assam, INDIA.
31. Fourth World of Poems, 2004, Ed. M. S. Venkataramaiah,
Bangalore, Karnataka, INDIA.
32. Mon Jaha Chai, 2006, Ed. S. S. Das, Kolkata, INDIA.
33. Anthology of Poetry of Greek Literary Writers, 2007, Ed. Vassilik
Kalahani, Kiato, GREECE.
34. Kavitanjali, 2007, Ed. S. S. Das, Kolkata, INDIA.
35. Contemparary Poets, 2007, Ed. M. S. Venkata Ramaiah,
Bangalore, Karnataka, INDIA.
36. Shrestha Bhuter Galpo, 2007, Ed. U. Bijoli, Kolkata, INDIA.
37. Bhalobasar Dooi Diganta (Vol. 27), 2007, Ed. Amal
Mukhopadhyay, Kolkata, INDIA.
38. Anthology of Indian Poetry, Perigramma, 2008, Ed. Dr. Danae
G. Papastratou, Attens, GREECE.
39. Veyiolugum Kudisaigal (Leakage of Sunrays into the Huts), Tamil,
2008, Ed. M. Ramalingam, Pattukkotta, Tamilnadu, INDIA.
40. Angel of Muse, Aug. 2008, Ed. Dr. Zhang Zhi, Chongqing City,
P. R. CHINA.
41. Nirbachita 200 Chhara, 2009, Ed. Keshabranjan Dey, Kolkata,
INDIA.
42. Nirbachita Kavita Sankalan, 2009, Ed. Samir Roy, West Bengal,
INDIA.
43. Kavita Samay Manushyattwa, Jan. 2009, Ed. S. Chattopadhyay
& Amalendu Dey, Kolkata, INDIA.
44. Romanchakar Bhuter Galpo, 2009, Ed. U. Bijoli, Kolkata, INDIA.
45. Chhando Chhara, 2010, Ed. Samir Roy, W.B., INDIA.
46. Nirvachio Kavita Sankalan, 2010, Ed. Samir Roy, W.B., INDIA.
47. Poetry World, Vol. I, 2010, Ed. Ashis Sanyal & Partha Raha,
Kolkata, INDIA.
48. Poetry World, Vol. II, 2011, Ed. Ashis Sanyal & Partha Raha,
Kolkata, INDIA.
49. Francis Hopkinson, An Anthology in Memoriam, Nov. 2010,
Ed. Grace A. Adele, USA.
50. Ekush Shataker Kavita, 2010, Ed. Biplab Majumdar & Jayanta
Rashik, Kolkata, INDIA.
51. Sara Bangla Sahitya Utsav Sankalan, 2011, Publisher, Durgadas
Midda, Kolkata, INDIA.
142
List of AWARDS
1. The Grand Prize of Civilizing Olympiad, 1999, Athens, GREECE.
2. M. M. Award, 1999, Kolkata, INDIA.
3. Padus Amoenus, International Poetry Competition (First Prize,
Silver Medal), 2000, Sissa, ITALY.
4. BPABEION Prize, 2000, Athens, GREECE.
5. BPABBIO Prize, 2000, Athens, GREECE.
6. Celebration of Poets Award, 2000, Athens, GREECE.
7. Honoured Poet, Purbasha, 2000, Assam, INDIA.
8. Award for Anthology, 2000, Athens, GREECE.
9. Dr. S. B. Smriti Award, 2001, Kolkata, INDIA.
10. 1
0
Premio F. C. (Silver Medal), 2001, Sissa, ITALY.
11. Hon. D.Litt., WAAC (UNESCO), 2001, USA.
12. E. E. A. Award, 2002, Athens, GREECE.
13. 7
0
P. L. Internazionale (Bronze Medal), 2002, Sissa, ITALY.
14. Honorary Member, Advisory Courcil, ANSTED UNIVERSITY, 2003,
MALAYSIA.
15. Honoured at National Poets Conference, 2003, Kolkata, INDIA.
16. GOURANGA BHOWMIK Smriti Puraskar, 2003, Kolkata, INDIA.
17. Hon. Member International Society of Greek Writers Letters-
Arts-Culture, 2003, Athens, GREECE.
18. MANASI Sahitya Samman, 2003, Kolkata, INDIA.
19. The Best Poet of 2002, 2003, P. R. CHINA.
20. The "GLAFKE" Award, 2003, Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA.
21. Decree of Merit, 2003, AUSTRIA.
22. 1
st
Prize in Int. Traditional Poetry Compt. 2003, Johannesburg,
SOUTH AFRICA.
23. Padus Amoenus Silver Plated Memento, 2004, Sissa, ITALY.
24. BPABBIO Award, 2004, Athens, GREECE.
25. Celebration of Poets Award, 2004, Athens, GREECE.
26. Award for Editing the Best International Poetry Magazine IWA,
2004, USA.
27. Award for Anthology, 2004, Athens, GREECE.
143
28. PADUS AMOENUS Award, 2004, Sissa, ITALY.
29. Honorary KNIGHT, 2005, Gzira, MALTA.
30. A BPABEIO Award, 2005, Athens, GREECE.
31. ANUPATRI Maanpatra, 2005, West Bengal, INDIA.
32. Editor of the Best International Poetry Magazine, IPTRC, 2005,
P. R. CHINA.
33. 10 Premio Speciale Estero Calcutta, 2005, Sissa, ITALY.
34. Hon. Member XASTERON Club, 2005, GREECE.
35. PADUS D'ORO, Gold Plated Memento, 2006, Sissa, ITALY.
36. Honoured by Edaning Nattogoshthi, 2006, Kolkata, INDIA.
37. BPABEION Award for 2006, Athens, GREECE.
38. KELAINO Award "Prize for your Spirit", 2006, GREECE.
39. Award for Editing the Best Magazine in India, IWA, 2006, USA.
40. 10 Premio Estero India, 2007, Sissa, ITALY.
41. SANGEET TARANGAA Literary Award, Kolkata, INDIA.
42. BPABEI0 Prize, 2007, Athens, GREECE.
43. Diploma of St. George in Locrida, 2008, Athens, GREECE.
44. Celebration of Poets Awards, 2008, Athens, GREECE.
45. Honoured by Austrian Poetry Circle, 2008, Vienna, AUSTRIA.
46. Settere Padus D'ore Memento, 2009, Sissa, ITALY.
47. Sahitya Gaurav Awards, 2009, Orissa, INDIA.
48. A. BPABEIO, ISGW&A, 2010, Athens, GREECE.
49. Vishistha Kavi Sambardhana, Pbngpks, 2010, Kolkata, INDIA.
50. Lifetime Achievemnet Award, Jan. 2010, International Poets
Academy, Chennai, INDIA.
51. Samman Arghya, Roshni, 2011, Howrah, W.B., INDIA.
52. MANDAKINI Award, 2011, Bareilly, U.P., INDIA.
53. PADUS D'ORO A, 2011, Sissa, ITALY.
144
Selected Comments
F Dear Dr. Biplab Majumdar, July 28, 2003
Thank you for sending me your poem book ''Mera
Bharat Mahan''. I liked the poems particularly your poem ''Mera
Bharat Mahan'' as in page 14. My greetings and best wishes
to you.
Yours Sincerely,
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam,
PRESIDENT OF INDIA
FDr. Majumdar is an exceptionally gifted man, a poet and
translator, who as I do, works untiredly for international
cooperation and peace .......................... I wish to vouch for
his integrity and his admirable and rare commitment to
international understanding.
Dr. Gustawa Stendig Lindberg,
Chairperson - Miriam Felicia,
Lindberg Memorial Foundation, ISRAEL
FYour poems are very simple but very suggestive. They are
pregnant with high philosophic insight like the experienced,
old and wise men's sayings.
Prof. Seiji Hino,
JAPAN
FIt is a modern Upanishad. (About VIRTUES & VICES)
M. Ramalingam,
Ed. : Shine, INDIA
F 25th Jan., 2010
......... you are a rare genius, who really deserves all worldly
exposure and encouragement to further touch the pinnacles
of literary glory in the contemporary field of world poetry.
Prof. Syed Ameeruddin,
Founder-President, International Poets Academy, Chennai, INDIA
jjjjj