Hindi Review
Unusual ghazals
Ashok Malik

Ve Baagh Aankhen
Poetry collection by Dr Paresh, Gajanan Prakashan, Chandigarh. Pages 92. Rs 120.
Mein aur Bougainvillea
Ghazal collection by Satish Bedaag, Udan Publications, Mansa. Pages 111. Rs 110.

Self-publication is often seen as vanity publication and is not very well regarded, but likes of Dr Paresh (he has authored over a dozen acclaimed books) can never be placed in that basket. The self-publication of his latest collection of poetry may thus be seen as an effort to avoid the hassles of finding a publisher for his mostly esoteric poems. Those publishing poetry are often not very keen on metre-free, deeply philosophical, mystical and mysterious (bordering on impenetrable) poems. The unformed natural flow of Paresh’s poems, words cascading like utterances in a dream or trance demands a publisher who is prepared to experiment, perhaps gamble, and hope to reach enough readers to cover his costs.

The sensitive poet in Paresh comes out forcefully against the indifference of masses to the Uttarakhand agitation and the brutality seen at Rampur tiraha in Kuch to karo. The anti-establishment angst can also be seen in Ek hazar guptchar. This long-time dweller of the ‘concrete jungle’ expresses his strong longing for the holistic, organic life of the village in Paani, kahan hai Paani. In Atithi hain ye hans, the poet’s enchantment with the winged winter visitors to Sukhna lake is almost childlike. The natural rasik hidden inside the civilised urban male is on the prowl in Mozart ki dhun, 2C nikalne ke baad and in many other places. Ve Baagh Aankhen, the title poem of the collection, is about a fantasy visit to Chhatt bir zoo and a sensuous encounter across the abyss of time. These poems are enjoyable and thought-provoking, as one can expect from the background of the poet.

The fact that the collection has been published by the author himself is no excuse for poor production values, blank pages or repetition of poem Veh Shuruaat.

Ghazals in the first collection of Satish Bedaag are replete with wordplay that must qualify for the adjective "unusual". The ghazal about Bamiyan demolitions where Sanskrit pratimayen is at odds with Persian rooh and darmyan is not the only example, just the first. At many places, however, Bedaag’s word play is evocative – Chand dharti ke gird raksan hai/Chand ke gird ghoomta hai dil. At times verses flow from his pen like a hill stream—uncontrolled flow, not bound by any literary style or dogma and unconcerned at being seen as artless. Kaise kar paoge tum atmsamarpan/Man ke van mein chhip kar baitha hai Veerappan and Tel ke saath mil gaya Saddam/Aam ke am guthliyon ke daam will certainly be seen as unusual, even eccentric, by traditional ghazal yardsticks.

The science teacher in Bedaag comes out with expressions not common to the ghazel genre with amusing results. Daane – daane ko ham taraste nahin, hota ham mein bhi gar chlorophyll and Tirchhi-tirchhi uthi jo nazar/Seedhi-seedhi vo dil ko gayee/sher hone lage SMS/shayri hi-tech ho gayee show this adventurous and experimental streak.

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