A Poetry Book Review Of Dewdrop And Banyan Tree By Ramachandran Rajasekharan
Dewdrop And Banyan Tree
Summary
Short sweet joys, shadows of darkness and testing moments in life, the short-sighted vision of progress at the cost of Mother Earth, the beauty of nature, religion, vibrancy and happiness of childhood, perspectives of grownups, the trauma of war, ageing, memories, nostalgia, installation of values in childhood, poverty, tender relationships, the burden and despair and the tears of unfair bondage of helplessness and the pandemic are some of the themes Ramachandran Rajasekharan deals with in his poetry.
Most of his poems can be enjoyed for their beauty and simplicity; at the same time, they draw the reader into layered thoughts. To that extent, these poems are complex and intricate with the delicate balancing of emotions of helplessness and pain, offset by the small drops of joy and tenderness of relationships.
These poems are influenced by happy childhood and the values passed on by the poet’s parents.
Absolute simplicity, smooth narrative, delicate balancing of complex thoughts, lyrical quality, and the poetic imageries they create, all combine as a marvellous bouquet of poems to read, enjoy and ponder upon.
Poetry, especially when it comes from those quarters which are unexpected, is the most indulgent ever. Say for instance those pieces are written by poets who foray into this beautiful genre long after they are through with the usual humdrum of the mundane world which comprises daily life “boring” practices, are more refreshing as compared to the others, many a time. That is because the take these poets take on life and its peripherals is completely nonchalant of any preconceived notions and is a much broad spectrum in nature as compared to others.
One such book which I recently finished by Ramachandran Rajasekharan titled Dewdrop and Banyan Tree is one such fascinating piece of writing. Having clambered on this path to literary as an ode to his departed parents, Ramachandran has not only imbibed their literary traits, but he has also managed to touch upon those facets of daily life such as nature, humanity, life, culture and many such facets which are refreshing and soothing to read and delve in.
His poems not only give us an insight into his intellect, language and diction they also open a window of possibilities owing to their delectably pleasant nature. Soft, touching words that reveal the literary persona of this gifted poet, the book contains around 50 poems, each one bringing another colour altogether, a different hue to this flamboyant bouquet of fragrance, Ramachandran has managed to scatter through his work.
Related: Furqat Ke Raat Din By Amit Srivastav – Book Review Of A Collection Of Urdu Poetry
Ramachandran has touched upon many objects through his poetry such as nature, peace, hope, joy, memories, life and several other nostalgic topics which will surely warm the insides of your heart, taking you to a land of déjà vu.
What also was for me, a very strong differentiator for this book was the fact that Ramachandran has managed to assimilate and put forth all of that commonplace, everyday concepts in an aesthetically pleasing manner, without having resorted to the usage of very heavy poetic elements. The language and the rhythm are fresh and simple yet the rhyme scheme and the syntax are indulgent enough to stay with one regardless of when you read these.
Igniting and playing with the sense of one’s imagination is something that Ramachandran does through this piece of work. Be it negative traits too, such as force, rage, melancholy, disappointment, the vividity and originality are what shall make a mark upon one’s mind as far as this particular work goes, I’d say.
Some of them are so simply written, yet so hard-hitting in their essence that I could not help but be marvelled by how Ramachandran managed to convey so much through so little. For instance, “First Time”, a piece which highlights the qualm and agony of a soldier, is so short yet so powerful, akin to a short blast of noise on a trumpet. Putting across the small yet powerful idea that yes indeed, soldiers need to prepare to get tough, to overcome and overlook their personal emotions, for the greater good, is splendid. I mean, I think I may have written more by way of an explanatory synopsis here compared to the original poem. But yes, that exactly is the beauty I wish to highlight in Ramachandran’s work. A lot is conveyed through little.
I guess less is more is what works the best, especially in poetry where the poet surely needs to paint the picture in the mind of the reader, the canvas being left by the discernible reader to the discretion of the writer solely.
Yes, that is the true USP, I feel of poetry especially, which has been catered to and adopted substantially by Ramachandran, thus achieving such amazing writing.
Unhappy Child, Krishna, Memories, walking through woods, Candle melts off, rest in peace, and Motherly bliss are some of my favourites from the collection. Although, I want to add here that each piece is brilliant, having both skills as well as a purpose behind its creation. An excellent pursuit, I’d say towards poetry.
Related: Furqat Ke Raat Din By Amit Srivastav – Book Review Of A Collection Of Urdu Poetry
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