Tsunami in Manipuri poetry

By Ashok Rijal *

Delta, an anthology of Manipur poems translated into English, edited by Dr. M. Priyobrata Singh, had seen the light of the day on 11 January this year at Irabot Bhawan, Imphal.

The boom in Manipur poetry has become possible because of 'The Seawaves Manipur,' an organisation of creative writers, poets and translators of the Switzerland of India.

How can we ever thank the president - Jugeshwar Waikhwa, the secretary - Sajou Chenglei and the editor - Dr. M. Priyobata of this organisation for their contribution to widen the horizon of Manipur poems, working day in and day out.

The contribution of Ng. Iboton Singh who wrote the 'General Introduction' of Delta and a renowned translator Mr. Bhabendra Longjamba including all the less than the office bearer.

Ever since its first inception in 2003. 'The Seawaves' has published five such anthologies of translated poems viz.

• Beyond,
• Torrents,
• Crystals,
• Thunder and
• Delta

respectively in 2004 edited by Dr. M. Priyobrata, in 2005 edited by K. Sadananda, in 2006 edited by Salam Tomba, in 2007 edited by Y. Indira and in 2008 again edited by Dr. M. Priyobrata.

At a cursary glance of the recent anthology of poetry 'Delta,' I was flabbergasted to come across the Shakespeare, the Donne, the Pope, the Wordsworth, the Yeats, the Eliot, the poets and thinkers endowed with such discrete entity.

I might have come across hundreds of such great personalities had I gotten the opportunity to read all the elder sisters of Delta. Honestly I've missed your sisters, Delta.

Delta, the recent anthology published by 'The Seawaver' is ubdoubtedly a flood in Manipur Literature in General and a 'tsunami' in Manipuri poetry in particular. Delta is an ocean whose depth is immeasurable.

Delta, in my opinion, is somethiing that even 'Sasa Naga' having a thousand tongues would fail to describe how impressive she is.

I am in a quest of the suitable adjectives for her description. Though, I know, it would be a futile effort. There might be only a few fortunate readers like me who have ever witnessed the amalgamation and reconciliation of such great intelligentsia and geniuses having dinner in the same plate of poetry.

The awe-inspiring poems in the youngest daughter of the Seawaves, Delta obliged me to pause a little while to explore the sources of the peotic creation and inspiration of such diverse emotions rumbling within the poets.

Let me cite a few lines from some of the poets who have signaled to make us notice the objects and circumstances they bespeak. They have directed their poems at the prevailing social injustices, at tortures and killings of innocent beings, at the culture feeding on treachery and bestiality, domination on female, their struggle for existence and love.

Would you like to tranquillise yourself by the intoxicating verse?

Here you are . Enjoy!

1. "Time of course, is bad
Children, hark they're coming nearer and nearer
'Knock,' 'Knock' at the door,
Darwaja kholo bhai.
Koi haai?
'Open the door'
'Is there anyone, open the door'
Nahin Kholega to tor dunga,
Shaala ...........Bang, bang
Oh mother! mother! mother!

Poetess Dhanamanjuri's poem 'Sepoi'. Obviously the charader is none other than one among us. How might we survive in such eerie situation, where there is 'death in life'?

2. Thy sons seek utility out of my weekness.
They take arms against my innocence
.......................................
So long have I travelled with so heavy a hungry look
That now have I become old in my youth
..................................
Can living be like this only, give thy prophetic note
Can't we die of death ere we're killed!

In this excerpt from his 'Suicide Note' Poet M. Priyobrata likes to open the gate of heaven before the stipulated time because he wishes to get rib of the hellish ambiance. He seems to prefer death to the life of a street dog.

3. "I'm circumscribed
To write poetry in riots, never in tranquility

With details of excerpt from his "Never fare Thee Well" poet M. Priyobrata seems to have somehow to survive writing poem about the present trauma and chaos in riots. Poet M. Priyobrata doesn't seem to assimilate Wordsworthian idea of poetry- "Poetry is the spontaneous overflow feeling recollected in tranquility," does he?

4. "So I do write always
For the woman gangraped
In front of her own child
For the wife being molested
Before the eyes of her husband"

Poet S. Tomba in his except from 'Poem Still born' clearly tells us why he writes poem and for whom he dedicates his creations.

5. Never you should be a weakling
By your tender flesh only , Not you are a flower
You are a real vulcan, Burn with a blazing flame'

In her excerpt from 'The Woman' Feminist rather the Womanist poetess L. Ibemhal Devi provides impetus for the marginalised female; regarded as the second sex by the society, to garner their stringed becoming a blazing flame for their identity.

6. "Listen, Soul-mate, you are for the fight
..................................................
I, your lover, entertain no difference.
look, love is blazing wild in battle field'.

7. "Love has come all through my heart with all gay
Inflamed is my heart with thy warmth abound
The world is turned to a lovely garden
Blooming as flower has my soul just begun".

The above excerpts from poet N.B. Konjengba's "Ode to love"-48 and 59 reflect his feeling when the spring season crept in his life. His poems reflect the feeling of everyone in his/her full bloom.

The above mentioned poets in this short review of Delta, who have regenerated and nurtured the garden of Manipuri poetry. Well, now what is our duty in order to exhale and inhale the fragrance of Spring in Manipuri Poetry? Read all the publications of the Seawaves Manipur?

Certainly!

'To Err is Human'. Please don't get alarmed. There may not be error in the poems in this anthology in Syntactic and Semantic levels, however there are a few in the morphological level which I believe, would be ractified in the next edition.

Many a poem in the publications of 'The Seawaves Manipur' are worth incorporating in the Curriculum in Bachelor's or Master's Degree in order to let the scholars taste the aesthetic pleasure of the soil.

Finally, I would like to extend my gratitude to all the family members of the Seawaves for their marvellous poetic creation.

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* Ashok Rijal wrote this review for The Sangai Express. This article was webcasted on April 01, 2008.

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