LIFE OF A POET ~BISWAJIT

This week, my friends, we are flying across to wonderful Mother India, to visit the poet Biswajit, who writes at authorBiswajit, and lives in Kolkata. Biswajit is sharing with us his poems, his art work and a bit of his journey. As he is fairly new to Poets United, we are looking forward to getting to know him better. Let's begin.

Author Biswajit: the Web Avatar

Sherry: Biswajit, as you are fairly new to Poets United, would you give us a snapshot of the poet at home?

Biswajit: Hello Sherry, Welcome to Kolkata (earlier name: Calcutta), my home city, the cultural capital of India. Over centuries people came here from different parts of the world and loved the city. Kolkata assimilated all possible streams of traits, became an ocean of culture. We are at heart of the state West Bengal. Bengali heritage is prevalent here. People speak Bangla—my mother tongue, and our national language Hindi. In daily mass life English is considered somewhat fashionable. But India homes a rich collection of regional languages and dialects thereof. So English sometimes becomes essential to ensure a smooth communication.

During a forest trip

We enjoy surprising variation of habitats across Bengal. From northern part it starts with Himalayan hill region, slopes down to terai region with dense forests. Then it continues to plateau and plains with occasional forests and high lands near the bank of Ganges. The Bay of Bengal touches a considerable area. And then unfolds the southern extreme: Sunderbans Delta, the great mangrove forest range.

On way to Sunderban

My full name is Biswajit Mukhopadhyay, web name author BISWAJIT, and I write as BISWAJIT; website: www.authorbiswajit.in.  Apart from creative writing, I engineer software and teach Information Technology. I started career as IT lecturer. That was my first prominent professional identity. I also worked as a technical writer. Before that I used to write in several literary magazines. I love exploring various forms of art. Nowadays I’m focusing to develop own IT-startup. Summing up, I am an author. This is the perfect umbrella to cover all my activities. Friends and relatives are treasures; I don't have too many. I find students— especially youngsters— truly encouraging. Unlike elders, they dare to dream unconstrainedly, keep wondering, and ignite my urge to learn more.

Biswajit At Home Office

Sherry: Your life sounds very full and interesting. When did you begin writing, Biswajit?

Biswajit: That was in my early childhood. Even before I learnt to draw a letter, I used to chatter and parody some Bengali rhymes I was taught. But writing creatively came a bit later, when the mind seriously needed an escape. I was eight plus then, mugging up a history chapter that evening. I finished, revised it well. Still, elders forced me to continue with the same— just to cover my scheduled study hours!

The suppression invoked the poet in me. I discovered the way out. Took notebook and jotted down a gist of the whole content, in meters and rhymes. I enjoyed how I felt. Thereafter, family and friends started identifying me as a poet. Exploration thus started to an amazing world of creative writing.

Sherry: It is wonderful when the adults in a child's life encourage his creativity. What do you love about poetry?

Biswajit: Poetry is the most robust and artistic expression of what a creative mind sees. I love the truth being observed, and its artful expression. Sherry, if you allow, may I recall ‘How Can We Save the World with Poetry’ …quoting myself… I had posted this for Rosemary’s ‘Moonlight Musings’ in Poets United: “Poetry has long been neglected, as if, it is mere a fantasizing tool. That incomplete view often cripples us poets. Today I'll disclose my original thoughts expecting a vigorous society of poets around me. 

I obtained poetry as a lens system. We can make it convex, concave, flat, or a combination of some of these. As the convex lens can converge sunrays to light a fire, poet's lines can accumulate enough energy to burn any message in mass. As the concave lens can diverge rays, poetic lines can dissipate threads of depressive thoughts away to make a mind calm. At least, we can make a plain mirror of our lines to show the world what true is.

Sherry: I love the whole idea of showing the world what "true" is!

Biswajit: Dreaming imagery, what many great souls might have considered unethical, impractical, and untrue, is just one of the infinite possible views that poetry can cast. We'll decide how far real, or dreamy, our lines are going to be; we can. Also, unless we step beyond what is accepted as today's safe true, how could we find confirmed true for tomorrow? Poetry can show the way. Politicians, saints, scientists, sport persons, media persons, and so on; all are focusing their excellence to better the world. Are poets the exception? No ways. We may empathize for those who failed to perceive how far poetry can span. Human feelings shape the world and poets can compose human feelings. That's all. Let's compose a beautiful world.”

Sherry: Oh, yes, let's! Well said!  I see on your site that you are also an artist. Tell us about your painting. Did you love art as a child?

Biswajit: As a child I used to experiment at random with traditional media. Within a few years, art and science came ahead as two opposing poles; me in-between. Science curriculum demanded more time. Visual art and music didn’t get their due attention. During senior school days I noticed, every decent science project needs an artistic approach, be it coding computer programs or designing physics-gadgets.

At the same time, every masterpiece of art, say crafting a beautiful rhyme or tune or painting, needs specific use of science. I was in a great problem: how to cover both the poles— art and science? Came college days and I devised the solution. Art and science, unlike as was interpreted earlier, were actually two lovely approaches of studying the same truth— they differ in perspectives only. Art selects fancy, while science fathoms facts. I loved both the approaches and continued with that truth. You may find it unusual; whenever I get some interesting point, I enjoy its art and science both, equally.

BOND

In visual art, I chose dry media. It was less time-consuming, more maintenance-free. I play mostly with graphite pencils, colour pencils, graphic pens, and oil pastels.

THE MOON

While studying Information Technology, my obvious choice became multimedia creation, especially graphics. In this field you need to study both science and art of the objects you are working on.


Sherry: That sounds a good fit for your combined interests. Is there someone in your life you feel played a significant role in encouraging your creative pursuits?

Biswajit: One at a time might have been, but till date I’m grateful to so many that I can hardly count. I eagerly extracted lessons from most of the people I came across. Nonetheless, I must use this scope to declare some most important contributions:

With Parents

Support from parents is my first foremost mention. Select relatives and a few great teachers encouraged me truly. Friends helped me to identify myself. And one more thing to admit, being an Indian, then a Bengali inspired me a lot. Indian values in synergy with Bengali heritage can do magic. Since ancient ages we have had so many great immortal talents here— great yogis, philosophers, poets, musicians, vocalists, scientists, artists, educationists and so on. Maybe I know about only few of them yet. But I’m grateful to all those immortal ancestors of my nation.



Sherry: Yes, I am in awe of your ancient culture and the richness of your heritage. Would you like to share three of your poems with us, Biswajit?

SUCCESS 

Seeing a luring glow of success, most chased;  

Reached somewhere; found nothing pleasing,  

Became befooled. 

A few had closed their eyes, and meditated;  

Assimilated vast pleasure— never ending;  

Were successful. 

Notes: This was to ascertain before young talents the nature of success. Many start running before comprehending where to reach. Thus I had to brief this.
             

PROFESSIONAL

PROFESSIONAL

Charmed by the authorial persona                              

Once one fell in love with a writer.                             

Befriended.                             

Confided,                           

Told life's tale. Loved each other. 

The writer then came close,                              

Hugged, and left. Alas, 

Writer reappeared                             

After months.                              

Clutching a best seller,                             

 'See I made your story famous!' 

'Wow; the feelings I lived                              

Got a price tag                              

And name' 

'Sweetheart, I love you so much!' 

'Loved me?                              

Then why married fame?' 

Note: Being a successful professional brings undoubted fame. But sometimes it may incur unexpected shame. 

   LIVE LOVE 

          Dream is a handle of life,          Love is animating force,           

Shape your dream with care,    See, sheer glory is yours. 

          Can life dwell in future?            Can, either, live in past?            

   Now is the only existence,      Mind current bit, you must. 

------- 

                                        No dreams can come true                                    

Unless we make it do. 

                                          Likings flush, love floods;                                    

                                             Toys with heart, often thuds.                                    

                                    Wait till right time, tide,                                   

 Don't let love override. 

                                      Give in to true love's call                                    

                                Let heart rise and fall.                                   

                                  It won't hurt you, dear,                                    

Say, 'I'm in love' cheer! 

                                     Jump to yours love's stay,                                   

         Amen, your dreams meet day! 

Note: Love unlimited: love someone, or something, or some field of study, so on. Unconditional love can do magic. I had just to remind all lovers, including me, that dreaming is not enough. We’ll have to live and reach the hub of what we love.

LAPIDARY

Could that stone become any gem?                  
I confirm, touch and polish them.                  
Most overlook, I feel although,                  
It's a princess and it must glow.
                                       
While one sees a lump, dull stone,                  
I foresee: beauty must be known.                  
You then get your pricey diamond,                  
I see its smile— it owes to a bond.

Jeweller sells, buyer cherishes shine                  
Craftsman can't afford; it's not mine.

Did you own a gem extraordinary?                  
Won't you thank buried poor lapidary?

Note: A lapidary, like a dedicated teacher, makes jewels with utmost care, and then hands over to others. Jewels remain close to his heart, but out of sight.

GUIDANCE 

May holy angels guide us so that 

We could guide every little angel we meet 

Sherry: Thank you, Biswajit, for sharing your wonderful poems! When you aren't writing, what other activities might we find you enjoying? 

Biswajit: The spectrum of my being has a few prominent hues. Poetry is vital one. Painting is another. But I’m a passionate teacher. Also, I am the most demanding student of myself. When not writing or painting, most probably you’ll find me teaching or working on something related to teaching. Sometimes my times devotes to software design, development or just free-form study and research.

If none of the above, you’ll find me with Music. Be it strumming my guitar, or bowing my violin, or keying my harmonium, or blowing my flute, or simply singing a vocal, music is my dearest relation, my personal love.

(If you find appealing…) I would like to voice a piece of musical devotion. The original creation was in Bangla (Bengali), created by our exceptionally multitalented poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.

http://www.authorbiswajit.in/files/Devotional_by_Biswajit.mp3

[Friends, if you click on this link, it will upload the music file.]

For you friends who may not grasp Bengali wordings, I’m trying to present the essence of this song as reflects to me. This is diving in an ultimate surrender to the almighty— seen as the divine mother (Maa) of the entire cosmos:

When they bash me
Hurt me,
Oh omniscient mother,
Thou propel them I think
(How else could they dare?)

When they love me,
Befriend and embrace,
All owes to thine wish.

One can insult me,
Only if
Thou allow them.
They leave me,
They come rushing
To my home,
All happens
As and when thou govern.

Oh divine mother,
How can one
Harm me— thine child?
I believe
Pains I suffer somehow are
Part of thine mystic blessings.
That’s why, even if
They trample me
I try to tolerate smilingly.

I’m sure,
No one can
Annoy any one
Unless thou consent so.


Sherry: What a beautiful gift you have given us, Biswajit. Thank you, for your song and for the beautiful translation. Is there anything you’d like to say to Poets United?

Biswajit: Sincere listeners are rare. Thank you, Poets United, for presenting before us  such a wonderful audience. Revered friends point out what touched them and where they expected even better. We browse so many fresh emerging thoughts every week. Great! UNITED— we stand, indeed, lovely!

Sherry: Thank you for the privilege of this visit, Biswajit. We look forward to reading more of your work as the months go on.

Another poetry pilgrim making his journey, my friends. Each visit, a wonderful journey of the soul. Do come back to see who we talk to next. Who knows? It might be you!