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| Lopamudra Bannerjee |
Lopamudra Banerjee
“Om Bhur Bhuvaс╕е Suvaha
Tat-savitur Vare├▒yaс╣Г
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Dhiyo Yonaс╕е Prachoday─Бt”
The auspicious chanting of Gayatri Mantra in our ancient scriptures emphasizes on meditating on the divine power of our Supreme Lord, the creator, and His divine light that illumines all realms—be it physical, mental or spiritual. In the pristine surroundings of the Mohan family home in Potomac, Maryland, little Veda, the charming, spirited 5-year-old granddaughter of Dr. Meenakshi Mohan inaugurated "Poetry on the Patio", the grand literature and art festival on August 16, 2025, the auspicious day of Janmashtami in India, with this divine chanting in front of the statuettes of Lord Krishna, Lord Ganesha and Goddess Saraswati. In those few indescribable moments of bliss, everyone present for the occasion must have felt the doors illuminating our minds, our intellect, our souls opening up.
Authors, poets, translators, artists
sharing their poetry and art:
Having read Meenakshi
Mohan's debut poetry collection titled ‘Symphonies of Life’, I was already
aware that in her intensely personal poems, the themes of family, nature and
the universe, and the beautiful amalgamation between memory and imagination
appear as almost her alter-ego, her second self. Incidentally, the tranquil
setting of a patio or balcony frequently appears in her work, serving as a
space for quiet, almost meditative reflection. Quite naturally, in this
same spirit of reflection, this literature and arts festival has been hosted by
her in her patio, in collaboration with Setu International Bilingual mag, the
literary journal based in Pittsburgh that strives to connect with readers as a
cultural bridge, emphasizing on superior artistic expressions. The readers
sharing their literary works in poetry and prose, including Dr. Marianne Szlyk,
Dr. Ethan Goffman, Dr. Anita Nahal, Mr. Alan Britt, Mr. Luther Jett, Sri Indran
Amirthanayagam, Tanusree Ghosh, Sunayana Pal and yours truly (in the English
section) and Ms. Vinita Tiwari, Ms. Sashi Padha and Sri Anurag Sharma—all
carried their distinct voices and ethos which were embedded in their pieces,
yet it was all a tapestry of creative collaboration in its overall essence,
created in an intimate, welcoming atmosphere. Some authors and poets present
for the literary and artistic soiree shared their deeply reflective, meditative
poetry and narratives, wherein lay the profound beauty, power and aura of
creative writing. In their powerful writings in both English and Hindi
language, the familial world, or the microcosm and the greater universe, the
macrocosm converged, evoking universal emotions. Thus, the collective consciousness of the poets and authors,
both in English and the vernacular Hindi language, added unique dimensions and
nuances to the creative writing they presented on stage. Coupled with the
readings, their published books and art were also on display at the venue,
adding the icing on the cake.
Anurag Sharma, founder and editor of Setu
International Bilingual mag introduced the literary contributions of Setu in
his moving speech, while recounting the momentous journey of Setu within the
span of nine years (since its inception), and the huge readership that the mag
enjoys today, celebrating the unique richness of South Asian diaspora
literature. It is the collaboration between Setu mag and the host Meenakshi
Mohan that culminated in the execution of such a delightful evening of poetry
and art.
The Tribute:
The very eloquent opening speech by Meenakshi Mohan’s
daughter Kavita Mohan tugged at the heartstrings of everyone present at the
scene, commemorating the wondrous legacy of her father, Dr. Kshitij Mohan. In
her speech, she reflected on the extraordinary life of her father thus: “My
father was a scientist who shaped national policy, a poet who wrote with soul
in three languages, and a leader whose vision touched industries and
institutions alike. But to me, he was simply my Papa—the man who recited poetry
late into the night from his office, who taught me the elegance of a
well-turned phrase, the enduring power of literature, and the rigor of a
well-reasoned argument.” She also described her father’s life as “a master
class in pursuing knowledge, embracing the arts, and living with love.” To
this, she also added the “extraordinary efforts” of her mother in continuing “her
lifelong passion for the arts and her deep, unwavering love” for her father.
In her closing note, she also said that in today’s
technology-driven world, “poetry and the arts offer us not just escape, but
insight. My father understood this—and lived it. My mother continues to
exemplify it. Together, they have taught me that the most enduring legacies are
not built of accolades or achievements, but of wisdom shared, love given, and
beauty created.”
The closing remarks of Dr. Meenakshi Mohan also
lingered in the minds of the audience, especially her rendition of her poem ‘The
Cosmic Wonders’ along with a stupendously crafted painting (oil on canvas, with
a palette knife) titled ‘Threshold’. The poetry rendition and the surreal
landscape depicted in the painting merged with the beauty of the surroundings
as the evening converged into the night, with the call of the cicadas. Followed
by her reading and the vote of thanks, also given by Dr. Mohan, the audience
witnessed the most moving spectacle of presenting the Certificate of Excellence
to Anurag Sharma of Setu Mag. The Certificate, presented by Veda’s tender
hands, was truly a testament to how literature and art serve as enduring
legacies, from one generation to the next.
Towards the end of the ceremony, each guest or reader
received a certificate and a replica of Dr. Meenakshi Mohan’s artwork—which
Setu Bilingual Journal, in their Facebook page, described as ‘a keepsake of a
night where legacy met light.’
Already making its mark as a significant
forum for propagating literary and artistic talents in Maryland and also other
parts of the nation, ‘Poetry on the Patio’, in memory of Dr. Kshitij Mohan, physicist,
bilingual poet, diplomat, and patron of the arts, with its congregation of meaningful voices in the literary
firmament, will be remembered as a memorable milestone.
Author Bio: Lopamudra Banerjee is an author, poet, translator, editor with nine solo books and six anthologies in fiction, nonfiction and poetry. She has received the Journey Awards (First Place category winner) for her memoir ‘Thwarted Escape: An Immigrant’s Wayward Journey,’ the International Reuel Prize for Poetry (2017) and other honors. Her poetry has been published in renowned platforms including ‘Life in Quarantine’, the Digital Humanities Archive of Stanford University. She has been a Featured Poet at Rice University, Houston in November 2019. Her other notable publications are her poetry collection ‘We Are What We Are: Primal Songs of Ethnicity, Gender & Identity’ (2022), a collaboration with Mexican-American poet Priscilla Rice (Winner, New York Book Festival 2024), ‘Bakul Katha: Tale of the Emancipated Woman’, English translation of Ashapurna Devi’s award-winning Bengali novel (Honorable Mention, London Book Festival) and ‘The Bard and His Sister-in-Law’, English translation of Mallika Sengupta’s historical novel ‘Kabir Bouthan’ (Honorary Mention, Paris Book Festival 2024).
