Love in the time of plague

Pramila Khadun

Pramila Khadun

Buddha says that all composite things

Are perishable and we should strive

For our liberation with diligence.

In the days of the plague, Covid-19

Where nations at large suffered and many still suffering,

Scientists still struggling to find the perfect vaccine,

People are continuing to lose dear ones

And the ecoes of their cries

Are clearly heard in distant shores.

Every sunset knows a sunrise

And every end of the tunnel knows light.

Maybe humanity will see light

After wilting and withering in terrains

Hot and dry without a ray of hope.

Amidst this marathon task of survival,

Humanity's inner self, re-engineered,

Revolutionized, realized the meaing of love,

Where all men are brothers

And man is higher than what he thinks.

Our perceived differences are evaporating

We are coming to the conclusion

That love is that binding force 

Which unites us all under the same umbrella.

***

Bio: Pramila Khadun is a poetess and writer from the Republic of Mauritius, Indian Ocean. To her credit, she has eleven books, eight of which are poetry collections. She has contributed widely in many international magazines and anthologies.In 2015, she won the Reuel International prize for excellence in writing and literature. In February 2023, she won the Ravindranath international poetry contest where she stood in the second place. In December 2022, she was awarded The Africa Women Leaders  award by World Leadership Congress and awards. 

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Setu, February 2023

Pramila Khadun, MAURITIUS

Exclusive: Best of Women Poetry: Edited by Padmaja Iyengar-Paddy

WOMAN, THE BEAUTIFUL PATHFINDER

The role being played by women
Across the world provides a liberating image
Of her indomitable spirit and versatility.
Endowed with a wealth of ideas and artistic power,
She has collaborated closely with man
To push harder and harder until
Goals are achieved and nations shine.
Hurt sometimes, insulted at other times,
Humiliated most of the time, depressed,
Deserted, battered and feelings shattered,
She rises and stands tall in any circumstance.
Her labors on the world stage
May sometimes not be recognised
And yet, she moves on, focused on the larger picture.
Her commitment to global security
Will never waver, for she believes in oneness.
For her, running a home is not a marathon task.
She has mastered the art of braving the wind,
Sailing in rough seas and find paths for all.
She has revolutionized society, savvy that she is,
She resonates with universalism of human identity,
Giving free access to truth and reality.


Pramila Khadun is a poetess from Mauritius. Her poems have appeared in at least a hundred anthologies mainly. She has had 4 collections of poetry published entitled ‘Rajnee’, ‘Kavi’, ‘Priyumvada’ and Igniting Key. Her Novels entitled “When love speaks”,and  “He left everything for her” have also been published in India. Her book “Food and Nutrition Simplified” is currently being used by Cambridge School Certificate in college in Mauritius. She is a retired educator and lives with her husband Raj, her son Captain Kaviraj, airline pilot, and daughters Dr Rajnee and Priyumvada.

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Best of Women Poetry -2020 :: Setu, March 2020

Interview of Pramila Khadun by Vatsala Radhakeesoon

Pramila Khadun is a famous and powerful voice in the field of writing. She has authored various poetry books, novels, anthologies and cooking books.
Here goes an enriching and inspirational interview with the unique writer/poet from the exotic tropical island, Mauritius.

Pramila Khadun

Vatsala Radhakeesoon: Tell us about your early life, family background and actual life?

Pramila Khadun: I did my Bsc in Food and Nutrition from S.N.D.T college, Pune. I am married to Raj khadun and have three children, namely Dr Rajnee, Captain Kaviraj and Priyumvada. I was head of Home Economics Department and now I am retired spending my time writing.

Vatsala Radhakeesoon

Vatsala: Initially how did your interest or determination for book writing spring?

Pramila: I have always been fond of reading and writing. I write everyday with the same enthusiasm. Writing is cathartic and helps us reach out to others. Initially, I wrote poetry, which I find so magical and charming as we can speak volumes in a few words, stirring the mind and soul of readers. Then I wrote a textbook entitled 'Food and Nutrition Simplified' meant for school certificate students. It is currently being used in colleges across the island. I also wrote a novel, 'When love speaks'.

Vatsala: In a fast moving world, engulfed by Information Technology, what is the role of a writer/poet in society?

Pramila: The role of the poet is to create a balance in society.  Information Technology, though essential for human progress cannot kill the beauties of a person’s soul by not allowing him/her to think about himself/herself and always being engrossed in technology.

Vatsala: Mauritius is a multilingual country. Though, English is the official language,  Kreol and French are much widely used in daily life. What are your reasons for choosing English as the language to write poetry?

Pramila:  English is the language written and spoken across the world. Writing in English brings a wider readership. However, I would love to mention that writing in Kreol and French are equally cathartic.

Vatsala: Having authored more poetry books than other genres shows your special love for poetry writing. Is poetry writing your first love as an author?
How did you start writing poetry?

Pramila: I was doing my Bsc degree in Pune and our college magazine was about to be issued. Students were asked to contribute articles. Somehow, for reasons unknown to me, I chose to write a poem entitled, 'Open me the gates of a world different'. To my great surprise, I won the first prize and since then I continued writing. I can thus call poetry my first love.

Vatsala: What inspires you to write? Do you have a favourite theme that you mostly enjoy to bring forth in your creative written art?

Pramila: Poetry is ‘The record of the best and happiest moments of the happiest and best minds’ says Shelley.It is the most philosophic of writing as clearly stated by Aristotle. Poetry has always attracted my imagination, it is my forte. I love producing poetic oeuvres of great luminosity, impassioned writing with wide horizons, characterized by sensuous intelligence and humanistic integrity. I love writing that catches the dewdrop and reflects the cosmos. My sources of inspiration can be anything –  an abundant solitude, the fragrance of sandalwood, a child knee-deep in mountain greaa, the swirling clouds, animals mating, wind arabesque, the spire of a church and so on. My favorite themes are nature, pain, love and peace.

Vatsala: You are one of the writers born and grown up during the
pre-independence / colonial period of Mauritius. Has any event of this period been the propelling force for your writing?

Pramila: The pre-independence/ colonial period of Mauritius was a difficult one. We were all poor and in many cases parents preferred sending boys to schools and colleges and girls had to take care of household chores. My parents, avant-gardistes par excellence believed in equal opportunities offered to girls in the educational field. In this way, I persevered and succeeded along with my sisters.

I was also impressed by the political movements and the struggle for gaining the island's independence.

Vatsala: What are the sequences or steps involved in your poetry writing? How do you approach the writing of a new poem - the starting point, the unstoppable flow and the final message?

Pramila: Whenever I write, I do my prayers first for I believe that without God's guidance, nothing can be achieved. After all , poetry is God's voice. Once I am inspired to write, I delve deep in the crevices of my imagination and remove the pearly poems

Vatsala: Who are your favourite authors/poets and which of them have had an influence on your  writing?

Pramila: My favourite poets have been a perfect blend of  those from the past and present like Ravindranath Tagore, Shelly, Wordsworth, Milton, Khalil Gibran, Tiruvalluvar, Pablo Neruda, Kamala Das, Angelou, Kabir, to mention but a few.
All poets inspire me, to be honest, whether he or she is a well-established one or a burgeoning one. The one poet who has a far reaching much influence on my writing is Gibran.

Vatsala: Your main poetry books are entitled Priyam, Rajnee and Kavi. Please tell us about these collections of poetry and others if any?

Pramila: Priyumvada, Rajnee and Kavi are named after my three children. I wrote them during the early years when I started writing. I was 25 years old. After these three collections, I wrote 'Igniting key', co-authored by Dr Ampat Koshy and Dr Bina Biswas.

Vatsala: What does poetry mean to you? How would you define it and how do you wish readers to perceive your poems?

Pramila: Poetry means all to me. It is light, it is love, it is all we perceive in life.

I would love my readers to dive deep in the realm of my poetry and feel the vibes.

Vatsala: What type of poet would you best describe yourself – the Feminist, the Versatile, Nature poet or any other particular type?

 Pramila :I would best describe myself as a poetess for humanity. I write to bring change in our world. What I desire most is a clean world where all men are brothers living peacefully in harmony with nature and the elements.


Vatsala: What are the challenges that you face as a women poet and what would you advise other women poets?

Pramila: We may be living in a world of equality but the patriarchal factor still predominates. Women have to struggle a lot to make their voices heard and their writing felt. Having their works published is not easy as well.

I would advise other women poets to continue in their struggle as there is always light at the end of the tunnel. We must never give up as fruits of hard labour and perseverance are always sweet.

Vatsala: What advice would you give to young poets?

Pramila: To young poets, I would say, read lots, the more you read, the better your writing becomes. And remember, poetry is divine, touch hearts more than minds. And your mind must be without fear for you can fight any battle with the power of your pen.

Vatsala: How can Poetry be used for the betterment of humankind and
as an experienced poet, what message would you like to give to the world?

Pramila: Poetry can be mind and soul-stirring and by stirring, poets make people think, remedy the situation and bring desirable changes. To the world, I would say however much progress we may do, keep in mind that human beings need love more than anything else.

Vatsala: We sum up this lovely conversation with some of your beautiful poems from the books Rajnee and Kavi:

Sadness

When states collapse, there is sadness.
Fading of arts is sad as well.
Sadness is in wars and disasters,
In the tranquility of autumn,
And in the singing of constellations.

The sadness of Saint Exupery’s
“Little Prince” was deep and genuine.
So was Wordsworth when sad
And pensive he lay on his couch.

When the evening breeze blows gently,
There is sadness.
When the sick man prays ardently,
There is sadness.
When the palm tree in full bearing is cut,
There is sadness.
When sages sing songs sweet,
There is sadness.

Sadness is in the violin,
In the solitary wine bottle,
In the broad midnight moon,
In lovers’ languishing,
In couples’ longing,
And in the rose that blooms and dies.

 – Pramila Khadun, Rajnee


Lost in a Whirlwind  Romance

He had the  shoulders of a football player
And his eyes burned like quiet fire.
She nestled close to him
like a tiny animal seeing its mother.

She looked like fine porcelain
And gleamed as invitingly as hot teapot.
She drove him mad with her youth,
Her ways of dressing up and her sensual beauty.

She played with him as happily
As a school girl plays with her dolls
while he looked at her with a longing look.
She murmured in his ears soft words
As sweet as sea-sound.


While the horses stood with draped manes,
And tilted hind-hooves,
They kissed each other warmly and passionately.
Lost in a whirlwind romance,
They could hardly hear the tiny barking of dogs
And the women calling their herd of sheep
while the sun was setting with all its majesty.

 – Pramila Khadun, Kavi

Table of Contents, April 2017

Pramila Khadun, MAURITIUS

A REVELATION

A woman is a revelation,

Not a retribution.

Hurt not the receptacle

In her flower of love,

Devour not her body

With eyes of lust.

Another day dawns

And another man is born.

Weary, oppressed and depressed,

She succumbs not to the destined

Trials and tribulations,

For, from baby to boy,

From boy to man,

Will all emerge from her lap.

Sometimes in reflective meditation,

At other times bereft of hope,

With the cosmos spinning around her,

She thinks of the damages

Done by a desire,

Sprouting from preconceived notions

Or simply a genetic inheritance,

Which holds her besieged

In between his legs

While she battles in a futile effort

To set her dignity free.

However, unrepentant soul that she is,

She steals not bright objects

Like the magpie does

Or flagellating herself with her failures,

Or masochist, loving her wounds and blows,

She focusses on her monumental achievements,

Her magnum opus, that will reveal

Her true and naked self

For she is a revelation.

MOTHER

Mother, evil passions had no sway upon you,

Nor were you afflicted by ego`s malady.

Poverty was neither a constraint

Nor a hindrance in your life`s journeying.

You never slept, mother, nor despaired.

Faltering and yet not falling,

Falling and yet not sinking,

Half broken in ashes,

Your life was full of challenges.

Mother, I still remember the song

You whispered over my cradle,

The way you washed my face

And the eternal strength and wisdom

That your eyes communicated to mine.

Your life, mother, was variegated

With deep thoughts and striking examples.

Your devotion to do good

Was as amazing as

Your love of humanity.

Mother, I shall continue loving you in silence,

Through you are so far away from me.

Where you are dwelling,

God is dwelling too,

Among your warm – eyed friends

And crimson – petalled flowers.

Sometimes when I`m lost in a lonely lane,

And the moon is hidden,

I think of you, mother.

Tears flow down my cheeks,

The cheeks that you used to kiss.

 I think of the crown of thorns

That life`s bitter calamities

Had cruelly put on your head,

And how diligently you guided me

To open up pathways

That lead to the golden palace

Studded with rubies and pearls.

I want to preserve and enhance, mother

All the queenliness I inherited

From your milk – white bosom.

In pilgrimage and in penance

I shall march forward, head held high,

And work for humanity with all my might.

Shower your blessings on me, mother,

Let that day come

When I have achieved my goal

And shaking your head approvingly,

From above, you will smile over me.

HOW CAN I FORGET?

How can I forget the rustic scent

Of the village where I was born?

Having known suffering of epic proportion,

How can I forget the trenchant images

Of resistance, revolt, poverty and defeat.

Epicist of the female experience,

I still remember the musical flow

Of voices and counter voices

Echoing along the long corridors

While my mother’s scourging authority

Would uphold the dignity of our downtrodden fate.

With fearless love of Truth,

Which still exerts a far-reaching influence

On my life and especially my writing,

I walk the path alone with no sense

Of fear, insecurity, fear of old age and death.

How can I forget the pangs of hunger,

The dry throat, the family tragedies,

The mind’s clamor that could not be stilled,

Worrying about anything and everything

At one and the same time.

I never knew how strong I was

Until strength is the only choice I had.

The child that I was, I became strong.

I learned that if life is amazing,

She won’t be easy

And if she is easy,

She won’t be amazing.

Pramila Khadun, a retired educator, is a poetess from Mauritius. Her poems have appeared in various anthologies mainly, The American Poet Naomi Nye’s anthology, The Vast Sky, National library of Poems, Maryland, The significant anthology by Dr Ampat Koshy, Brian Wrixon for anthologies, Spring Summer Autumn and Winter, Pics anthology, Diaries at Coldnoon and Amaravati Poetic Prism. She is a featured poet at PentasiB and her poems appear regularly in various e-zines and print journals. She has 4 poetry collections and a novel to her credit . Her book “Food and Nutrition Simplified” is currently being used by Cambridge School Certificate in Schools in Mauritius. Her two projects, “Understanding Diabetes” and her collection of 108 Poems on peace and love titled “Shangri-la” are currently under print.

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Women, Power & Creativity :: Setu, March 2019

Poetry: Pramila Khadun

Pramila Khadun

Dear Buddha

Dear Buddha, there is a widespread gloom
And sullenness across the globe.
The reflective capacity of man is clouded
And focusing on the self is rampant,
For man has forgotten since a long time.
The inner – connectivity of mankind.

‘What lies behind us
And what lies in front of us
Pales in comparison
To what lies within us,’ says Emerson.
We are forgetting the rich History
That our ancestors left behind
And competing to grab all
That lies in front of us.
Consequently, we are left
With no time to ponder
Over what lies within us.

Buddha, you left the comforts of the world,
To embrace hardships for within it
Lay buried the riddles of existence.
We are responsible for our own deeds, you said
And no one escapes the law of karma
By self, one is defiled,
Be self, one is purified
Says the Dhammapada
We have all the powers in our hands
And yet, why does man think
That he is weak?

It is the same Avatara who
Having plunged in the Ocean of life,
Rises up in one place
And is known as Krishna,
And driving again rises in another place
And is known as Christ.
Again he dives, emerges as Prophet Mohammed
And one more diving,
Beautifully and gloriously, like lotus
Emerges Buddha.

Buddha said,
Behold, O monks,
All compounded things, all experiences,
By their very nature decay and die,
It is through not being infatuated
With objects of the senses that you will succeed
In awakening and obtain liberation.
Buddha, if we follow this single teaching,
All problems of the universe
Will be solved.
Man will look within himself
And listen to the singing of the constellations
And the harmony of spheres. 
---

Slowly, slowly

Slowly, slowly, the wind will sweep the fields,
Slowly, slowly, the sun will rise.
Slowly, slowly, man will forge his path
While the hot air balloon will
Give a ride to joyous children
Filled with the mirth of innocent smiles.
Slowly, slowly, mothers will cope up
With the empty-nest syndrome
While fathers will go on doggedly
Digging furrows in the volcanic terrains.
Slowly, slowly, the two-humped camel
Will walk diligently with its load
While the windmill radiating
A gentlemanly demeanor will smile.
Slowly, slowly, the couple make love
While the infant slumbers peacefully.
With relentless passion, the poet
Writes a poem by the evocative
Waters of the lake while the woman
He loves comes slowly, slowly to meet him.
---

I came not

I came not to compete with others,
I came to complete.
I came not to laugh
At others’ faults,
I came to laugh at my own.
I came not to hurt others,
I came to lick my own wounds.
I came not to praise others
For my own gains,
I came to say plain truth.
I came not to crucify,
I came to demystify.
I came not to kill,
I came to nurse.
And last but not the least,
I came not to talk,
I came to listen to silence
---

The wanderer

He was a great thinker and philosopher
Of exceptional sensitivity.
He believed not in new age mystic gurus
Nor in the gossip, glitz and glamour
Of our everyday world
That has been sinking slowly but surely.
His poems were a witty tour-de-force
With pleasing, pithy and mordant undertones.
It was the fine confection
Of brilliant writing with moving themes.
He loved the idyllic landscapes of Kashmir,
The clusters of bamboo,
The tree-lined avenues,
The seaweed-strewn beach,
The captivating aurora borealis
And the open plains of Tibet.
Poised and savvy, with consummate skill,
He wrote poem, geet and gazal
Serendipitous, thought-provoking
That would never wilt and wither
While fashioning the drama of existence.
And one fine day, he becomes a wanderer,
A harbinger of peace, feisty and free.
She met him once and with a single meeting,
He changed the course of her whole life.
How could she forget that day
When his luminous eyes
Had fleetingly held hers.
---

What next?

It is mandatory to know what will happen
To good planet earth in coming years.
The earth is reacting to the accumulated
Sins of mankind cropping up like mushrooms.
Man is forgetting that the universe
Operates by law, sacred in nature.
This is the time,
Neither to hate, nor to judge.
This is the time to love.
This is the time to forgive.
When will the idea dawn
In man’s vagabond mind
That we are supernaturally natural
And lots of powers are in our hands.
Open your hands, open your mouth,
Open your heart and open your eyes,
O man!
Repent, forgive and love.
Then only the holy spirit
Will be poured in you.
Then only, you will experience
True faith, true compassion
And true love.

Setu, December 2018

Poem - I can't understand this

by Pramila Khadun

Pramila Khadun

Billions of dollars are being spent
To look for life on other planets
And trillions spent to kill life
On our planet.
I can't understand this.

With hearts parched, terror-etched faces,
Blowing rings of hope
In the midst of despair,
Many are eating dry bread
With a tangy chutney
While others are tasting wine
From the best of vines,
Along with grilled meat and sauce,
And baked potatoes,
I can't understand this.

Cesspool of wickedness, filth and corruption,
Poverty, partiality, pollution and devastation,
The fury of war,the scheming puppeteers,
The cacophonies and atrocities around us,
Engulfing us while the delights
Of the wicked know no bounds.
I can't understand this.

The simplicity of life turned into complexity,
Sins descending like a swarm of locusts,
Virtue dying in the bud and vice flourishing,
Youth left to themselves, the old ill-treated,
I can't understand this.

Back to Table of Contents

Pramila Khadun

Pramila Khadun is a poetess from the island of Mauritius. She holds a degree in Food Science from S.N.D.T Women’s University, Pune, India and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education(P.G.C.E) from the Mauritius Institute of Education. She had been Head of the Department of Food Studies Department at Modern College and part-time lecturer at the Mauritius Institute of Education.

An education officer and writer, Pramila is now enjoying her retired life with her husband Raj and three children, Dr Rajnee, Priyumvada and son Kaviraj. While living in Lalmatie, Flacq, Mauritius, she spends time in reading, writing and travelling.

Published Works

• Rajnee
• Priyumvada
• Food and Nutrition Simplified
• She has three collections of poetry published. Her novel ‘When Love Speaks’ will soon be in print. 

Authors A-Z