Wanderer: (Poetry Paperback) by Rajender Krishan
Publisher: Setu Publication, Pittsburgh
Paperback: 276 pages
ISBN: 978-1947403154
Price: Paperback $11.00
Kindle Price: $2.99
(Free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers)
Best Sellers Rank: #277 in Asian American Poetry
The world of wonders is fully overcrowded with wanderers. The move of each is in different directions, sometimes converging, at times diverging and at many times moving parallel as rigid competitors. Surely enough they are not getting closer to anyone, except for the fact that they are only moving away from themselves, in search of something. That may be to meet challenges, to succeed in their mission, to satisfy their needs of which they themselves have no boundaries. They have yet to filter their needs, their wants, and at the same time to know what and to what extent those wants satisfy the hunger that they have for it.
It is not easy to decide by self, as self judgements are deceptive too. About twelve years back, the days I was to retire from my job as a teacher I asked my philosopher friend as to how do I decide where to stop my need for the required and unrequired wants. Looking straight into my eyes she instantly said, the moment you feel “It is enough, you want no more.” I grasped the underlying truth of the simple statement that carried valuable content within, that is normally not easy to grasp, accept and digest.
Ernest Hemingway has rightly said- “In order to write about life first you must live it.”
Under the sun the turmoil’s of one’s life turn into experiences that speak volumes as rightly said by the author of this book “wanderers” in one of his many poems “choices”
“The selection one makes
Results in the life one lives
It is never too late
To make a cleaner choice. (141)
Here a question pops up as to making choices is it really the freedom that is given to one who lives life or it is predestined destiny. At times it is difficult to understand the pattern of life as based on karma or the destiny that is designed as ‘Niyati.’
Respite all said and done the confusion created by words also finds its solace in words that are so soothing expressing the truth in the poem “Tree of Life”, making profound sense that it carries.
“As the tree of life/ though seemingly whole
I silently persist/in clinging to earth
For sustenance and power/to realize the eternal glory/of the cycle of changing seasons.(199)
Turning the pages as a wanderer, catching a glimpse of the titles, their content in this book, the simplicity of words, their easy meaningful aspiring words definitely capture the attention to ponder again to understand the deep underlying message and the mission directed to, making the reader conscious of his own achievements, in terms of success and failures after having trodded the path of life. In words of PCK Prem in the foreward : “I am amazed when I try to figure out the hiatus between the actuality and philosophical perspective the poet presents in Wanderer. If one concentrates it conveys multiple meanings.”
Very true, the reader at one glance cannot grasp the message, or understand the underlying meaning. It is so simple, but either you understand or you don’t. As a wandering mystic the poet’s feelings throb as heart beats depending on the moods of his expressions. As the same is well expressed in his own words:
“An impulse seeking manifestation
Separates from/ the whispering notes
That beguile the mind perpetually.( 163)
The receptiveness of the mind is the most important stimulating factor that manifests the creativity with a beautifully displayed collage of imagination with all fancy thoughts, some illusionary, some practically applicable as facts in life. Many of the thoughts expressed in words are not in reference to what is seen in and around us but these are one’s own creativity that is displayed as one perceives at the juncture of conscious and unconscious reunion of reflected thoughts.
In Poem ‘Wanderers’
Times are uncertain/ life unpredictable
Yet, desires abound/ seeking fulfillment (91)
Let’s start with the knowledge of the fact of life as each one of us is hearing, seeing, witnessing at every move, at every stage of life. But in this pandemic period all generations young and old have and are witnessing the power of the unseen.
One searches/ What is lost
one tries to remember
what is forgotten (33)
Truly enough, the Wanderer in pursuit is searching for what is lost, the real treasure that belongs to him. The innumerable cycles of births and deaths have created so much gap, that he is unable to remember his origin.
Respite that the wandering mystic is aware that the conscious is the real guide, a magnetic compass, directing and leading his very being towards the goal to attain the real purpose of life and to enjoy the bliss of the reunion of his own self in and out.
The wandering Mystic / Continues to bask
In the pristine glory/ of his unique self (73)
It is here that the one learns the lesson and starts believing the truth that unfolds as to what he writes, what he composes, what he decides. He is the almighty in control of all actions. It is the foundation of faith that is laid as said in “Cordial”
You Write, I recite
You compose, I described
You decide, I abide (35)
The par excellent expression of Truth, nothing but the truth defines the achievement of the purpose of the human life. To come, to attain the glory of fulfillment, to free the soul from the body. The formless within writes, composes, decides, but the purpose of mission is acquired only when I recite, I describe and I abide. What I perform as per real instructions to make outstanding achievement and the more meaningful sense to what “I abide.”
“I” as individual, have to be true to myself creating harmony with conflicts that distract and deviate the thoughts till the mind is stilled. Same is said by the Sufi mystic Rumi-
“The Inspiration You Seek
Is Already Within You.
Be Silent and Listen”
The anxious Wanderer on this path does the same to explore the reality (be silent and listen), to give a better meaning to the purpose of life.
“The anxious Wanderer
Walks with protruding eyes
While the formless rest within” (31)
It is the continuous process being threaded with thoughts, concepts and underlying themes to be taken step by step to make this journey of life to achieve the goal. Astonishing is the great statement “the formless rest Within” who is a true witness to the mechanics of the moves, the turbulences and the achievements of the wanderer. In one way it is the process of self-realization.
Finding the truth is like attaining Nirvana, where the wonderer like Buddha sits under the Canopy of his own ideal body, to churn, to attain the Stillness of mind that is roaming and roaring pulling the conscience inward, where the formless rests.
By regular and continuous practice of search within, the mind that is a foe becomes a friend, to help you in the process of anchoring your roaming thoughts, and to be able to still the wandering attitude. This is the point that one has to stop, think and perform. This is the real conflict, a battle that has to be won to meet the formless within. It is indeed a true and a wonderful superior analogy of the thought that makes life easy and hard–an unfolded mystery.
Life is a play/ the world is a stage
and we all actors/ so affirm the Seers. (53)
Life is a journey that is meant to be embraced to the fullest every day. However the seeker has to be attentive towards the object to be attained, and sometimes a reminder flashes which is captured or goes unnoticed, which me be a real opportunity and a life time gift too. (A Life Quote) it is an insight that confidently register within yourself after satisfactorily performing the role you are given.
Life is a play/ so the master say
everyone is given/ a role to portray. (57)
The world is a stage, life is really a play and everyone has a role to play and portrayed the way as the creator has planned as per ones capacity and capability to display to its best. The role does start from birth and ends with the death. It is then that the curtain falls, only after accomplishing the purpose of performance, as set by the unseen director who resides within.
In fact life is a true teacher, a guide and a mentor. Everyday it opens a new chapter, a new lesson that we one has to complete from dawn to dusk, to enjoy the bliss of the self in terms of the inner and outer reunion. This is the real celebration in the larger vision of Amma’s wisdom as expressed by the author Rajendra ji
“I hear Amma’s words echoing
Love yourself
Be true to yourself”
Respite the perfect Gospel every wanderer of this path does encounter the challenges as they open the gates of wisdom to know what is still unknown.
With such encounters/ the mesmerized wanderer/
Continues to explore /the labrynth of life/
carefree of the destination (233)
Summarizing the concept of this poetry book ‘Wanderers’ that has followed the footsteps of “Amma’s Gospel”, it is a real process of channelizing one’s own thoughts, actions to see the unseen, and hear the unheard to reach the eternal destination. Similarly does, Gucci uses in the poetic language to give a wider vision of his understanding of the truth of life.
“The vision of light and the womb of silence”
Let us silently understand and achieve the gifts of life underlying in the silent words, that reach us, teach us in multiple ways to achieve the purpose and mission of life. My heartiest congratulations to the author for presenting the Gospel to the humanity in the times most needed.
Devi Nangrani, born in Karachi (India then), is an author of many Sindhi, Hindi & English books. Retired as a teacher, she writes poetry, ghazals, stories, articles, reviews, lyrics on the social issues and challenges. A well-travelled scholar of Global Literary Society, she regularly participates in various conferences, seminars and workshops, nationally and internationally and has been honored and awarded in Mumbai, Kerala, Sagar, Delhi, Chenai, New York, New Jersey and Oslo. She is also a proud recipient of the Dr. Amrita Preetam Award and the Meer Ali Meer Puraskaar from Madhya Pradesh Prachar Sabha. For Sindhi, she has been awarded by NCPSL in 2007, and Maharashtra Rajya Sindhi Sahitya Academy in 2019. Her unique work of translation of stories from Sindhi to Hindi is compiled in ten books, which can be now heard on:
https://nangranidevi.blogspot.com/ Contact: dnangrani@gmail.com
