By Sushma Shandilya
Raksha Dubey Choubey’s, first collection of poems ‘Sahsa kuch nahin hota’ is reflective of an impeccable, highly emotional poet with a sensitive conscience. In today’s artificial world when everyone is hesitant to speak the truth, in these times of conspiratorial silence, in her conscious defense of duty, she considers it her dharma to write on pains, sufferings and burning issues.
In today’s times, when the so-called, self-proclaimed great writers of the literary world, patting themselves on their backs, are drenched in the conceit of pseudo-intellectuality, are afraid to write about important issues, Raksha writes impeccably and fearlessly. She exposes the naked truths about the sickly-contaminated mentality prevailing in society in her poems, unmoved by the fear of becoming controversial and making readers angry.
Raksha’s poems, expressing humanity with their ethos, are excellent poetic expressions with subtle sentiments. She describes the amalgamation of ancient and modern with its antiquity and cultural richness. Her poems are inspirational for budding writers. Those who’ve read her poems are convinced of her high intellect. She writes after a keen observation of happenings around her and influences the reader’s mind.
Raksha’s short poems compel the mind to think deeply as to in which direction the society is heading. The experiences of the ironies, quirks, adversities prevailing in the society disturb her. Nothing escapes from her subtle eyes. The readers establish their identity with the characters of her poems, composed in simple style.
Many poems have women as central characters, other poems are based on diverse subjects in which along with the masks of lies, delusions, the bitter truths of society are exposed. The ironical current conditions of society like hunger and inequality are also well defined. Her expressions have a depth of emotion and latent sobriety.
Raksha has written in her poems about the downtroddens, poverty strickens who ask for alms to pacify their intestines’ appetite, poor marginalized class wandering around the vehicles to sell small goods, making a tamasha on the streets with the monkey-damru. They are seen with contempt and treated inhumanely.
Raksha does not talk about Feminism, but is well aware of the exploitation-oppression, pain and suffering of women. Raksha believes in equality as a protector of human values. In the characters of her poems, readers can easily recognize women of their families, relatives, acquaintances. Presenting half the population of the world, her poems define all forms of women like rural, urban, working, rebels, women following traditions, women adapting to the modern age, women with compromising attitudes, some following customs with settled conscience, few logical minded not blindly accepting traditions etc.
Raksha’s poems are literary and creative. Her compositions have indigenous, similar words, i.e, in the poem ‘Friend’, its ‘Garmaish’ instead of ‘warmth.’ In the poem ‘Roots’, there’s a combination of Arabic word ‘Khafeef’ and Persian word ‘Zumbish.’ She has used sophisticated Hindi words like ‘Utkanthita’, ‘abhisarika’, ‘vipralabdha’, ‘avartan’, ‘vasaksajja’ etc. She has used indigenous words beautifully such as ‘Chinhari’, ‘Paniyayi Aankh’, ‘Aamkatna’, ‘Luchai’, ‘Chupam-Chupai’, ‘Pachua-Purva’ and ‘Parchi-Duaar.’ She didn’t feel embarrassed writing these indigenous words, like the so-called other gimmicky conceits who are ashamed of writing indigenous words.
May Raksha continue walking on the thorny path of truth where there’s very little competition, exposing the forcibly imposed, rotten beliefs and unwanted inequalities prevalent in the society.
A few excerpts from Raksha’s hardhitting and moving poems….
‘Traffic Signal’ – The ruthless, naked truth narrating the boundless pain of women – ‘These girls of raw age are ready-to-sell ready-made goods.’
‘Pain’ – Unbelievable heartache – ‘No one knows what she counts on the tips of her fingers, the distance of uterus from the stomach, trembling desires in the water inside, slaps, sobs or those blood clots which could have been a woman.’
‘Majority of women’ – More or less the pain of every woman – ‘The sculpted body of other women glimmers in their man’s eyes in intimate moments’ / ‘Under what desire do they paint their hair, lips and nails?’
‘Product’ – ‘Earlier the market was in their range, now they are in the range of the market, like a product, for the cheap convenience of entertainment.’
‘Diyasalai’ (matchbox) – ‘Apart from lighting up, the candle and the match have the power to destroy the world.’
‘The evening of life’ – Plea of an old woman – ‘The only dream of her sleepy eyes is that besides being a woman, she should be treated as a human being too.’
‘Earth is expecting’ – ‘Women and earth are born together / The salt of creation constantly flows in the navels of both.’
‘That day’ – Depiction of a woman’s heartache – ‘The contractor does not call her to take her wages after dusk’ / ‘When all the phrases in abusive language, of making intimate relations with women will disappear from the language’ / ‘The day when instead of her body, the woman’s hard work, her sweat will be praised beautifully in the poetry’ / ‘The balance of the earth on its axis will be highest on that day.’
‘Feat’ – The bitter truth of poverty-starvation-helplessness- ‘No one can see the hunger between two stomachs from one end of the bamboo to the other, behind the skill and audacity of a man and a child.’
‘When will you come cloud’ – A description of the pathetic plight of farmers, dependent on rain.’
‘Defeated Father’ – Emotional expressions, similar to famous ‘Sarveshwardayal Saxena’s poem’, ‘To the late father.’
‘Volume of Tears’ – Like Poet Kedarnath’s poem ‘Weight of Tears’, with a deep meaning – ‘Floods on earth do not come only by raining of clouds, they also include the volume of tears.’
‘Strength’ – Recognition of the power of butterflies wing’s – ‘The growth of trees does not trample anyone’s chest.’
‘The grit of the eye’ – A flat statement of the workers’ relentless struggle, poverty and fervent livelihood.
‘Speak’ – A call to speak for the retaliation for injustice – ‘Speak so that our silent killers do not make the time fearless.’
Contributing Author: Sushma ‘Shandilya’ is a well-known Hindi poet and writer based in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. Her short stories, articles and plays have been published in leading Indian publications. Sushma ‘Shandilya’ writes on various contemporary issues including themes around women empowerment. She is also a yoga teacher.
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