Sagar Mal Gupta's Tapestry of Emotions Pitted against the
World of Reality
Dr. Manas Bakshi
Poet
West Bengal, India
Abstract:
Sagar Mal Gupta, an Indo- English poet who, in his words, has started writing
late is now quite in prominence by virtue of appearing frequently in printed
and E-journals of repute. Besides his strong academic background and expertise
in teaching profession, his vast experience of having been abroad for a long
time seems to have opened up new vistas of a poetic world which is flashing
through one after another publication. And the latest one is Tapestry of
Emotions. There are as many as 139 poems spreading over 226 pages covering a
wide range of poetic outpourings on myriad subjects. But emotion plays a
dominant role all along.
Keywords: Indo- English
poet, Sagar Mal Gupta, Tapestry of
Emotion
Sagar
Mal Gupta, an Indo- English poet who, in his words, has started writing late is
now quite in prominence by virtue of appearing frequently in printed and
E-journals of repute. Besides his strong academic background and expertise in
teaching profession, his vast experience of having been abroad for a long time seems
to have opened up new vistas of a poetic world which is flashing through one
after another publication. And the latest one is Tapestry of Emotions.
There
are as many as 139 poems spreading over 226 pages covering a wide range of
poetic outpourings on myriad subjects. But emotion plays a dominant role all
along. In fact, I am in a quandary how to begin with. In his foreword, P
C K Prem -- a very good friend of mine as Sagar Mal himself -- writes “The poet
in Gupta guides the reader to familiar and identified regions of life,
existence and joy where the whole lot appears close to heart but still a man
ignores.”
A
poet as an observer, conversant with the recent developments in science and
technology, has to keep track of what is going around apart from being
influenced by the beauty of nature. Guptaji is well aware of such an aspect
that has created a stir in recent times, and that is but Artificial
Intelligence. Its impact is being felt today in every walk of life -- from AI
girl friend to "AI doctor, AI engineer, AI lawyer, AI poet, AI
novelist" -- all are there; and the poet exalts, salutes this
new Avatar divine,
Which is as omniscient as
God
And as risky as a knife
Interestingly
also, while highlighting the issue of scientific development, Guptaji has
deftly dealt with the successful Lunar Mission -- Chandra Yaan 3 ( p136) , the
role played by the former president of India -- the late APJ Abdul Kalam and,
of course, ISRO ; he recalls :
A historic occasion
When lander Vikram,
Bedecked with Indian
Tiranga
Embraced very cautiously,
slowly and lovingly
The surface of the moon
As if it carried Bharat
Maa's
Rakshasutra to tie on the
wrist
Of Chanda Mama.
There
are enough materials in Tapestry of Emotions which Guptaji has explored as far
as reality and its manifestation are concerned in more ways than one. Let us
delineate on some other aspects of which comes first Empowerment of
Women (P. 75). Before coming to the poem under the title, it is imperative
to mention that the image of woman normally projected before us has the legacy
of Goddess like Durga, Kali, Santoshi and the like; and empowerment we speak
about has attained new dimensions in keeping with the present socio-economic
context. Woman is no more confined to household works only; she is marching
ahead along with the male and is accomplished as ' the fountainhead of
multitasking .../playing the role of mother and wife / at the same time'.
Guptaji further observes:
She breathes life's poetry
Transcending all strife
An embodiment of
Aspirations and ambitions
Touching the heights
Of vibrant life.
But,
ironically, there is something appalling which cannot escape the eyes of a poet
who, conscious of the 'fire of violence' and 'abominable crimes' haunting
Manipur in the recent times, has to be vocal about the unspeakable moral
degradation in our society. It is glaringly evident in three poems -- Manipur
Violence 1, 2 and Manipur: In the Aftermath of Violence. How to condemn
the “rape of naked women?” How to stop the “devil of homicide” and
“punish the perpetrators of the shameful act?” The poet laments:
A rape is not only a
torture of the body
But the wounds of agony
keep
tormenting her throughout
her life.
This
is what brings into focus the frangible reality about empowerment of woman.
From the gruesome rape and murder of Nirbhaya in Delhi to the recent one of
Abhaya in Kolkata, the brutal incidents have stirred up human conscience over
the world. But the question remains when will justice be meted out to the
suffering family with exemplary action taken against the criminals / rapists?
Guptaji
is equally concerned about the blows inflicted on Nature. What happens when
there is Murder of a Tree? “The tree is dying a slow death./ Some leaves have
wilted, / others are slowly wilting". The agonised vibrations of the dying
tree reach the nearby trees -- hardly reach the human beings. Again, random
depletion of nature has cast an adverse effect on the world of birds and
insects. Which is why, in the poem Where Have the Swallows Gone, the poet is
struck emotionally:
No melodious trill to wake
us at dawn
No feathered friend to
perch upon,
A sense of abandonment
remains to cling
With swallows' farewell, a
heart takes wing
There
are two other poems on this theme -- Climate Change and Earthquake in Turky and
Syria which prognosticate the disaster or calamity the ensuing days are
threatened with.
Next
on the current political scenario. There are three poems -- Politics and
Business, Today's Politicians and Election Manifesto. The poet's opinion on the
so called politicians seems scathing but not without reason since "
Politicians have become great retailers / selling their wares with great
fanfare". Different from the pedlar's wares, these are meant for
"Perpetuating the reign" and are ready to "If necessary/ Divide
and rule/ Befool voters / By the bombardment of / Blockbuster ads" (p 84).
It
is more than a business normally we are acquainted with that some politicians
make promises galore, take advantage of TV and social media to "Break the
spine of the opposition". The poet cautions us not to be the victim of the
stratagem of those businessmen- like- politicians because --
Some politicians have not
any ideology or vision
And wish to stick to power
for generations.
With no commitment to the
nation,
More interested in their
own development,
And less in the country's.
(p 150).
Surpassing
all these themes, there is a vital one related to the divine power or grace. It
is distinct when the poet looks at life from a different angle which abounds
with spiritual feelings. To substantiate his thoughts, some mythological
doctrines have also been considered. He has faith in Hinduism which affirms the
indestructibility of soul after death, and Guptaji puts it poetically:
"Mortality of the body, soul's lasting existence / Infinite spirit,
transcending time and space" (p 153). He is inly sure that an idol of God
or a temple can be destroyed but He is omnipresent, and that is why, as an
Eternal Religion –
Sanatan Dharma has existed
for years,
And will exist forever .
Because it teaches love,
compassion,
Homogeneity and sympathy
for all.
Guptaji
has also a philosophical bend of mind despite his practical approach to life.
His bonding with the beauty of city life manifest in the poems on parks --be it
Amrita Park or Ahilya Park -- is as significant as his attachment with his own
students (p 65) and his own teachers (p 68). Similarly, he is adept in dwelling
on the famous festivals like Raksha Bandhan or Ram Mahotsav along with the folk
culture of Rajasthan beaming with Ramdevra Fair or Tejaji Fair. The splendour
of the forts of Rajasthan retaining the glory of the fighters of Rajasthan and
the artistic beauty of the land comes alive in his poetry.
The
way all roads lead to Rome, Guptaji's poetry has Different Ways of seeing life,
experiencing its beauty and banality from a close distance “As life's tapestry
weaves stories anew”. And that is because he always seeks Truth of Life (p. 97)
and gives a clarion call:
Learn, dear one, to embrace
life's honest truth
In the ebb and flow, the
eternal dance
where death begets birth,
and birth follows death,
A symphony of existence,
circumstance.
Work Cited
Gupta,
Sagar Mal. Tapestry of Emotions. Yking Books, 2024.