Shweta Kapoor’s The
Whispering Mountains: Poems of Uttarakhand’s Legends and Folktales
Reviewed by
Gayatri Sathe,
Visiting Faculty,
Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce,
Pune,
Maharashtra, India.
The Whispering Mountains: Poems
of Uttarakhand’s Legends and Folktales | Poetry | Shweta Kapoor|
BookLeaf
Publishing, 2024, INR 180, pp.58,
ISBN: 978-93-633-06-721
One of the greatest qualities of
Literature is to blend facts with imagination. This is the beauty of literary
creation, to transform usual things into something unique through its play with
language and treatment of themes. This poetry collection is a pure attempt to
take the reader on Uttarakhand’s journey on the vehicle of poetry. As we move
forward, the thoughtful presentation of region’s beauty, culture and history
makes this literary journey engaging and intense.
Quoting from preface, “Uttarakhand…
‘land of the Gods’ is a place where mythology and reality coexist in a
harmonious dance.” is an apt description of cultural and mythical entanglements
of the past with the present region. Most of us must be aware of the cultural,
or at least religious aspect of the state, but this book is ready to murmur
more about this land situated in the Himalayas. These poems trace the state’s
development from its nascent stage to a full-grown beauty with cultural
splendors. Though the folk tradition and cultural tapestry was always there,
Uttarakhand gained a kind of distinctive identity after getting statehood.
This poetic composition includes
twenty-one poems which are presented with variety of themes with appropriate
selection of poetic genres suiting for the subjects. Kapoor’s unusual, keen and
insightful depiction compels the reader to see the transition of very common
lore into intimidating one. The very first poem, ‘The birth of Uttarakhand’,
gives reader a historical insight about creation of the state and how much
strife and pain protesters have gone through for its creation:
From the bosom
of mountains, a cry arose,
For justice, for
freedom, against the foes,
Uttarakhand ‘s
spirit, fierce and bright,
Stood tall, unwavering,
and ready to fight.
This poem covers
years of relentless struggle and sacrifice of people demanding for separate
statehood and how brutally the movement was suppressed at several points of
time and ultimately, its successful culmination in creation of Uttarakhand.
After getting statehood, from the
second poem onwards Uttarakhand starts to share its legends and folktales to
the readers as how this state has championed the cause of environmental
protection with exceptional non-violent movement known as Chipko. Poet has used
Shakesperean sonnet form for this poem ‘Chipko (The hugging movement)’.
“Ecology is permanent economy” with this message Kapoor presents the key
ideology behind the movement:
Embrace! Clutch
the trees close to your heart,
Resist
destruction! Don’t let ecology be ripped apart.
Hold your trees
and quieten their pain,
Call for another
satyagraha...for it is time again.
In the line poems like ‘Dhari Devi-the
protector deity’, and ‘Elegy for Kedarnath’ renders an interesting version of
reality and myth and its resonance and appeal from local to global. These poems
are also a critique on environmental issues emerging in the name of
developmental intervention to nature. Poet is drawing our attention to the
floods in 2013 in Uttarakhand, caused by Devi’s disturbed ‘peace’:
A lesson
learned, etched in the land,
Respect the
divine, heed her command.
Dhari Devi, of
Uttarakhand’s heart,
In her shadow,
we play our part.
These lines are
kind of warning and didactic in nature. The Kedarnath tragedy is again a
reminder in the same way. Kapoor is vigilant observer and very particular in
choosing her stance while depicting the disastrous incident.
This collection of poems showcases the
cultural, religious, mythical and geographical essence of the state. Whether it
is TilluRauteli’s remarkable bravery or the haunted ‘Deheri Mines’poet tries to
cover vast range of experiences at individual and collective levels. Describing
Roopkund as, “In haunting beauty, sacred truths are found” in ‘The Enigma of
Roop Kund ’, a sonnet, Kapoor hints the mysterious and uncanny beauty of the
place. She also touches the region’s cultural paraphernalia in form of the
ritual practices as, ‘Jaagar’, and ritual theaters as, ‘Ramman’ and ‘Pandav
Leela’. In ‘The Tapestry of Ramman’, Kapoor describes this profound cultural
heritage as:
In Garhwal’s
emerald valleys, where prayer flags dance,
A festival of
masks and myths begins its trance.
Ramman, a kaleidoscope
of faith and lore,
Unfolds like a
vibrant mandala on the temple floor.
Poet is very
keen to remind the reader the importance of ecology and Uttarakhand’s
contribution to its preservation. Ode like ‘Phool-Dei’ and poem on harvest
festival ‘Harela’ voices the notes of ecocriticism. There is kind of musicality
in each of these verses.
The pastoral landscapes and other
remarkable legendary folktales have been woven in a manner that readers will
find themselves on board and visiting the sights which are telling their
stories. These musings are appealing because of the poet’s genuine love towards
the land and her honest tribute to its cultural and natural abundance. In this
way, definitely, this collection of poems is a treat whether you are a poetry
lover or an admirer of mythology or a believer in environmental cause.