Kavyanjali is collection of English poems by the Indian Kosali poet Haldhar Nag, translated by Surendra Nath. The book was first published in 2016 with a foreword written by Odia writer Manoj Das. The poems cover various themes such as spiritualism, social reality, cultural identity, etc. As of 2022, a total of 5 volumes of Kavyanjali have been published; the Vol. 3 and Vol. 4 are not collections of poems, but are epic poems and biographies respectively.
Contents Vol. 1 The first volume () was released in Bhubaneswar on 2 October 2016. It has a total of 268 pages and contains 24 poems. Nag's debut poem "Old Banyan Tree" is also included: Five Nectars of Immortality The Great Sati Urmila Old Banyan Tree Make No Silly Excuses Demon The Minister and the Beggar A Cubit Taller Wine River Ghensali The Cuckoo Bulbul What Else Could Have Happened The Harlot of Tikarpada The Soul is Real First Clean Yourself Bhai Jiuntia Greatness The Year Too Much The Dove is My Teacher Light of the Earthen Lamp Conscience Why Did He Leave His Home A Letter to Poet Haldhar
Vol. 2 The second volume () was released in Sambalpur on 10 October 2018, with a total of 244 pages, including 28 short poems and 2 long poems: Lies Lead to Hell Shri Samlei Our Village Cremation Ground Profit For a Little Broth of Rice Kunjel Para The Morning of March Danseuse Market of Illusion Kamdhenu Just Think of It The Jealous Always Suffer On the Death of Budhadev Das Cries Mother Samlei Animals and Humans Warning Swachh Bharat Butterfly Smeared with Colours, The Old Man Was Cremated The Matter Ends Here The Younger Brother's Courage A Song in Sanchar Tune Regard for Soil Untouchable Lantern Fire Summer Rains God Kalia of Priest Luru Slumber Chhanda Charan Avtar
Vol. 3 The third volume () was released in Bargarh on 22 November 2019 and has a total of 400 pages. Its content is different from the poetry anthologies in the first two volumes. It is an epic poem with a total of 21 chapters and 1,340 verses, titled "Manifestation of Love"; the illustrations in the book are by Rhiti Chatterjee Bose, the female illustrator from Kolkata. The author tells the story of Krishna from birth to death in a new light: Kamsa and Devaki Balram is Born in Gopa-pur Kamsa and Pootana. Incarnation of Krishna The Prison Guard Crossing of Yamuna Nature Blooms in Gopa-pur Mother Pootana Twin Trees Yamla-Arjun Yashoda’s Vision of the Universe Balram is Named Haldhar Mohan Flute Rasleela Akrur Fetches Krishna, Balram Mathura Death of Kamsa Disrobing of Draupadi Karna the Charitable Shyamantak Sudama Radhe-Krishna The End of Dwapar Yuga
Vol. 4 The fourth volume () was released on 11 October 2020, with a total of 368 pages. It is the biographical story of revolutionary Surendra Sai, poet Bhima Bhoi and Gangadhar Meher.
Vol. 5 The fifth volume () was released on 30 December 2021, with a total of 304 pages and contains 31 poems: Tulsi Das River and Ocean Mahua Tree Neem Tree Spring Tune Shivaratri Bracelet The Witch They Slapped with Slippers What Do We Do Goat That Village Kuchipali Dussehra Festival in Ghess Attire Tara Mandodari Only Because You Exist Victory Song The Power of Goddess Kirtan Arrived Dussehra Squirrel The Little Calf Five Orphans Wooden Leg Nuakhai Festival Meet Pushpuni Give Me Some Medicine Forest Jasmine Blessings of Guru The Disrobing Juapuni The Village Chowkidar
Origin
The translator, Surendra Nath, is a retired naval officer. In early 2016, he happened to see a post that went viral on social media: a dark-skinned man with long hair, wearing a vest and dhoti, and barefoot, receiving the Padma Shri from Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India. Therefore, he became curious about this "The vest poet" and began to pay attention to his works. Understanding that language was a barrier between Haldhar Nag's rich literary work and the rest of the world, Nath decided to translate Nag's poetry into English so that a wider audience could read it.
In addition, Nath also embarked on an autonomous project called "Project Kavyanjali", to translate and publish all the works of Haldhar Nag into English.
Notes
References
External links Project Kavyanjali