KANNADA
BHAVANA : An anthology of poems by Praveen Kumar, S.B.S. Publishers Distributors, Railway Parallel Road, Kumara Park East: Bangalore – 560 001; Rs 65.
The work is a bunch of lilting poems in easy, intimate, and cosy Kannada. They are the reveries of a trained and critical mind of a mature poet with an observing and penetrating eye and sharp sensitivity to the world around. Incidentally, the poet is a police top brass in real life and career and a product of Dakshina Kannada, the cradle of Kannada greats.
The canvas for his 62 short pieces of poetry is the whole gamut of human life, its charms and beauty , love and hate, pain and joy, pride and prejudices, challenges, accomplishments and failures and, the entire range of human experiences and life’s situations, The anthology is a cross section of this broad profile and is highly enjoyable.
“Nanna Hendathi” (My wife) is an endearing portrayal of the consort. The poet starts with poking light-hearted and mischievous fun at her looks and feminine frailities and transports her to lofty eminence as the matchless guiding star and a divine emotional anchor. “Thrupthi” is a romantic piece highlighting fulfillment from communion with the solace and charms of a loving woman in surrender. There is also a bouquet of the ecstatic world of lovers and romance.
“Samanathe” is a stirring piece which pricks one’s conscience over an exploitative socio-economic order, the struggles of the have-nots and the underprivileged, the depravities of poverty and hunger, and the flauntingly dehumanizing effect of affluence.
The poet-policeman is devastating in his indictment of the corrupt and wayward sections of the anatomy of his own calling as the custodian of public safety and law and order. “Rajakaranigalu” is a blast against the tribe of the present day wayward politicians whom he brands as the dreadful scourge of society and the worst specimen of hypocricy and moral wrecks parading as paragons of all virtues. The remedy is found in - “Ecchethu Banni” a call to people to dare and smash the rotten order by fortifying their democratic and ethical spine and restore the timehonoured values in public life. In “Shisthu,” he who masters discipline will conquer the world is the message.
posted by praveen # 3:21 AM 
