Reading Manas Bakshi’s Man of The Sevevth Hour : A Brief Appraisal

Abstract

Indian English Poetry has made an exceptional stay despite all odds and vulnerability. Compared to Indian poetry and weighed against the rich variety of poetry produced in regional languages of India, Indian English Poetry handovers a unique array of protocol, connections, mode and manners amply displayed by post millennium innovators and experimenters of this ubiquitous genre. Nearly two centuries ago Indians endeavored to learn and translate English classics into Indian languages and Indian classics into English to win world wide popularity. Well known Indians familiarized India and her ancient wisdom to the western world alongside making India acquainted with the science and civilization of Europe .This interrelationship of two antagonistic yet complimentary world-views begot a new breed of writers we know today as Indo-Anglians or IEW.As India’s is a multihued picture here are multiple traditions following multiple ethics in multiple dialects resulting in multi-cultural chaos .To arrange this prevalent chaos in a tidy order or structure seems the logic of today’s bards . In the galaxy of post millennium Indian English Poetry Manas Bakshi’s prominent voice broadcasted on A.I.R.and appearance as an introspective wordsmith and litterateur extraordinaire radiates a rare glow, glamour and brilliance having no counterpart or peer today. Though I have read and seen cursorily Bakshi’s poems in anthologies and literary Journals which appear time after time in Indian literary scene ,it is the first time, I got opportunity to go through his complete works and literary output. Bakshi’s poems indeed have a sublime compelling force that not only entices and induces by its lyrical murmuring but also inspires and motivates almost all thoughtful readers in favor of a re-vision. His poetic collection entitled Man of The Seventh Hour (2006) entwines Hours like seven Rishis of the constellation. Each Hour discovers to explore the meaning of the name- tag attached to it. There are seven name- tags for respective seven Hours. .First is victory, second Desire ,third one is Greed and the fourth Fear, fifth Hour is Rage, the sixth Conflict .Along these lines the seventh Hour that is Decadence compactly completes the orbit of man’s journey in pursuit of humanity and civilization. Additionally, there are three major aspects the poet covers comprehensively- Discovery ,Exploration and Existence, like omnipresent creator Brahma so as to facilitate a finale in Midnight Star. (2009).