Ram Sharma

The Silent Monsoon: Basanta Kumar Kar, Writers Workshop Calcutta, 2006, ISBN 81-8157-596-2,  Rs. 150.00

Basanta Kumar Kar is a distinguished name in Indian English Poetry. He hails from Kendrapara, Orirsa (India).  He holds a senior position in an international development organisation. He has two other collections of poetry before this entitled "The Native Bird, The Pinnacle of Sorrow". This is the third collection by B.K. Kar. This collection is dedicated to the Naive Bird. It contains 78 poems on diverse topics. In the preface of this volume the poet asserts "The Silent Monsoon" is an inspiring skyline of free verse on the themes of love, soft emotion and painful agony. It is a leaping flame of poetic process."
Carlyle defined poetry as ‘Musical Thought’. The music of words may express feelings directly, without waiting for the intervention of thought. But the presence of thought in poetry is inescapable since language is the medium of poetry. This statement is absolutely true with regard to Kar's poetry.
In the opening poem, the poet tells us of the desired path,

"The path ahead,
remains the path desired,
let your fragrance prevail,
more destined than temporal." (Path Ahead)

The next thread poem presents is the bliss of William Wordsworth and William Blake. In the poem 'Quest' the poet finds no shelter in Warm bosom and he is in quest for more. The poem 'Lightning’ confronts us with truth and reality of life.           
The poet forces the power of separation in the poem 'Separation'.

"It takes years to build
but seconds to collapse,
forgoing our sweet memory." (Separation)

The next two poems 'Both to One’ and ‘Moon' present the bless of nature and pure and cool light of moon.

"Cool breeze carry messages of the cloud,
wild flowers cosign sweet aroma,
the charm of the loud waterfall,
no more beholds, no more enthralls." (Both to One)

In the preface B.K. Kar asserts, "This collection takes us through the journey and the accompanied multitude of sub line as well as intense emotions,  the poem "Folder" reveals this truth. The poet takes the help of a folder to create a message and breaking his loneliness. The next poem "Other Side” reveals the uncertainty around and he finds himself in clouds. The poem 'Mirage' express the growing mammon's among mankind. 
The poem 'Betrayal’ inspires us to be energetic in spite of growing age.  
The poem 'Rest' tells about the situation of  a pregnant woman and the poem 'Thirst' narrates the long awaiting search for monsoon after summer. The poem 'Future' is a craving for future but reality is that our present and past is both wounded. The poem ‘Opportunity’ tells us about the power of truth.

"The falling edifices of the fort.
holes outsmart pores.
Water ruptures
empire caves in
only surge governs
sinners have the day
but truth alone triumphs. (Opportunity)

The poem 'Farewell' presents the farewell of man from the world. In the poem 'Institution’ the poet craves to fly on the wings of poesy. 
Kar has presented diverse aspects of life in this poetry and his poems Hiccups, Question, Conclusion, Expectation, Battle, Bondage, Most Significant change, Door, Dream Struggle, Marriage, Grief Tear and Anniversary present these colors of life.

"This day is today,
 you and I far away
spirit and mind voyage together
body left ashore. (Anniversary)

The poet presents himself as a mystic and he creates an aura of mysticism through his poems like Bondage, Justice, Sin, Contradiction. Darkness and Waste Land.            
This volume ends with the poems, entitled 'Paradise’ and ‘Salvation’. In the poem 'Paradise' he calls us to return to nature.

"I feel the space, measure the steps
impaired, take rest
realise a divine mysticism the nature
lost with stone in the ages." (Paradise)

In the end sorrow and happiness mingles and there remains no difference between the two. This salvation is presented in the poem 'Salvation'.

"I realise the light, a cosmic radiance,
 Sin and suffering, pain and pleasure
in totality.
No desire no sorrow
Serenity omnipresent." (Salvation)