Poem by Purbasha Mondal

Επιμέλεια: Εύα Πετροπούλου Λιανού

Purbasha Mondal
Assistant Professor of English
Saltora Netaji Centenary College

A Man from Ratnadanga’s Bil by Purbasha Mondal

there is a cry in the symphony of light
a cry from cruel candle
a zamindar’s eyes
ready to burn the joy
of peasants
pull dwelling air
to make him his slave
gently you pick up all the broken bones of the slave
and give him the mantra of Matua
for years he has been moving through Haridhwani
now the slave is our king of bhumi
but he folds his hands near the feet of Shantimata Devi
i see your beauty
embracing Shapla flowers
while
your grace wraps you
in the heart of your noble soldiers.

Purbasha Mondal is an award-winning poet, writer and academic from Kolkata, India. She
works as an Assistant Professor of English at Saltora Netaji Centenary College (affiliated to
Bankura University). She was the recipient of International Global Award 2021. She won Global Peace Alliance Award, Wegrow Academic Excellence Award, International Women’s Day Achiever Award 2021, Education Excellence Award 2021, Social Activist of the Year Award, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACE AWARD, Sher-E-Bangla A. K. Fazlul Huq Award 2023, Honorary Doctorate Degree, Nazrul Smriti Puroskar, International Earth Saviour’s Award 2021, Honorary High Degree, Rabindra Smriti Puroskar, Mahabanga Sharad Samman, Dr. B. R. AMBEDKAR 130th BIRTH ANNIVERSARY MEMORIES AWARD 2021, Mahabanga Shiksharatna Puroskar 2023 etc. She is also a literary critic and translator. Her poems, stories and articles have been published in Paradise on Earth: An International
Anthology, The Literary Parrot, Jednak Ksiazki, Polis Magazino, Dalit Sahitya-Charcha, Matua Sahitya Parikrama, Neer Ritupatra, Paschimbanga Dalit Sahitya Academy Patrika, Path Sanket, Chaturtha Duniya, Apatoto Budbud, Loukik, Jago Durga, Ghorsowar, Faguner Gulal etc. Her poems have been translated into English, Bengali and French by Prof. Robert Sinclair and Dr. Asit Biswas. She is one of the editorial board members of Chaturtha Duniya. She has read her poem, “Matua” in Paper Fiber Fest in 2022. She was invited to recite her poetry in various literary associations in India and abroad. She has participated in Carlos Hugo Garrido Chalen International Festival, Paper Fiber Fest, Jeanette Tiburcio Marquez International Festival and Fco Xavier Ramirez Sanchez International Festival in 2023. She was felicitated by the world-famous critic, Prof. Bill Ashcroft in 2020. She can be reached at [email protected].

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