I was 18 when I first got my hands on A Suitable Boy. At the end of the 1,349-page saga, I began to visualize a newly-independent, post-Partition India. A part of my soul wanted to reside in Bhrampur. So what if it was a fictional town? It was the town which inhabited The Mehras, The Kapoors, The Khans and The Chatterjis. Honestly, A Suitable Boy is one of those many profound works of the prolific novelist, poet, travel-writer and above all, a humanist, that has stayed with me even after so many new Indian writers with different styles of storytelling have emerged on the block.
Most of us are aware of A Suitable Boy and its upcoming sequel, A Suitable Girl. But, you know what, it is his poetry that celebrates the sweetness and sadness of life with a simplicity that you cannot help but be mesmerized at. So, we compiled a few slices of his poetry that we absolutely love.
When a garden was turned into a beautiful metaphor. Gather and scatter, gather and scatter!
Read the full poem here.
When things fall short of our own expectations.
Read full poem here.
Friends come and go and that’s okay. Happiness can be found in solitude too, right?
Read full poem here.
His most acidic lines for the custodians of the country, political or social.
Read full poem here.
Work can wait for a bit, let yourself go. Breathe and relax. Don’t be too hard on yourself!
Read full poem here.
Our personal favorite from old school textbooks.
Read full poem here.
Corporate life and ambition couldn’t have been summed up in a more profound manner.
Read full poem here.
When nothing but the wind is your companion! We all have those days when all we need is nature.
Read full poem here.
When she is a dream and an unfulfilled wish. Ah! What a way to express something so intangible.
Read full poem here.
No complaints, no demands, no expectations from a stranger, that’s how it should be, right? Less complications, joy in abundance.
Read full poem here.
When you feel lonely, lost and needy; read this and you will never be alone!
Read full poem here.
You ‘can’t’ and it’s okay! Trust me, it is. Express your inner thoughts and just watch the world go by.
Read full poem here.
Secret wishes and a climax nobody could have thought of.
Read full poem here.
Family always comes first, but sadly we only realise this after being away from them, as summed up by Vikram in these lines.
Read full poem here.
The thought of your soulmate walking away from you is scary, ain’t it?
Read full poem here.
You love it when fate plans out a well-thought out mistake, don’t you? Those first glances, those mistaken smiles, those chance encounters. One of my personal favourites from Vikram’s collection.
Read full poem here.
Your mind crawls back to those thoughts of darkness, mostly at night. Vikram is as human as the rest of us.
Read full poem here.
All the sarcastic souls out there, this one goes out to you!
Read full poem here.
You will always wish the best for your friend, even if you aren’t friends anymore. So deep, this!
Read full poem here.
When nature and your partner combine, it’s one hell of a show!
Read full poem here.
Thank you, sir, for these poignant and mesmerising lines. It is, was and will always be a pleasure to read all your poems, all over again.
Amazing artwork by Suvojyoti Ray