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!
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Read the full poem here.
When things fall short of our own expectations.
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Read full poem here.
Friends come and go and that’s okay. Happiness can be found in solitude too, right?
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Read full poem here.
His most acidic lines for the custodians of the country, political or social.
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Read full poem here.
Work can wait for a bit, let yourself go. Breathe and relax. Don’t be too hard on yourself!
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Read full poem here.
Our personal favorite from old school textbooks.
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Read full poem here.
Corporate life and ambition couldn’t have been summed up in a more profound manner.
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Read full poem here.
When nothing but the wind is your companion! We all have those days when all we need is nature.
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Read full poem here.
When she is a dream and an unfulfilled wish. Ah! What a way to express something so intangible.
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/5763f68b6e510a0c7b8c49f6_412774683.png)
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.
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/5763f68b6e510a0c7b8c49f6_591031962.png)
Read full poem here.
When you feel lonely, lost and needy; read this and you will never be alone!
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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.
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/5763f68b6e510a0c7b8c49f6_394787194.png)
Read full poem here.
Secret wishes and a climax nobody could have thought of.
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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.
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Read full poem here.
The thought of your soulmate walking away from you is scary, ain’t it?
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/5763f68b6e510a0c7b8c49f6_932318044.png)
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.
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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.
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Read full poem here.
All the sarcastic souls out there, this one goes out to you!
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Read full poem here.
You will always wish the best for your friend, even if you aren’t friends anymore. So deep, this!
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/5763f68b6e510a0c7b8c49f6_508880628.png)
Read full poem here.
When nature and your partner combine, it’s one hell of a show!
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/5763f68b6e510a0c7b8c49f6_41792874.png)
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