Shrikant Verma Rachanawali : Vols. 18

Shrikant Verma is one of the most restless and agitated poets of the post-Muktibodh generation, in the sense that through his poetry he not only offered a direct, sharp, and deeply terrifying encounter with his times but also waged a ruthless and naked confrontation against every inhuman force. That is why the voice of anger, disagreement, and protest is most vocal in his poetry. His poetry is like a mirror, where no lie can hide. His poetry is sometimes a vengeance against every lie, sometimes a meaningful statement. Perhaps this is why he has gained recognition as the first angry Hindi poet of the post-1960s era. On the one hand, he is a rare poet of intense sensual love and anguish, of human sensitivity, and on the other, he is a rare poet of social intervention born of moral anguish in the poetry of social action. He is a poet who raises questions rather than seeking answers. Shrikant Vermas poetic journey, which began with Bhaka Megh and passed through Maya Darpan, Dinaarambh, and Jalsaghar, reveals the world of a poet where twentieth-century man is in direct debate with his time. Instead of engaging with others, the poet questions himself, where the voice of self-recrimination and self-acceptance is most valuable. Magadha Aur Garuda Kisne Dekha Hai is a cry of immense compassion from a poet who, standing at the juncture of eras, observes the people, society, politics, history, and time of his time with ruthless and uneasy ruthlessness, defining the destiny of man and society. Therefore, Magadha is not merely a lament for the contemporary system but a direct intervention against time, society, and the system. This volume, for the first time, collects Shrikant Vermas complete and unpublished, collected, and uncollected poems, capturing the entire world of a poet spanning multiple worlds. Additionally, this volume includes prefaces to books, editorials, and two important dialogues with his contemporaries.