Book Name: Memories of Words

Poet: Jaydeep Sarangi

Published by: Authors Press

Reviewer: Chaitali Sengupta

Jaydeep Sarangi’s ‘Memories of Words’ (Authors Press) is an incredible collection of poems. In his introduction, the poet tells us “My poems are a search”. Throughout the collection, he appears to me as a searching, intensely reflecting poet, anchored in his own thoughts nurtured through his life experiences, his eyes riveted on the far horizon, trying to fathom and unravel the complexities of existence. With candid and deep sincerity, in a voice that is mild and intimate, he outpours tenderly the words, coming unfiltered from the heart of the poet. When we exhale out after reading through the lines, we’re changed by the experience.    

The poems in this collection are classified under three sections- Tamas, Rajas, and Sattva. In the realm of Sarangi’s poetry, there is a deep exploration of Hindu spiritual and philosophical concepts through his manifold experiences of life. Just as Krishna’s breath flows softly through his flute, words express themselves through Sarangi’s poem ‘Krishna”. “You were there at the beginning/You will be there until one gives birth/ to another and yet another.” He weaves his longing for surrender through simple words. “You are my amplitude and my void. / I can cross oceans to meet you.” Later on, he says ‘Thoughts on the Gita/ is a way of living,’ (Lords of Souls). Such poetic register transcends earth and takes the readers on a stirring journey into the world beyond. In ‘Varanasi’ the poet gets spiritual succor ‘In a living voice from the past’ where ‘life goes on like before people/standing/sitting/chanting/walking and preparing for the prayer meets/beside an ancient river of faith.’ The words conjure up a poet before our eyes who is a devotee of both words and beauty. What is winning here is that Sarangi’s world is full of allusions to Hindu spiritual, mythological and historical icons like ‘Gate of the temple/Where Jaganatha resides’ (A Holy Plot), ‘Tulsi leaves gathered in the gesture of surrender,’ (In my Inbox), ‘minding the maps somewhere/beyond Hampi’s ruins’ (Return to Ruins), ‘The Ganges is where our journeys end’ (Northern Rivers), ‘Kalinga kings’ and ‘Konarka stones’ (Wheels of Stones), ‘blessings from devi Kanakdurga (A Passage to Myself). This beautiful engagement with the rich spiritual tradition is for the readers very precious to preserve. The blending of Hindu spiritual and philosophical concepts with personal reflections creates a unique tapestry that invites readers to contemplate the deeper meaning behind each word.

Sarangi’s words unravel the complexities of existence and offer insights into the intricacies of human life. Through layered compositions, he delves into the depths of human life and touches upon universal experiences. In the poem ‘A passage to Myself’ he says, “I gather my different histories, stones of colors/ Pen them in words and images/collage them together in a grand pattern of gesture/and gradually find myself-/beside an ancient body, calm by the power of surrender.” The words are simple, but creates a space for silence to creep into our speech, a space win which silence begins to speak. Every poem becomes an invitation to introspect. “Things that cannot be seen/ belongs to me as sap holding my fire.” (First fire). This ability to capture the essence of emotions and thoughts in a compelling voice is what sets his poetry apart. “Life is an attempt to/See God, walking with Him/ Nothing else can exist in a trance.” (Lord of Souls) The poet here, in these lines, is not writing about the divine from a place of detachment. On close readings, you feel there’s a strong sense of connection with a spiritual force. The everyday words feel strangely luminous, transcendent, and genuinely urgent.

Sarangi’s respect for word is evident throughout, as well as the profoundness of thought. Each of his words is carefully weighed, polished, and toned before it is given a place in the poems. In the title poem called ‘Memories of words’, Sarangi says: ‘Words are loaded with possibilities random/many windows holding images and conceits/ touching the rainbow in the limitless blue.’ However, the poems that surfaces are more than just words. They lend vigor, depth, and urgency to Sarangi’s deep thoughts, establishing a vital connection that is both immediate and sophisticated. “Words are my heritage, my ancestors’ sound sleep/on a mysterious river back. /” (First Fire) There is a rhythm to his verses that is as unique as his thoughts. There is nostalgia, too, a sense of yearning to go back in time. And if he cannot do it himself, then ‘Perhaps, several years from today, / my daughter, holding her son’s hand/longing to go back in time, hands separated/ by the shrill noises of the stone, panel of dark.’ (The Walls of Time) The interplay between words and ideas creates a tapestry that invites introspection and contemplation.

Jaydeep Sarangi’s poems in this collection are also the poetry of yore, woven by his deep sense of romanticism and seriousness, almost a solemnity commanding our attention. Reading them once is not enough; you want to read them again, for you wish to capture as much of the mystique as well as his far-reaching spiritual vision. I’ll end my review with the two lines from the collection that add to the many such unforgettable lines in this collection.

            “There are no crossroads in history, no magic doors

              And no going back, only moving on faithfully, to Time.”