Book Review – The Delphic Musings

At the outset, let me congratulate Professor Rathore on the inclusion of five of his poems in Indo-Australian Anthology entitled “Dancing the Light” which came out in January 2020. He had sent me the book and I have enjoyed reading the poetry therein.  It indeed is a proud moment for him and all his readers as well. Sir, this is your masterstroke!

Compared to his last creation, Romance over Coffee , the  Delphic Musings has brought out an array of various quotients like the emotional, psychological, spiritual and joy which in itself is like an icing on a cake.  I urge the readers to buy this book and read it several times because Professor Rathore has shared a lot of wisdom in most of his poems . Enshrined in them are  universal secrets  which have all the potential to inspire and motivate  us to move on in life.  Being a professor in a reputed institute , he  has poured out  in this  volume all his experiences gleaned  over the years. “Ain’t we lucky that this knowledge is coming to us in the form of a book?”

His lines, as in the Preface “the title Delphic Musings hints at the mystery, ambiguity and imperfections of these verses’ caught my attention.  Being a writer myself, I agree that poetry embraces all  that he has written; what he is going through  l feel keenly because I know every creative journey is a lonely one , moreover ,there is absence of “fame” initially and no one really understands rather, wants to understand the imagination of a poet.  That’s truly an irony!  However, there is a section of people which loves to express and there is another section which loves  to read.  So poetry still exists and eventually “fame” knocks at our door.

 

“What I compose is utterly original, though composed in a mood jovial, pour it into the search-engine to trace the source, and you will find nothing of course.”  That’s the mark of a poet.  His sincere reasoning in Why I Write explains that his creativity; his words and phrases are his very own; they show no borrowings .

His honesty  in  making  An Appeal by writing “your indulgence will inspire more creation that a genial poetic current can, just grasp what I have been through and my poems will appeal to you”.  I remember the day he called me to think of publicizing some of my good blogs in the form of a book.  Honestly, I felt so happy that he was thinking about another writer!  I also remember that I had expressed my doubts because of dearth of readers.  Thiis poem will definitely stay with me because it is so relatable.

Sir, I am in much awe the way you have got into the Painter’s skin and  brought out Painter’s imagination and the colors used so joyfully in The Phad:Singing the Tale.  It was like listening to a song.

Mumbai is getting hotter gradually.  Reading his verses describing the rain in his various poems was like a breather.  “Precious gifts of Lord Indra, they rekindle flora and fauna” as in Raindrops, and “tiny drop turns into vapors, then into clouds which scroll fast to form volatile crown” as in Monsoon, and “soil cracks with gaps wide open, everyone looks for a rain omen” in  Invoking Rain.  I am sure we will have a bountiful  rainy season this year!  What’s the harm in imagining ;  the Corona virus may just wither away and vanish!

Describing a renowned Indian Poet Gulzar’s magnificence in his  poem “he forgives those too who plagiarize but come up with something wise”.   The poet has immense respect for Gulzar and tried many times to seek an audience with him but it has not been granted  yet.  Hope it happens soon because I genuinely feel that Gulzar too must know that there are so many  worthy poets  curious to seek his inspiration  and make their voices heard .May this meeting happen soon!

 

“Vivid noises natural of the heart” as in his Sigh are so well expressed and I believe this requires lot of deep contemplation because these are the voices of the heart.  How many of us understand our own emotions?  His innocent questions on  and curiosity in what it must have taken to build  The Taj Mahal, and in his Picasso “It was in the quality that lay his success as he knew well how to turn portraits into cash” touched me to the heart’s core.

“24 centuries have glided past and centuries will roll on yet our fascination with the ship venturing will ever live on” as in The Venturing Ship on the Horizon.  How true are these lines.  I have travelled on almost all forms of transportation from bullock cart to airplane except ship.  I am looking forward to voyaging on a  ship because of the fascination I have for it.  How I wish his lines on The Titanic came before the movie was released.  May be Kate Winslet and Leonardo could have borrowed some lines from him.

His uniqueness in writing The Camel Thistle that “it’s a desert flower that can draw even a spider to suck nectar” has left me enchaned because normal people like us see only the widespread sand and nothing else.  He saw the thistle flower and wrote about it; I am sure the flower as well as the spider in his imagination will be rejoicing .

I was laughing out loud as I was reading his poem on Yellow Metal and couldn’t wait to call and ask him, “Sir, you too?”  “Am I surprised that men too love the metal?  May be so.”  I loved his lines though “the fair neither rusts nor loses its sheen, will help you out in distress and stay evergreen”. Now I know why women never turn old! Hahaha!

The most inspiring quotes of his are-

Ode to Wealth “the most valuable real estate is the space you occupy in other people’s hearts” is the best catch line, I feel.

 

The Right Interpretation “Acceptance is what most Poets crave for as rejection leaves their hearts sore”,

The Voice Within “Words prey upon meditation distract us from enjoying heavenly reflections”.  This is spiritual wisdom which he has let out because being into meditation for last so many years, I could understand the depth of his thinking and what he wants to say to his Readers.

Mirror “If our actions accord with our speech we will be exemplifying what we preach then heaven all around us will prevail and we will have a lot of cheer without fail.”

The True Meed “One should tap one’s own potential rather than exploit the vulnerability of rival”

Creation “If an ant can lift 100 times of its body weight we too can transform the world we inhabit”

He has let out an universal secret in The Rainbow Stars in his lines “The universe does not what you are saying, it only feels the vibration of what you are offering”.

The Empty Pocket “When God’s grace filters down in father’s pockets they turn into overflowing rivulets.

“Joy is Portable, carry it wherever you go”  His lines are just like a blessing.

Waxing Lyrical, “Singing eases our tension and may spring a solution”

His pure advice on “walk away from things not meant for you in The Venture will surely guide us when in confusion, and lead us to a meaningful path.  Here he is talking about having a Vision and not getting distracted howsoever.

 

Until this day, I believed that Khajuraho was something to be seen, observed and cherished.  He has so skilfully captured this visual treat into a poem.

Being short of stature,  l was mocked during my school days.   Just to mention, one company rejected my candidature just because I was short which turned out a blessing . Later I was selected for a multinational company!  His poem Growing Tall and his lines “when the taller decline in age they stoop losing all the rage  while the shorter walk with head high everything appears within their reach and nigh” will surely inspire the readers like me.

I recollect one blog written by me on the same topic when I read his poem Rats & Women.  This is hilarious and Readers will like it.

Spiritual wisdom that he has shared through his lines will act like a Guide all the time :

“God is never late, never early and is always on time” as in his The Punctual God.

“The performance of selfless and righteous karma should be our life’s mantra and blessings shine out like sun’s first ray which await us if we go half-way”

Gratitude & Patience “God never prepones his gifts, nor defers, he doles out them when the opportune time comes”.

“Selfless karma alone might change their course assuage their fury, not the force” as in his The Palm

Belief & Thought “We should not rely on thought which is shifty, lacks grandeur, solidity and fixity.

While the entire book is like a treasure -trove ,   some of the poems viz – Trust the Process, Don’t Worry, Pancham, On Pseudo Critics, My Defence, Being Original, Poetic Review, Maya, The Last Phase, The Prelude to the Merchant of Venice, Mythic Romance, A Name Matters appealed to me immensely .

 

Sir, I know you only through your books but this book of yours has added on to my respect for you even more because I know the learning derived from your poems will be immense.  I could relate to most of them because of the fact that I have been  a motivational speaker and a student of spiritual sciences and  keen on the workings of the mind.  Your book has fascinated me to a very great extent and your lines -The sun is alone too but still shines and that one who is besieged by companions will find himself pulled in different directions” will  resonate with me forever.

All I will wish and pray that your book travels far and wide and earns lot of fame and glory which will be befitting to your apt writing skills.  Wish you all the very best, and I look forward to your next book  Eagle’s Coin  and hopefully again, I will write the review.

 

Best regards,

Shubhaangi Kundalkar

Author – Justaju-In Search of Life