A Chaapaner Poem

I visited Chaampaner or Champaner, a village near Pavagadh, which was once upon a time capital of Gujarat, as one of babysitters for TYBA English students' picnic. I visited the beautiful place after good dozen years. I remember going to Champaner as an MA student in the dept as one of the volunteers for Heritage Trust programme, featuring a dance by Mallika Sarabhai. I took some interesting pics there during my recent visit. I also wrote a poem on my trip. So here it goes

My fingers chase a fleeting convoy of teals

Across the still lake of my page

An absence sinks

Through the sieve of dried teak leaves

of my eyes

My fingers trap

the reflections of the vanishing teals

the birds fly away unaware

a stray poem

surfaces from nowhere

( Champaner, Wada Talav, 1 Dec 2007,11:50 am)

Appointing Authors The Pathare Way

Ranganath Pathare a well known novelist, short story writer and critic in Marathi in the latest issue of New Quest, has attacked young urban poets in Marathi like Manya Joshi, Hemant Divate, Salil Wagh and myself among others saying, `They dont recognize any authority other than themselves. Barring one or two exceptions, their reading and understanding of the Marathi literary tradition is doubtful. Based on their pseudo-witty remarks, one tends to feel that writing poetry at deeper levels is not their cup of tea.....These are self styled dons and "Mafiosi", who live in their own shallow, illusionary universe. Obviously, nobody other than themselves and their samll coterie has any reasons to question their "junky" theories or their "funky" observations.They are their own self appointed critics and thinkers. They are a new post-1990 band of postmodern flag bearers, who make use of modern means of communication like blogging on the internet or websites of their own.' ( New Quest: 169, July Sept 2007 pp. 19-20)

I would like to know from Pathare if the `post' of a writer and critic or thinker is `appointed' after an ad in newspaper, interview, `fixing' and all that. Probably thats how he got `appointed' as a novelist and critic. With friends in high post in Sahitya Akademi and academia, Prof Pathare himself has managed to `post' himself as a `major' voice in fiction. Apart from one good novel, Pathare has written extremely mediocre short stories.

Using technology for publishing our writing and thoughts also seem to have hurt the old man. If he and his goons cant keep up with the changing technology, its too bad for him. It is also interesting how contemporary technology can become anti-establishment and liberating.

I would also like to know if we require Pathare's under-the table-recommendation to get an `appointment' in literary scenario.
I feel that people like Pathare are the ones who claim to be authorities ( we dont accept authority means that we dont accept people like Pathare) are self appointed, or are appointed by their friends in academia, official institutions and award-giving organizations. Otherwise, how come after writing mediocre stuff they manage to become `reputed' and sole bearers of Marathi traditions? If we are behaving like Mafia dons, they are behaving like milatary Junta and rejecting them involves rejections from their chamchas and `appointment' walahs. Any wonder we are not getting any awards etc and most ridiculous thrash is being celebrated as `great writing'?

Sorry Mr Pathare, cant help it. We dont recognize you or your agents as our authorities and neither do we need your `appointments' for the post of writers and thinkers.