Mindscape In Cyberspace

Two of my most recent writings are published on Natunkabita.com - an online Bengali Literature magazine, which is also the online presence of ‘Natun Kabita’ (New Poetry) - one of the most promising Bengali Literature and Poetry Magazines of the time.

I am a regular reader of their printed issues and now I am really excited to see one of my favourite magazines, easily accessible on internet. ‘Natun Kabita’ (New Poetry) is probably one of the very few literary groups in India that consciously tries to question the conventional mode of writing, denies the supremacy of main stream literature, supports non-conformist literary initiatives and regularly publishes strange text pieces; labelled as ‘New Poetry’, like mine! Jokes apart, ‘Natun Kabita’ has been publishing my experimental writings in Bengali, regularly, since 2004 and allowing me to play with language as well as the form, denying all lingustic and literary conventions of mainstream Bengali Literature.

I was reading their ideas about this so called Bengali Natun Kabita or New Poetry and how it was evolved in the last decades of 20th century and thaught it would be helpful for the inquisitive readers if I post few excerpts from their manifesto here,

“In every language and time a conventional main stream of poetry is cultured, it is observed, with nurturing supports from institutions and establishments. … During late eighties through early nineties of last century, young poets from Bengal, … wound up their own magazines under banner of Kobita Campus and initiated the quest for New Poetry. … It was decided to identify the signs of mainstream poetry, then called old poetry, and discard use of those (signs) … Thus came generation of alternative poetry by creation of new space and style, language, centripetal observation from resource point by zeroing subject. They called this NEW POETRY … “

By Barin Ghosal (On behalf of Natun Kabita Online)

The original article “In Search Of Alternative Poetry” can be viewed here »

Another interesting feature on this website is the Video section where they feature video recordings of poetry reading sessions by prominent contemporary Bengali Writers. This issue features, veteran Bengali poet and one of the main conceptualizers of this Bengali “New Poetry” idea - Barin Ghosal.

For inquisitive readers:

• Pronoydhwonir Software - Poetry E-book by Barin Ghosal
• Ku Jhik Jhik - Recent writing of Barin Ghosal »
• Proteekbaad (Symbolism) by Barin Ghosal »
• Amar Somoyer Kabita (Poems of My Time) by Barin Ghosal »