Book review: Nirdiganta by Dr. Veena Shanteshwar

                          Shanta Imrapur, ed. Nirdiganta; 2Vols.
                 Sindara Pustaka Prakashana, 2009       price= 359
                     “ A Unique  Festschrift”


     Beginning with Sambhaavane, presented to B. M. Shri. in 1941, there is a rich tradition of festschrifts in Kannada; but most of them tend to be felicitation volumes, full of admiration and eulogy for the concerned writer.  However, Nirdiganta,  presented to Dr. Veena Shanteshwar is an exception; the articles in these two volumes  go beyond personal eulogy and critically discuss the form and concerns of the Short Story in different Indian languages.      

Ways of reading Poetry

                                       

     Let me begin with a few general statements.  The ‘meaning’ of a poem is not its summary or paraphrasable  ideas.  Poetry does not convey what can be conveyed in prose.  In other words, a poem does not only tell us something, but it also attempts to convey a unique experience, feelings, and emotions associated with it.  Such a poetic experience is called by Indian aestheticians ‘rasaanubhaava.’