Prafulla Kumar Mohanty

(Sahitya Akademi Awardee)

Sishu Bihar, PATIA                                               25 July 2022

P.O.KIIT                                                                  Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar-24

 

K. Sreenivas Rao

Secretary, Sahitya Akademi

New Delhi,

 

Sub: Request for publishing Draupadi (The Greatest Woman) an epic in English by

         the Sahitya Akademi         

 

Dear Sir,

Greetings.

I am a bilingual writer and I have published about 30 books in Odia and English.

My work Draupadi : The Greatest Woman is an original creation within the framework of Vyasa’s  great epic Mahabharata. In this epic in English I present Draupadi as the greatest woman in world literature. There is no parallel to Draupadi in history and myth. She is the greatest woman ever conceived of in literature.I have made a psycho analysos of Draupadi and present her as the Greatest Woman, more complex and human than Cleopatra, Helen, Dido and other woman in history and myth.

My Draupadi is not a feminist; she is a true human with dignity, majesty, forbearance and human pride. She is royal and divine, honour is her virtue and love is her creed.       

I would be indebted to the Akademi if my Draupadi: The Greatest Woman, is published by the Akademi.

I am confident, this work will attract positive attention of the world. The Indian Imaginary of Indian womanhood will, I am positive, establish Indian womanhood as the supreme model of femininity.

 Kindly publish it as early as practicable as my time running out with inevitable mortality. I will abide by the terms and conditions of the Akademi.

I enclose herewith (a) Book Proposal with an intro, justification, market possibilities, (b) my bionote, (c) A sampling of my epic, (d) Purple patches and the Text.

Kindly acknowledge.

 

Sincerely yours

Prafulla kumar Mohanty

              

Dialogue With The Rain

The rains have settled

to a steady rhythm

the soft lap of the drops

make the leaves shiver

in dark anticipation.

 

The rain provokes dreams

wakes up the teenage fantasies

thrown into ancestral dustbin.

But I watched the rain

thrusting my nose into the grill:

The rain spoke gently - come

play with me as you did

in your nubile years sailing

paper boats to the Islands where

the Prince of solitude sat alone

counting his days of separation.

 

I mused, my Prince is here

in me, building ships for me,

he will take me on

his new princenik

on whose banks the cloudless

skies would descend to paint me

with the azure of youth.

 

 

A Cold Romance

 

My love is always cool

come spring come rain

he would say see how the

moon woos the stars,

see how the wind brings goosebump

this is the time for poetry

come let's play the ghazals of

Ghulam Ali and listen,

the autumnal  moon tide

in my heart starts rising.

I go dolled up near him

he looks at me - o' my god

see what Shelley has written,

If winter comes can spring be far behind,

poetry you know my love is great.

All my desire foams recede.

 

Poetry gives you a calm joy

a real fulfillment of life

but my unromantic love does not

understand the poetry moonlight business

it's just a passtime for him to

turn the pages of Shelley and Ghalib.

I rush to the washroom

to put on my night robe,

he says you will ruin Bhisma's celibacy,

how does it matter, it's too late

switch off the light,

I have to get up early for jogging.

Sabita Sahui

 

DRAUPADI - XL(40)

 

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's 

DRAUPADI - XL

Draupadi Greets Subhadra

I advanced my smile spreading

from ear to ear, presented

Subhadra a gold basket of kamini

applied vermillion in sandal paste

on her broad forehead and said

opulent welcome beautiful Subhadra

second wife of my third husband

hope you shall be the first which

I could not be by a twist of events;

And my husband! hearty congratulations

on your glamorous choice, a prize

which I hope will not be atrophied:

come Subhadra come great Arjun

rituals await you to consummate

the vows of wedlock for conjugal bliss.

 

The conches blew

flower petals flew

a choric joy grew

the palace resonated

Vedic hymns vibrated

Yudhistir blessed the couple.

 

Draupadi took Subhadra's hand

never think or feel you have

done any wrong, be happy

give happiness to Arjun

you are my sister not rival

in love or co-wife in life

wipe off lines of doubt

shake off burden of guilt

give Arjun your wholesome love

be free in the palace, move

rightfully wherever wishes tend:

after the rituals on the altar

I' will take you to your bridal chamber

which I have decorated for you.

 

Radiant Subhadra stood stunned

she never gauged Draupadi's mind

never thought  a woman could accept

her rival as another woman separate

independent free to own what's morally

Her's, Draupadi's, by law mores and

process demonstrated before the world:

And what a gift of  a bridal chamber

a boat sailing to infinity of love

carnal, spiritual familial yet unreal.

Angels playing veena in mating stance

the lapping water swelling to receive

the thrust of oars in festal ecstasy

mirrors, clothes matching the splendour

of gem studded walls ivory bright

and everything in superfluous plenty

Subhadra knelt down at Draupadi's feet

and clasped her legs sobbing

pardon me sister for the presumed

misgivings and false apprehensions:

Draupadi picked her up and kissed her

Now now no tears to dampen life

poised on the pinnacle of jazzy joy.

Be yourself and live  as if you own

the universe by your innate virtues.

Pave Your Path with Love

The road was paved  with blood

bleeding bodies lay mangled

and  bruised like sign posts

of man's self exiled politics

stabbing human togetherness.

 

Human will is corrupt,

human desires are also corrupt

man tries to snatch away what is not his:

he plots, conspires and kills

to grab a lustful moment from

time's treasures.

 

When will man learn humility

O foolish man your footprints

will be muddy in the next rain.

If you can give your love

conquer hearts turn the road of hate

into the path of love:

you will walk on a divine path

to your nirvana.

 

 

 

DRAUPADI - XXXIX

 

 Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's 

DRAUPADI - XXXIX

Subhadra's Welcome

 

The afternoon shadow

lingered at the fading light

the garden freshly watered

glistened in departing beauty

the rows of trees stood as if

reluctant soldiers performing

dutifully for the event to pass.

The band played welcome

half heard by the gathering crowd

of royals, citizens rural folk.

Duty officers servitors and maids

in pure excitement of anticipated

clamour and festivities.

Painted women with full pitchers

of exotic art balanced their heads

lest the early spring breeze

spill distracted water on carpets

Persian, French, Gandhar art.

The distant noise of horses

men and rising dust far off

raised the heart beats of all.

The gates of Indraprastha

throbbed to the lighting of lamps

familiar faces looked exclusive

the dying sun poured gold.

Confused sounds of words and emotions

flew from every lip widening eyes

scanned the horizon for sights

a buzz rose like incense to the skies.

 

Yudhistir my first husband

stood sober and staid in front

his sedate presence inspired

confidence, his demeanour exuded

pacific calm and innocent peace

I stood a step behind on his side

holding the  aarati plate feigning

a smile inscrutable even to me.

 

If the roaring storm inside

shook my being I didn't make

a public exhibition for it was mine,

mine alone issuing forth from my

personal hurt - not jealousy but

betrayal of my love exclusive

for Arjun which I never thought

would be shared with another.

The pain of my divided self

I have suppressed by simulated

dignity of my place and position:

but how could I share my love

O' Krishna, O' Sakha you did this

to your Sakhi, never valued my

being's fulcrum - No stop Draupadi

don't raise the wanton to bespoil

your Queenly pride and bearing.

Face this fateful moment

with grace which is naturally yours

perform your functions without

a trace of unwholesome conflict.

 

My smile returned as I saw

the chariots and a roar grew

in songful exuberance to greet

my third husband and his bride:

Yudhistir asked me to move ahead

I walked in majesty a few steps

waited for the couple to alight

and come near the welcome arch.

Stop Your Homilies Please

One has to lift up life

with soft dignity,

but how when at every

step I fall stumbling on

your unwritten laws

when every minute I have

to obey your commands,

your imposing restraints curbs

How can I lift myself up?

 

The oceans are rising high

the clouds have gone mad

fed by our poison they move

and burst at will

can I heat myself up to the lava

stream to singe your shenanigans?

If I am good you enslave me

If I am bad you imprison me

How can I lift myself up?

 

In the temples I bow

at home too,

in the streets I lower my head

cover my face

my spirit seems to be doomed:

If I lift myself on the stage

on the public platforms

dismissing the classical tag

"Woman is the angel of the house

she is now free to create

an angelic world of her own:

you all cry hoarse - See

she sings, dances, speaks

flies fights treats feeds!

Who will  cook and  feed

the old at home?

How can I lift myself up?

 

Yes, my spirit will lift up

even if I am at home

a small space is enough

if I wish to make

my spirit fly in freedom.

Give me freedom I'll make

the dingy space an arbour

I'll listen and speak,

you all allow me this freedom

don't dole out homilies

to lift me up

and if you don't

I'll defy all womanly norms

and lift myself up

not like a dry leaf in the wind

but as an awakened spirit

on the wings of my own freedom.