Customer Reviews

Jejuri (New York Review Books Classics)

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It was on a lazy Saturday afternoon, whilst browsing in my neighborhood book store, that i chanced upon this book...and guess what, i feel i have unearthed a treasure.

This is a short book of poetry by flannuer- poet Arun Kolhatkar, about his weekend trip to Jejuri, a village on the Khandoba (an Indian deity) pilgrim's track.

Through a short burst of 50 pages, Kolhatkar, conveys perspectives on religion, urbanization, capitalism, mythology, superstition...etc. It is clearly an urban eye, which is capturing the beauty and the depth of the ordinary everydayness of a small village in rural Maharashtra. Almost 30 years from when it was first written and published (1977), Jejuri, still resonates loud and clear.

This edition, also has an introduction to Jejuri and the poet, by Amit Chaudari ( author of Freedom Song etc), and it is in the recounting of the poet and his setting (Bombay(note not MUMBAI)- then, now and Forever) , that one gets many more insights out of this slim edition of poetry.

It is indeed a pity, that Jejuri was not accessible to an international audience, until recently. If it was, then perhaps, Arun Kolhatkar would have been the "poster child" of Indian writing in English. Go ahead and discover, the best kept secret of Indian writing.