Novel 'Walking on the green grass' released on 8.12.2017 in Patna Book Fair (हिन्दी कथासार के साथ)

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Improvising a unique identity to English novels in Bihari context 
A report by Hemant Das 'Him'

(हिन्दी कथासार अंग्रेजी टेक्स्ट के नीचे देखिए.धन्यवाद)

The novel goes far beyond the love and hate saga and dips deep  into the philosophical interpretation of the shapes of human relationship in modern era. The learned speakers spoke at the occasion of the release of  'Walking on the green grass' the latest novel of Dr. Sujit Verma. 

Samir Parimal, the renowned shayar (poet) of India' welcomed the visitors and requested all the chosen distinguished litterateurs to come to the dais for releasing the book and the novel 'Walking on the green grass' was released. The learned persons who launched the book were Satyanarayan, Quasim Khursheed, Mamta Mehrotra, Porf. Shaileshwar Sati Prasad, Subodh K Jha and Archana Kumari.  Then Sri Quasim Khursheed, the well known 'shayar' of India was  invited to take the charge of moderator of the event. After that each of the senior litterateurs spoke their two words about this book.

The prolific writer and social worker Mamta Mehrotra said that nowadays when we need to be much more aware about extinguishing the feelings of hatred and violence this novel will work like a fire extinguisher. People engrossed in an interesting love story as this is, will desist from all form of violence in the society. She congratulated the writer for ushering a forceful stream of positive energy  to the country through this novel.

Gyandev Mani Tripathi counted on this novel heavily and felt proud of the fact that this is an offshoot of the series of English novels from Bihar of which 'Sanjogita' in 1903 by K.K.Sinha was the one of the first creations. We Bihari feel proud of the fact that an able writer like Dr. Sujit Verma has kept the lamp of English literature illuminated in Bihar. The ambiance presented in the novel is that of Patna, the capital of Bihar. The main character is an engineer in a Paints factory. Kshiti has been married to Sagar but the relationship never builds up. Ultimately Khiti goes to Akash for ever.

Sri Tripathi viewed Dr. Sujit Verma much closer to the iconic writer Raja Rao rather than Mulkraj Anand. Reason is the use of a wide canvass like his 'The serpent and the road'. He candidly admitted that the English used by Dr. Sujit is not as used in UK. The reason behind this is the assiduous efforts of Dr. Sujit to define the proper shape of Bihari English. The writer watched the people around him and watched their tongue very minutely. He came to the conclusion that rather than using flowery and decorative kind of language it's only the super simplistic way of expression in which the frequency of the writer may match to the tone and tenor of the common people of Bihar. We must thank the writer for his daredevil experimentation in form. 

All the contemporary issues like reservation, demonitisation etc. have been discussed in this second literary venture of the writer. The parallels with Budh and Yashodhara myth and the Krishna-Radha legends are so beautiful. When Krishna is with Radha it creates splendorous Vrindavan whereas when He is away from her, what ensues is a colossal fight of Mahabharata. The simile clearly establishes the importance of romance in a society.

Akash is an experimenter. Rakesh capitalises on the high position of his elder brother in the company.and wants to have the love of Kshiti by hook or crook. The names of characters as Sagar, Puno, Rakesh, Akash, Kshiti and Sagar are meaningful. the meeting of Akash with Kshiti is symbolic.

The next speaker Quasim Khursheed expressed his happiness that once again, an original novel has been written in English by a Bihari writer. Though there is a huge repertoire of literature in English in Bihar but most of that is a translated volumes. Though the translated books are also good pieces of English literature  but it has it's own limitation and it lacks the exact nature of expression as in the original creation.

Shaileshwar Sati Prasad declared that this novel is definitely the story of Patna people. The novel analyses the status of institution of marriage prevailing nowadays. Akash comes across Kshiti when he returns home and a relationship is established which does not limit itself merely to spiritual sphere but enters into the realm of physical too. Sagar, the hubby is just a cybernetic sort of person devoid of the measure of aesthetic sense which could make his bond with the better half strong enough. Kshiti is the main character of the novel who reproves Rakesh, disproves Sagar and approves Akash for herself. 

He delineated the writer's realistic way of striking balance between love and hate sentiments. Everyone hates Rakesh, still when he sustains the another stroke all come to his rescue. The descriptions as presented in it is significant on philosophical level. The writer's citation of rainbow and inclination towards the subject of sexuality reminds us the genre of legendary Lawrence. This novel has different characters who happen to belong to different areas of Bihar having their distinctive dialects as Angika, Bajjika, Magadhi etc. And they all team up to a Bihari entity.

After Sri Prasad,  the invitee speaker was the man of the event  Dr. Sujit Verma, the author. On this emotional moment of the release of his book it was difficult for him to speak much. Nevertheless, he described some vital points. He said that a man always lives with different kinds of  love and hatred at a time. And among all this is the spiritual bond which is the most important. A true author writes what he sees around him and what he experiences in the ambiance prevailing. And so, this book too is full of typical Bihari elements. He made it specific that this novel also talks about Narkatiyaganj the native place of the author (himself).

Then came a veteran poet Satyanarayan who is also the composer of  of Bihar Rajya Geet. He observed that this earth is getting narrower for love making people. And nowadays we lack such intense feeling as in the following- 
Krishna ke paanw  me pade chhaale / Radhika dhoop me jali hogi
(means-  the feet of Krishna are covered with blisters / Radhika must be burning in the sun)

He commended the author for writing romantic novel in this era of unrest. The novel 'Walking on the green grass' by Dr. Sujit Verma goes a long way to the pursuit of compassion for not merely some individuals but for the society as a whole. 
[कथासार: क्षिति का विवाह सागर से होता है लेकिन वह जम नहीं पाता क्योंकि सागर हमेशा अपने व्यवसाय में व्यस्त रहता है और क्षिति को समय नहीं देता. क्षिति काम करने के दौरान आकाश से मिलती है और उसके प्यार में बँधती चली जाती है. उसका सम्बंध भावनात्मकता से शारीरिक स्तर तक भी पहुँचता है और बढ़्ता चला जाता है.  राकेेेेश भी वहाँ काम करता है जो कम्पनी के निदेशक के दोस्त का छोटा भाई है. वह अपने भाई का नाम लेकर खूब धाक जमाता है. वह क्षिति को भी किसी भी तरह से हासिल करने की पूरी कोशिश करता है पर क्षिति उसे धिक्कार देती है, सागर को नकार देती है और आकाश को अपना लेती है.]
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Report by - Hemant Das 'Him'
Photography by - Hemant 'Him'
Email for responses - hemantdas_2001@yahoo.com