Pushp Pandadi - A Fragrant Bouquet

As a medium of expression poetry is an art quite opposed to prose which can perhaps be mastered to some extent comparatively easily. The reason it is difficult to write poetry is that it comes from your soul and expresses the emotions, longings and feelings of the human heart in imagery expressed in a few lines which carry meaning too deep to be expressed in a prose form.

Because of this complex character it is as difficult to appreciate poetry as it is to write it. Hence very few good poems see the light of the day.

Therefore Pushp Pandadi, a collection of Pushpaben D Vaidya's poems is a welcome, fresh breath of air in the Gujarati literary scene of Kutch.

Her book was released on 20 November 2010 at a simple but well-attended function in Bhuj where noted literary figures were present for the occasion.

Inauguration of Pushp Pandadi

(L to R Dr Nehaben Acharya, Darshnaben Dholakia, Jayanti Joshi, Pushpaben D Vaidya)

Pushpaben has been sort of a secret poetess for very long because even some people very close to her were unaware of her abilities and creative art - notably her guru whom she has dedicated her anthology along with her parents.

Pushpaben has had a very long teaching career along with her household duties which included raising two fine children who have risen to professional eminence at a young age. So it may sound surprising that how Pushpaben found time to write so many good poems. Here perhaps her knowledge of Sanskrit could have had an effect on her literary creations. As a Sanskrit teacher she is well-versed in what is often called the language of Gods, so this classical language's lyrical structure could have nurtured Pushpaben's innate literary sensibilities.

Still another factor that could certainly have contributed to Pushpaben's literary attainment is her highly-knowledable husband Dilipbhai Vaidya. A successful museum curator with notable archaeological achievements to his name, Dilipbhai has been a prolific writer in English and Gujarati. It is natural that with such a person as a soul-mate Pushpaben must have received un-stinted support and encouragement for her literary persuasions.

The literary environment of the family has touched Pushpaben's daughter Dr Nehaben Hemangbhai Acharya also. The anthology Pushp Pandadi also carries Dr Nehaben's poems and short short stories - the latter a genre of literary form which is gaining popularity in the international short-story writing circles.

As it carries the creations of both mother and daughter, the anthology has been aptly named Pushp Pandadi - ( Blossom and Petal.) And it seems from Dr Nehaben's writings that the petal is on the way to develop into a full literary bloom in a very near future.

(Pushp Pandani - By Pushpaben D Vaidya, Dr Neha H Acharya. Publisher: Shaswat Nehalbhai Vaidya, "Neh", 24, Anand Colony, Bhuj. October 2010)