Arbind Kumar Choudhary who has been called the founding father of The Phrasal Movement in Indian English Poetry has been interviewed for more than five dozen journals, anthologies and books in America, Romania, Malta, Albania and India. Arbind Kumar Choudhary who has propounded his theory of love, nature and poetry in Love, Nature and The Poet has been popularly honoured with the crown of the Universal Ambassador of Peace from Poetry from 2017 onwards has created Arbindonean Racy Style of Versification, Indianised version of Arbindonean Sonnets and, above all, The Phrasal Movement for the phosphorescence of Indian English poetry in and outside India. The inclusion of his –Majuli: The Vatican City of Assam and Mother India– for the courses of B.A and M.A in English brings to light his magnetic poetic personality. Dr. Choudhary has been published in the English Daily newspapers—The Daily Guardian Review, The Hans India, The Hitavada and The Heaven Mail in India.
The Literature Times: Firstly, Congratulations on your book, “Majuli: The Vatican City of Assam”. What responses are you getting from this book of yours? Please share your experience about this book.
Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary: Majuli that is not only the cultural capital of Assam but also the river junction attracts the attention of the tourists worldwide through thick and thin. So far responses of this book is concerned. The inclusion of Majuli: The Vatican City of Assam for the course of B.A in English speaks volumes about its responses in the superlatives. The review of this poetry book under the title Cultural Heraldry of Choudhary in Indian English Poetry has already been published in The Hitavada English daily newspaper, journals and anthologies.
The Literature Times: You’ve given a very interesting title to your book, which is very catchy, too, so, what made you go for this title for your book?
Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary: Majuli that consists more than five dozen Satras since from the beginning of the 16th century under the guidance of Shankardev and Madhavdev is the cultural capital of Assam. One can observe a great resemblance between Majuli and Vatican City so far its spiritual message for Tom, Dick and Harry is concerned. The river junction that persuades a large number of tourists for the glimpse of the culture centre is second to none in this region. Finding a great resemblance between the two I have given this striking title for the verse – suitors, the critics and the academicians alike.
The Literature Times: What inspired you to write about the Vatican City of Assam?
Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary: The cultural centre, river locked island, ecological order, spiritual vision of the saints, and universal brotherhood that are scattered here, there and everywhere filled my heart with intense joy. I have remained the eyewitness of all activities going on from the last three decades. As a result, my intense passion for its iridescence appears in disguise of poetry under the title Majuli: The Vatican City of Assam.
The Literature Times: Can you tell us more about the history and cultural significance of the city?
Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary:
Majuli that has remained the centre of attraction from the 16th century due to the working place of the spiritual gurus- Shankardev and Madhavdev is one of the biggest river islands of the world. Most of the common herd of Assamese society believe in the spiritual message of the chief of the Satras and also wish to have draught of it in life. So far the cultural essence of this river locked island is concerned, Majuli is next to none in this region. Majuli possesses the same spiritual status as Haridwar or Varanasi retains in the rest parts of India.
The Literature Times: How did you decide on the structure and format of the book?
Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary: I always hanker after novelty and creativity rather than addiction to the ongoing tradition of versification. This poetry book that deals primarily with various historical, cultural, philosophical and spiritual aspects in to to contains the junction of the phrasal words in one quintain after another. One can inhale the proverbial essence excluding examples of various figures of speech that run wild from alpha and omega of my verses. So far style, structure and capital idea is concerned, this poetry book is unparalleled in Indian English poetry.
The Literature Times: What challenges did you face while writing “Majuli:The Vatican City of Assam”?
Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary: The creativity that runs wild without interruptions requires neither hurdles nor assistances. On the contrary it paves the way with the passage of time. Majuli contains the junction of quintains unlike my previously published poetry collections written in couplet and quartet form. I think about the appropriateness of the title and the capital idea. The rest activities have been carried away by the publisher.
The Literature Times: What do you hope readers will take away from “Majuli:The Vatican City of Assam”?
Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary: It is mandatory for the scholar to be innovative first rather than scholarly before the project of creation. Change is the eternal law of this universe. Meeting with the innovative scholar, exploring the historical truths, ignorance of the common herd, gossiping with the senior citizens, searching rare books and its related contents and several other challenges were the hercules task for me that I faced prior to its versification and publication.
Inspite of a number of challenges the publication and its acceptance around the creative milieu gives me intense pleasure in the same way the woman becomes mother in her life.
The Literature Times: How has the city changed over time and what impact has it had on the people of Assam?
Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary: The spiritual message that it conveys for the universal brother hood strikes the verse –suitors to its utmost degrees. The mythical blending, phrasal junction, proverbial pregnancy, painterly painting, selection of suitable words and, above all, innovative approach strike the readers through water and wind hover. Monetarily monarchy has been running wild by leaps and bounds. Cultural heraldry has become the history of this territory. But modernisation at the cost of ecological order and natural iridescence will be fatal in the days to come.
The Literature Times: How has your own personal background and experiences influenced your writing?
Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary: After the completion of research work in 2003 on John Keats I have never seen behind nor interested to peep into the past events. My teaching profession added fuel to the creative flames. I am, no doubt, a teacher by profession but a poet by passion.
The Literature Times: Can you talk about any other writing projects you have in the works?
Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary: Versification has become the part and parcel of my creative life. There lies a number of writing projects going on both in English and Hindi. My forthcoming project on Veer Lachhit Borphukan who had given a befitting reply to the Mughals is likely to see the light by this year.
The Literature Times: How do you see your writing evolving in the future?
Dr. Arbind Kumar Choudhary: The inclusion of my duo poetry collections- Majuli: The Vatican City of Assam and Mother India-for the syllabus of B.A and M.A in English in Assam speaks its relevance for the academicians to its utmost degrees. Even the research works on my poetry collections have been going on in various educational institutions and universities in India. Hope future generation will abide by The Phrasal Movement for the heraldry of Indian English poetry.
