Indian poet, Ananya Chatterjee’s 6thpoetry collection, Barefoot On Splintered Glass was launched amidst much fanfare by actress, Deepti Naval and music composer,Debajyoti Mishra at The Harrington Street Arts Centre. Published by Bookwryter, the book launch was followed by a panel discussion moderated by poet,Sunil Bhandari.
Barefoot on Splintered Glass is a collection of poems which introduces you to barefoot acts that bruise, bleed, and heal us. It is a collection of 60 poems divided equally into the four seasons of the year. The poems are written with great sensitivity and groundedness.The foreword of the book has been written by noted actor,Jayant Kripalani.
“Poetry is the way I look at life. I believe what I have in me is a sense of curiosity and wonder that has stayed with me. Life experiences, constant brushes with the harsh reality of the world, has not managed to erase this manner of perceiving life. I am a keen observer of all things happening around and inside of me. I am curious to know what happens next. Humour and optimism are my weapons to deal with adversities. A feeling of connectedness paradoxically interspersed with a layer of detachment – that is, in a nutshell, my state of consciousness. My writings, including the poems in Barefoot On Splintered Glass bear evidence to that. Like the world outside us, the world within us also has its own share of seasons with each season having their highs and lows. The poems here attempt to capture these waves and somehow make the reader ride the same wave and perhaps be a little less lonely and a little more understood in a rapidly changing world that is getting increasingly harder to make sense of”, said Ms Ananya Chatterjee.
Renditions of some of the poems by Deepti Naval & Ananya Chatterjee and an impromptu violin recital by DebojyotiMishra made the evening memorable.The gorgeous pen and ink heritage artworks by Ananya’s father, renowned artist,Sandip Chatterjee, adorning the gallery walls, were an added attraction of the evening.Linda Ashok, poet and publisher of the book, was also present for the occasion.
