Kuch Vo Pal: Book Review by Asha Seth

Hindi poets such as Gulzar, Kabir, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Javed Akhtar, etc. have always influenced my thoughts in poetry. Their works have always inspired me. Rarely have I come across debut works in Hindi poetry from contemporary writers. So when I came across ‘Kuch Vo Pal’ on Blogadda, it intrigued me. Naturally, I wanted to read it. I applied for a review copy and 2 weeks later, I had the book with me.

The Blurb:

You may have read many love stories but have you ever read any in the form of sequences of Hindi poetry that have the power to make you blissful and divine? Kuch Woh Pal is a collection of Hindi poems through which the writer takes you on a journey blended with ecstatic and painful experiences of a young boy taking on the struggles of life where he is away from his home for studies, makes new friends, finds love, break up with her and finally going through a tumult of emotions like anger, depression, apathy, romance, frustration, loneliness, separation, abandonment, etc.

Read this book and you’ll be taken down memory lane to sense emotions that were once considered dead, which are now touching your soul. Plan a date with yourself, partner or your friends and read it over a cup of tea or coffee; catch up with your friends over a beer at the beach or during a get-together or to propose to the love of your life. This book will surely leave your mind and heart in a tangle of romance, sympathy and self-revelation.

The Review:

Some books take you back in time. They get you reminiscing about those moments in life that left a mark upon your conscience. You feel you are time-traveling, you almost relive those memories. Such is the impact some books create. Kuch Vo Pal is that book.

The poems are written from a place that is well forgotten with the passing of time and the sailing phases of life. Author Subrat Saurabh, has captured them well. With a pinch of longing and nostalgia, he has recreated those worlds. The lucid language makes the writing compelling and they never fail to strike an emotive chord. Of the lot, Koi Unhe Ghazal Keh Raha Tha, was my favorite piece. These are poems from the routine walks of life, and the simple yet precise choice of words, make you feel they’re personal; like your own story.

This book is worth everyone’s time because it doesn’t demand much time; the poems are relatively short and hitting, and the feelings will remain with you forever. So give it a try. As for me, I do wish the work was translated in English.

Read more about the author, Subrat Saurabh.

If you happen to read ‘Kuch Vo Pal’ or have already read it, do share your thoughts below.

P.S: I received a review copy from the author but the review remains unbiased. You can buy your copy here.