Description
An initiative of Red River and Indian Novels Collective
Hummingbirds are distinguished by their dazzling colours, diminutive size, and speedy flight, the only birds that can fly backwards, upside down, sideways, and hover in mid-air. Sighting a hummingbird also signals that challenging times are over and healing can begin. These little birds are also a sign of hope and spiritual significance. They are also critically endangered species, facing the prospect of extinction due to climate change.
Since publishing poetry is considered perhaps the most adventurous or perilous creative journey, curating a poetry series in the name of hummingbirds literally and metaphorically affirms our faith in the commitment and belief in the power of small to achieve the impossible.
Inspired by Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan activist and the first woman Nobel Peace Prize winner from Africa, who pioneered Green Belt Movement, and a great believer in the power of hummingbirds, we believe that our Hummingbirds Chapbook Series, a joint initiative of Red River and Indian Novels Collective, will energise poets and poetry lovers to come together and help create a republic of imagination.
The cover pages of the series are adorned with the artworks of celebrated artist Sudhir Patwardhan.
In Deep Waters by Sukrita
Eight days on a sea journey. From Mombasa to Bombay. With no land in sight, in the middle of the deep blue-green ocean, my adolescent eyes followed the little flights of the fish luminous with the sun or the moon, as they hopped from one end to the other continuously for hours on end. Standing against the railing of the deck alongside the ship, I watched musing: Where were they heading? Was there a destination? Or were these mere playful swings? These were take-off moments for me, meditations that brought forth little hopping poems on paper or in the mind. Even today, when I get ready to write, those flights get triggered for some creative churning…
The dialogues with Ganga emerged as I sat on the banks of the river, close to its source, pristine and clear, flowing in her own frenzy, self-absorbed. As I watched her whirl around the edge, as if calling out to me, the dialogue with her commenced. At times the sprightly waves, and then the moisty breeze over the constant flow of the waters offered a rhythm in thought and emotion. The journey started in verses that demanded writing. Gradually the river took over my mind. I carried Ganga in my head as I came back home to Delhi. The dialogue continued through the pandemic times as well as the riots in North East Delhi. And then one day the river that was flowing within me seemed to start drying up and my meditative conversations with her too ceased to be…I feel I was distracted with other matters and commitments.
I wait for the day when my dialogues with Ganga will start once again, whenever. The dialogue cannot be constructed or manipulated, it has to arise from within when my Ganga will flow just for me again…I wait patiently.
Sukrita Paul Kumar (born in Kenya) has been an invited poet and Fellow at the International Writing Programme, Iowa, USA. Former Fellow, IIAS (Shimla), and honorary faculty at Durrell Centre, Corfu (Greece). She has published several collections of poetry, translations and critical works. The 2023 Tagore Literary Prize was awarded to her for her book of selected poems, Salt and Pepper. Her latest book of poems, Yellow, has been published by Sahitya Akademi, Delhi, in 2024. Currently, she is Guest Editor, Indian Literature, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi.
