Book Review: Baishali Sarkar’s “The Souvenir”

Book Review: Baishali Sarkar’s “The Souvenir”

No matter how rapidly time passes by or how effectively it brings a change to one’s life, the person would never forget the traditions, heritage, Belongingness, motherhood of the land, one walked in at first. Similarly, one has the caliber to inherit the traditions from another culture when encountered. To this context, Baishali Sarkar’s book “The Souvenir” is a collection of poetries stating the different aspects of her life experiences in the form of short poetries.

90’s kids will definitely recollect the memories from the lines depicting the era of simplicity and Power-cuts. The author believes that every pages when turned over will throw a positive gesture to one’s imagination and cherish the memories effectively. The author also firmly believes that if she sits with the book in her 60’s, she won’t regret jotting the memories, she created and lived for and by, herself. The most eye-catching factor of this wonderful poetry book is that ending is left with a picture which is very close to the author’s heart.

The very first picture input is of a laughing buddha following the context of “the souvenir” at first depicts “a good luck to wherever it is placed turning the book into a success in the future” as quoted by the author.

Being a research scholar of the department of Buddhist studies, she has a thoughtful mind showering a bunch of words in accordance to the factors dealt with, and lived in, by one.

The attention of a reader’s mind is caught in the very second poem that is “Bhalo-Maa” (A name by which the author used to call her maternal grandmother). The person and the poetry as shown and described by the author is very emotionally attached to the author’s life and pen respectively.

She beautifully draws an image in every reader’s mind through the word inputs and her bond with her grandmother who inherited the traditions of Bangladesh and vibed as a “bong lady” whose soul is now alive within the author eternally.

In remembrance of her grandmother, the author did a septum piercing which once indicated the richness in beauty on her grandmother’s face.

From her preschool to her graduation, the author takes every reader’s mind to a roller coaster of memories. Being a travel person, her visit to each and every place and the collection of those memories has been jotted down in the sheets of the book. To this context, one of her poem named “Downtown Chiayi” turns out in a humorous way since the author puts forward her experience of how she went astray on her way back from a city of Taiwan.

Last but not the least, a masterpiece like this book “The souvenir” contains a poem named “Karma” which has the deepest meaning underlying. “Karma”, as presented by the author is not only the sum of a person’s deed deciding their future but also the name of her pet dog with which she intellectually framed the words into that sentences presenting the movement of karma as well as her pet dog named ” Karma”.

Therefore reading “The Souvenir” by Baishali Sarkar is the best recommended book to be considered alongside one’s bed and bookshelf or most probably is the best combination to be kept along with some snacks and tea in every date with one’s inner-self, serving a positive mind and a positive vibe.

Reviewed By Soudia Parveen

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