Arbind Kumar Choudhary is not only the first Indian English poet to have been interviewed for more than fifty-five literary journals and anthologies in Malta, Romania, Albania and India but also has been awarded with a number of literary crowns –Indian Keats, Phrasal King, Mythical Monarch and founding father of Indianised version of Arbindonean Sonnets in Indian English poetry. He has been not only included in Cambridge Dictionary of English Writers and Poetry Cornwall in England, Wikipedia in India, Penny Poetry in America, World Poetry Yearbook in China, World Poetry Almanac in Mongolia, 4 Contemporary Indian English Poets in Romania and Poet as del mundo in Taiwan but also thrilled the critics to get the critical anthologies entitled Five Indian English Poets (2015), Arbindonean Iridescence in Indian English Poetry (2015) and Arbindonean Luminosity in Indian English Poetry (2016) besides hundreds of research papers published in a short span of his poetic career. His intercontinental awards in America, China and India speak volumes about his poetic personality. Bernard M Jackson (England), Kurt F. Svatek (Austria), John B Lee (Canada), Patrick. J. Sammut (Maltra) and several others are the prime verse suitors from foreign countries. There are a galaxy of his verse suitors in India in which Prof. NDR Chandra, Vice – Chancellor, Bastar University, Chhatisgarh, Prof. SC Dwivedi of Allahabad University, Prof Mahendra BhatNagar of Gwalior, Prof. S. M. Pahadiya of Rajasthan, Prof. R. A. Singh, Ara University and Prof. Lalitesh Mishra of B.N M. University, Madhepura, Prof. Masood Ahmed of Bhagalpur University, Prof P.P Singh of Dumka University, Prof V. M Shukla of Delhi University, and Prof T.V. Reddy of Tirupati are the chief followed by dozens of poets and critics. ‘The synopsis on Aspects of Love & Relationship in the Selected Works of A. K. Choudhary : A Critical Study’ (2016) has already been approved for Ph. D by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of Pacific University, Udaipur, Rajasthan.

The poet has been interviewed by Goutam Karmakar, a PhD research scholar at National Institute of Technology, Durgapur.

Q1. GK: Before experiencing the inner world of you, sir, can you tell me about your family and educational background a bit? What kind of surroundings do you get which inspires you and makes you a poet?

AKC: I belong to a rural area where cultivation was the main source of livelihood. However, the germs of the creation were lying inside that flourished later. As a matter of fact, the groaning humanity that are scattered here and there including my surrounding thrilled the creative germs to flourish with the passage of time in disguise of nine poetry collections in English till date. Natural iridescence, and various other living and non-living objects add additional fuel to enlighten the sullen creative germs to its utmost degrees.

Q2. GK: You compose verse both in rhymed and unrhymed way. So as a poet what types of poetry do you want to compose? Do you want any specific style to adopt in your future poetic collections?

AKC: The existing literary trend is to compose free verse rather than verse in rhyme. I abide by the duo track of versifications. I try my best to experiment with various forms of versifications from time to time. My future prospect lies in exploration rather than addiction to the existing trends. I think that the style of versification reflects the maturity and sensitivity of the poets concerned.

Change is the eternal law of this universe and the style of versification is the part and parcel of the universal code of conduct in the poetic passage.

Q3. GK: From which age have you started to compose verse? What inspires you to become a poet? As a poet have you followed any other poets’ style whether it is classical poets or romantic poets or modern poets?

AKC: The sullen germs of creation that was lying inside appeared several times in disguise of some Hindi poems at 14. Unfortunately, I lost that manuscript in due course of transition and transportation. However, I started seriously at 40, versified in English for several journals and got globally published and interviewed.

The ongoing materialistic monarchy of the society haunts my soul for the creation of the verses to arouse sensitiveness to Tom, Dick and Harry on this strife- stricken earth.

I have read the classical poets, romantic writers, Augustan and Victorians in English and Tagore, Aurobindo, Ezekiel, Kamala Das, Toru Dutt, Sarojini Naidu and several others of Indian writing in English. However, I do not want to be a mere puppet of a particular poet as style. I compose verses in such an innovative style that suit me most.

Q4. GK: What makes you different from other contemporary Indian poets writing in English? Does your poetry prove the dictum ‘Arts for Arts Sake’ instead of mere placing of words?

AKC: The mythical, historical, cultural, phrasal and compound words of my verses make a demarcation line with the other Indian English Poets.

Indianness is the nectar of my verses that makes me out and out an Indian English poet without doubt. The artistic approach of my verses covers the dictum of ‘Art for Arts’ sake’ but none can ignore the concept of humanism for the paupers from my verses. These proverbial dialogue speaks volumes about the paupers: “Paupers are not the time’s fool/But time’s best jewel.”

Q5. GK: Your poetry is simple and at the same time complex. What do you want to prove by this? Regarding pattern, you have used apostrophes and exclamation quite abundantly in your poems. Why have you used this so much?

AKC: The simplicity symbolizes the language while complexity represents the mental position. The uses of the apostrophes and exclamations symbolize various stages of life that go on with the passage of time.

Q6. GK: Contemporary issues and social surroundings are presented in your poets in a vivid way. My question is what is the core idea or capital thought that you want to present in your writing? Sometimes your poetry becomes the voice of protest. You remind me P.B.Shelly here. So like him do you want to change the ongoing patterns and systems of the world?

AKC: The ecological issues, pollution, religious dogma, hypocrisy, humiliation, exploitation, cultural crisis, philosophical degradation and immorality are at the core of my writings that are the burning issues for the existing generations and the generations next to come.

The critics can observe Shelleyan revolt in some of my poems. However, I observe my verses near John Keats rather than P.B. Shelley among the romantic poets.

Q7. GK: Irony, pastiche and humour are presented in your poetry and these features give your poetry a postmodern touch. So in which category do you want to see yourself as a modern or postmodern poet? At the same time your poetry exhibits identical crisis and existential dilemma. So do you poetry becomes a lifelong search?

AKC: Irony, humour, satire, and pastiche are the poetic tools that are deeply rooted in Augustan Period of writings. The critics can find the blending of the Neo-classical and Romantic Poetic tools of English literature on one hand and the Pondicherry School of Poetry and Ezekielean School of Poetry on the other. I belong to experimental period rather than Modern or Post Modern period of literature. Exploration is the prime purpose of my poetic life.

To some extent, you can say so, Goutam. But it is not like that at all as I am an optimist and I believe in self will power. One can face dilemma at any point of his life but focus must not be misplaced for that aim and focus will lead one to gain identity once more.

Q8. GK: What is the definition of poetry to you? You have expressed love in a various way in your poetry. So how do you philosophize the concept of love in your poetry?

AKC: ‘The Poet’ is my poetic doctrine that consist the poetic philosophy in detail. Poetry is the spiritual voice of the human soul that creates sensations here and there. Poetry is for up gradation, and purification. If poetry fails to stir sensations, what kind of poetry it is?

Love is the eternal source of inspiration that keeps the human beings not only ever fresh and energetic but also guides the course of life towards its destination. Loveless life is worse than curse. The common herds hanker after the sensual love while the wise fellows hanker after spiritual passage of love that send the saunters in the heaven. The love wind is ever blessing for those who have inhaled a drought of love. It is the immerse source of pleasure that thrills the sensitive souls for the spiritual whirlwind in general and love wind in particular. Radha-Krishna love episode is one of the best examples of the spiritual love on this strife-stricken earth. Meera-Govind episode is peerless so far the example of spiritual love in Indian writing in English is concerned. Sabri-Ram episode too is unmatched in the human history. Even Indian, Greek and Roman mythical messiahs have left behind several examples of the spiritual love for the races next to come. Laila- Majnu love affair, and Heer -Rangha love episode have remained the source of inspiration for the generations next to come. Love that is abstract is the unparalleled gift for the human beings in this materialistic world. Men must hanker after spiritual love for celestial life in spite of the materialistic wind blowing all around the corner. The essence of love goes over the head of those who possess piggish philosophy because it lies in pure heart and sensitive soul. Love is the birthright of all beings on this earth.

Q9. GK: You are the ardent lover and worshipper of Nature. How have you portrayed Nature in your works? If I say you are a romantic poet then how will you define yourself?

 AKC: I have propounded my philosophy of nature in several of my nature poems in general and ‘Nature’ in particular. The critics can observe romantic ingredients– sensuousness, imaginative vision, melancholy, mythical and medieval elements, theory of poetry, love for ruralscape, riverscape and junglescape, love, beauty, pictorial passage, and many others of the Romantic poets in general and John Keats in particular. Keatsean romantic flavor is the essence of my verses that keeps me besides Keats rather than other Romantic poets.

Q10. GK: Some of your poems are elegiac in tone. What are the distinctive features do you find in Arbind’s Elegy? Does your elegy differ from Gray?

AKC: Thomas Gray’s ‘Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard’ is the voice of the deprived sections of the society. It is a protest against those who ignore the sacrifice of the rustics and the rural folks.

My ‘Elegy’ is not only the voice of the deprived but also the voice of the animals, birds, insects and other living and non-living objects, the worst victims in the court of the so called civilized society of the human beings.

Q11. GK: You are a poet par excellence. But you are human being at first. So what are things most important in your life as a poet and as a man? Do you have any specific goals to achieve as a poet in your life?

AKC: The ecological disorder and ongoing immorality haunt my soul time and again. The existing general is the worst victim of the immorality, impurity and the materialistic monarchy that has infected the society. As a poet I wish that all living beings in general and the human beings in particular must flourish naturally with the passage of time.

The prime purpose of my poetic life is to restore the cultural heraldry of India upon which Indians have had remained proud of themselves.

Q12. GK: Are you familiar with the ongoing literary writings regarding your poetry? You are named as Indian Keats and Phrasal king in the arena of Indian English Poetry. What will be your opinion in this case?

AKC: Yes I am familiar with the ongoing literary writings regarding my poetry but not to the fullest as I leave this up to the critics and researchers.

The critics can inhale Keats doctrines of romanticism –intensity of sensuousness, imaginative vision, mythical meridian, natural iridescence, concept of love and beauty, ruralscape, riverscape and junglescape, melancholic mood, theory of poetry and romantic approach from alpha and omega of my verses that persuade a group of the versifiers to call Indian John Keats in a number of their research papers.

The phrasal heraldry of Indian English poetry that has appeared in the form of the cluster of the phrasal passages has already been established. The abundance of the cluster of the phrasal passages persuades a galaxy of the poets and the critics to call the Phrasal King first of all in English poetry in general and Indian English poetry in particular. Being a Lilliputian poet I do not deserve for such a great honour.

Q13. GK: You are raising issues of inhumanity, injustice and exploitation of the some sections. But you have never mentioned women in a great scale in your poetry. So does your poetry lack feminists’ ethos?

AKC: The sexual exploitation, dowry, economical exploitation, and various other issues that are directly related with the fair sex have been brought to light through a number of verses. Mythical goddesses have been appreciated with might and main.

However my verses lack the feminine concept as propounded by Kamala Das in Indian English literature. Kamala’s concept of feminism is primarily a confessional concept rather than feminine concept in English literature.

Q14. GK: To some extend you have followed Aurobindonean style and tradition in your writings. Do you agree with me? And how have you presented our motherland in your poetry? I mean where lies the Indianness in your verse compositions?

AKC: Maharshi Aurobindo, the profounder of the cultural heraldry of India through ‘ The Pondicherry School of Poetry ‘ has become a role model for the successors next to come. The literary trends of this saint poet have established cultural heraldry of India in English literature. All those poets whose writings are deeply rooted in Indian soil belong to this School of poetry. His mythical inclination has stirred my poetic passions to abide by his track of versification without discussion.

My heart has been captivated by the cultural and spiritual beauties of India along with the natural landscapes. All the treasures of India give me enough inspiration to sing for motherland and I feel there is much more to explore and here lies the Indianess in my verse and it is not completed.

Q15. GK: What should be the role of a poet in a world of moral degradation? Do you think yourself as a social reformer?

AKC: The existing generation is the worst stage of human race where immorality, criminality, and mental bankruptcy have become the prime purpose of the masses. Morality, chastity, principality and civility have to give the acid test again and again in the popular psyche of the society. It is the need of the hour to upgrade and purify for the spiritual whirlwind rather than materialistic heraldry all around the corner of the society. The spiritual sensation stirs the masses for the overall progress to its utmost degrees.

The poetic community is less a social reformer and more a celestial interpreter.

Q16. GK: You belong the Pondicherry School of poetry but not so optimistic regarding Ezekielean School of Poetry. Can you please tell me why you have such kind of biasness? Is there any necessity for these schools of poetry? Do they make a poet or a poet is a poet by birth? Give your arguments Sir.

AKC: The saint poet Aurobindo has remained the founding father of ‘The Pondicherry School of Poetry’ who has injected the Indian mythical heraldry in Indian English poetry. ‘The Pondicherry School of Poetry ‘represents cultural, mythical, ethical, social and philosophical concepts of India that is the fragrance of Indianness in English literature. The cultural heraldry of Indian masses has been restored first of all in English literature in India that is deeply rooted in Indian soil.

Ezekielean School of Poetry brings to light only the burning issues such as- terrorism, religious dogma, exploitation, humiliation, humanism, sexual harassment, corruption, pollution and many more of Indian society but lacks the cultural, mythical and philosophical fragrance of Indianness upon which Indians have remained proud of themselves from times immemorial.

Majority of the followers of the Ezekielean School of Poetry belongs to urban society and lacks cultural essence of India in their writings.

Nissim Ezekiel, the founding father of the Ezekielean School of Poetry, belongs to Mumbai and lacks cultural, mythical and philosophical fragrance of Indian society in his verses. None can inhale the philosophical or spiritual essences of Indian religious books from his verses. The Ramayan, The Geeta, Ved, Puran, Upanishad and various other religious books have remained the guide for the Indian masses from the last five thousand years. Though Ezekiel’ s verses lack Indian essence, yet he is an Indian English poet technically, not spiritually because Indianness is the essence of Indian writing in English. However he has remained the guide for majority of the poets who belong to post independence period of the country. In the creative world no one can make certain criteria of versifications.

We have to revive our golden glorious past and one has to show more the mythical and cultural heraldry more so the spiritual beauty of India can be seen and I mentioned earlier how Pondicherry School of Poetry tries to portray India in its true sense. A poet is a poet and a man but just he or she has to understand him or herself to enkindle what is inside him or her.

Q17. GK: Now a lot of upcoming poets are following the so-called Arbindonean Racy Style of Versification. Elaborate the style once again to the world. I also want to know the style and pattern of Arbindonean Sonnets. Can you explain it in detail?

AKC: The abundance of the phrasal passages, mythical blending, uses of various figures of speech, rhymed verses, intensity of sensuousness and, above all, a new style of versification popularly called Arbindonean racy style of versification are frequently found through out my verses. The racy style of versification consist the ascending word – order in the quatrain/ stanza. I have explored Indianised version of sonnets that is quite different so far its style, capital idea and rhyme – scheme is concerned.

Shakespearean sonnets, Spenserian sonnets and Miltonic sonnets exhume western fragrance and consists specific style of versification. Indianised version of sonnets exhumes cultural, mythical and philosophical fragrance far and wide with might and main. Its rhyme scheme too varies with the other trio model of sonnets.

Q18. GK: It is a known fact to your readers that The Ganga has taken your belongings in a large scale. But from where have you got the courage to love the river from the bottom of your heart?

 AKC: ‘The Ganga’ is not only a river but also cultural river of Indian cultural heraldry from the last five thousand years. ‘The Ganga’ that has submerged my lands, houses and other belongings into its belly has been still worshipped under the title of ‘Mother Ganga’ by the masses.

‘The Ganga’ is not only the natural object but also the cultural ambassador of India. It too is the last destination of all those who have been born and brought up on the bank of this river.

Q19. GK: You are called Poets’ Poet by your critics. Do you enjoy this kind of nick name given to you? In this regard kindly tell me what are the advices you want to give to the upcoming poets? Now-a-days so many people are composing poets and it’s hard to define the actual poetic flavor. Do they need guidance from a guide like you?

AKC: The phrasal, mythical, combined and historical words that have been frequently found across my verses force the readers for the consultation with the books. Even Bernard M Jackson who is one of the leading British reviewers has accepted it in his review of “The Poet”. The phrasal passages, uses of various figures of screech, classical thought, romantic approach, mythical blending, proverbial quatrains, racy style of versification and Indianised version of sonnets are the other innovative features that woo the verse –suitors to award with such a great poetic crown and whatever the critics give me it is their love and affection and besides it give the readers a glimpse of my poetic flavour.

Different poets have different viewpoints but they should know what they are actually trying to say. They should love the poetry, respect the Muse and treat poetry from the bottom of your heart not from professional point of view. It’s hard to define the actual poetic flavour but they should main the organic unity of the poem. They should be optimistic and thoughtful along with patience and perseverance. You should go through the works of great poets and beforehand they should fix their aim and objectives.

Q20. GK: Critics assert that you are a mythical monarch in the domain of Indian Poetry written in English. How have you blended east and west from mythological point of view? Spirituality and mysticism are also blended in your works. How do you justify the statement?

AKC: There are a group of poets and critics who have explored mythical heraldry across my verses and calls popularly ‘mythical monarch’ in the popular psyche of the creative milieu in Indian writing in English.

Indian, Greek and Roman mythical messiahs have been blended throughout my verses. Indian mythical heroes and heroines such as Ram, Sita, Radha, Sabri, Panchali, Rukmini, Meera, Shakuntala and several others flourish with their Greek and Roman mythical heroes and heroines from one verse to another.The mythical meridian persuades a group of my verse-suitors to honor with the crown of the ‘mythical monarch’ in Indian writing in English. I only want to make the gap between east and west a bit less so that the readers can smell the fragrance of both the culture and it will certainly give a better life to them while the earth is strife-stricken.

Indeed mysticism and spirituality both are blended in my verse as those bear the essence of my verse. Besides that the Vaishnavite cult of Assam can be found in my verse and all these give a touch of Indianness to my verse.

Q21. GK: What is the future of Indian English poetry in India? Now people are more interested to go with fictions, dramas and short stories. As a professor and poet what the measures you want to take for the betterment of poetry?

AKC: Change is the eternal law of this universe. Now -a -days readers prefer novels or dramas or stories to portray for entertainment purpose only. They can pass their precious moments with these books. The poetic passage requires the sensitive soul and the poetic message passes over the head of the ordinary readers. One kilo gold can never be valued with many tones metals of other objects.

However it is the moral responsibility of the versifiers to arouse their sensations for the betterment in the womb of time. Poets’ Meet, Poets’ Conference and poetic explication of the great works ore some of measures to arouse feelings in their lives.

Q22. GK: What are the forthcoming works of you? Can your reader expect some translation works from you? And what will be your message to all the poetry lovers all around the globe?

AKC: Several manuscripts of the verses are ready to see the light in the days to come. I have been writing only in English and no translated work has been done so far.

I expect from all the poetry lovers to embrace it passionately, not professionally. Once it is embraced passionately, the fruitful output will come out sooner or later. Patience, meditation, creative vision, self – confidence and innovative approach must flourish in the poetic blood of the versifiers.

GK: Thank you sir for giving me your precious time as I was filled with so many questions and you have answered them.

AKC: Thanks Goutam for your insightful and interesting queries. God bless you.