Shri Jayanta Mahapatra in Hyderabad -- 25-28th July, 2011

I am hoping I can be there on all four days and I am hoping I can meet and greet him too. In all probability I will be spending a lot of time taking in the proceedings through the viewfinder of my camera.

Or I will be listening to him through my eyes.

Anyway, because of what he is to me (inspirationally and by virtue of my Oriya "roots") and because of the high esteem I hold him in (both as an old school gentleman and a great, wise poet) I am more than a bit excited about the four readings at which Shri Jayanta Mahapatra's poetic oeuvre will be on display -- in his voice.

Details about the readings are as below --

Monday 25th July 1pm-4pm: University of Hyderabad, Department of English.

Readings by -- Jayanta Mahapatra, Rabindra K. Swain, Hoshang Merchant, Subhashini Kaligotla, Sridala Swami.

Tuesday, 26th July, 3pm-5pm: OUCIP, Osmania University

Readings by -- Jayanta Mahapatra, Rabindra K. Swain, Hoshang Merchant, Subhashini Kaligotla, Sridala Swami.

Wednesday, 27th July 6pm (please check the time & location, if you're a member of the Poetry Society of Hyderabad): Poetry Society of Hyderabad

Readings by -- Jayanta Mahapatra.

Thursday, 28th July, 6.30pm-8.30pm: Lamakaan, Off Road No. 1, Banjara Hills

Readings by -- Jayanta Mahapatra, Rabindra K. Swain, Hoshang Merchant, Subhashini Kaligotla, Sridala Swami.

"Oeuvre" isn't exactly the right word to use for his work as of yet, he's still writing and winning awards (the last one being the Allen Tate Poet Prize for 2009) but he is 80 plus and a honorary grandfather to many poets :-)

So if you love poetry and want to experience the surreal magic of a poetry reading by a poet widely acknowledged for the melody and musicality of his work, do mark these dates and don't miss these readings.

P.S. -- I am in no way associated with organizing these readings, I am just getting the word out here on my blog as a fellow poet. And someone who is pretty kicked about Sri Jayanta Mahapatra coming to Hyderabad.