Swapna Sundari
(First Draft.)
Oslo, Norway
Orange Street (7) was playing in town.
You were not there
I searched for you
in the streets of the city
and even in the community
(First Draft.)
Oslo, Norway
Orange Street (7) was playing in town.
You were not there
I searched for you
in the streets of the city
and even in the community
the conference centre
of the sect or cult
Once I almost found you
wearing high leather boots I
loved
But it was not you
The fields were beautiful
The fields were beautiful
the skies heavenly
and at midnight it was
bright as noon!
Saw an old house
the bed large and empty
grass on it
and at midnight it was
bright as noon!
Saw an old house
the bed large and empty
grass on it
saw cable-cars and trams
The sun shone through the windows in the middle of every night
making it all seem what it was, dream like...
but that piece of the heart that was
broken off, missing
given for you and for many
was still not being eaten, being drunk
Love of God
Love of country
Love of a virgin
Love of spirituality
Nothing quite makes up for
that little bit of blood dribbling
out of the corner of one's longing mouth
because one has a bit of the heart, lost
aching, looking for
what it could never find
as it was not meant to search for it, from the start
but only was to let itself be found.
The sun shone through the windows in the middle of every night
making it all seem what it was, dream like...
but that piece of the heart that was
broken off, missing
given for you and for many
was still not being eaten, being drunk
Love of God
Love of country
Love of a virgin
Love of spirituality
Nothing quite makes up for
that little bit of blood dribbling
out of the corner of one's longing mouth
because one has a bit of the heart, lost
aching, looking for
what it could never find
as it was not meant to search for it, from the start
but only was to let itself be found.
A View Down Akersgate, Oslo -- William H. Johnson
Anirban Chakraborty and guitarist Saibal Basu formed Orange Street in New Delhi in 1995, at a time when India was obsessed with everything “not Indian.” Over the next few years they toured India and Sri Lanka. In 2000 they released “Drive Carefully for Our Shake” and in 2002 “Candywalk.” In 2003 Anirban reorganized the band’s personnel and sound; guitarist Donny, drummer Ashwin Andrew, bassist Dara, Hindustani classical singer Imran Khan, and the dhol player Parveen Sethi combined heavy rap-rock with Indian classical & traditional dhol shot through an electronica bed. In 2004 and 2005 they toured Europe, including Scandinavia.
ReplyDeleteThough Christian burials from the site have been dated to prior to 1000, Oslo was founded in 1040 and established as a kaupstad (trading place) in 1048 by Haraldr Sigurðarson “Harðráði”(hard ruler). In 1026 his half brother Ólafr Haraldsson (St. Olaf II) had lost the Norwegian throne to Knútr Sveinsson “inn ríki” (the Great) of Danmark, who installed his son Svend as regent; in 1030 Ólafr was slain trying to recover his kingdom, and Haraldr was exiled. He became a mercenary commander under Jaroslavŭ Volodimirovičŭ Mǫdry (Yaroslav I the Wise), who had united Veliky Novgorod and Kiev to become grand prince of Rus’. Around 1034 he took his army to Constantinopolis and became the commander of the Varangian Guard (Tágma tōn Varángōn), the elite Byzantine unit that served as the emperors’ bodyguards. After extensive military action in the Mediterranean, Asia Minor, Sicily, and Bulgaria, he returned to Rus’ in 1042 to make his preparations for regaining Norway from Ólafr illegitimate son Magnús Óláfsson “góði” (the Good), who had been crowned king of Norway in 1035 at 11 when the nobles overthrew Svend. In 1040 Magnús and Knútr’s son Hardeknud “Tough-knot" agreed that the first of them to die would be succeeded by the other, so in 1042 when Hardeknud died in England (where he was also king), Magnús became king of Danmark as well. In 1046 Haraldr joined forces with Knútr’s nephew Svend Estridsen, who claimed the Dansk throne for himself, but Magnús agreed to share the Norwegian kingship with Haraldr. Magnús died the following year, leaving Haraldr as king in Norway and Svend as king of Danmark. Haraldr raided the Dansk coast almost every year until 1064 when he relinquished his claims to Danmark in exchange for Svend's recognition of himself as Haraldr III of Norway. (Svend ruled Danmark until his death in 1076, was married three times, and fathered at least 20 illegitimate children, including five future kings.) Not long after renouncing his claim to Danmark, Tostig Godwinson pledged his allegiance to Haraldr and invited him to take the English throne from his brother Harold II. (Their mother was Knútr’s sister-in-law, whose brother had married Knútr’s sister, the mother of Svend. Knútr had made their father Godwin earl of Wessex by 1018. When Knútr died in 1035 he was succeeded as regent in England by his son Harold "Harefoh" [Harefoot] while his brothers Hardeknud and Svend were absent in Scandinavia, and his half-brothers Ēadƿeard Andettere [Edward the Confessor] and Ælfred Æþeling [Alfred the Noble] were in exile in Normandie until 1036, though Godwin ruled south of the Thames on behalf of Hardeknud until 1037, when Harold was crowned king. On his behalf Godwin captured, blinded, and killed Ælfred. But Harold died at 24 in 1040, and Hardeknud seized the throne three months later and exhumed and beheaded Harold. Hardeknud died in 1042, at 24, and was followed by Ēadƿeard, who married Godwin’s daughter in 1045. Godwin died in 1053, followed in Wessex by Harold, whose brother Tostig became earl of Northumbria in 1055, but he was removed from power by noble rebels in 1065, perhaps at Harold’s instigation. Harold Godwinson was crowned king in January 1066, the day after Ēadƿeard died childless.] In September 1066 Haraldr invaded northern England and defeated local forces near York but was slain by Harold at Stamford Bridge. Meanwhile, William of Normandie, another claimant to the English throne, invaded, defeated Harold at Hastings, and conquered England.
ReplyDeletePARTHA MUKHERJEE:
ReplyDeleteDr Ampat Koshy is a versatile writer who is also a marvelous orator. I have read few of his writings but that has made me to decide to adore him as a world class writer