Overview

The Divine Solitude is the English transcreation of ""Aparthiba Nirjanata"" by Dr. Harishchandra Behera, a celebrated voice in Odia poetry whose work moves effortlessly between myth and lived reality, devotion and dissent, intimacy and vastness. Translating these poems has been less an act of linguistic transfer and more a journey of listening-listening to silences, pauses, symbols, and the emotional undertow that carries the poem beyond words. The poems gathered here inhabit a space where the earthly and the divine overlap: rivers remember motherhood, boats become lives, feet turn into lotuses, and solitude itself acquires a sacred resonance. Mythological figures-Rama, Ahalya, Vishwamitra, the ferryman, the flute of the Kadamba grove-are not distant icons but breathing presences, entering daily life, desire, doubt, and ethical questioning. This poetry does not merely retell myth; it interrogates it, softens it, humanizes it.

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9781645608219

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Dr. Harischandra Behera was born on 7th August 1952 in Irda, Basta, Balasore, Odisha, to the late Hemanta Kumar Behera and late Haramani Behera. He holds an M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. from Utkal University. After excelling in the Odisha Public Service Commission examination, he served as a teacher in various government colleges across Odisha and retired in 2010 from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College.With a teaching career spanning over four decades, Dr. Behera has simultaneously devoted himself to literature and poetry. His published works include ten collections of poetry, notably Andharare Kathuria (1985), Tamam Jiban (2000), and Aparthiba Nirjanata (2022), along with several critical and research-based works on Odia literature. He has also translated significant works of world literature, including selected stories of Rabindranath Tagore and Desh Paain Balidan for the National Book Trust.Dr. Behera's literary contributions have received wide recognition. He has been honored with numerous awards, including those from the Utkal Sahitya Samaj, Akhila Chakra Sahitya Sammana, Chalapath Kavita Sammana, and the prestigious Dainika Samaja Puraskar from Cuttack, among other notable literary institutions across Odisha.His poetry is celebrated for its depth, sensitivity, and philosophical resonance, engaging profoundly with human emotions as well as broader cultural and existential landscapes, establishing him as one of the foremost voices in contemporary Odia literature. Dr. Sonali Sahu is a distinguished poet, translator, and literary critic, celebrated for her insightful analyses and deep engagement with literature. Her solo books, The Incredible Odisha and From Cradle to Silence, are highly applauded, while her notable work, Mellifluous Voices of Dr. Phani Mohanty's Poetry, earned her the Mahatma Gandhi National Award (2025).Dr. Sahu writes articles for national newspapers and reviews the works of legendary literary figures of India. She is also a university gold medalist. Her comparative review on Alaka Sanyal, bridging Bengali and Odia literary traditions, was recognized in the USA Book of World Records, while her translation of Ahalya appeared in the National Book of Records. Her acclaimed translations, including Only In Love, Whisper of Anklets, and The Silent Verses, showcase her ability to preserve the essence of the originals while bridging linguistic and cultural divides.Honored at both state and national levels, Dr. Sahu's dedication, scholarship, and love for literature continue to inspire, making her a luminous presence in contemporary Indian letters.

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