রাধিকা মুখার্জি আসলে কোলকাতার মেয়ে। এখন বাস পুণে শহরে। লেখালিখি করার ইচ্ছে সেই ছোট বয়স থেকে, আর শব্দ, ছন্দ আর অর্থ তখন থেকেই খেলা করে মনের মধ্যে। মা, অধ্যাপিকা সুনন্দা সেন, নিজেই ব্যতিক্রমী মানুষ। তাঁর কাছেই রাধিকার বিশ্বসাহিত্যের পাঠ নেওয়া শুরু।সেই সময় থেকেই কত লেখকের লেখা যে তাকে পথ দেখিয়েছে, সে সেইসব নাম বলতে গিয়ে […]
In conversation with Radhika Mukherjee, the author of ‘Our Particular Shadows’ & ‘Broken Shadows’
It’s been quite a ride, hasn’t it? Started as a way to feel creative, like me again, Light Under Shadow was originally called ‘From Deep Under The Shadows’; exactly what I felt like, that I was hidden somewhere in shadow.
From tentative beginnings to finding validation for being all that I can be, to this amazing milestone, of a 100 blog posts! It’s been a blessing to be a part of the WordPress blogging community for all these years!
I want to thank you for daily doses of inspiration and soulfulness and for the amazing support you have shown this whimsical little blog of mine.
Let’s take a walk down memory lane with a recap of a few noteworthy posts:
Waterfall of Overflowing Flowers
The Circular Thoughts of My Writing Mind
A Beautiful Send-off From the Bengal Sky
A Photographic Memory (A Flash Fiction Piece)
Since… [A Short, Fictional Poem]
I hope to see you here for the next hundred posts! 🙂
(To One Lost to a Far Off Time)
Noble eyes, cherry lips, where are you gone;
Have you gone over the mountains to slay a dragon?
Are you setting off on your charger to save a maid from a giant?
Where are you then if not searching for the holy grail?
—Sitting in the castle tower with your master,
Learning the old ways of knighthood and errantry?
Or are you sitting, like Don Quixote, in a chair
And dreaming of grand chivalry and nobility out of books?
Because, alas for you—
The age of valor has gone forever.
A duel with a cricket bat is far more applauded now.
What do good deeds, pure hearts and quests matter anymore?
Does anyone even care?
When fairies are gone, and wizards are rare—
A knight for a quest, could anyone spare?
Since you called –
Since you did.
Since you and I fought so hard –
Against and together.
Since our blood and our tears mingled –
To join us in spirit.
Since you learnt to fly and dream –
In quiet.
Since all our long imaginings, our longings –
Dared too much…
Since you called –
I’m here.
If you want to know a little bit more about my book, “Our Particular Shadows”, then read on:
“Our Particular Shadows” represents some of my earliest, discrete works. These are very short stories, between 400 to 1200 words, of an abstract and experimental nature. They were written to experience the human condition more fully, to processes pain and desperation and happiness through the self, distil them and write about them in the truest manner possible. I envisaged that anyone, from anywhere should be able to read these stories without any filter of gender, class, or nationality and get directly connected to the emotional chaos that lies at the core of these stories.
Our selves, our deepest consciousness are not always coherent, do not always speak in complete sentences, so in my quest to portray the internal dialogue of my narrators, to bring you their unfiltered story, I have had to evolve my very own style of writing stories. Each of these stories is a raw cry of pain. My hope is that I have been able to bring you a tactile sense of the world of these wounded souls and that reading the stories will be a cathartic experience for you.
Light Under Shadow is back with a bang!
It gives me immense pleasure to share the Book Cover of my upcoming book of Short Stories, “Our Particular Shadows” with you!
Tarrahhh!! Here it is:
Please let me know what you think.
Our Particular Shadows releases on 19th January 2013 through Amazon.
Read more about it on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17238062-our-particular-shadows
1. The Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett
The most spectacular series ever from the grand seigneur of fantasy fiction. A world crafted and maintained with care over more than 30 books. With each one fresh, vibrant, and insightful — some subtle nugget of genius hidden in plain sight. Each book is a delight.
2. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
This iconic series makes the light / dark conflict tangible with layers of complexity and historical references intertwined with the everyday world of Will Stanton who we first see as an 11-year-old boy — awakening to his powers. Simply and beautifully written.
3. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (Being continued by Brandon Sanderson)
Words fall short in describing this 13 part monolith of literary achievement. One of my aims is to finish reading all the books in this epic saga!
4. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
This is the series from which the movie ‘The Golden Compass’ was made. It’s a rollicking adventure with an interesting take on theology and the soul. There is also a very tender adolescent love story there, against an apocalyptic background.
5. The Once and Future King by T. H. White
This is sheer delight. The Arthurian legend infused with whimsical magic and a particularly English charm. This is the version I always keep in my mind. This Merlin and all that surrounds him, is absolutely delightful.
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Light Under Shadow 