Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 5: At a simple but impressive function, former Director General of Police (DGP) J&K, Dr Ashok Bhan released Er Lalit Mengi’s book “Musings of the Mind-During Corona Times” at the Royal Auditorium, Amar Singh Club, here today.
It is Er Mengi’s first book. The book has three chapters. The first chapter deals with the philosophy of life, giving an insight into enigmatic human life. Inspired by works of great philosophers and exalted souls like Dr S Radhakrishnan, Paramhansa Yogananda and above all Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali, Mengi ventures into unexplored territories, to have a glimpse of higher realms. His very first poem “Queue” reflects the range of his imagination, from standing in queue in front of a Post office to the ultimate divine queue, concluding with his characteristic style with befitting couplets of Urdu poetry.
The second chapter of the book deals with topics of human traits, where the author, in the backdrop of upended lives in the aftermath of the outbreak of the pandemic, has brought into focus, the human behaviour, the trepidations and tribulations, strengths and frailties of day to day lives. With deft usage of the poetic skills, the author deals with subjects across a wide spectrum right from mundane to metaphysical level. The third chapter focuses on the travails of COVID-19 and its deadly fall out.
The author has painstakingly covered the COVID-19, right from the outbreak, bringing out a fine display of biodiversity in the early period of the national lockdown, the transformation it brought in our lifestyles, the challenging as well traumatic times we had to undergo. The book gives an update of the contemporary period refreshing our memories, both in text as well as in pleasing skillful poetry.
Dr Ashok Bhan commended Mengi for his pleasing poetry and productive work, making the best use of the pandemic time. He said poetic pursuit of the author would inspire the people to re-inculcate the habit of reading books rather than preserving books in glass almirahs as showcases.
K B Jandial IAS (retired) who was the guest of honour, also spoke on the occasion. He lauded Mengi for turning towards the literary journey when everything appeared to be slipping out of human hands.
The programme was anchored by Dr Twinkle Suri (HoD, Department of English and Dean Students, Cluster University of Jammu) while Er JBS Johar (retired Chief Engineer) presented vote of thanks.
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