Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 23: Delhi’s iconic Oxford Bookstore witnessed the launch of ‘Silent Sun’, a poetry collection by Jammu based journalist and author, Ayushman Jamwal.
This is Ayushman’s second poetry collection after ‘Chameleon Lights’ in 2016. The author is a Senior News Editor at CNN-News18.
The book explores the human condition in the modern era through different eyes of humanity, the constant and elusive search for meaning in the absence of the struggle for survival. Drawing from his experiences in the newsroom – Ayushman’s vivid verses explore that human drive from the perspective of women (Am I Not God’s Child?), soldiers (May The Valley Hear Me Roar), refugees (We Remember, Our Nation Forgets), broken souls (The Cursed Rockstar) and even gods (Rama’s Lament).
The poems highlight that through turmoil and happiness, human beings want to achieve the realisation of their place in the world and the contours of their soul – donning the roles of creators, preservers and destroyers from time to time.
Ayushman Jamwal and journalist Radhika Dutta discussed the author’s journey to craft the collection. Other poets too took the stage to recite their favourite poems from ‘Silent Sun’, with many applauding The Cursed Rockstar, Ayushman’s tribute to Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington who tragically took his own life in 2017.
The interactive session was followed by musical renditions of the poems, with performances of ‘I Think Of You’ and ‘The Lost Artist’ to huge applause from the audience.
Ayushman is the grandson of celebrated Dogri poet and Sahitya Akademi award recipient – the late Group Captain Randhir Singh, also known as Kunwar Viyogi. He curates the ‘Innovation in Art’ initiative of the Kunwar Viyogi Memorial Trust founded in the memory of his grandfather, which gives a platform to budding artists and works towards preserving the Dogri language.
“Silent Sun celebrates the passion that elevates all of us to be a little more than nothing, and the array of emotions that fuel that passion,” said Ayushman. “The Oxford Bookstore has given me an appropriate platform to launch the book and connected me to so many kindred spirits and like-minded souls to share my work and celebrate the power of expression”, he added.
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