Noted Indo-Anglican poet Rajendra Samal, widely acclaimed for his eight slim volumes of poetry, holds enormous possibilities of bagging international recognition some day that may boost the morale of Odias and Odisha. The apparent contradictions in his traits as a poet and as an insurance expert exactly resemble two zygotes opposing each other at the point of their intersection, resulting in exhilarating and intoxicating ideas. There are more powers lying latent and potent in an idea than in many bombs; and Samal is one such rare man of ideas. Gifted with a penchant for humour, his keen observations stimulate one’s intellect. He upholds Bob Dylan’s songs as dense poetry while dismissing Justice Katju’s comment on Odias as the senile aspects of his ridiculous old age. A living legend in his life time as a globe-trotting philosopher poet, Samal was recently felicitated in Africa in September. As a conscience keeper and as a Cassandra of our society, he has kept his eyes and ears open for larger interest of the Indian society, be it at a place like Kujang near Paradip or at the suburban Mumbai. Samal whose Haiku poetry mesmerised Sushumu Takiguchhi, former Oxford Professor, and whom noted journalist and writer Khushwant Singh admired in superlatives spoke to Sugyan Choudhury expressing his views on contemporary literature, life and law in an interview to The Pioneer for a second time.
How do you react to Bob Dylan, a song writer-musician getting Nobel Prize for literatureIJ
Many literary giants may think that as a song writer Bob Dylan does not deserve the Nobel Prize for literature. But the truth is that the Nobel Prize deserves him. The Nobel Committee has enhanced its authenticity and dignity by awarding him. In past, there are people who have got the Nobel Prize for literature whose works no one knows. Here is a man whose songs are densely poetic and have touched millions of hearts throughout the world. Go through his one song written in 1965 during the Vietnam War: Blowing in the Wind; and you will have your heart and soul overwhelmed with its meaning and freshness of its images. It is no less poetic than all the poetry written on earth. In true literature, it is not the form but the quality of the content that matters; whether you are carrying mud in a gold cart or gold in a mud cart. But in case of Dylan, his songs and music are carrying gold in the gold cart.
Why the present generation of men and women is not fond of readingIJ
There is a huge difference between growing up and growing old. As the earth keeps moving and time passes, men naturally under all circumstances in every moment are going to grow old. But growing up is possible only by two things. One is by reading. It will expand your mental horizon by sharing the experiences of others vicariously through their writings. Two is by physical work. The physical work will generate deep breathing which in turn will supply more oxygen to clean our blood and sharpen our brain. The modern man neither is nether having the habit of reading nor interested in doing physical work. The only thing he is seen with is seeing is his mobile phone and laptop which have reduced him as a mechanised being sans the beauty of emotion.
How do you react to recent comments of Justice Katju on the people of OdishaIJ
Justice Katju should note that had it not been for the Kalinga War, Ashok the tyrant could not have become Dharmashoka the Great; and Buddhism would not have crossed the boundary of India. I don’t know on what merit he had occupied such an elevated position. This may be due to the senile aspects of his ridiculous old age.
Why’s modern man so unhappy despite best of comforts provided by science and technologyIJ
The Existence has created twenty-four hours between one sunrise and another, keeping in mind that man should work for eight hours, sleep for eight hours, and the rest eight hours he should spend reading, playing, listening to music, sitting under a tree, looking at the sunrise and sunset and in the company of good people. But unfortunately, the modern man is not only working for eight hours but often utilising playtime of eight hours with the development of advanced technology. The educated man should work only for four hours and spend more number of hours in leisure. Incidentally, today’s humanity is connected to the nature only by two per cent. The less the educated men work in the office, especially the politicians, the more the world will remain in peace and bliss.
How is it possible to reduce working hours in offices, especially in Government officesIJ
Barring a very special few, there is no such office work of the day which cannot be completed in four hours. First step is that all communication should be telegraphic. life is so short and precious. It should not be wasted writing long and lengthy official letters with irrelevant frills. Japanese businessmen, I have heard, may discuss for days, but they will have their MoU limited to one page only. Once understanding is arrived at, many words become less relevant. Most of the written statements and counters in the courts of law should be confined to one page only. And why should a judge explain his judgment in hundreds of pagesIJ
If office timings are reduced to four hours, there will be considerable savings on electricity and office telephone bills.
What reforms do you feel need be brought about in our present judicial systemIJ
We should close down all law colleges in the country. General public opinion is that lawyers create more problems than solving them. What is lacking in our country is the marketing of law. For that, all law books should be rewritten in common man’s language like Hammurabi codes, and law should be one of the compulsory subjects in all schools and all colleges in all branches of education right from Standard Seven. By the time a student is a graduate in any discipline, he will be equipped with the fundamentals of the laws of the land. Once is aware of the crime and the consequent punishment for the crime; apart from being a graduate in law simultaneously, he will grow up more as a disciplined and conscious citizen knowing his rights and duties in every step of the life’s journey.