Agony & Harmony

AGONY & HARMONY

This is the first poetry (English original) compilation by the author. They were written over a period ranging from 1969 to 2002 about half from 1989 onwards.

Contains some historic poems on ISRO's projects, Vikram Sarabhai, INSAT, Satish Dhawan and others.

Covers a whole range from economics, science, Bhuj Earth Quake, politics, Geopolitics, Society, Arts (Sonal Mansingh), philosophy natural disasters (Mother Earth) written at the time of Bhuj Earth Quake.

This book also has a foreword by Dr Kalam, just before he tool over as the President of India : "Rajan is a friend of mine for more than a quarter century. Thinking is his fort that no storm can damage it. He is a knowledge worker in all aspects. He can make a lovely garden for his friends. He is a natural orator. His home is beautiful raga and also he is sensitive to all events that have happened, is happening and will happen"

In the publisher's note on the book one finds : A writer or a poet is a social being. He or she does not live in a vacuum. They are part of the objective reality. The poet, Y.S. Rajan is the part of this objective reality. He is a partisan, a partisan in defence of freedom, peace and progress. He is a champion of the toiling and struggling people and a patriot. His patriotism stands for brotherhood of nations. His entire poetry is imbued with humanism and human values. He is a product of national movement and national aspirations. His poetry is spanned over last three decades of the twentieth century which witnessed many changes all over the world and India.

The Indian National movement had inspired many generations and impelled them to make-supreme sacrifices not only for independence but also for humanistic values. It has fought for the human dignity and social advance with equal opportunities for all. It fought for a society where everyone will live for all and all for one.

'Agony and Harmony' is a poignant expression of his shattered aspirations. Yet he does not lose heart. He has great faith in the man's ultimate victory.

In author's preface he says : "At some point of time subtle aspects of real life can be described only in poetry. Then, in the agony of day-to-day life one finds a new harmony. It is that process that has given rise to these set of poems."

Poems in this book have been translated into Tamil poems by Prof. Sirpi Balasubramaniam - to be brought out shortly.