Review:_______ " Romance with Democracy " (Poetry) by Ratnakar D.Madlik, Pune. Price Rs.95.

_____________________________________________________________________________ ( Reviewed by DR Karanam R. Rao )

Ratnakar Mandlik's newest collection of poems, with its strange title, and stranger theme ,attempts to chart out the story of Indian democracy that is riddled with contrarious blend of corruption, venality, nepotism and favoritism, and afflicted with all social and economic ills that an underdeveloped country is prone to imbibe .It is this aspect of democracy running amuck that seems to have touched the sensitive chords in the poetry of Ratnakar Mandlik .As the poet writes: "My poesy ( sic an archaic use of poetry) was engaged in a honeymoon with the idea of Romance with Democracy, I am confident that the analytical approach for the Romance with Democracy indulged in by its protagonists will throw light on the farce, being enacted in the name of democracy on one hand and the human limitations inherent with weaknesses such as greed ,envy ,lust etc that are responsible for the same ,on the other hand.p.8). This trajectory sets the tone of the poets extensive peregrinations into the cloaca of Indian democracy that has lent itself to the pressures of minimal governance where the polity leads to paralysis, and administration to filibustering no-governance .Ratnakar Mandalik is well- read in contemporary Indian politics in which rules of governance are given a go-by and anarchy is loosed upon the polity. It is this strain of, what Nirad Choudhari has called it Continent of Circe, that informs and ordinates the whole gamut of Ratnakar Madliks poetry .Here are a few lines from his first poem: The freedom fighters cherished romance With the concept of liberty and independence Compelled the Brits to liberate India

We attained freedom in our own myopia. p.17. I am happy with the poets passionate indulgence in Romancing Democracy, and bemoaning the loss of values in contemporary Indian politics where the spirit of our founding fathers who dreamed of democracy to uphold all fundamental rights as enshrined in the constitution were belied and eventually ensued in the pervasive chaotization. The poet should have adhered to his prose- poems rather than attempting to poeticize so blatantly a sterile theme of politics that presents umpteen hazards in formalizing poetry where rhyme and rhythm, image and metaphor are the basic ingredients .If Ratnakar Mandllik is following the American tradition of poetry where the distinction between poetry and prose are blurred, I dont see any reason why he shouldnt . A little bit of scrupulosity and ingenuity in the choice of words, which are the summum bonum of poetry, would have saved his prose- poems from slipping into banality. Nonetheless I find a tremendous potential in his poetry where the inclusive temper allows him to indulge in, and chart out, a vast array of subjects like corruption and venality that have usurped the very essence of democracy, and purloined its moral syndrome The poet is at his best as long as he tried to translate his dreams of democracy into actuality. It is only in the second part of his poetry that the poet exhibits any timbre. Change is the life though, he love status quo Unwilling perhaps yet he accepts to bow.p.41. Here, the poet is on the surer ground-unerringly unfaltering in rhyme and reason. In sum, Ratnakar Mandliks poems have a great promise. I wish he doled out more prose- poems which he seemed to have perfected and that he followed the best of American tradition where direct articulation of emotion without the conduits of image or symbol in poetry tend to replace the surplusage of intellection. *****