Aahata Pratishruti (Bruised Promises), 2001: This maiden collection of poetry appeared when the poet was twenty-four. The collection does not endorse the predictable thematic obsessions of a young poet pushing her first anthology: love, relationships, romanticism… , and instead is an exercise in the sublime. The poet treads somber ground: revolt against the pervading poverty and helplessness, in particular the poverty and destitution in Odisha, her state. So the collection in a sense celebrates the poet’s allegiance to her land and language, the foremost responsibility of a creative artist. The collection, with some highly disturbing pieces almost behaved prophetic for Gayatri’s poetic career – that she has volcanic creativity, and is there to stay in the literary circuit of Odisha. She faces the ugliest reality around her, and does not build herself an illusion to seek solace. Another feather in the crown was, the collection had been brought out by a mainstream publishing house.
ଗୋଟିଏ ବାକ୍ୟରେ କହିବାକୁ ଗଲେ ଗାୟତ୍ରୀ ବାଳା ପଣ୍ଡାଙ୍କ ପ୍ରଥମ ସଂକଳନ “ଆହତ ପ୍ରତିଶ୍ରୁତି” ପଠନର ଅନୁଭବ ଦୀର୍ଘ ରୌଦ୍ରଦଗ୍ଧ ଗ୍ରୀଷ୍ମର ଅତ୍ୟାଚାର ପରେ ପ୍ରଥମ ବର୍ଷାର ମଧୁର ଅନୁଭବ ପରି ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ମଧୁର। “ଆହତ ପ୍ରତିଶ୍ରୁତି” କବିତା ସଂକଳନର ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକ ପୃଷ୍ଠାରେ, କବିଙ୍କ ନିଜକଥା ଅନ୍ତସ୍ଵରଠୁ ନେଇ ଶେଷତମ କବିତା “ଅନ୍ଧାନୁଭବ”ର ଶେଷ ଧାଡି ପର୍ଯନ୍ତ ସବୁଠାରେ ତାଙ୍କର ପରିପକ୍ଵ ଚିନ୍ତାଧାରା ଓ ସ୍ବଚ୍ଛ ସହଜ ପ୍ରାକାଶଭଙ୍ଗୀର ଚିହ୍ନ ସୁସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ। ଏ ସଂକଳନ ରେ ପ୍ରଚୁର ଭଲ କବିତା। “ଆହତ ପ୍ରତିଶ୍ରୁତି” ବାସ୍ତବରେ ନୂଆ ଓଡିଆ କବିତାପାଇଁ ଅୟୁତ ପ୍ରତିଶ୍ରୁତି।
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