Phani Mohanty

Darling Phani Mohanty

"DARLING" is the English translation of eminent Odia poet Phani Mohanty's much acclaimed long poem "Priyatama". It's translator K. K. Mohanty says, "While translating Priyatama I fell in love with an imaginary woman. It is a strange experience. Love has been defined by many romantic souls but the one definition I rejoice is from Shakespeare. ''Love is merely a madness and...deserves as well a dark house and a whip as madmen do.'' I am sure the poet has been inflicted by liberal doses of madness and his mention of dark house may suggest that he did suffer for his poetic pursuit. I did plunge in a splendid isolation even while enjoying every word he wrote about his Priyatama."