A Medley of Everyday Moments: Daipayan Nair's 'The ten hands of a fuchka seller'

Daipayan Nair’s haiku poems embody this spirit, offering glimpses, where resilience, love, and everyday moments converge. A haijin from Silchar, Assam, Nair is a poet specializing in Japanese short forms, particularly haiku and tanka. His works have gained international recognition, published in esteemed blogs like The Haiku Dialogue of The Haiku Foundation and renowned journals such as Frogpond, Prune Juice, Failed Haiku, Cold Moon, Scarlet Dragonfly, Triya Mag, and others. Associated with Triveni Haikai India, led by Kala Ramesh, Daipayan contributes to haikuKATHA monthly. His haiku have earned nominations and long-listing for the prestigious Touchstone Award. Currently, Daipayan edits the haikuNetra journal, furthering his passion for haiku poetry.

- DR. SHALINI YADAV

As a Haiku aficionado, I eagerly devoured Daipayan’s second collection, ‘the ten hands of a fuchka seller’, recently published by Penprints, and an appealing assemblage of haiku and senryu, surrendering to the gentle whizz of words, transporting me to the Kolkata city’s rhythmic pulse. With each poem, Kolkata’s soul unfolds, its spirited folks, magnificent landscapes including hidden alleys, bustling streets, and serene waterways, and heterogeneous culture.

Nair’s masterful brushstrokes of imagery and emotion craft a medley of everyday moments transforming the mundane into the sublime and timeless tiny treasures that linger long after the words fade. His poetic canvas paints vivid portraits of Kolkata’s everyday magic such as street vendors’ calls, beggars and laborers’ struggles, river Ganges’ breeze and lullabies, and whispered tales in courtyards. His words arouse emotions, invoke memories, and indicate one to surrender to the city’s enchantment.

In his collection, Kolkata’s lifeblood flows like a river and unfolds like a lotus bloom- delicate, irrepressible, and breathtakingly scenic. The language is handled like a painter’s brush, fashioning intense images that breathe life into Kolkata’s streets. For example- ‘graffiti art- / an old beggar pees / on revolution’ contrasts revolt and despair, as uses a metaphor for disregard, undermining the power of revolution.

The poem which hold the collection’s captivating title in it, ‘Kolkata street corner- / the ten hands / of a fuchka seller,’ the poet celebrates street food culture, strength and flexibility. The metaphor of ‘ten hands’ represents skill and adaptability, while ‘fuchka’ - a local word - grounds the poem in authenticity. The image of the seller’s quickwittedness is demonstrable, inviting the reader to experience the bustling streets.

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