Hyderabad has always been a city of poets, dreamers, lovers, and visionaries. The city is rich with colour, fragrance, music, and is a unique blend of Urdu, Telugu, Dakhini, and Hindi. It is a matter of immense relevance that a book of poems is here to celebrate Hyderabad’s linguistic and cultural variety. Indian diaspora poet Usha Akella will Introduce and release the poetry Anthology, ‘Hum AiseichBolte,’ at the Hyderabad Literary Festival on Sunday (29th January) along with a host of contributing poets.
Edited by Usha Akella, Hum Aiseich Bolte! This is just how we speak; Celebrating Hyderabad in Poetry is an English anthology of thirty-five poets celebrating Hyderabad; traced from Sarojini Naidu to well-known Hyderabad-associated poets such as Hoshang Merchant, Shiv Kumar Sharma, Meena Alexander, Srinivas Rayaprol—and a contemporary crop of fine poets associated with the city. The book celebrates the city in its many hues; from modern malaise to past glory, Hyderabad comes alive in these pages as a complex and bustling metropolis.
The gorgeous cover of the book has been designed by eminent painter Padma Sri Laxma Goud. The book is alive with sketches by Viswa Prasad Raju, advertising professional and a travel-sketch artist based in Hyderabad. Raju is also the cofounder of Doo Creativessays, “The city is a great canvas that’s very inviting for an artist. It compels you to slow down and the brush starts breathing all over again. Just hau I like it! From a cup of Irani chai to pigeons and landmarks to lesser-known places, and more, you will find sketches that supplement the myriad poems to celebrate Hyderabad.” Each of the sketches capture the essence of the cityin its raw and alive form.
Usha Akella has authored six books of poetry, and one chapbook, and scripted/produced two musical dramas. Her newest book, I will not bear you sons (2021) is published by noted feminist press, Spinifex Press, Australia with a blurb by Anne Waldman. She earned an MSt in creative writing from the University of Cambridge, UK. She was selected as a Creative Ambassador for the City of Austin for 2019 & 2015. She is the founder of Matwaala (www.matwaala.com) and hosts www.the-pov.com, a curated interview and conversation forum. Matwaala is the first South Asian Diaspora Poets Festival in the US that she co-directs with Pramila Venkateswaran.
Usha Akella, a Hyderabadi at heart says, “I suppose once a Hyderabadi, always a Hyderabadi! I grew up here, and I immigrated in 1993, and have returned many times; I wanted to do something for the city in my heart. A city whose sighs, smells and sounds I carry; an evolving city seething dynamically she takes me by surprise every time I come back. I wanted to record this ferment, this great huge metropolis that is throbbing–a city so different now from the one I grew up in during my formative years.”
Usha believes that the book will contribute to the poetic landscape of the city, “My understanding is that no such anthology focused on Hyderabad exists so it is ground-breaking in a way. I am really thrilled by the voice of the young poets in the anthology capturing the modern Hyderabad they experience. Poets like, Tejaswini Kadavakollu, Sneha Verghese, Sridala Swami, Saima Afreen, and many, many more. The city has a long lineage of Urdu, Telugu and Hindi poetry. And we know its long and complex history from Nawabi manners to a high tech hub and Tollywood flavours it in a unique way.”
Poetry lovers of Hyderabad are invited to the launch of the book, at the Hyderabad Literary Festival on 29.1.2023 at Kaavya Dhaara. A host of contributing poets such as Akila G, Atreya Sarma Uppaluri, Mohan Ramanan, Priti Asola, Sneha Verghese, Tejaswini Kodavolu will read their poems. The session will be introduced and moderated by Usha Akella.
Hum Aiseiche Bolte
Kaavya-Dhaara, Hyderabad Literary Festival, 29.1.2023, 3.40 pm-4.45.pm, Vidyaranya High School, Saifabad
The book is about Just How We Speak; Celebrating Hyderabad in Poetry
Editor: Usha Akella
Publisher: thinkIndia Foundation, Dallas, USA, Transcendent Zero Press, USA