# Crossing the Vaitarani: Journeys

- Link: https://writersworkshopindia.com/2015/07/19/crossing-the-vaitarani-journeys/
- Published: 2015-07-19T19:15:33+00:00
- Author: admin

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**Description: **
 [](http://www.writersworkshopindia.com/modules/booklists/visit.php?cid=15&lid=567)

**Author:** Rachna Joshi
 **Pages:** 73 **Price:** HB Rs 150, FB Rs 100 **Year of
Publication:** 2008 **ISBN:** HB 978-81-8157-780-1 (9788181577801) FB 978-81-8157-
781-8 (9788181577818)

_**About the Author:**_
 Rachna Joshi is a poet, writer and editor. She has a Bachelor’s
degree in English from Delhi University and a Master’s degree in Creative Writing
from Syracuse University. She has worked as Business Manager for Dandelion Magazine
Society, Calgary, Canada and has also taught English as a Second Language there.
She now works as the Senior Assistant Editor at the India International Centre, 
New Delhi.

_**Teaser:**_

_Varanasi _

Shikharas
 sloping ghats the expanse of the Ganges.

Where the dead are burnt amid woodlots —
 Manikarnika ghat

Where the sorrowful tale
 of a legendary King was immortalized — Harishchandra ghat.

Tales of Siva
 entering the city on Mahasivaratri float around.

In the Vishwanath temple, I
 threw coins into the well below which flows mighty 
Bhagirathi.

Spark,
 I shall return To the light

_Chidananda rupah
 Sivoham, sivoham 

 Conciousness, Bliss, Auspiciousness.

_**Contents:**_

RELIGIOUS POEMS / 9-26
 Crossing the Vaitarani / 11 Varanasi / 12 Durga in Alberta/
13 Bhaja Govindam / 14 Sunita / 15 Prayer for Vrinda / 17 Cilantro / 18 Bush Pilots/
19 Release from Darkness / 21 Leaving India / 22 Elation / 23 Change / 24

INDIAN POEMS / 25-50
 Home Coming / 27 Working Women’s Hostel / 28 The Party / 30
Tomorrow / 32 Images / 33 Friezes / 34 Early Morning / 35 Visitor’s Diary / 36 Worli
Sea Face / 38 Bombay / 40 Rajasthan in the Rains / 41 The Anthropological Atlas /
42 Landour Sky / 43 Surfacing / 44 Diary Entry — Latur, 1995 / 45 Ooty / 46 The 
Okhla Wildife Park / 47 Shards / 48 Central Asia / 49 Jeev / 50

CANADIAN POEMS / 51-60
 Objective Poetry / 53 Seasons / 54 Vancouver / 55 Jade Earrings/
56 College Nights / 57 To a Friend Who Ran Away / 59 Doubts / 60

INDONESIAN POEMS / 61-73
 Kraktau / 63 Jakarta / 64 Sambolo / 66 The Woman Masseuses
of Sambolo / 67 Bungy Boards / 68 Swimming / 69 Magyar Face / 70 Dreaming of Russia/
71 Moscow Theatre: October 23, 2002 / 72 We Have Arrived / 73