Rupinder Kaur is a Birmingham born Panjabi poet and biomedical science student with an immense love for South Asian arts. She sees writing and reading poetry as a way to liberate the soul.
For Rupinder, writing, along with any other art form, should be azaad – free, free to express what the artist wants or needs to say, without any censorship. Rupinder is known for speaking her mind and this is reflected in her poems.
In Rooh, her debut poetry collection, she takes us on a poetic journey that transcends borders and arbitrary boundaries.
‘One of my favourite poetry collections from tha past few years is Rooh by fellow punjabi poet Rupinder Kaur … Rupinder’s voice, with its might and courage, is one I really admire.’ Faisal Mohyuddin on Instagram.
Rupinder’s work straddles English and Punjabi culture – fusing words from Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu and English. They look at love, religion, identity, politics, history, taboos, society – often questioning orthodox views, particularly around the roles that different genders are expected to adopt. Rooh has a grand scope, and stares unblinkingly at the world. It is a stunning first collection from this young, intelligent poet.
To reflect these concerns the poems in Rooh have been detatched from their own moorings, to become and single river of verse. A river that by turns widens and narrows, meanders and charges rapidly onwards, that is contained when it isn’t breaking its bounds. The poems move with the freedom that Rupinder wishes she could see in the world around her, and with this in mind this book can be read in one long sitting or can be dipped into and out of like a cold river on a hot day, as your own rooh or soul dictates.
This item is also available as an EPUB download. To order this, please go HERE
SAMPLE POEM FROM RUPINDER
o mereya jugni, jugni
o mereya jugni, jugni
jugni travels from Delhi to Amritsar
across to England
jungi; the essence of life, the spirit of life
comes inside my rooh
jugni comes and dances in my dreams
jugni makes me fly
jugni takes me across borders
taking me to Lahore
jugni removes the radcliffe line
and I see my five rivers flowing together
jugni sees me read and write poetry
jugni tells me to light the candle
jugni watches me apply kohl
jugni watches me paint my lips
jugni looks at me and smiles
jugni tells me to fall in love with myself
jugni is no kafir or fakir
jugni is azaad, jugni is azaad
and jugni makes me free
jugni sets my rooh free
the jugni becomes me…
and the jugni becomes me…
o mereya jugni, jugni…
o mereya jugni, jugni…
