Ode To Humanity By Satish D. Mohile

Book Description - 

In this splendid volume, Shri Mohile distinguished member of the C.B.E.C., presents his maiden work of poetry, "Ode to Humanity." It has been my signal honour to peruse this poem prior to publication and, at the kind request of my beloved brother-friend Sundaram Ramakrishnanji, I am Inspired to offer this most humble Introduction.

The English poet Cecil Day-Lewis once wisely observed, "We do not write in order to be understood, we write in order to understand." Thus, I believe, has Shri Mohile most bravely embarked on his noble enterprise to sing the song of humanity from the dawn of time to the end of the second Millenium.

Where a philosopher might have occupied several weighty tomes in covering such a grand subject, Shri Mohile proposes an ode of 108 quatrains, the same divine number as our sacred japa beads. An ode, by definition, is a rhyming lyric that is adapted to be sung. With these several clues, we discover ourselves to be in the presence of a man who embodies a harmonious blend of poetry, music, philosophy and spirituality.

Such a gracious combination is made possible by a gift most precious in our human nature, the gift of enthusiasm. Shri Mohile's enthusiasm for his subject, despite the many sufferings that humanity has endured, bathes the whole in a glow of sunshine. It enables him to leaven solemnity with humour and wisdom with wit.

This is a humble attempt of tracing the Human Heritage In verse. A word may be said at the outset about the tiny size of this "SAGA. Looking to the pressures on people's time, it was thought that a tiny poem may better serve the purpose in mind of encapsulating the wisdom of the ages, rather than a mighty tome. The approach is one of Infotainment I.e. to inform and to amuse at the same time.

While this poem does not claim to be a book of History or a scientific treatise, I've tried as far as possible to be historically and scientifically accurate and have kept the scope of poetic licence to the minimum.

I have tried to deal, albelt briefly, with many of the important milestones in the human heritage, in an Interesting manner. The treatment is somewhat light, but I do hope that at the end, the reader finds some solid substance, and spiritual sustenance!

The Idea or inspiration for this human heritage poem was provided by the lucid "Story of Mankind", in prose, by H.V. Loon. After reading Vikram Seth's famous verse novel "Golden Gate", I thought, why not recount the story of mankind in verse'. So here's my Malden poetical, and in fact, Malden literary foray. Like a child to its parents, I find it a precious darling, but its real worth, if any, is first, for the publisher, and later for the readers to judge. After reading this poem, some friends, like some friends of Vikram Seth -"advised me to cease and desist", while still others "burbled, what a masterpiece!" (Well, not quite in these words, but words of encouragement and appreciation, all the same).