I was 18 when I first got my hands on A Suitable Boy. At the end of the 1,349-page saga, I began to visualize a newly-independent, post-Partition India. A part of my soul wanted to reside in Bhrampur. So what if it was a fictional town? It was the town which inhabited The Mehras, The Kapoors, The Khans and The Chatterjis. Honestly, A Suitable Boy is one of those many profound works of the prolific novelist, poet, travel-writer and above all, a humanist, that has stayed with me even after so many new Indian writers with different styles of storytelling have emerged on the block. 

Most of us are aware of A Suitable Boy and its upcoming sequel, A Suitable Girl. But, you know what, it is his poetry that celebrates the sweetness and sadness of life with a simplicity that you cannot help but be mesmerized at. So, we compiled a few slices of his poetry that we absolutely love. 

When a garden was turned into a beautiful metaphor. Gather and scatter, gather and scatter!

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When things fall short of our own expectations.

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Friends come and go and that’s okay. Happiness can be found in solitude too, right?

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His most acidic lines for the custodians of the country, political or social.

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Work can wait for a bit, let yourself go. Breathe and relax. Don’t be too hard on yourself!

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Our personal favorite from old school textbooks.

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Corporate life and ambition couldn’t have been summed up in a more profound manner. 

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When nothing but the wind is your companion! We all have those days when all we need is nature. 

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When she is a dream and an unfulfilled wish. Ah! What a way to express something so intangible.

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No complaints, no demands, no expectations from a stranger, that’s how it should be, right? Less complications, joy in abundance. 

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When you feel lonely, lost and needy; read this and you will never be alone! 

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You ‘can’t’ and it’s okay! Trust me, it is. Express your inner thoughts and just watch the world go by. 

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Secret wishes and a climax nobody could have thought of. 

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Family always comes first, but sadly we only realise this after being away from them, as summed up by Vikram in these lines.

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The thought of your soulmate walking away from you is scary, ain’t it?

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You love it when fate plans out a well-thought out mistake, don’t you? Those first glances, those mistaken smiles, those chance encounters. One of my personal favourites from Vikram’s collection.

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Your mind crawls back to those thoughts of darkness, mostly at night. Vikram is as human as the rest of us. 

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All the sarcastic souls out there, this one goes out to you!

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You will always wish the best for your friend, even if you aren’t friends anymore. So deep, this!

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When nature and your partner combine, it’s one hell of a show!

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Thank you, sir, for these poignant and mesmerising lines. It is, was and will always be a pleasure to read all your poems, all over again. 

Amazing artwork by Suvojyoti Ray