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Journey through Mdantsane |
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Thursday, 11 March 2010 |
FOR the past two decades or so, Indian-born poet, artist and medical doctor Amitabh Mitra has had an intimate relationship with the people of Mdantsane, which he has served with unflinching dedication.
Being a doctor at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital, Mitra has been a witness to how brutal township life can be – but also at times, how humane.
Now his experiences culminate in a new coffee table book called Mdantsane Breathing, Poetry and Art of a South African Township, which brings together Mitra’s fine art and poetry in a series of sketches about life in South Africa’s second largest township.
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Read more...
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A little more about the book |
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Thursday, 11 March 2010 |
Mdantsane Breathing - Celebrating Mdantsane
Mdantsane Breathing is my latest book, a coffee table hard cover lavishly illustrated poetry book which is first of its kind describing in poetry and watercolors the vibrant culture of Mdantsane which is the second biggest township after Soweto.
The world knew about the Soweto Uprising, the Sowetan Poets and Winnie Mandela who still lives there.
The popular news paper The Sowetan remains a mark of courage during the apartheid times and after.
But nobody wrote about Mdantsane and its heroic participation against the apartheid government.
This book brings to you for the first time of a strange life that insists to be told and that persists within all of us who were witness of those struggle days.
Click here to read more...
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A Slow Train to Gwalior Launched |
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Thursday, 16 July 2009 |
 A Hardcover Landscape book with a Jacket. this unique book along with poems and art has the comment of well known Bollywood Filmmaker and Poet, Pritish Nandy and articles on Amitabh Mitra by Daily Dispatch, premier news daily of South Africa. Another successful publishing venture by Poets Printery, South Africa.
Source: Poets Printery
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Listen to this EL gem for Arts Fest! |
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Thursday, 09 July 2009 |
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 Every year, artists, musicians and poets from East London contribute generously to the Grahamstown Arts Festival - and this year is no exception. One of the must-see shows from our shores is a collection of love poems by renowned writer and physician Dr Amitabh Mitra. This is what he has in mind for you…
A seasoned writer, Mitra will perform poems from his DVD and CD entitled “A Slow Train to Gwalior”. It’s a collection of love poems, which takes you on a sentimental journey back in time to Mitra’s childhood in India, filled with old family homes, forts and palaces and places where he grew up.His poetry will be accompanied by the guitar of Louis Viljoen.
Listening to Mitra’s gentle lines and voice is the artistic equivalent of slowly savouring a sweet lassi - a favourite traditional Indian milkshake… It’s highly recommended.
Or, if you’re just having a stressed out day, listen to one of Mitra’s soothing poems here.
So folks, let’s get out there and show a fellow East Londoner our support!
Mitra and Viljoen will be performing on Thursday, June 9 at the Nun’s Chapel in Grahamstown at 3.30pm.
Source: Dispacth Now 24/7
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Wednesday, 27 May 2009 |
POST - May 6-10 2009
 MEDICAL doctor, poet and artist, Dr Amitabh Mitra, has a network of poets showcasing their best writing to hundreds of up and coming poets and authors via his website. And now the busy doctor is calling for local poets, who have an interest in writing poems about South Africa's political situation. Before and after apartheid, to submit their work to be included in an anthology of poems to be publish later this year. Mitra, 51, pictured, who is presently the chief medical officer in the Accident and Emergency department in the East London Hospital Complex, is qualified in orthopedic surgery aerospace medicine, family medicine and sports medicine. Mitra, who settled in South Africa in 1992, from Lucknow India, told POST he wished to know more writers, so that he could help them showcase their work. "There are many poets out there who are writing quality poetry but have not published their work. A lot of poetry has been written as struggle poetry But with the advent of democracy poetry which may be voices of dissent, has not been brought together in an anthology" said Mitra, married to Sonia, an English literature teacher who is in her forties. Mitra has had his works published Ritual Silences and Bithika, both of which were published in 1979 and presently apart from his medical work, he edits two journals, A Hudson View - an international poetry journal published quarterly in New York, and lnyathi, a print journal that focuses on Southern African arts. Which Mitra publishes. Recently Mitra found the time to edit and publish Tonight| An Anthology of World Love Poetry which was launched in Oslo in September last year. On his love for creating works of ' art, Mitra said: "Creativity is important for all human beings. One can be creative in practicing medicine' or doing business. For me it means that you don't have to follow a line, because you create your own lines."
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