Nikesh Murali

 Townsville , Queensland, AU

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Nikesh Murali is a 24 years old prize winning short story writer, reviewer, columnist, playwright and poet. His poems and short stories have appeared in several prestigious publications and have secured many international poetry prizes.

Nikesh Murali has published Four collections of poetry (paperback), two chapbooks and eleven e-books with several international publishers. He also self-published his M.A. thesis titled 'The Atheist's handbook' and also a collection of poems, stories & sketches titled 'Book of love' with Queensland artist Krystal Huff. His works have been translated into seven languages and featured at international book festivals including the Latin American book festival held in Buenos Aires. They have appeared in anthologies, journals and magazines all over the world. His poems and short stories have won and have been short listed for several major writing contests. He was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2003. He was awarded the IFLAC-MCA Bilingual Club Poets for peace award in 2006. He was awarded the Griffith University Award for Academic Excellence in 2005 and full scholarship for his Honours in Media Studies. He has completed his Masters in Journalism from Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia and Masters in Teaching at James Cook University in Townsville.His popular plays have been staged at many venues and have won many awards including the ‘YMCA drama fest ‘Best Drama’’. His columns and articles have appeared in major news magazines across Asia and Europe such as ‘Indian Express’, Roamnceatitsbest.com etc. He has done reviews for best-selling authors and EPPIE award winners like T.K.Sheils, W.J.Calabrese, Warren Adler etc. He is also working as the Managing Editor of THE TABLOID and the editor of the literary magazine ‘The litterateur’. His short story ‘Red?’ has been very recently selected as a runner up in the ‘Annual Sunny side up Short story contest’. Other Achievements: Finalist for ‘Sunnyside Up Annual Poetry contest’, Finalist for Poetry.com Annual Poetry contest, Finalist for Iliad Cader Poetry contest. 

 Born on 22 February 1983 in Trivandrum, Kerala, his published works include: Collateral Damage (2001, No Spine), Thirteen(2002, No Spine), Songs of the Raven(2002, NoSpine), Midst of Bees (2002, Kingfisher), Fear(2002, Fairgo), Lovemaking (2003, Kingfisher), Autumn Love(2003, Rowe). His poetry has been translated into more than seven languages and won several international awards. He is the editor of several print and online publications.

find his:  books      short stories    poetry

To college in a traditional sari
by Nikesh Murali

For all you women out there..my respects and love!

To college in a traditional sari As eyes as small as mice, Drip with imprudent jealousy. In a traditional sari You enter the realm of dreamy, jilted liars. You alone, shining like the graceful moon, Sans the shady ditches; Its fibrous, creamy arms hugging your dizzying form. I dream of it, Of creating a wall of cloth, So soft, it melts As sunrays titter And be the robe that sleeps on your balmy skin. I wish I were the folds in your sari, Carefully trimmed and fixed at places Like the mellowing crest of a wave; Ripples that hop with stony crave. I travel like an estranged lover In the shady realm between the folds; Phrasing unrequited love, The muzzy skylines that tilt and sway, A border with a golden hue; I wish I were a golden thread Over which you run your mellifluous digits. As pungent gazes of desire scan your glowing mane, My eyes spot your beautiful mind. Mirrored in your smiles O! Charming maiden, How traditional my loves is Like your attire that intoxicates me.

Poem from the bestselling work Lovemaking

You on me As I sleep on this dew bed And the winds skip over green shapes, Bending the blades to form waves. Around me, blooming trees, White flowers that fume with desire, And the fumes, a bouquet of supernal aromas; Suddenly wrenched out from their branches, Spread over my chest quelling exalted exhalation. Forming a flaming, white mattress, I touch them, assuring myself that they have flowery forms. I fall asleep, When I lift open my heavy eyelids, It is you With your snaking strands of hair, Your cheek gauging my hearts beat. How clearly it chants your name, Your chin, which restlessly rolls on a wedge; Spearing into my depths in an affable trance.

read more poems here

read short stories here

Books

http://www.nikeshbooks.blogspot.com/

        

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Review by M C Azcona

Murali’s poetry possesses the ability to move the heart and brain at the same time. Allegories, metaphors, choice of melodious words and constructions are used as literary edifices to seek refuge from the ugly characteristics of the age… leaves the reader with a very visual and poignant feel of the state of the world and is ample evidence of the author’s impeccable control over the language. 

Nikesh Murali´s “Book of Love” demonstrates to us that his natural gift for poetry has been nurtured and enhanced in the last few years. Previous works by the same author delighted us like soft clouds on a warm summer day. It also enriched our poetical spirit, as a Degas painting does while one stares at the perfect serenity it embodies - full of rhythm and colour.

His writings remind me of Gustavo Adolfo Becquer’s and Pablo Neruda´s compositions, where perfect metaphors are used to describe the purity of love, the sensuous cravings of lovers and the magnificence of nature. Like them, Nikesh has the rare ability that only masters have: to perceive the connection among human beauty, human love and natural environment.
Maria Cristina Azcona

A Review of Book of Love by MARIA CRISTINA AZCONA

Book of Love. Nikesh Murali. Sao Paulo: Ibex Press, pp100, 2006, Aus$15.00 


Nikesh Murali´s “Book of Love” demonstrates to us that his natural gift for poetry has been nurtured and enhanced in the last few years. Previous work by the author delighted us the same way as soft clouds do on a warm summer day; and at the same time, gave us joys of poetical spirit, as Degas painting does while we stare at its perfect serenity, full of rhythm and colour.

Inspiration, induced by falling in true love, has given Murali the eye of a mature artist. What, in the near past, was still blossoming, has fully bloomed now. One can notice the enchanting display of movement, passion and harmonious beauty in his words.

Murali’s lines in Chapter 8

The day I saw you,

Your face that makes the stars in the sky jealous
And twinkle in the first hours of the night 
Like celestial dancers etched on the temple walls.
Your face like a wild flower
That desires the approval of my touch
And blooms secretly at dusk.

The day I saw you,
I was reborn.

may be compared to one of the most exquisite Spanish poets of love, Gustavo Adolfo Becquer :

Today Earth and sky smile at me
Today the sun reaches the bottom of my soul
Today I saw her… I saw her and she stared at me...
Today I believe in God!

In Chapter 2 of the book, Murali writes

Maybe I should dip my brush in blue 
And paint the universe with its infinite stars
Or maybe the beach where the sea shatters its pride on rocks
With a sky that mirrors its turbulence.

These lines remind me of Pablo Neruda´s compositions, where he constructs perfect metaphors joining love expressions and admiration with the spectacle of Nature. Like him, Murali has the rare ability that only Masters have: to perceive the connection among human beauty, human love and natural environment.

Beauty is a rare value, found in this outrageous world, only by refined souls like Murali´s.

Links

www.nikeshmurali.blogspot.com

http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=10386

http://www.museindia.com/index.asp

http://newsblaze.com/story/

http://www.museindia.com/showcurrent2.asp?id=630

www.redescritoresespa.com/azconamcristina.htm