Wondering and Wandering: Poems from Dharamshala

By Prahlad Shekhawat

My books:1 New Pathways for Human Progress, and 2 Alternative Development and Social Progress in India, have been accepted by the Cambridge Scholars Publishing in UK.
Wrote a column writer for theHindustan Times Jaipur and contributed articles to The Hindu and to other leading dailies like Times of India and others. Also contributed to foreign magazines like Resurgence in the UK as well as in Policy Innovations, in the USA.
Chairperson of the Independent Media Foundation India.
Founder member of the Peoples Union of Civil Liberties India
My book of poems is based on a collection related to Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. I have been visiting the area, particularly McLeod Ganj and its environs, for a long time. This has given me the opportunity to explore the area and its environment, reflect on my life, make sense of my experiences, and meet interesting people from a range of cultures.
I also got a chance to learn about Buddhist philosophy and psychology and connect deeply with nature, especially the mountains.
The poems relate to my deep connections to the place. They contain precious memories that will last.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing India
• Release date: May 13, 2016
• ISBN: 9781482872972

Prahlad Shekhawat

MA in International Development, from the International  Institute of Social Studies, The Hague in The Netherlands. Certificate in Creative Writing from Exeter College at the University of Oxford. Studied Buddhist Philosophy at the Tibetan Library and Works in Dharamshala briefly and also at the Tushita Monastery also in Dharamshala. Interviewed His Holiness three times over the years in Dharamshala Received the Star of Asia Award for writings and social work at a nonprofit organisation in Jaipur. The award was presented by the International Business Council in Delhi. My book: Human Development, Well-being and Globalisation has been acquired by the Stanford University and the Australian National libraries among others. The other book: Aspects of Human Development and Culture, was released by the then Vice-President of India Mr Bhairon Singh. Book: Literature and Freedom, based on the Jaipur and other Literature festivals was published by the Independent Media Foundation India.I was speaker at the Jaipur Literature Festival in 2014. Founder of the Himalayan Literature Festival in Dharamshala Published two books of poetry: 1 Being, Becoming and Belonging from Writers Workshop, Kolkata. 2 Wondering and Wandering from Partridge of Penguin India. A few poems were included in An Anthology of Indian Poetry in English, from the Silent Brooks Publishers in Canada.

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Copyright © 2016 by Prahlad Shekhawat.

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Contents

Foreword and Introduction

Lost Beat

The New Moon

Kangra Valley to Triund

The Old Trail

First Light

Main Square

Nomads, Pilgrims and Tradesman

Many Types in Dharamshala

Angles of Views

The Church in the Wilderness

Traveller

Mind’s Breath Travelling

Wandering with the Breath

Window Tree

Solitude and Loneliness

Fellow Traveller

Two birds and Joy

No Message is Found

A Beggar Woman’s Blessings

An American Nun friend

Holy and Romantic Man

A Romantic Holy Man

Too Much Snow & Too Little Water

Mountain Witness

My India

Foreword and Introduction

These poems are based on my many sojourns to Dharamshala nearly every summer for so many years. I have seen Dharamshala change from when it a was sleepy town with the main square was occupied by one bus coming and going in the morning and one in the evening and for the rest it was like a parking place for sheep and goats on transit to greener pastures. The first wave of tourists mostly Western people started pouring in after His Holiness the Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize and became a world icon for peace and compassion. His persona attracted many who were charmed by his ideas and personality so much that many of them decided to stay and become practicing Buddhists. It is not