Soulful Whispers is a cumulation of accumulated memories compiled in an honest unrepentant manner by Neeta Avtar Khurana. Centering around death and an uncommon dialogue with her tragic past and sometimes with God, the narrative is sure to leave you stirred if not repulsed. Careful, and romanticised observation of deeply held beliefs and experiences constitute the womb of every poem in this collection. To be able to speak as oneself to the world requires not just union and acceptance with one’s discomforting past but also anticipating the fear of being judged. Thus, all self-narratives like this one need to be congratulated for their unrepentant and obdurate message. And this one is as bold as they come.
Memory is an important element of all self-narratives like this one. However, not being in prose, and for its adroitly crafted and quintessentially earthy expression, Neeta’s work deserves special mention in a long list of such attempts of reflective poetry centering on nostalgia.
Don’t be surprised if you happen to find your story in one of her many stories.