ಜನೆಲ್

In this remarkable collection, H.M. Pernal crafts verses that “splinter to reveal unexpected depths,” presented in both Kannada and Devanagari scripts. Each poem serves as a window into the intimate rebellions of everyday life, where calendars mark time in single-bedroom flats and ordinary objects become witnesses to profound truths.

“Pernal’s imagery serves as both witness and insurgent, documenting the quiet violence of the everyday while whispering alternatives.”

The collection fearlessly confronts harsh realities through poems like Garbhapāt (Abortion) and Chathray (Caution), while celebrating art’s transformative power in Kavita (Poetry). With parallels drawn to Wallace Stevens, Pernal demonstrates his mastery in creating “supreme fictions” that give meaning to our fragmented experiences.

As reviewer Kishore Gonsalves , Kishoo Barkur notes: “This isn’t a collection that offers comfort; instead, it disturbs you to the core for your full attention and engagement. Reading ‘Zanel’ reminded me that powerful challenges to convention often happen quietly, in the spaces between words and syllables.”