Kurukshetra: Between War and Peace is a powerful international anthology that unites over 80 voices from across continents-poets, artists, academics, veterans, and truth-seekers-exploring the enduring human struggle between violence and reconciliation. From mythic battlefields to contemporary conflicts, and from internal turmoil to societal rupture, this landmark collection serves as both a cry of anguish and a call to conscience.
Edited by Prof. Dr. Roopali Sircar Gaur and Anita Joseph, the anthology navigates ancient wisdom and modern wounds with striking sensitivity. It features a compelling Foreword by Nibedita Sen and a haunting cover by Aaryan Das, capturing the tension between destruction and hope. Drawing inspiration from the Mahabharata's legendary battlefield of Kurukshetra, these poems and prose pieces confront the ethics of war, the trauma of displacement, the silence of survivors, and the fragile, ongoing pursuit of peace.
Inside, you'll find:
Voices from war veterans and survivorsReflections on mythology, memory, displacement, and identityFeminist re-readings of Draupadi, Sita, and ShoorpanakhaFeminist reinterpretations of epic narrativesRaw, lyrical portrayals of trauma, resilience, and redemptionPoetic responses to the personal and philosophical costs of warInternal wars of the mind, identity, gender, and faithUnflinching portrayals of grief, exile, injustice, and hopeA must-read for readers of poetry, social justice, political reflection, spiritual exploration, and global literature, Kurukshetra offers not just poetry-it offers perspective. It refuses binaries and breaks boundaries, turning every poem into a battlefield of memory, resistance, and resilience.
Why should you read this book?
Because war is not just out there-it is within us. And if you've ever questioned power, felt injustice, or longed for peace, Kurukshetra will speak directly to your soul.