Title: Rann Ji Goonj or Desert Echos

Author: Kalansh Gala

Illustrator: Qurratain Shamoon

Genre: Regional Poetry

My Rating: 4/5

Rann Ji Goonj or Desert Echos is a collection of poems written by various poets for a Kutchi poetry competition which was later on compiled and translated by Kalansh Gala. The book falls under the category of Regional poetry. A genre centered on the dialect, custom and culture of a particular region. Desert Echos has ably reflected the culture, language, social relations and life of the people of Kutch. In case if you don’t know, Kutch is a district in Gujarat, India.

The poems were originally written in the Kutchi language, and an English translation of each poem was provided alongside. The gorgeous illustrations by Qurratain Shamoon add much beauty to the work. I liked all the poems. You better come soon by Manali Manojgiri Goswami, Listen by Kalansh Gala, Let’s go to Kutch by Jayprakash V. Makwana, The Kutchi Man by Hardin Gor, The World of Now by Maheswari Heena are some of my favourites. Although poetry is not my cup of tea, I liked this particular genre of poetry and would definitely recommend it if you are looking for a good poetry book.

*Thanks to the author for the review copy!*