$14.99
An exquisite collection of poems, where history and lyricism dwell in the memory of the Jews of Kochi, where time and centuries of persecution have tried to erase them. Pramila Venkateswaran is a poet of resilience and of hope. Each of these poems engages the reader in the sensual landscape of Kochi, the smell of oranges and pomegranates as well as the poignant stories of those that lived in these places and those that return through memory and poetry. A poetry that moves your soul and enchants your hearth.
–Marjorie Agosin, Wellesley College, author of I Lived on Butterfly Hill.
A sensitive and well-crafted collection of forty poems, The Jews of Kochi, skillfully and thoughtfully blends two cultures into one with its unique juxtaposition of the two. The closeness and the shared bonds between the poet’s community and the Kochi Jewish community in her hometown in India, become a timeless fabric of personal and universal history. The poet’s knowledge of the Jewish community is evident in each poem. I can almost smell the aroma of spices as the Jewish immigrants make their way to the Zamorin’s palace. Pramila feels at home in Bombay when, in Dear Papa, she says, ‘I found a synagogue here. Although the service is in Marathi, it is the only place that feels like home.’ This is a book that belongs on every shelf … difficult to put down, and drawing you into reading all the poems in one sitting. A book to return to over and over.
–Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca, author of Family Sunday and Other Poems
We are Not a Museum
by Pramila Venkateswaran
$14.99, paper
978-1-64662-827-8
2022
Pramila Venkateswaran, poet laureate of Suffolk County, Long Island (2013-15), is the author of many poetry volumes, the most recent being The Singer of Alleppey (Shanti Arts, 2018. An award winning poet, she teaches English and Women’s Studies at SUNY, Nassau, and gives readings and writing workshops in the US and abroad.
Sally Ann Drucker –
This is a wonderful book, a tapestry of cultures woven in bright colors and interesting designs. Pramila Venkateswaran is a poet’s poet, taking the reader on an unforgettable journey through use of lush, sensory imagery. The Jews of Kochi, part of her early life there, will become part of your life also.
Sharon Leder –
As a Jewish woman of the United States who has learned about the Jews of “Cochin” only academically, I am brought more fully into the vibrant life of Kochi Jews in Kerala by Pramila Venkatewwaran’s poetic lens. The synagogue, its leadership, its welcoming integration into the life of the community, all captured in vivid image and emotion, become symbolic of the poet’s childhood lessons in the beauty and power of cultural diversity. The title of the volume itself, We Are Not A Museum, is a tribute to the meaning of history for peoples like Jews who have lived in host cultures.
Sandy Wicker (verified owner) –
We are Not a Museum, a sensitive poetry collection, transported me on a virtual journey to Kochi, India. It was a special learning and enjoyable experience, a most worthwhile read.
Arianna Ballabio –
Being enchanted by the sounds and shapes of a different culture is something that deeply resonates with my artistic and spiritual journey. Each word and image in these poems bring me back to Kochi, to India and suggest different worlds and paths and ages as well. Meeting a different culture is such an enriching and fascinating experience and sharing it through Art is a beautiful gift. Thank you Pramila Venkateswaran for sharing rainbows of emotions with your vibrant poems