मुक्तामाय

Muktamay (मुक्तामाय)

This poem is an expression of appreciation by a woman educated in formal, academic knowledge for the wisdom embedded in traditional ways of life. Dr. Vrushali Kinhalkar presents a woman understood through the many dimensions of womanhood—a woman whom a man might never fully comprehend, but whom another woman, through her own experiences and sensitivity, can truly understand.

‘Muktamay’ is a rural woman who finds a place in the emotional and professional world of a doctor. Through this long poem, the poet, who brings the emotional world of medicine into poetry, celebrates the womanhood of a woman who has renounced everything, through the eyes of another woman who has experienced life's comforts and privileges. In my opinion, by writing this poem, Kinhalkar has made a significant contribution to Marathi poetry.

— Indrajit Bhalerao

The texture and intensity of the poem ‘Muktamay’ are quite distinctive. It is deeply inspiring and, at times, profoundly unsettling. Its value as a continuous and unified poetic composition lies in its vibrant creative spirit. Dr. Vrushali Kinhalkar has brought Muktamay to life through an extraordinary emotional involvement—as though this character were a part of her own body or a flower blossoming in her own heart.

The emotional force that runs through the entire poem deeply moves its readers. This is one of its greatest strengths. In this long poem, Kinhalkar captures stark realities with exceptional sensitivity. At the same time, she gently unfolds the underlying pathos woven into Muktamay's life, revealing it as delicately as one would open the petals of a flower. Filled with the powerful energy of self-respect, this is a significant and remarkable long-form poem.

— Dr. Keshav Sakharam Deshmukh