I'm an educator by profession. I teach intermediate school children . It's matter of great pleasure for me to invest my time writing poetry and other forms of creative writing such as long novels and short stories . I enjoy cooking and gardening . As a whole I'm a philanthropist and love knowing people around me. Being an optimistic person is my strength I'm sure of it.
Was your creativity affected in any way during the lockdown? Did being in lockdown make you feel inspired or deflated?
Well. It's gloomy indeed yet during this lockdown period I put in my time writing my second poetry book Sugar and Wine. I'm , like everyone on this globe , is sad about this pandemic and human losses but at same time I tired to engaged myself in doing a lot of reading, cooking, gardening etc. I was creative and engaged no doubt about this.
Was it therapeutic doing creative work during lockdown?
Yes, this gave me a lot of time to construct and create. Of course it is curative and therapeutic knowing our inner self when you don't have to engaged in huff huff of day to day businesses. Again ,the time is a global crisis yet a boon to heal and repair oneself for all the creative folks around the world. Writing is indeed a medical aid to fight depression and this is the time we must take help of this tool.
How did you occupy your time?
Ah, a lot to do at home other than writing and reading. Got time to my kitchen garden at the rooftop which during usual time I missed. I tried my hand on cooking new dishes for the family. Cooked and did a lot of households, yes!
What was the main thinking behind your poem submitted to Together Behind Four Walls ?
Well, I'm a staunch believer of peace and love and change at the same time. And I clubbed all the said elements in my poems so it heals us and we come out stronger after this gloom of pandemic crisis. I also wanted to convey the message of positivity and human tendency to resettle everything in the course of the time ahead .
What inspires most of your poems,
I'm triggered by my inner self and of course the surroundings. My poems are versatile in behaviour . I would say nature ,pains and sufferings are the elements that push my pen draft my poems. Though love is another element that inspires me a lot . The poems in this anthology too are inspired by the facts and incidents of the current senerio. One of my poems displays how unprepared we are to handle things at sudden happenings . I tired to picture the current scenario through words by putting up expression how humans behave at such times and how the whole world is affected at once. To carry forward and march together is the key message in my poems here. So, self and the outer world both are stimulus to my writing.
Do you hand write poems or go directly on to your computer?
No, I never do that. I write my poems in my notebook that's I prefer hand write of course. It's easier to deal with paper than a computer. If I go to a computer to write I get mechanised feel and it really hampers with the softness of my thoughts. So , I don't see my computer for writing my poems initially.
Do you ever give up on poems you have started?
Yes, sometimes it happens and that poem never gets life. It's sad . I feel sorry for having done that unaccomplished poem. It happens with all the poets I guess.
Do you only focus on poetry or do you also write prose?
Well. As said above I write novels -the Aravalli Princess - is my first novel ,which is indeed a long prose . One needs a lot of patience and discipline writing long text . In writing prose I enjoy more freedom of expression , would say prose gives you a bigger and simpler land to play with your writing tricks.
Do your poems ever have strong messages?
Of course, I write with an intention to voice against evils of the time . I try my poems bring hope and happiness to faces while we are struggling against depression and struggles in our ordinary lives. I think purpose of writing poems should be constructive and optimistic not fake and artificial. So, I write with this passion in my heart.
How would you describe the tone of your poems?
I have multiple tones in my poems. I can't bind them into one or a few. But yes, I would say they are mostly emotional and positive.