NILAVRONILL
TALKING WITH
POET OF
THE MONTH
PADMAJA IYENGAR-PADDY
JULY 2020
NILAVRONILL: Why do literature and poetry in
particular interest you so much? Please give us some idea about your own
perception of literature or poetry in general.
PADMAJA IYENGAR PADDY: To answer this
question, I would just ask myself: why do I love life and living so much? For
me at present, poetry is my raison d'être as it has taught me to accept
my life with all its ups and downs at the personal level and at another level,
it has made me more sensitive, empathetic and insightful. Poetry, often
communicates with me at various levels – I am able to gain insights about the
poet’s perception through the poem, as also about how and why a particular poem
resonates with me. Poetry, more often than not, reaches my heart and remains
there for a while till the next poem comes along and impacts me – it could be
my own poem or another poet’s. I believe, poetry has healing and levelling
powers. There is a poem to suit every mood and time, and poetry thus uplifts
mankind in general and humanity in particular.
NILAVRONILL: How do you relate your own self existence
with your literary life in one hand, and the time around you, in the other.
PADMAJA IYENGAR PADDY: I believe
that my literary life and the time around me mutually compliment each other and
drive my self-existence. My literary life often draws from the time around me
and likewise the time around me often drives my self-existence. Thus, the three
- my self-existence, my literary life and the time around me – are in harmony
and at peace with each other. The three, for me, can never be mutually
exclusive.
NILAVRONILL: Do you believe creative souls flourish
more in turmoil than in peace?
PADMAJA IYENGAR PADDY: Creative
souls flourish whether in turmoil or in peace. Only the direction and theme of
their poetry change depending on whether it is peace time or a time of turmoil.
Again, peace and turmoil times may vary for creative souls individually, except
in times of major calamities or turmoil impacting entire communities, nations
or the universe like the Covid-19 pandemic currently. During the time of a
personal peaceful existence, a creative soul will perhaps be inclined to write
/ paint / create music about beauty, nature, love etc., with all its positives.
However, these may change course when one is in deep distress or turmoil – the
writing / painting / music would surely reflect the inner conflict and turmoil
of the creative soul, somewhere or the other. In the case of calamities,
turmoil or deep despair - natural, social, political or any other - at the
community, national or universal level, the creative soul may protest, plead,
invoke, pray, cry or sermonise through his/her writings, craft or art. However,
out of such outpourings, somewhere hope too comes alive for a better future.
Often, out of the greatest grief or greatest joy, emerges great poetry and
literature, each very special! Wordsworth, usually considered a superior
romantic and nature poet, wrote this of the French Revolution:
Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,
But to be young was very heaven!
Challenging circumstances around a creative soul, often
result in highly empathetic, inspiring and humane creations.
“If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find
compensation in every disappointment,” said Henry David Thoreau, the famous
author of the 1849 essay “Civil Disobedience” that influenced the greats like
Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and many more.
NILAVRONILL: Do you think in this age of information and
technology the dimensions of literature have been largely extended beyond our preconceived ideas about
literature in general?
PADMAJA IYENGAR PADDY: I believe
that like everything else, literature too evolves with time... and rightly so.
If change is the sign of progress, then it is imperative that literature too
adapts itself to the changing times whether in terms of information or
technology or both or the information technology itself, that is so much a part
of a writer’s work these days! Information Technology has enabled so many
literary portals, e-zines and social media platforms like Facebook etc. to
flourish and thrive, where with the help of information and technology, writers
and poets are able to post their work and sometimes become “viral”, “internet
sensations” etc. Cloud is now both a poetic expression and a technology! In the
current Covid-19 lockdown times, we see poetry reading and other literary
activities taking place via video conferencing – truly a wonderful gift of the
information technology. However, the information, technology and / or
information technology are all mere tools and aids. What matters ultimately, is
the writing and poetry skills of the users of these external tools and aids.
Perhaps, to every generation, the ideas about literature
of the next generation, would seem preconceived! Resistance is always a part of
our life and as such, every change, every new thing even in literature meets
with initial resistance. Take poetry for example, it has evolved so much
through the ages, that now a variety of poetry co-exists peacefully and is
appreciated. Who in the past, would have imagined prose-poetry as a genre of
poetry??? And yet, it has gained eminence and practice in recent times, and
surely, internet and social media platforms have enabled it reach, readership
and acceptance.!!!
NILAVRONILL: Now, in this changing scenario we would
like to know from your own life experiences as a poet, writer and a creative
soul: How do you respond to this present time?
PADMAJA IYENGAR PADDY: I believe
that the present times are the best as we are both the transition-generation,
the internet generation and the virtually-well-connected generation with
excellent access to global literature and poetry! I call ourselves the transition
generation because experimentation is now a part and parcel of literature
especially poetry. We are seeing the maximum shifts and changes in writing
styles presently, and it is up to us to adapt to these changes to discover more
new styles of writing. We have seen and continue to see major shifts in
literature and poetry. The good part is after the initial resistance to the
shifts and changes, all genres of literature especially poetry have gained
acceptance. For example, even the “strict” haiku genre has evolved over a
period of time – now we see shorter haiku, even a one-line haiku, which too
conveys a lot and is just as impactful as a three-line haiku!
You may be aware that since 2015, I have been compiling
and editing an international multilingual poetry anthology Amaravati
Poetic Prism that has grown both in terms of poetic value, no. of
poems and the no. of languages with each edition. The latest Amaravati
Poetic Prism 2019 has 1303 poems in 125 languages by over 761 poets
from 86 countries. Such exponential growth in terms of quality and quantity has
been possible thanks to the contacts I have been able to develop over a period
of time through the social media platforms like Facebook, poets introducing
poets and through word-of-mouth publicity that this anthology has been
receiving over the years. The poetry that I get to read and learn from while
editing the Amaravati Poetic Prism series, has been a great
learning experience for me and has enabled me to hone and improve my own
poetry-writing skills. I consider myself
fortunate that I have been able to get such wonderful exposure.
I believe that I am living in a time when I am getting to
learn a lot from the emerging poetry genres and also from some of my fellow
poets who are practitioners of such genres.
And for sure, the experiments should go on for newer styles of poetry to
emerge and flourish to enrich literature!
NILAVRONILL: Do you believe that all writers are by
and large the product of their nationality? And is this an incentive for or an
obstacle against becoming a truly international writer?
PADMAJA IYENGAR PADDY: Most certainly yes – writers are by and
large the product of their nationality - at least in the initial stages of
their literary existence. However, as
they grow in age and stature, they also get exposure to literature of various
types from across the world. Here, whether a writer continues to remain a product
of his/her national identity or expands his/her horizons by reading and
learning from writings across the globe, largely depends on his/her reading
habits, access to global writings and also one’s own inclination to learn,
adapt and realign oneself. I believe that most writers make an effort to go
international, so that their writings find far and wide reach, readership,
acceptance and popularity. Thus, they overcome their local and national
barriers and inhibitions to be seen, read and heard on multiple and global
platforms. Notwithstanding the fact that the writers do commence their literary
life impacted by their locality and nationality, but sooner or later, they make
every effort to develop wings to fly all over the world! In this process, most
writers successfully manage to surmount the obstacles that may impede the
expansion of their horizons and literary expressions.
NILAVRONILL: Do you think literary criticism has much to
do with the development of a poet and the true understanding of his or her
poetry?
PADMAJA IYENGAR PADDY: I believe
that “literary criticism” happens more in the academic realm, that become
topics for writing academic papers and making presentations. In the general,
non-academic scenario, poets usually post their poems in the virtual world on
various literary portals, e-zines etc., or on the social media platforms like
Facebook that has several active literary and poetry groups or are published in
journals and magazines, where feedback from the readers facilitates their growth.
In this context, not so much literary criticism in the literal sense, but an
objective feedback surely helps a poet to improve and evolve further as a poet.
Also, well-analysed and well-written reviews of their poetry and poetic styles,
do certainly help the poets to become better poets. Some exceptional poets and
their poetry do become a part of the academic curriculum and their works are
then discussed in classrooms and academic circles, and also, become subjects of
literary criticism in the academic sense, that emerge as study material for the
students and for the authors to get an academic evaluation of their work.
Generally, an honest and objective feedback or review, goes a long way in the
shaping and further development of a poet besides gaining an understanding of
his/her poetry. In the non-academic realm, poetry surely requires serious
readers, meaningful discussions and objective critiques for poetry to thrive
and evolve.
NILAVRONILL: Do you think society as a whole is the
key factor in shaping you up as a poet, or your poetry altogether?
PADMAJA IYENGAR PADDY: Yes, I
agree with that statement. My poetry has often been a reaction to what I see in
the society around me, whether in politics or other events taking place in the
world. I am not much of a romantic poet. In fact, I have hardly written any
romantic poetry. How I perceived the society while working in the bank, dealing
with clients and their expectations, reading poetry of other poets and also the
goings-on around me, have all certainly shaped me as a poet and my poetry.
Besides, my inner thought processes, personal experiences, attitude of our
society towards women etc., have all also played a major role in shaping me as
a poet and have also influenced my poetry. I possess an innate sense of humour
and the ability to laugh, that have enabled me to view events around me in a
totally different perspective at times and come up with some satirical and
humorous poetry that may bring on a smile and surely drive home the message
too! Humour has also helped me to shield myself from negativity, though at
times, I may seem cynical too! I believe that a good sense of humour sharpens
one’s vision and intellect.
NILAVRONILL: Do you think people in general actually
bother about literature? Do you think
this consumerist world is turning the average man away from serious literature?
PADMAJA IYENGAR PADDY: Literature and poetry lovers are a class
apart and these are not just from any particular fraternity or profession. They
come from various professions, strata of society and different orientations.
People in general may pooh-pooh literature; some even refer to poets as “wool
gatherers”! But then, there is a set of people who are passionate about
literature and poetry; they will somehow make the time to read and write. One
sees excellent literature and poetry coming from medical, engineering and IT
professionals, bankers, teachers (of not necessarily literature), lawyers,
scientists and a variety of other professions and vocations, even in this consumerist
world. Pursuing of literature and poetry by the so-called “non-literary”
persons, requires a certain passion and keen interest, that enable even busy
professionals to pursue serious literature and to also pursue literature and
poetry seriously! As for the average man turning away from literature
especially poetry … well, I guess, poetry or literature has never been the
average man’s choice in any age. As I mentioned earlier poets, writers and
literature/poetry lovers are truly a class apart in every age – consumerist or
otherwise! It is so heartening to see writers and poets from across spectrums,
making waves and enthralling their readers, even in this consumerist world!
NILAVRONILL: We would like to know the factors and the
peoples who have influenced you immensely in the growing phase of your literary
life.
PADMAJA IYENGAR PADDY: The
writings of my late brother R T Iyengar who died young at the age of
nineteen, three years before I was born, influenced me greatly very early in my
life. He was a superb poet and essayist both in Hindi and English, and was
widely published in those days (1945-1949) in various journals and newspapers.
He was also a wonderful artist specializing in pencil and India Ink sketches.
Being inclined towards poetry myself from a very young age, I saw great rhythm
and musicality in my late brother’s poetry, and therefore, was greatly
impressed and influenced by his writings. I wrote my first poem in Hindi at the
age of eleven for a poetry competition in my school and won the first prize
too. Being a voracious reader, I read a lot of Shakespeare, and poets like
Walter Scott, Byron, Wordsworth, Shelly, Browning, Stevenson, Tennyson (his
“The Brook” is my all-time favorite), etc. And later, Sylvia Plath, Maya
Angelou, Rumi and Vikram Seth. Amongst the Hindi poets, Ramdhari Singh Dinkar,
Vrindavanlal Verma, Makhan Lal Chaturvedi, Subhadra Kumari Chauhan, Jai Shankar
Prasad, Mahadevi Verma, Harivansh Rai Bachchan and many more were my
inspirations. The works of a few Marathi stalwarts like V S Khandekar, Sane
Guruji etc. that I read while in school, too impacted me. In my mother tongue
Tamil, I have been very inspired and impressed by the writings of poet
Subramanian Bharathi, and fiction writers Vasanthi, Sivasankari and Indira
Parthasarathi. Andal Priyadarshini, a contemporary Tamil poet, too is my
favourite and inspires me a lot.
It has always been a great regret for me that I could not
pursue my earliest hobby of reading literature and poetry as further academics.
Inevitably, I was drawn (sucked would be more appropriate) into the banking
profession at the young age of twenty one as an officer that continued for over
three decades as a senior banker, leaving me little time to do what I always
wanted to do – to read and write poetry, essays, short stories etc. Once I was
able to fulfil my responsibilities as a single parent towards my son and he
settled in a decent job, I left my bank job and started seriously focussing on
my writing especially poetry which has always been a passion for me. Thus, the
“serious” phase of my literary life, commenced only around the year 2010. My
elder sister Vijayalakshmi Sunderarajan too is an accomplished Tamil and Hindi
writer and translator, and her body of work has also inspired me to grow as a
writer and poet. My late mother who used to compose devotional songs and set it
to music herself, has also been a major factor in my wanting to be a poet
always, though economic and other compulsions drove me into another field for
quite sometime …
NILAVRONILL: How would you evaluate your contemporaries
and what are your aspirations for or expectation from the younger generation?
PADMAJA IYENGAR PADDY: Being a
late bloomer in the literary and poetry field, I have lots and lots more
to learn as a writer and poet. Therefore, I find myself most unequal to the
task of evaluating my contemporaries. I believe, they are all great writers and
from each of them, I have something to learn when I read their works. My
aspiration for the younger generation is, notwithstanding the pressures of
their chosen profession, they perhaps, should devote sometime to read the
literary classics and contemporary writers. They also perhaps need to hone
their grammar skills, as I get to read a lot of them and notice their not
paying attention to language and grammar. My intention is not to sound
schoolmarmish, but sometimes improper language and inappropriate grammar do jar
or mar the quality of a piece. Poetry surely is an unbridled outpouring of
one’s inner feelings and thoughts…however, in the written form, I believe that
in needs to be properly channelized and crafted. Before it is sent for
publication, a revisit of one’s poem I believe, is necessary, to obviate avoidable
errors.
NILAVRONILL: Humanity has suffered immensely in the
past, and is still suffering around the world. We all know it well. But are you
hopeful about our future?
PADMAJA IYENGAR PADDY: Yes,
humanity has suffered and continues to suffer all across the world. In the
consumerist and materialistic world that we are living in, greed for power and
supremacy to become economic super powers, nuclear super powers, and many more,
lead to struggles for supremacy between nations. Intense competition in this consumerist
and firepower-driven world, also creates rifts and complexes between the have
and have-not nations as also between individuals. Politics too plays a major
role in stoking passions, mistrust and superiority complex between nations and
people. Yes, I am hopeful about our future, especially after the sudden attack
by COVID-19 that has locked in the mankind like never before and has set us all
thinking about the ephemeral nature of our existence, and also to reassess and
realign our priorities! These times have provided us ample me-time to
introspect and turn the light within to find new paths. As nations emerge out
of the Covid-19 threat, I am sure a new world order too will emerge of better
cooperation, understanding, mutual respect, mutual trust and empathy. I hope
and pray that upholding human values henceforth is on the top of any and every
agenda! Also hope that international multilingual poetry anthologies like Amaravati
Poetic Prism too play a role in binding nations and communities together and
in promoting peace, harmony, amity and brotherhood through poetry!
NILAVRONILL: What role can literature in general
play to bring a better day for every human being?
PADMAJA IYENGAR PADDY: Literature
in general and poetry in particular, can communicate with the human being about
what is important in life. Well-written poetry with a message can truly impact
a person in a way that no other medium can. Poetry usually makes the reader
ponder and introspect. Much like a powerful painting, poetry often leaves a
personal-level impact as the reader can relate to it deeply and a good poem
usually gets a revisit. Also, poetry
being usually short, manages to convey in a few verses and simple words, what
reems and reems of text can’t do. Poetry
has the capability to evoke a variety of positive emotions like patriotism,
love, kindness, appreciation, gratitude, empathy, humour and many more, and
thus, make the day worthwhile for every reader. The rhyme, rhythm and reason in
poetry are unique and therefore, have the ability to raise the bar for the
human being.
PADMAJA IYENGAR-PADDY, a
senior ex-banker and a former urban governance consultant, is currently the
Hon. Literary Advisor, The Cultural Centre of Vijayawada and Amaravati (CCVA),
and on the Advisory Panel of International Society for Intercultural Studies
and Research (ISISAR), Kolkata. Paddy’s maiden poetry collection ‘P-En-Chants’
has been recognized as a Unique Record of Excellence by the India Book of
Records. She has compiled and edited 6 international multilingual poetry
anthologies, one of them ‘WWW – Women, Wit & Wisdom’ of women poets. The
other five, ‘Amaravati Poetic Prism’ 2015 to 2019, have received world-wide
recognition with the 2016, 2017 and 2018 editions recognized by the prestigious
Limca Book of Records published by Coca Cola India and the 2019 edition with
1303 poems in 125 languages by over 761 poets from 86 countries, yet again in
Limca contention. An official Member of the World Nation Writers Union in
Kazakhstan and a recipient of several awards and honours, Paddy is regularly
invited to national and international literary events to read her poems. Her
poems, articles and short stories, some of them prize-winners, have been published
in various national and international anthologies, print journals and e-zines.
Her poems have been translated into several languages.
NilavroNill Shoovro: The Indian poet, is the founder editor and publisher of the monthly web journal Our Poetry Archive. His poems have widely been translated in many European languages. He is also an essayist and writes lot of articles on social issues, current affairs and literature.
