Didn't we all wonder how poets manage to capture complex human emotions so effortlessly, finding the right words in perfect balance? Arundhathi Subramaniam is one such poet, known for her insightful writings on culture and spirituality. CE caught up with this Mumbai-based author of 13 books of poetry and prose including Wild Women: Seekers, Protagonists and Goddesses in Sacred Indian Poetry, Sadhguru: More Than a Life and When God Is A Traveller in a one-on-one conversation at an event in the city about her poetry, creative journey, and more.
Excerpts
What are your thoughts on Hyderabad?
The city seems to have grown immensely — that’s my first impression. I’m happy to see the growth. It’s a vibrant city, and for many of us from different parts of the country and the world, it’s a place we love to visit. I love the confluence of cultures here. I love the bangles. (laughs) I love the food. I love the grittiness of Hyderabad. I don’t like sanitised cities. I like cities that have a little grit in them, and Hyderabad has grit.
Looking back at your journey, how did you first discover that writing was your calling? How did your perception evolve overtime?
I think it started with nursery rhymes; that’s where my excitement began. Though I did not understand them, I just loved the language from then on. And then when I was a teenager, I discovered that it could be a tool for self-expression. Now it’s not even that — it’s just about listening to myself.
You have written a lot about culture and spirituality. What do these concepts mean to you?
Culture is a very fluid term; it doesn’t mean something that sits on a shelf. It is part of how we walk, live, talk, eat, laugh, weep. Spirituality, for me, is about asking existential questions — about living and dying. Most importantly, it’s about learning to confront uncertainty. It’s about really coming to terms with the fact that nothing is certain.
What is your creative process?
I think it’s different for each book. So, sometimes a phrase comes to you, and other times, it’s a feeling that you just need to write down. And then five years later, you realise that you’ve been circling the same themes. And then all of those little jottings become a book.
Any challenges you have faced in your journey?
I think self-doubt is the biggest challenge — the yearning to speak but being choked by self-doubt. And I think I overcame that by just continuing to write and immersing myself in the things that I love.
What’s the common challenge that upcoming writers face?
I think each person, each human being, is unique. So, the way you see the world is not the way I see the world. And that’s the reason why even though everything has been said before, each one of us will say it differently. So I think that’s the task for every artist — to learn to sound like themselves.
What do you love to read in your spare time? Who are your favourite authors?
I read a lot of poetry. I read a lot of non-fiction. I like reading spiritual journeys, biographies of mystic poets, and sacred literature. I’ve recently been reading D Nurkse, an American poet. I’ve also been reading Burn Down Your House: Provocations from Kabir by Shabnam Virmani.
How do you see the evolution of poetry from books to online platforms?
I think it’s wonderful that poetry is so much more accessible now. The concern I sometimes have is that if you share poetry too easily and too quickly without giving it time to develop, something is lost. A poem needs to be revised, crafted, and tweaked. The danger, I think, is in rushing the process and turning our literature into something hasty.
Any advice for aspiring poets?
Keep writing. Don’t listen to those voices that say you can’t do it. But also read — read poetry. I feel a lot of young poets don’t read enough poetry, and that’s essential.
Any upcoming projects?
I have a book of poems called The Gallery of Upside-Down Women coming out this year. It’s releasing internationally in March and in India in July.