THRISSUR: The best literary works are usually the result of exasperation and anguish. These emotions seem to keep the creative juices flowing by channelling the thought process of authors. Bhadra is no different. An argument with her parents can provoke the 10-year-old to a session of reading and writing, and a prolific one at that. She released her second book, Appooppanthadikal, a collection of poems, on National Reading Day -- June 19.
It was in 2021, coinciding with the petering out of the pandemic, that Bhadra released her collection of short stories, Kunjumegham. The book made a good impression, and it acted as a confidence booster for the little girl with a prodigious imagination.
Bhadra derives much happiness from reading and writing that she transports herself into a world of her own -- unaffected by external circumstances, say parents Sumesh and Subha. “We are avid readers ourselves, and that must have rubbed off on her. Whenever we go to a library, we take her with us. She started reading books when she learned to string together sentences,” says Subha. It was Bhadra’s mother who discovered the writer in her.
Covid gave Bhadra a lot of time to read. It was during this period that Prathibha Library, near her home in Avanoor, came up with a book-reading challenge. While no children in the neighbourhood took part, Bhadra took it as a challenge. Within six months, she read 75 books and even wrote appreciation notes for all of them.
“I gave her an old diary to help her jot down her daily activity. But she turned it into a journal of her thoughts and imaginations. Sometimes after returning home from some outdoor leisure, she would start writing about her experiences. It may be about a cat she noticed or a child she met. They would become the raw material for her thoughts. Her last poem in Appooppanthadikal is about a crow that she spotted lying motionless near our home,” says Sumesh.
Bhadra’s favourite author is Priya A S. She also loves to read the books of Gracy. For her, free time is either reading or writing time. The Class 5 student also trains in classical dance. Amid all her pursuits, she never compromises on reading time. She selects the books herself with the guidance of her parents.
Varadiyam Government UP School is proud to have Bhadra as a pupil. It was at the school, that her second book was released by Wadakkanchery MLA Xavier Chittilappilly, who handed it over to poet Vijayarajamallika. The book was published by Booker Media Publications.