TLV talks with Vinita Agarwal.

ABout:  Vinita Agrawal.

Vinita Agrawal is a Mumbai based writer and poet. Apart from a poetry book under the title "Words not spoken", there are few others in press. She in  featured in Asian Cha, Kritya.org, Mahmag World Literature, The Brown Critique, Poetry 24, Mandala  and various other online and offline platforms. Right now, She is on a all time high winning mission grabbing more than three awards within a week including a commendation prize in  All India Poetry Competition 2014, and  Wordweavers poetry 2014.  

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 The Literary Voyage in a chit-chat with notable poet Vinita Agrawal. The conversation started with some personal questions regarding writing experience, hobbies and later transformed into vogues and fads. To know rest, read the whole conversation stated  below. I bet you are going to love and enjoy it : Happy reading.

TLV:  When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Vinita Agrawal: At a very young age actually. I was five when I wrote my first poem. I've been writing poetry as far back as I can remember. I used to contribute to my school and college magazines and from there I progressed to contributing to national magazines and newspapers.

 TLV:   Describe typical day spent writing? Do you follow a strict writing schedule or just write when the spirit hits you?

Vinita Agrawal: Writing is a very fluid exercise...one can't write rigidly at the same time everyday. If someone has that kind of discipline then it's very admirable! Speaking for myself, there was a time when I used to write when the mood struck me but that has changed now. I write everyday. But not at the same time of the day. But I'm particular about writing regularly; my day does not feel complete if I haven't written something.

 TLV:   What genre of books do you like to read?

Vinita Agrawal:  I like reading biographies and war novel and books on spirituality and culture. I also like reading light philosophy. What I like reading best is the life of the Buddha in its myriad dimensions. Broadly speaking I like reading books that bring to light extraordinary courage in human beings.

 TLV:   What stimulates or motivates you to write: nature, human events, a little wine or vodka, or did I miss something?-this is a being honest with yourself question.

Vinita Agrawal: Certainly not wine or vodka...although I do believe you meant that in jest! Everything inspires me to write and human emotions most of all. Even if I'm writing about nature, I tend to weave emotions into it. My poems are rarely purely descriptive. I like to give a deeper dimension to whatever I write.

TLV:   Do you think contemporary English poetry in India is far behind the times compared with fiction writing?

Vinita Agrawal: That's a good question. It's not the poetry that is far behind the times as compared to fiction but the importance that is accorded to it is. Poetry is still fighting for its rightful place in the field of creative arts. Not enough forums promote poetry seriously and therefore it had poor commercial value. Fiction on the other hand is a genre that stands on its own feet and is better recognized. I think we need many more awards for poetry in our country. We need to inculcate the spirit of poetry in children right from school days.

 TLV:   What’s about family support?

Vinita Agrawal: You cannot achieve anything in life without family support. My family has been very supportive and encouraging in all my endeavours. I am particularly grateful to them for giving me an environment where I could pursue my passion for writing.

 TLV:  What advice would you give to people who "run out of creativity” or those “who are willing” to write?

Vinita Agrawal:  If by running out of creativity you mean the quintessential 'writers block' then I'd say that it happens to the best of writers. Personally, I just abandon writing at such times and take to reading instead. Sooner or later inspiration returns! As for advise to people who are willing to write, all I can say is that anyone who is willing to persevere will one day be rewarded. Hard work never goes in vain.

 TLV:   When your first book release is scheduled to be published?

Vinita Agrawal:  My first book of poems titled Words Not Spoken was published in November 2013. At this point in time, I have a couple of manuscripts ready and waiting but have not sent them out to publishers yet. I guess when the right moment comes, things will fall into place.

 TLV:   What is the role of Internet and social media in life of a writer?

 Vinita Agrawal: Interestingly they seem to play a contradictory role - while internet and social media are an irritating distraction when it comes to writing per se, the same become significant to announce one's work to the world. Post publishing, the social media becomes an important platform to share your work globally. That said, I have to add that it is a very time taking exercise.

TLV:   If you had to choose, what would you say are the two best poems, flash fiction, or short stories you have ever written to this date? Would you like to share a link or few lines of them?

Vinita Agrawal:  I would be pleased to share a few lines from my poems here but would not like to choose them as best or not best...it's hard to select your own work from that perspective. I hope the readers will enjoy reading these lines:

Home

Homes have no walls

 no rooms, no furniture, no thresholds.

 Nothing through which you might enter

and nothing from which you might want to exit

Because homes are not houses

Homes are built in the eyes

 Erected by naked, hungry hearts

 In skies, in dew drops, lichen, mosses,

 Sometimes on parched, parted lips

 Sometimes inside the darkening irises of your eyes

Homes are tender assembles of empty air

 Sorted by the linear breaths you lend to me;

 Built for unborn little feet to run

 And for smiles to sun themselves on broad porticos

My home is in the centre of your palms

 Sunk in the wells of your destiny

 That you carry like a liquid in your eyes

Or like an abode in your hand, my very own delta

Between the nine mounds of the universe.
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Land's End

The souls of pavements

 and the silence of footsteps

that have nowhere to go

slope down into the sea here,

 at Land's End.

 Salt licks air.

Something unfinished

lies in the net of the night

 like fallen stars

and the railings

 mating perpetually

with the sea's spray,

beckon to leap

 into the mess of my past

hoping to become food for fish.

So many sandbags of me

 heavy with touch are lined

against the shore's crags.

Vastness floats to me

 seeps inside my jute.

 I look like earth's lips:

Parched

 Parted

 Puckered

Dry, as all the nothingness

 that pants like a tired,

 broken leaf seeking Land's End

and then, the endless burn of seas.

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TLV:   Describe your literary voyage in two lines?

Vinita Agrawal:  My literary voyage has only just begun!

And to quote Frost, “I have miles to go before I sleep"...

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Thanks Vinita Ma'am for all this support and precious time of yours. The Literary Voyage wishes you a happy and notable writing journey ahead; much like your divine poems.

One can order a copy of her debut book " Words not spoken" by simply sending a mail at browncritique@gmail.com Contact person is Gayatri Majumdar. In order to get more of Vinita's works, follow her at www.vinitawords.com.

https://www.facebook.com/vinita.agrawal.127.

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