RANGOLI Kala Kahani's Magazine - South Asian Arts and Literature - Spring 08# 01

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RANGOLI Kala Kahani's Magazine - South Asian Arts and Literature - Spring 08# 01
RANGOLI                    Kala Kahani’s Magazine

    South Asian Arts and Literature

    www.kalakahani.co.uk
                                    #     01
                                          Spring 08
RANGOLI Kala Kahani's Magazine - South Asian Arts and Literature - Spring 08# 01
kala kahani online magazine
                                                                                                                       02

                                                                           Charnwood Arts
                                                                           31 Granby Street
                                                                           Loughborough
                                                                           Leicestershire
                                                                           LE11 3DU

                                                                           01509 821035
                                                                           www.kalakahani.co.uk

                                                                           Editor and Writer
                                                                            Raakhee Modha
                                                                            raakhee.modha@kalakahani.co.uk
                                                                           Project Manager
                                                                            Rebecca Abrahams
                                                                            rebecca.abrahams@charnwood-arts.org.uk
                                                                           Research Assistant
                                                                            Nalini Solanki
                                                                            nalini.solanki@kalakahani.co.uk
                                                                           Technical Designer/Publisher
                                                                            Manuela De Castro
                                                                            nela@gatafunho.com
                                                                           Technical Support
                                                                            Anthony Parks
                                                                            itsupport@charnwood-arts.org.uk
                                                                           Photographer/Editing Assistant
                                                                            Front Cover and All Candle Images
                                                                            Kajal Nisha Patel
                                                                            kajspice@gmail.com

                                                                           Kala Kahani is a Charnwood Arts project funded by Arts
                                                                           Council East Midlands. Charnwood Arts is an independent
                                                                           community organisation and a registered arts and
                                                                           educational charity (number 505977). The work of Kala
                                                                           Kahani is the promotion and appreciation of specifically
                                                                           South Asian arts and literature. All text, articles and
                                                                           images submitted for the Kala Kahani’s Rangoli magazine
The views expressed by contributors to Kala                                are the property of individual authors and no part of
Kahani’s Rangoli magazine are not necessarily                              this magazine may be reproduced without the express
those of the staff or trustees of Charnwood Arts                           permission of the authors or Charnwood Arts.

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                       CONTENTS
                        04-07   A Forum with the Editor

                        08-10   Poetry- Echoes from Anahata
                                 Selected Works of Raakhee Modha

                        11-13   Roving Reporter’s Literary Review
                                 Contemporary South Asian Literature - Fiction or Revelation?

                        14-15   Quivering Peacock Feathers & Crazy Coconuts
                                 A Review of an Eclectic Performance by the Sidi Goma Tribe

                        16-27   Author’s Corner- Interviews with
                                 Shahrukh Husain -The Virago Book of Witches
                                 Gautam Malkani -Londonstani
                                 Shiromi Pinto -Trussed
                                 Preethi Nair -The Colour of Love

                        28-31   Photography - Satyaprakash
                                 Kajal Nisha Patel

                        32-37   Scouting Local Talents
                                 A Writer’s Journey with Kirti Joshi and Sarfraz Ahmed

                        38-40   Hot Topics
                                 Achieving Real Diversity in the Arts World by Amit Popat

                        41-42   60 Years Since the Partition of British India
                                 Local Children Perform Interpretations of this Emotive Event

                        43-46   The Noble Sage Art Gallery in London
                                 South Indian Contemporary Art with Jana Manuelpillai

                          47    Kala Kahani Recommends Links

                        48-49   Kal ki Kala - Forthcoming Features
                                 The Art of Tomorrow

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A FORUM WITH THE EDITOR
                        Editor’s Greeting
                                “Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”
                                                                             George Bernard Shaw

                        Following the success of Kala Kahani, I find great pleasure in introducing you
                        to its supplementary magazine “Rangoli”. Kala Kahani is extending its current
                        platform to chronicle unique journeys and bring to light underexposed, raw
                        South Asian talent.

                        I have marked the opening edition with a burning flame to symbolise the
                        path to higher knowledge – a truth which some of our featured artists have
                        dedicated their lives towards. This vast, hub of talent has inspired us to form
                        an accessible space to innovate the imaginative senses of a wider, discerning
                        audience. We speak to Amit Popat, Diversity Advisor at London’s University
                        of Arts, to learn whether variety currently exists in the arts diasporas and steps
                        needed to support this multifaceted concept.

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                       This edition contains literary reviews    a transcendental epiphany. Awakened
                       and interviews with well known            by her photographic calling, Kajal
                       authors Shahrukh Husain, and Preethi      expresses a profound understanding
                       Nair, alongside emerging writers          of her observations with a deeply
                       Gautam Malkani (Londonstani) and          moving, optimistic sensibility. Each
                       Shiromi Pinto (Trussed). Supported by     picture renders heartfelt emotion in
                       Kala Kahani’s Writers’ Development        cinematic style as she introduces a
                       Programme, winner of 2007 Penguin         painful topic with remarkable probity
                       Decibel Prize, Kirti Joshi talks to us    and hope.
                       about her piece on immigration,
                       whilst spirited poet Sarfraz Ahmed        2007 welcomed celebrations for
                       unravels his new offering “Stab the       60 years of Indian Independence
                       Pomegranate”.                             from British colonial rule, but
                                                                 what price did India really pay for
                       Donned in their royal blue peacock        her ‘freedom’? “60 Years since the
                       feathers and head dresses, the Sidis      Partition of British India” is a poignant
                       of Gujarat mesmerise audiences with       perspective, discovering the journey
                       their culturally eclectic and sublime     of understanding and forgiveness.
                       performance. Do not despair if you        Through workshops, school children
                       missed it, as we will take you through    embody these emotions and perform
                       this divine experience with our           their interpretations to an audience.
                       words.                                    Victims of the Partition recount painful
                                                                 memories from the inconceivable and
                       Just 28 years young, entrepreneur         brutal separation.
                       Jana Manuelpillai translates his
                       dreams into reality and sets his sights   “Rangoli” mirrors unique South
                       on London with the opening of its first    Asian flair, representing a blended
                       South Indian contemporary art gallery.    palette of rich colours, textures and
                       Armed with his vision, integrity and      emotions; to stir and awaken our
                       undeterred tenacity, Jana unveils “The    inner perceptions of their kala (art) -
                       Noble Sage”.                              this fusion is a continuation of their
                                                                 creative evolution. “Rangoli” humbly
                       Following a driven passion to fulfil       welcomes you, the artist, writer and
                       what she considers to be her ethical      audience to participate by making
                       duty; Kajal Nisha Patel initiated a       suggestions and providing feedback.
                       lifechanging voyage to India. One year    In return, we will provide a dynamic
                       on, she continues to explore the nature   space for mutual exchange.
                       of truth behind what she describes as

                                                                 Inspire us to inspire you!!!

                       Raakhee Modha EDITOR

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                                Questions to the Editor

                                Q: Do you feel that South Asian writers are expected to write about their cultural
                                background, issues and experiences rather than genres of their choice? Surely
                                this is an exotic marketing tool for agents rather than legitimate work of note?
                                Alex Sackey, Ghana

                                          Raakhee: It is always difficult to fulfill the precise expectations of a
                                          publisher as they may or may not connect with the writer’s style. My
                                          perception is that creativity comes from within and to compromise
          © Kajal Nisha Patel
                                          its expression can ‘dilute’ the talent. I believe commercial pressures
                                          exist, such as the popularity and marketability of exotic genres, and
                                          put new writers in a difficult position. The onus is on them to exercise
                                          their creativity with integrity so that their work will be recognised
                                          for its true merit. However they may still choose to write towards
                                          commercial incentives.

                                          I will give the example of Jhumpa Lahiri. I do not believe that her
                                          prize winning novel The Namesake was written with a mass audience
                                          in mind. I felt as if the subject was very close to Jhumpa’s heart. Could
                                          she have produced the same quality of writing if the choice of genre
                                          was dictated to her? Are we, as readers, willing to take accountability
                                          for a lack of diversity in our book stores? I would like you to share
                                          your opinion with me on this subject...

                                Q: There is an abundance of work by Asian writers that has been translated
                                from their native language into English. Do you feel that the ‘essence’ of the
                                work is lost in translation, especially where poetry is concerned?
                                Prakash Mistry, Rugby

                                          Raakhee: I believe this to be true in poetry. In a just few words, a
                                          well written poem can transport the reader to another dimension.
                                          If those words cannot be adequately expressed in another language
                                          then there will be a discrepancy in the experience of the poetry; it
                                          will not befall on the reader as the writers intended their work to.
                                          Let me use the analogy of travelling abroad. The heat always ‘feels’
                                          more intense as if its source is different. We may reach the same
                                          temperatures in England with the same sun, yet the heat seems of a
                                          different nature and is somehow less ‘exciting’. Each writer, whether
                                          they are South Asian or otherwise, is enriched by a melting pot of
                                          conditions, cultural experiences and values all of which have unique
                                          vibrations. I believe to provide the most accurate depiction of the
                                          work, these inimitable gestures and forms of expression need to be
                                          experienced even if the language of interpretation is different. For me,
                                          this is not an issue as long as the translator does not claim authentic
                                          preservation of the work.

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             Q: In the age of supporting environmentally friendly products, do you think literature will only be
             available electronically in the future whilst books will become a thing of the past?
             Sanjay Modha, East Midlands

                       Raakhee: I am not sure if computers are environmentally friendlier than books but I find e-
                       books to be uncomfortable for my eyes after a short time and I am no technophobic! I can
                       read for hours if I have a paper book and it is more tangible. Yes e-books save paper but at
                       what cost? My eye sight? I am an environmentally conscious individual but there should
                       be no trade offs in the solution. Regardless of what I feel, our generation is becoming more
                       technophilic. Patterns and trends indicate that e-books will become more popular whilst
                       our libraries become museums!

             Q: I have debated modern perceptions of the ‘Kama Sutra’ with my colleagues, on numerous
             occasions as it often depicted as pornography. However, it is also recognised as a piece of credible
             literature, portraying a taboo subject with sensitivity and realism. What are your thoughts on this?
             Amisha Mistry, Wembley

                       Raakhee: I would be interested to know how these profound scriptures have been labelled
                       “pornography” and in what context. Did you know that only a portion of the Kama Sutra,
                       written by Mallanaga Vatsyayana, is actually devoted to the art of love making and in the
                       original text there were no diagrams? The written work details the art of making love to your
                       partner in a sphere of mutual trust, collective pleasure and deep respect for one another; a
                       meeting of the body, mind and soul. This union is symbolic of Individual Energy merging
                       with Divine Energy and the process is natural within the different goals (purusharthas) of
                       life; dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama (desire) and moksha (liberation).

                       In no way does the Kama Sutra advocate promiscuity, which I feel is the perception of
                       these scriptures, in my western setting. However I am not an expert on the texts so to those
                       interested in this debate... I would advise reading the material in its original context in
                       order to discuss the Kama Sutra, with respect to the writer.

             Q: I enjoy reading books by South Asian authors with an avid interest in new releases or emerging
             authors. My local book store catalogues all the fiction together making it difficult and frustrating
             to find South Asian authors. Do you feel that authors who represent ethnic minority groups should
             be shelved separately or can you suggest how to find what I am looking for more easily? I have
             tried several Internet search engines which don’t really help. Hardeep Bhachu, Leeds

                       Raakhee: It is great to hear that you are interested in South Asian writing Hardeep! I find
                       that local libraries are really good at embracing diverse genres of new writers, making
                       them an ideal place to begin. I also feel we should use our libraries more, as they provide
                       economical freedom to read material and decide which authors you like. A good library
                       will also put in touch with the right people/places if you want to expand your interest
                       in reading, writing or learning. It is a little trickier to find what you are looking for in
                       book stores, as best sellers are often grouped together. Other books tend to be shelved in
                       alphabetical order (if they are popular enough to be In stock) - nevertheless there is no
                       harm in asking the staff for assistance.

                       Updates on new books by Contemporary South Asian authors and noted classical works
                       are available for free by subscribing to the following websites:

                       http://wordpress.com/tag/south-asian-writers/
                       http://sasialit.org/

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             POETRY- ECHOES FROM
                        ANAHATA
                          Selected Works of Raakhee Modha
                           Words | Raakhee Modha

                                         Raakhee was born in Madagascar. She moved to Southall,
                                         in West London, where her British education began. In
                                         the late 80’s her family settled in Loughborough, where
                                         she currently resides. She embarked on a successful IT
                                         career until a life changing event directed her towards the
                                         practice of Yoga; awakening her inner light. In pursuit of this
                                         deeply cathartic experience, Raakhee travelled to India,
                                         where she trained as a Teacher of Yoga (www.sattva-yoga.
                                         co.uk). At present she teaches Yoga classes and works at
                                         the local hospital. She also writes poetry and is the editor
                                         and writer for Kala Kahani’s Rangoli magazine.

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                                                                The Banks of Varanasi
                                                                A bizarre and undigested feeling in Varanasi in
                                                                March 2007, unlike anything I had felt before,
                                                                transformed itself into this elaborate piece.

                                                                            The Banks of Varanasi

                                                                             By the banks of Varanasi, morning dawns
Silent Cries
                                                                             A cool breeze blows
A painful experience in your life teaches
                                                                             The Ganga flows
you that you were prepared for everything
                                                                             Where life expires
but this moment.
                                                                             The Soul retires
                                                                             Bathers atone for their sins
Silent Cries                                                                 Worshipping the Shiva Linga

                                                                             By the banks of Varanasi, midday breaks
                                                                             Spectators sit and chat
Youth the age of perpetual abuse                                             Piles of wood at every ghat
The naivety and the innocence lost                                           ‘Ram nam satya hein’ they cry
Truly a sorrowful passage                                                    Funeral pyres pollute the sky
For which I am paying the cost                                               The bereaved chant hymns
                                                                             Rusty boats carry pilgrims
Years of damage and despair
Now manifest in this fragile shell                                           By the banks of Varanasi, night falls
Pushing against the wall of my limbs                                         The arti bells ring
When will the pain end who can tell?                                         The righteous sing
                                                                             Floating lamps serenade the river
Each physical and mental scar engraved                                       Cursing snakes slide and slither
Conscious in every waking breath                                             Echoes of the Sanskrit texts
Felt in the slightest movement                                               And prayers for merciful deaths
The mind is unforgiving and restless
                                                                             By the banks of Varanasi, darkness looms
The result an imbalance of the mind                                          Poverty still exists
Once a vibrant soul trying to break out                                      Hawkers still persist
But completely trapped and subdued                                           Sadhus with their dreadlock daze
Immersed in my cries I shout                                                 Tourists think they’re all the craze
                                                                             The night chill blows
But no one hears, the silence feeds my pain                                  The Ganga flows
And so the suffering will continue                                           By the banks of Varanasi
No cathartic experience is felt
Leaving me wholly black and blue                                                                     by Raakhee Modha

                       by Raakhee Modha

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The Age of Darkness
That famous saying ‘Your eyes are a window to
your Soul’ triggered off a sombre slant on this
view. Are our eyes always so transparent?

The Age of Darkness

If my eyes are a window to my Soul
Then what courageous light will penetrate the dark tinted barriers
That stand before them?

Like the solemn gates of a fortress
Before a great battle
The darkness, the birth of Shakespearian like tragedies
Growing into the adult of stubborn obstacles

Weighing heavily on this barricaded Soul

                                                by Raakhee Modha

                                                               The Age of Light
                                                               All emotions/thoughts exist in duality, like a
                                                               mirror of opposites hence The Age of Darkness
                                                               cannot exist without The Age of Light!

                                                                                        The Age of Light

                                                               If my eyes are a window to my Soul
                                                               Then let Light of Truth penetrate the renouncing barriers
                                                               That stand before them

                                                               Like the rising sun
                                                               Signalling the dawn of Pure Creation
                                                               The radiance, the birth of New Beginnings
                                                               Growing into the adult of Right Knowledge

                                                               Releasing the shackles and liberating my Soul

                                                                                                        by Raakhee Modha

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ROVING REPORTER’S LITERARY
REVIEW
                        Contemporary South Asian Literature
                        Words | Raakhee Modha                        Fiction or Revelation?

                            The evening talk was held as part of the ‘India Now’, festival of India. Set
                            in the Bishopsgate Institute of London, in the charismatic Grand Library,
                            an audience of twenty or so budding writers, literary critics, students
                            or perhaps friends of the acclaimed author Shahrukh Husain attended
                            the soiree. She was asked to talk about translated South Asian writing,
                            covering authors from India and the West. Two flourishing writers
                            Shiromi Pinto and Gautam Malkani were invited to read extracts from
                            their novels and discuss their views as they represented the latter part of
                            the discussion.

                            A brief synopsis of the history of South Asian literature was used to
                            introduce the subject. The focus of this discourse was based on themes
                            and styles used by South Asian writers, to create passionate and emotive
                            works, which either resonated or incensed their readers.

                            Shahrukh commenced on early South Asian vernacular writers, whose
                            works were translated into common Indian and foreign languages. She
                            mentioned Premchand, a Hindi and Urdu novelist, who was influenced
                            by Indian nationalist struggles. This theme was echoed by Qurratulain
                            Hyder, author of the acclaimed novel ‘Aag ka Darya’, originally written
                            in Urdu. It was recently translated into English as ‘River of Fire’; In Urdu
                            fiction this equals ‘A Hundred Years of Solitude’ in Hispanic literature.

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                       Hyder addressed the religious tensions    the screen adaptation. Raju, a tourist
                       between Muslims and Hindus before         guide falls in love with a dancer,
                       and after-Partition. She also tackled     Rosie. He ‘guides’ her away from an
                       India’s difficulties during colonisation   unhappy marriage and transforms
                       and the troubled times which              her into a successful dancer breaking
                       proceeded after Independence.             all the social ‘norms’ of the Indian
                                                                 community in which they live. When
                       Shahrukh pointed out that the work        the relationship turns sour Raju delves
                       did not necessarily cater to mass         into a life of gambling and alcohol.
                       audiences but was a medium to             He is accidentally mistaken as a saint
                       express their political and social        (swami) by a group of illiterate villagers
                       stance during this difficult period.       who turn to him for salvation during
                       Many writers were a part of the Indian    a spell of drought. In a bid to liberate
                       Progressive Writers Association; a        himself from the burden of this lie
                       movement which used literature to         Raju tries to convince them he is just
                       express ideals of social up rise and      an ordinary man and a former convict
                       justice. Saadat Hasan Manto, a South      but the villagers see this as a test of
                       Asian Muslim literary figure, was also     their faith and refuse to believe him.
                       part of this movement and his Urdu        Raju begins his internal transformation
                       works such as ‘Thanda Gosht’ later        through this experience. The story of
                       translated into English as ‘Cold Meat’,   ‘The Guide’ illustrates Raju’s spiritual
                       made him a controversial writer,          evolution in accordance with Hindu
                       touching on taboo subjects of sexual      philosophy; the unhappiness of living
                       repression. Manto did not pander to       in a world driven by material gains
                       mainstream conservative audiences         and liberation through renunciation.
                       and was therefore commercially
                       unsuccessful; this contributed to his     Amit Chaudhuri, the author of The
                       rather untimely demise which was          Picador Book of Modern Indian
                       common with early writers.                Literature, commented that it was R.K.
                                                                 Narayan’s simplicity as a writer that
                       Shahrukh moved onto talk about            made him accessible to everyone but
                       Indian writers, who write in English.     the culture itself was not accessible as
                       (IWE). Mulk Raj Anand, a pioneer of       it had to be experienced. In contrast,
                       IWE, reflected the social challenges       the style of magical realism was often
                       faced by Indians in his literature and    used by writers to steer away from
                       his work earned him international         pure English, giving the reader a
                       acclaim. His novels, ‘Coolie’ and         microcosm of India and the example
                       ‘Untouchables’ explored issues that       Shahrukh gave of this style was ‘The
                       he felt had been overshadowed by a        Mistress of Spices’ by Chitra Banerjee
                       foreign colonialism such as the layers    Divakaruni.
                       of colonialism, created by barriers
                       of culture and tradition which exist      In the next clip the audience were
                       within Indian society.                    given a glimpse of Anita Desai’s screen
                                                                 adaptation of her book ‘In Custody’.
                       Shahrukh contrasted Anand’s style         The short clip highlights hardships of
                       with author R.K. Narayan. Narayan’s       a family in rural India. The timidity of
                       most famous novel ‘The Guide’             the college lecturer’s wife is evident.
                       illustrated his simplistic style, which   She fulfils her role as a mother and wife
                       made his work accessible to the           but not as a woman in her own right.
                       masses. He unravelled, the story          She feeds her young son and hurriedly
                       thread by thread to draw his audience     packs him off in an overcrowded
                       into the experience. Shahrukh detailed    tonga, a horse pulled taxi. When she
                       the story before showing a clip from      converses with her husband Deven,

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                       she appears to be frustrated because       and consumerist culture. Shiromi
                       he has an unquestioned authority in        Pinto on the other hand felt that the
                       their relationship. In the next frame a    difficulties arose from pigeonholing
                       colleague at work tries to paint Deven     authors under the category of ‘British
                       a dreamlike picture of migrating to        Asian’. This categorisation of a
                       America, a world of many riches, to        complex and variegated group fails
                       which Deven replies sarcastically          to serve its purpose because it is an
                       “What would Indians do in America          unfair representation of a diverse
                       teach Hindi to Americans?” His             community. Her novel ‘Trussed’
                       sarcasm carries an air of despondency      reflects intricate relationships and
                       adding to the dissatisfaction of his       experiences between characters
                       situation.                                 trying to discover their true identity.

                       The three writers fused together           The evening concluded with Shiromi
                       themes of religion, class, gender,         Pinto reading an extract from her
                       culture, poverty and oppression with       exciting novel ‘Trussed’ and a piece
                       emotions of love, anger, injustice         of work commissioned by the Victoria
                       and despair. IWE’s created much            and Albert Museum called ‘Tiger Tiger
                       anxiety within India and a sense of        Burning Bright’. She captivated the
                       betrayal as many felt that the writers     audience with her zealous style of
                       were exposing Indian culture and its       writing. Gautam Malkani read from
                       problems globally.                         his first novel ‘Londonstani’ leaving
                                                                  most of the audience in hysterics.
                       The discussion led on to more recent,      Both with their unique style of
                       successful literature, which dealt with    writing showcased their diversity as a
                       broader themes of Indian identity,         contemporary generation of authors.
                       gender, cross-cultural issues, hardships
                       of immigration, and class. Shahrukh        South Asian Contemporary Literature
                       highlighted that these issues are a        - Fiction or Revelation? It is clear
                       reality to Jhumpa Lahiri, who won the      that excitement has been re-ignited.
                       Pulitzer Prize in 2003 for her novel       The surge in international interest
                       ‘The Namesake’. These global themes        for fiction by the diaspora of South
                       were also covered in ‘The Inheritance      Asian contemporary writers owe their
                       of Loss’ by Kiran Desai who recently       success to the articulate and candid
                       won the coveted Man Booker Prize           portrayal of broad issues such as
                       2006. Her mother, Anita Desai’s book       gender, class, immigration, violence
                       ‘Feasting, Fasting’ (1999) contrasts       and identity. However some critics
                       attitudes towards food in America          argue that the literature is tailored
                       and India, but her recent novel ‘The       towards a Western market yet others
                       Zigzag Way’ (2004), a story of self-       claim it is the take-away quotient that
                       discovery in Mexico, cemented her          appeals to a non-Asian audience. The
                       diversity as a fiction writer.              literature covers a myriad of emotions
                                                                  and concerns which impact the world,
                       Shahrukh involved two young authors        regardless of emigrational status. As
                       who accompanied her to share their         the reading circle anticipates new
                       views on modern British Asian fiction.      books to add to their list, one thing
                       Gautam Malkani agreed that identity        is for certain…this genre of literature
                       played an important part in his fiction     certainly promises to keep critics and
                       but what appeared to be a cultural,        its broad spectrum of readers engaged
                       religious or language issue actually       in a vibrant debate for years to come.
                       came from concerns about gender

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QUIVERING PEACOCK FEATHERS
        & CRAZY COCONUTS
                              A Review of an Eclectic Performance
                        Words | Raakhee Modha                   by   the Sidi Goma Tribe

                                                           When an audience is introduced to
                                                           the artists...“The Sidi Goma Sufi tribe
                                                           from Gujarat (India), with black East
                                                           Africans origins; who perform sacred
                                                           devotional music”...one is not really
                                                           sure of what to expect. A deep curiosity
                                                           sets in and a child like anticipation
                                                           bubbles within. So how does this
                                                           apparently preserved community
                                                           from the African-Indian subcontinent
                                                           come to arrive in Loughborough?
                                                           Charnwood Arts persuaded the Sidi
                                                           Goma to take a detour from their UK
                                                           tour, to mesmerise those who attended
                                                           the evening.

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                                                                                                 015
                       Historically, the Sidis were brought       An enraptured crowd listens to this
                       over to India as slaves, initially by      East African descendent singing what
                       Arab merchants in the 13th century,        may be understood as Urdu. What
                       and later by European traders to serve     could be more surreal than that? The
                       the Maharajas and Nawabs. They             night is still young...
                       retained their rituals and traditions of
                       music and dance rooted in Sufism; a         A rustle of movement carries the rest
                       mystical tradition devoted to divine       of the Sidis, now attired in royal blue
                       love and all aspects of this divinity.     skirts, beautifully layered with striking
                       The tribe’s art is dedicated to Bava       peacock feathers and matching head
                       Gor, a black Sufi saint.                    dresses, back to the centre of the stage.
                                                                  The Sufis, with their faces decorated
                       The night begins with intensely            in swirling white patterns and lines,
                       fragrant incense enclosing a carpeted      adorn the floor with fresh red rose
                       floor, which becomes a shrine, only to      petals. Intense singing ensues, whilst
                       be entered barefoot. The musicians, a      an ensemble of musicians heighten
                       12 piece act clothed in white kurta        their wild antics with bird-like
                       robes and caps, silently walk into the     movements and energised dancing.
                       holy space and arrange themselves
                       in a semi-circle. A zikr (prayer call)     In the midst of the excitement, a
                       opens the evening’s procession.            coconut is tossed in the air fixing the
                                                                  audience’s gaze. The repercussions of
                       Gradually a coarse, melodic song           this act begin to dawn on their faces
                       complements the sound and beat of          as the coconut comes hurtling down
                       percussion instruments, hypnotising        on the Sidi’s head.....if only the crowd
                       the spectators; who are induced into       had donned themselves in safety
                       clapping their hands whilst they sway      helmets! Astonishingly, it shatters
                       to the rhythmic music. In the midst        into pieces covering the floor with
                       of the performance, one by one             water, demonstrating the strength the
                       the Sidis get up, take centre stage        Sidis obtain from their unquestioning
                       and start smiling and dancing in an        faith and worship. More crazy stunts
                       animal-like manner. Each musician          and passionate dancing climaxes into
                       emanates a joyful charisma, adding         uninhibited audience participation,
                       another dimension to the already           as the crowd cast aside their shoes
                       mystical ambience. Beaming with            and eagerly join the Sidis in the holy
                       radiant smiles, singing with fervent       space. The controlled yet chaotic
                       passion, the rest of the seated tribe      energy elevates the tempo of the
                       move their heads from side to side         music and adds momentum to the
                       (seen in traditional classical Indian      heartfelt singing.
                       dancing) whilst their bodies sway
                       effortlessly like sea waves.               The night concludes with an
                                                                  atmosphere of divine euphoria yet
                       The chanting and ardent cries have         the overwhelmed audience is left
                       a crescendo-like effect elevating          craving for more... much more of this
                       the artists to a devotional plane.         exalted state, which the Sufis have
                       Retreating towards the back of the         transported them to. As the Sidi Goma
                       stage, without much commotion, the         slowly disappear, the spectators are
                       Sidis leave the crowd fixated on a          left deeply rejuvenated and enriched
                       lone musician twanging away at his         with remnants of rural classical India,
                       malunga, a one stringed instrument.        fused with ancestral memories of
                                                                  tribal African Soul.

                                                                  Kapa-Productions: http://www.kapa-
                                                                  productions.com/sidigoma/index.htm

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AUTHOR’S CORNER
                                                                 Interviews with

                        Words | Rebecca Abrahams
                        Interviews | Raakhee Modha and Rebecca Abrahams

                             Shahrukh Husain -The Virago Book of Witches
                             Gautam Malkani -Londonstani
                             Shiromi Pinto -Trussed
                             Preethi Nair -The Colour of Love

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                                                                       Shahrukh Husain
                                                                           Interview | Rebecca Abrahams

                                               Shahrukh Husain was born in Pakistan in 1950. She
                                               travelled India extensively and now resides in London
                                               with her husband and two children. Shahrukh feels a
                                               sense of familiarity with the literature and religions from
                                               these countries, which have inspired her passion to write
                                               ‘Witches, Myths and Legends’. She writes fiction, non-
                                               fiction and screen plays for adults and children. Her most
                                               noted works to date are ‘Women Who Wear the Breeches’
                                               (Anchor/Doubleday 1996) and ‘The Virago Book of Witches’
                                               (1993). Her adaptation for Anita Desai’s film, ‘In Custody’
                                               was nominated for a BAFTA award in 1994. Currently,
                                               she is working on a moving, historical screenplay for
                                               Gurinder Chadha of Bend It Films, whilst completing a
                                               series of mythological books for children. Alongside her
                                               writing career, Shahrukh is a practicing psychoanalytic
Shahrukh Husain                                psychotherapist, specialising in trans cultural work. She
                                               also finds time to balance her family life and take care of
                                               her middle aged Chihuahua.
                                               www.shahrukhhusain.com

                                  R: How do you find time to write when you are so busy
                                  with other things?

                                               SH: “It’s like breathing – just an involuntary brain
                                               function. No, really, though, when I’m working on a
                                               commission, pretty much all my work since 1983 has
                                               been commissioned, then I’m committed to a deadline.
                                               I’m sporadic and write in bursts but I keep going and
                                               when I fall behind I have a massive spurt. My training
                                               as a journalist, years ago, stands me in excellent stead
                                               – deadlines are graven in stone. I’m lucky writing comes
                                               easily to me – so frantic last minute work isn’t a problem.
                                               But I’d say my secret is that I don’t wait for the proverbial
                                               ‘large chunks of regular time’. I write on buses, while the
                                               kettle’s boiling and while I’m waiting for someone to arrive
                                               for an appointment or delivery – some times in a pocket of
                                               time as little as 5 minutes. It’s amazing how much you can
                                               accumulate with a few of those. You know, you write at
                                               optimum level for only 10 minutes at a time and you can
                                               write as many as 200 words in five minutes if you don’t
                                               stop to correct? Also, it keeps your brain stimulated and
                                               immersed in your material.”

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                       R: Did you have any literary models when you started writing?

                                           SH: “None that were conscious. I just get an idea and if it
                                           pushes hard enough, it writes itself and finds its own voice.
                                           On the other hand, I’m quite influenced by the rhythms
                                           and textures and even some sayings from my mother-
                                           tongue, Urdu. I’m talking about prose fiction. Screenplays
                                           are different. Having said that, I started writing very early
                                           and I have a horrible feeling I was emulating the writer
                                           of the moment – definitely something called Evangeline
                                           which was mimicking Jane Austen and something else
                                           which was ultra-modern after I’d read Richard Church’s
                                           poem which contained the line: ‘The throb-throb of the
                                           mixer spewing out concrete’. It’s a bit cringe-worthy but at
                                           11, it’s good practice to emulate the masters in the process
                                           of discovering what comes naturally to you.”

                       R: Who are your favourite writers?

                                           SH: “For some reason, this question always bewilders
                                           me. I guess I have favourite books but I’m not sure about
                                           favourite writers. Some of my recent favourites have been
                                           ‘The Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hosseini; ‘Hanna’s Daughters’
                                           by Marianne Fredriksson. ‘Watch me Disappear’ by Jill
                                           Dawson; a re-reading of an old classic ‘The Leopard’ by
                                           Giuseppe di Lampedusa. Paulo Coelho’s ‘The Alchemist’
                                           is an enduring favourite and I like Isabel Allende’s ‘The
                                           House of the Spirits’. It feels as if it could easily be about
                                           India.”

                       R: Do you find writing therapeutic?

                                           SH: “Absolutely. A bit like getting in the bath – safe, alone,
                                           immersed and in control of myself and my surroundings.
                                           I hear the words I’m writing so it feels like listening to a
                                           story, the rhythms of language, the rise and fall of thoughts
                                           flowing onto paper. But of course there are times when
                                           I write under pressure when it all feels very hard and I
                                           have to keep stopping – checking emails is an excellent
                                           displacement activity. When I’m starting a new book, I
                                           tend to do a lot of domestic sorting-out and decluttering
                                           – usually I’m a lousy house-keeper, and I take lots of extra
                                           showers. By the way, do other writers tell you how fertile
                                           their imagination gets in the bath? I’ve had some of my
                                           best break-throughs while soaking or showering. Lowered
                                           inhibition, I guess. It allows through the creativity.”

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                       R: Is writing for a film script very different from writing a book?

                                            SH: “Very different. It’s much more technical. It involves
                                            thinking and planning because you are writing to a spec
                                            and for someone else, from the beginning. You have to
                                            consider your director/producer/editor write from the
                                            word go which makes it a collaborative effort. It’s a bit like
                                            presenting a project idea or in the worst circumstances
                                            a work exercise - it really can feel like that when you’re
                                            unsure of yourself. Then you have always to keep the likely
                                            audience in mind, remember the rules of genre and work
                                            to a basic structure. I used to balk against it at one time but
                                            of course it’s vital to have an internal framework to fall back
                                            on. The rules of structure, of style, of narrative, of thematic
                                            issues and, of course, character are the same but they feel a
                                            bit crass when you first start writing for the screen, because
                                            they are defined overtly and followed consciously rather
                                            than instinctively. But then millions are spent on movies
                                            and the film-makers need to be reasonably sure they’ll get
                                            a decent product before they decide to invest in the writer
                                            – even though writer’s are at the bottom end of their budget.
                                            I find it exciting because it hones the skills and gives me a
                                            yardstick to measure the weaknesses and strengths of my
                                            project. Fiction is less demanding in that way – but then
                                            it’s a bit more scary because I’m never sure I’ve succeeded.
                                            I’m writing a novel at the moment and I find, when I’m
                                            floundering a bit, I instantly start to apply screenwriting
                                            strategies. I think it works as a diagnostic strategy but I’m
                                            not sure I’d like to approach the whole novel from that
                                            perspective. The beauty is to be able to disguise your inner
                                            structure so that your piece is free-flowing and the acts,
                                            turning points etc are invisible except for their impact.”

                       R: Are your own life experiences reflected in your writing?

                                            SH: “Certain reactions, observations and feelings, yes.
                                            Occasionally something autobiographical – but essentially,
                                            I’m working with fiction, so I invent. Of course, it’s an
                                            occupational hazard of being a writer that people assume
                                            you’re writing about yourself. When I wrote Erotic Myths
                                            and Legends, many people assumed I was describing my
                                            own bedroom experience. Do people forget that writers
                                            have powers of imagination and observation and the skills
                                            to articulate them? It’s quite funny, really. If I write about
                                            a killer, it doesn’t mean I’m one myself – or that I have
                                            homicidal instincts. But everyday stuff does come through,
                                            without a doubt. The reaction to an event, types of pain,
                                            sensation, emotion etc. that I’ve experienced.”

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                       R: ‘Witches, myths and legends’; Why?

                       SH: “I believe that myths and legends are at the core of human experience.
                       Whenever I look for a paradigm for human behaviour, I find it in myth – I
                       include legends, folklore and fairytales. And an answer to whichever dilemma
                       I’ve sought to resolve. It’s all there, preserved through the centuries. Traditional
                       tales are filled with clues to our spiritual nature, our behavioural tendencies
                       and our instincts. They fuel our natural tendency to tell stories, to let go of our
                       imaginations, to allow us to open our minds to infinite possibilities. They bring
                       magic into our lives – the real magic of daily life. And witches in particular? They
                       are the wilful, the independent and the determined, forced into the margins of
                       society – and they have survived in every culture and on every continent. They
                       have a powerful grip on our minds despite having such a bad press over the
                       centuries. They are the misunderstood – they beguile me, enchant me, impress
                       me and show me many things about the perceptions of the dispossessed and
                       those of others towards people like them. We’ve cast them as our ‘shadow
                       selves’ but very often, they are women of light.”

                       R: At heart you are a storyteller, weaving tales and firing the
                       imagination. Why is that?

                       SH: “I was lucky to grow up listening to stories – there were stories and mini-tales
                       to cover everything! I loved it. We South Asians come from a story-telling culture
                       – it’s one of the few homogenous traits present throughout the subcontinent’s
                       many, different kinds of lifestyles and people. Of course stories speak across
                       cultures, beyond language. Myths embody universal human concerns. In my
                       selections for Virago, I’ve chosen a theme for each book, such as ‘Women who
                       Wear the Breeches’ and found stories from all around the world in which the
                       heroine dressed as a man. I’m passionate about celebrating and highlighting
                       that universality. At the same time the nuances, the structures of the stories,
                       the narrative, tell us about the different contexts to which each one belongs.
                       Again this reflects the human world. There are universals through which we all
                       connect – we share certain basics – other than that we have wonderful cultural
                       variety. Imagination is the spark that makes our lives fulfilling, that gives us
                       hope and motivation. Stories ignite the spark.”

                       R: How do you feel when you have finished writing a book?

                       SH: “Ambivalent – both delight and a sense of loss. Also, l feel relief – the
                       labour pains are over and I’ve delivered my baby. But there’s also a sort of
                       emptiness. The intensity and impatience of the previous weeks is gone and I
                       won’t hold the baby for a few months yet. But my brain buzzes with ideas and
                       very soon those ideas and other commitments gush in to fill the hiatus.”

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                                                                                          Gautam Malkani
                                                                                               Interview | Raakhee Modha

                                                             Gautam Malkani was born in 1976 and grew up around

                            © Mark Pringle
                                                             Hounslow. His first job was selling low budget stereos and
                                                             electrical goods at Tandy Electronics on Hounslow High
                                                             Street. Gautam finished college and went to University of
                                                             Cambridge, to study Social and Political Sciences, whilst
                                                             working on the student newspaper. He began his writing
                                                             career in 1997 as graduate trainee editor of the Financial
                                                             Times, Creative Business pages. ‘Londonstani’ is his first
                                                             novel, and was short-listed for ‘Writer of the Year, British
                                                             Book Award 2007’. Gautam lives in London with his wife.
                                                             www.gautammalkani.com

                                                  R: How would you describe your style of writing?
           Gautam Malkani

                                                             GM: “‘Londonstani’ is obviously written in a version of desi
                                                             rudeboy slang so I guess I’ve been labelled a vernacular
                                                             writer. But the point about the language is that it’s middleclass
                                                             mummy’s boys pretending to be ghetto, so the language is
                                                             a performance. The style of writing therefore functions as
                                                             a symbol of the characters’ unauthentic ethnic identities –
                                                             Hardjit, for example, is pretending to be black. The language
                                                             also functions as a symbol for the characters’ disassociation
                                                             from mainstream ‘Englishness’, but what I was mainly trying
                                                             to do with it was look at the idea of identity as a performance
                                                             that draws as much on present day sources such as MTV Base
                                                             as it does on so-called ‘ethnic roots’. So, in that sense, I’m
                                                             not sure if the style ‘Londonstani’ is written in says anything
                                                             about my style of writing. Nevertheless, I can’t see myself
                                                             ever getting away from this idea of language and identity as
                                                             a performance rather than something inherent or authentic
                                                             and so that will probably determine my writing style if I ever
                                                             really develop one.”

                                                  R: What inspires you to write?

                                                             GM: “Padma Lakshmi, Marilyn Monroe – and I suppose
                                                             Kate Moss if you can describe Pete Doherty as a poet. No
                                                             seriously, it’s an impossible question to answer – the thing
                                                             is, I can’t not write. It’s like an affliction – but a welcome
                                                             one. On a more noble note, I’m really worried by the fact
                                                             that so few young Asian guys actually enjoy reading novels
                                                             - and given that reading novels or watching lengthy plays
                                                             are pretty much the only ways to develop empathy skills,
                                                             it’s nice to be in a position to try and do something about
                                                             that.”

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                       R: Do you have a favourite South Asian author?

                       GM: “I can’t pick a favourite. I enjoy reading Hanif Kureishi, Hari Kunzru,
                       Nadeem Aslam, Mohsin Hamid, Kiran Desai, Monica Ali, Niven Govinden,
                       Salman Rushdie – basically, anyone who’s written something beautiful about
                       being South Asian in a big urban city in the West.”

                       R: What are the issues facing British Asian people?

                       GM: “In the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, the stereotypical British Asian youth was
                       untroubling, studious, conscientious and even subservient. We tried to fit in
                       by being quintessentially English. But by the early 1990s, we started asserting
                       our ethnic identity, which we blended with a kind of gangsta rap persona. That
                       entailed not just being a bit more streetwise than we had previously been, but
                       also volunteering for segregation. One by one, all my Asian friends suddenly
                       embraced this new persona.

                       On the one hand it was positive because Asian kids were suddenly a force
                       to be reckoned with and clearly had more self-esteem than before. But on
                       the other hand it was distressing because, as mainstream society became the
                       enemy, so did the education system. As a result, a lot of my friends started
                       shooting themselves in the foot with respect to school. Also, because we
                       borrowed so much from rap culture, we ended up blending the misogyny,
                       materialism and hyper-machismo inherent in traditional Asian culture with the
                       misogyny, materialism and hyper-machismo of hip-hop culture. The way these
                       two cultures reinforce the worst aspects of each other became a key strand
                       of my book. What was really fascinating about the research behind the book
                       was that this new assertive ethnic identity clearly wasn’t simply a response to
                       racial discrimination or economic deprivation – often these were middle-class
                       guys pretending to be ghetto youth. Most of the people I interviewed – like the
                       characters in the book – were either Sikh or Hindu, but even religion wasn’t as
                       salient as I expected. So it ended up being a study of hyper-masculinity rather
                       than race, ethnicity or religion. For a lot of guys the struggle wasn’t with society
                       but with something much closer to home – a struggle with overbearing mothers
                       who would rather their sons remain boys. But it’s really difficult to answer
                       this question succinctly because it’s what my university dissertation was about
                       – you can see a better synopsis on my website.”

                       R: What advice would you give to Indian authors?

                       GM: “Don’t even think about being ‘representative’ of your community – that’s
                       the job of non-fiction and documentaries, not fiction. For example, if readers
                       and audiences believe that just because you’ve written about an Asian wife
                       beater, that means all Asian men are wife beaters, the problem is the reader’s
                       lack of education or perspective and you cannot and must not be responsible
                       for that. If you start thinking you must somehow ‘represent’ your community
                       then it’s no longer art – it becomes closer to advertising. Also, never waste time

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                       R: What advice would you give to Indian authors? Cont.

                       trying to be business-like in managing your personal admin. Life’s too short to
                       waste time looking for cheaper car insurance or a better mobile phone tariff.
                       These things kill the left side of your brain. Beyond that, I can’t really improve
                       on the advice I’ve taken from reading interviews with other authors – Mark
                       Twain said the secret to writing is simply attaching the seat of your pants to the
                       seat of your chair. Jack Kerouac said always write what you want. Hemingway
                       said you should remember the first draft of anything is shit. I would underline
                       Kerouac’s because it seems particularly relevant for ethnic minority writers.”

                       R: What inspired the title - ‘Londonstani’ ?

                       GM: “I think London is important insofar as it provides the characters with
                       a metropolitan identity. I was really interested in the way that metropolitan
                       identities can transcend other identities in the same way that your national
                       identity can supplant your ethnic identity or your racial identity or your religious
                       identity. So in some situations nationalism becomes your ethnic identity. But I
                       was interested in the way that in a kind of utopian world, a metropolitan identity
                       can supplant all of those identities. For example, you don’t have nationalism
                       with a metropolitan identity - that’s why I use the word utopian. And that’s a
                       good thing, or at least that strikes me as a good thing, because there’s a chance
                       there for real racial integration. I mean, that’s what London does - people see
                       themselves as Londoners and therefore everyone’s allowed to be in London
                       and therefore there’s no dominant race in London: everyone’s a Londoner.
                       And because the metropolitan identity is a very new identity, there’s less that’s
                       inherent to it. Even with a New Yorker - the archetypal metropolitan identity -
                       what actually constitutes a New Yorker as opposed to an American goes beyond
                       just liberalism and open-mindedness … the actual stuff that makes up the New
                       York identity changes all the time. That’s the thing with metropolitan identities:
                       there’s nothing inherent or intrinsic about it. And so it lends itself really well
                       to subcultural identities - the kind of identity the characters in the book have,
                       because they are performing their identity and reinventing their identity and
                       making it up as the go along and borrowing. They’re not taking their identity
                       from their roots. Hardjit might pretend that he’s sourcing his identity from
                       his ethnic roots or whatever, but he’s not. He’s sourcing it from Hollywood,
                       Bollywood, MTV Base and ads for designer fashion brands.”

                       R: Could you explain the three divisions – Paki, Sher and Desi.

                       GM: “Over the past 15 years British Asian youth have moved from victims
                       to aggressors to co-existing with mainstream society thanks to our desi youth
                       subculture. The names of the three parts reflect that. Of course the characters
                       themselves do not go through this 15-year process in the 10-month course
                       of the book - but the plot twists mean the reader’s experience of them goes
                       through this process.”

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                                                                                              Shiromi Pinto
                                                                                             Interview | Raakhee Modha

                                                             Shiromi Pinto was born in London in 1971. With Sri-
                                                             Lankan heritage, she was raised in Montreal, and studied
                                                             religion, followed by non-western histories in Canada.
                                                             After returning to London to take an MA at SOAS, Shiromi
                                                             traveled widely and directed a short educational film in
                                                             Mali. She is now based in London working as a writer and
                                                             editor. Shiromi’s first short story, ‘Bulat Kisses’ (published
                                                             in the anthology Notes Across the Aisle, Thistledown Press,
                                                             Canada), was awarded second prize by the publisher in
                                                             its 1995 short story competition. ‘Give a man luck (and
                                                             throw him into the sea)’, another short story, appears in the
                                                             winter edition of Fugue (University of Idaho) and has been
                                                             nominated for the 2005 Pushcart Prize. Her latest piece,
                                                             ‘Trussed’, appears in the anthology ‘Kin’, forthcoming from
                                                             ‘Serpents Tail’.
                              © Eva Blue

                                                             http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.
                                                             viewprofile&friendID=119362185
Shiromi Pinto

                                                R: How would you describe your style of writing?

                                                             SP: “This is a hard one to define. In some ways, I think I’m
                                                             still working out what my style is. For me, style is informed
                                                             by the genre of fiction one chooses to write. If I’m writing a
                                                             gritty urban pseudo-crime farce, such as my novel ‘Trussed’
                                                             , then the language I use will reflect the demands of that
                                                             particular story. If the story I’m writing is set in the 17th
                                                             century, then I will adapt the language accordingly. I guess
                                                             one thing I am guilty of is opacity. I don’t like giving things
                                                             away from the beginning. I expect a reader to be alert to
                                                             clues throughout the text, so that they can piece things
                                                             together as the story goes along.”

                                                R: What inspires you to write?
                                                             SP: “Anything can inspire me to write... for instance,
                                                             ‘Trussed’ began by accident. I was walking near Russell
                                                             Square, looked down at the pavement and saw the
                                                             words: ‘Hotter than a Vindaloo.’ One of those prostitute
                                                             postcard ads had literally blown itself right under my foot.
                                                             Somehow, I couldn’t let that go. I went home that afternoon
                                                             and started writing what would later become the opening
                                                             scene of ‘Trussed’.

                                                             I’m also hugely inspired by climate. Whenever I find myself
                                                             in tropical, humid environments, I am compelled to turn
                                                             to pen and paper. There’s something about the heat...”

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                       R: Do you have a favourite South Asian author?

                                           SP: “Well, I don’t like to think about authors in such crude
                                           terms, but if I had to choose, I would say Salman Rushdie.
                                           I love the irreverence with which he juxtaposes vernacular
                                           and formal language, and the inventiveness and humour
                                           of his prose. ‘Shalimar the Clown’ was such a brilliant
                                           return to form.”

                              R: What are the issues facing British Asian people?

                                           SP: “A very broad question...I don’t think you can
                                           generalise about such a variegated group. I would be
                                           considered British Asian, I suppose, but I am of Sri Lankan
                                           ancestry and do not share the characteristics commonly
                                           associated with British Asian culture in Britain. In fact, I
                                           don’t particularly identify myself with this category. I think
                                           of myself as a Londoner, a Brit, a Canadian (I grew up
                                           in Montreal), an ex-Montrealer, a lapsed Catholic...etc.
                                           We are all influenced by such a complex of experiences.
                                           In the end, generalising on this scale is not only facile,
                                           but dangerous as well. So...if pressed to answer your
                                           question, I think one issue facing ‘British Asians’ is being
                                           pigeonholed into a category called ‘British Asian’ which,
                                           defined by those outside (and perhaps, by a vocal group
                                           within), may have little to do with the people the term is
                                           supposed to describe.”

                              R: What advice would give to Indian authors?

                                           SP: “My advice would be the same whatever the writer’s
                                           background (ie. write about what you know!), except
                                           for one thing. If you do come from a non-mainstream
                                           background, then you are often faced with the pressures
                                           of producing something exotic - something that, perhaps,
                                           reminds publishers of that fabulous trip to Goa, the
                                           Gambia or whatever. I think that attitude is slowly ebbing
                                           away, replaced now by a fascination with sub-culture and
                                           culture clash. Whatever it is, the reality is that as a writer
                                           from a non-mainstream background, I really do think you
                                           are treated differently by publishers - their expectations
                                           are quite different. Not only are they looking at the story
                                           but also at how what they define as an ‘exotic’ difference
                                           can be used to successfully market the work. This can be
                                           an advantage or disadvantage, depending on the type of
                                           book you’ve written.”

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                                                                                 Preethi Nair
                                                                         Interview | Rebecca Abrahams

                                             Preethi Nair was born in Kerala, South India in 1971,
                                             arriving to England as a child. She gave up a successful
                                             career as a management consultant to become a writer.
                                             After being rejected by several publishers, a jobless Preethi
                                             set up her own publishing company, using the deposit
                                             from a flat she had planned to buy. Since there were
                                             no funds to pay for a PR agency, Preethi appointed Pru
                                             Menon (her alter ego) to overtly hype her first book ‘Gypsy
                                             Masala’ - consequently, a three-book deal was signed with
                                             HarperCollins. Preethi went on to win the ‘Asian Woman
                                             of Achievement’ award for her endeavours, whilst Pru was
                                             shortlisted as Publicist of the Year for the PPC awards. Her
            Preethi Nair
                                             second novel ‘One hundred Shades of White’ has been
                                             adapted for television by the BBC. Her latest book, ‘The
                                             Colour of Love’, a fictionalised account of this journey, has
                                             just been re-released alongside ‘Gypsy Masala’.

                                             Preethi writes for a number of broadsheet newspapers, BBC
                                             radio 4 and is an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust. She has
                                             also set up a new business, Kiss the Frog, a company which
                                             promotes corporate storytelling and creative leadership.
                                             www.preethinair.com

                                R: What are you working on at the moment?

                                             PN: “I have just set up a new business Kiss the Frog so my
                                             focus is there at the moment. At some point in the near
                                             future, I would like to start writing a play.”

                                R: When are we going to see ‘One Hundred Shades of
                                White’ on the television? You must be very pleased.

                                             PN: “I don’t know is the honest answer and I am
                                             delighted.”

                                R: Is all your work based on experiences/memories from
                                your own childhood?

                                             PN: “I draw a lot from all of those things but then the art is
                                             fictionalising it all.”

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                       R: Who are your favourite authors and why?

                                           PN: “Isabel Allende, Amy Tan, Niaill Williams – they make
                                           the ordinary and mundane seem so magical.”

                              R: Who, in your life has inspired you the most?

                                           PN: “My dad. He had nothing and built a whole new life
                                           by dreaming big and working hard.”

                              R: Do you feel that your business management background
                              has helped in your quest to be a successful author?

                                           PN: “Definitely. When I couldn’t find a publisher, I thought
                                           strategically about my next steps – I don’t think I would
                                           have had the confidence to do that without having a
                                           background in business.”

                              R: I am in interested to see that you have move into
                              storytelling, what made you make this decision?

                                           PN: “I have always been a storyteller and have always
                                           felt these skills were undervalued in business. I thought
                                           whenever I have the opportunity, this is what I would like
                                           to do and so Kiss the Frog was born.”

                              R: Many find your writing inspirational, how would you feel
                              to find out that it was you, that made the difference to just
                              one person (or maybe more!) in their ambitions to be a writer.

                                           PN: “Moved.”

                              R: How do you remain so positive all the time?

                                           PN: “I wish I could be positive all the time. When I’m
                                           not, I give thanks for all that I have and there’s a lot to be
                                           grateful for.”

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