Over the years, I have heard stories of souls with ‘unfinished business’ in just about every culture I’ve encountered. I have often wondered–is it us humans who are haunted by their absence–or do restless souls truly reside amongst us?
“The main reason why mythology has lasted for centuries is that though the characters are shown to be larger than life, they actually represent real human beings with real feelings and impulses.”
Such liberty is easily taken when the mythology in question belongs to a religion which isn’t still in practice. However, when it comes to Hindu Mythology, it is a bit harder to have the same kind of creative freedom because of the strong belief of a large population in the holiness of these Gods, their Avatars and other beings mentioned in the holy books.
“The human mind likes tangibles. We understand what we can count or measure. So, we defined ‘development’ as an economic measure because we thought more money equals more happiness. And we couldn’t have been more wrong because economic development and happiness are driven by opposite forces – one is led by greed (more the merrier) and the other by low expectations versus reality (less is more).”
How easy it is to see someone else take the credit of your years of hard work? Which is harder—facing your anxiety of public appearance or watching someone live your life better than you ever did? Welcome to In Her Skin by Alex Kiester—a psychological thriller, told from the perspective of three unforgettable women.
Subhas Chandra Bose was the most celebrated freedom fighter and charismatic influencer of the youth in India during the freedom struggle. His patriotism and obdurate refusal to stop till he achieved his desired goals has made him a patriotic hero. Due to his nationalistic temperament and leadership capabilities, Mahatma Gandhi was the first to address him as Netaji Respected Leader. Netaji was also the first to accost Gandhiji with the title ‘Father of the Nation’.
“The most fascinating thing I have learnt is that all lifetimes take place simultaneously. We are unaware of this since time is viewed as a linear process, therefore, we view reincarnation as a sequence of events, rather than a continuous and simultaneous stream of consciousness, alongside our current lives.”
I’m at that point in my creative journey where writing for myself or for the sake of creating something holds very little appeal to me. I have come to view my work as an act of worship, devotion and dedication.
It began with Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury who pioneered the art of producing children’s literature. His son, Sukumar Ray, then chose to carry forward his father’s legacy with his innovative writing style that flabbergasted children. Then came his son, Satyajit Ray, with a creative mind that appealed to children as well as adults and gave a new direction to The Ray Legacy.
My second novel The Merchant of Stories is dedicated to my great-grandmother Kamala Nagindas. I write this, not to honour her death–but to remember her life.