Sucharita Parija: Poetry has few lines, yet the meanings carry strong messages
Sucharita graduated in Architecture. She quit her first job to complete Masters in Computer Applications (MCA) from IGNOU and emerged with flying colors.
She is a gold medalist in post-graduation studies and is the recipient of the prestigious Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA) award as well.
She taught in several Educational Institutes before she ventured into a new field. She was passionate about writing since her school days.
She has contributed poems and articles in English, Odia, and Sanskrit to numerous magazines.
She created her website: https://www.streaksofsuchi.com during pandemic days. She continues with her mission of writing about everyday problems through her poems, quotes, and stories.
The themes of her literary works are drawn from her life experiences. She identifies her compositions to fall in the abstract genre.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Q. What was your first encounter with poetry? What fascinated you the most about it?
Since childhood, I have composed various themed poems, maybe out of inquisitiveness or boredom (I cannot name them now). But unfortunately, I am not able to recall my first poem.
This is because I contributed to my school and college magazines as an extracurricular exercise and nothing more.
I had my own interpretation of verses in my school days. Invariably I was amazed by the poet's writing style. In addition, I was curious to analyze the emotions behind each poem.
Therefore, I was extra eager to participate in poetry recitations in my school years, as I loved some of them. Poetry has few lines, yet the meanings carry strong messages. I believe that was my way of getting attracted to poetry.
Q. Estrenar is your debut book. Tell us briefly about your writing journey.
My writing stint ended after my college days. I was always a bookworm and still am, but I did not write anything concrete after that. My goal was different then, and time was a constraint.
But, looking back, I find the seeds of words were planted during my childhood.
My writing revived during the first lockdown roughly in May 2020. It also happened without a plan. I had neither envisioned the writing path nor was prepared for the next literary trip.
My debut book was published in 2021, putting me on the map of authors.
Q. What does poetry mean to you?
If I could describe emotions well, it must be through poetry, whether they are composed by me or anyone else's.
Poetry is a puzzle, and it gets decrypted differently by the readers. The beauty of poetry lies in the reader's intellect.
Q. What or who inspired you to start writing poetry?
This is one thing I have told countless times. Nevertheless, I am repeating it here. Poetry had chosen me to be its creator. Words had started flowing on their own to form poems.
I must say it was God's blessing. I had never imagined my second innings in writing would be successful with a book full of poetry.
However, I was not inspired by anyone to begin penning down poems. On the contrary, verses came intrinsically as if
they wanted to break free from my core.
I was influenced by people and circumstances, yet they could not encourage me to compose a single line. I am my own inspiration in life.
Q. Do you have a favorite poem that you have written? If so, why?
The first poem of my book, "Estrenar," is my favorite. The title "An Appointment" is dear to my heart. It's about self-love and
appreciation. To live for oneself is not a crime anymore.
Listening to one's inner voice would pull one out of depression. So, never feel guilty while taking out time for yourself. If one is happy, one can spread happiness.
So, make an appointment to chat with yourself in life. This is the very reason it's my favorite.
Q. How was the transition from sharing your poetry on social media to publishing your first book?
It was difficult as it was my first book. The readers are different on social media, and the audience is separate from the physical and digital readers. The journey had numerous roadblocks.
Walking through the traditional publishing of a book is a different experience altogether. Book marketing was also like an adventure for me. I learned many new elements during the journey.
Q. Where did the inspiration for the poems featured in your books come from?
Some are my past experiences, personal emotions, and neighborhood. I had picked up subjects through friends' messages and conversations.
It was even from animated objects or flowers on my balcony. The list can go on. Some are actually from my fictional world.
Q. How do you find the balance between writing about your personal experiences and exploring topics that may not necessarily be autobiographical but still speak to so many people?
It's sharp observation and blessings of the Almighty. I have written some poems or words that reflect the lives of other women in my family and friends group, yet they are not related to my life.
For example: When one loses a dear one, the sorrow is universal. It can only be felt and cannot be communicated in words. So I have taken that emotion to pen down the feelings from their point of view.
The readers have actually written about their experiences and how similar my poems are to them.
Q. One thing every writer should do daily?
Read, Write, Watch and Listen to whatever you find pleasing to the ears.
Q. Future of SALISMANIA.com through your eyes?
It's unique as its working style is different from others. I hope it becomes more successful in the future.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Debut book of the author is named "Estrenar: Beginning of a New Journey." Estrenar is a Spanish word that translates into "The First Time." What a fantastic way to introduce my first book to the world!
This book is a collection of poems. The poems are grouped into two segments. The first revolves around life-the various events in everyone's life, the inner turmoil, the motivation after bouts of depression, and other well-known dilemmas in daily life.
The second mixture is a potpourri of ideas-a woman's satirical outburst about flatbreads not being round shaped in today's time or the weight gain difficulties experienced by a middle-aged woman.
BUY NOW: Estrenar by Sucharita Parija