Senior marketer Ajeesh Venugopalan has forayed into the literary scene with Obscurity of Life, a poetry anthology. He chose the genre as it brings a “certain rhythm to life”. He says, “I was always fascinated by the deeper meanings poetry conveys. In my view, Kalidas is one of the greatest of poets; Rumi and Gibran have have also inspired me.” In an interview, the poet talks about his “hunger to discover the truth.”
Tell us about your début book.
The book is a journey — where I poetically narrate my experiences of understanding love, women, life, social issues, Nature, and death. In it, you will find an innocent school student, a romantic college student, a dejected angry young man, a lover in a husband, love for parents and grandparents, a pragmatic man, an adult who rebels against the education system, and who is a voice for social causes and Nature. Finally, there is an evolved man who understands the reality of death — a man who has realised the meaning of spirituality in its complete sense while keeping religion out of context.
You have dealt with subjects such as exploitation of women, farmer suicides, poverty, education, female foeticide mangroves, tiger extinction...
Writing, for me, is not a deliberated effort; it comes to me naturally. Poetry as an art is dying because we do not focus on teaching art and philosophy to the current generation. The focus of education, for a long time, has remained on science and technology. Advancement in technology has also resulted in a dearth of readers. They now have a plethora of choices using which they can consume information; as a result, they end up staying within their comfort zone, which is dangerous for generations to come. If our education system focuses on teaching art, we may produce more compassionate people which may eliminate challenges that we as a country face today. Reading allows you to be connected closely with society, which provides awareness on social causes. I’ve always felt strongly about such issues and hence, it wasn’t difficult for me to write a few lines on them.
Observing one’s surroundings inspires poetry. How much of this is true in your case?
Observation is key for any artist, be it a writer, dancer whatever your stream of creativity. I grew up in different parts of this country as my father worked for a nationalised bank. I travelled along with him and experienced the length and breadth of our beautiful country. I am thankful to my parents for this and for the skills I have inculcated as part of this journey called life.
Was it tough to balance writing with your career as a senior marketer?
I find it easier to write poetry than a novel. A novel requires dedicated focus and it is linear in Nature. However, I believe poetry can be easily read because its non-linear. You can start and end wherever you would like to. Hence, balancing writing poetry and my profession was comparatively easier.
Was writing an organic process?
It was a 100% organic process. Since I am not a born English speaker, it took a long time for my language and writing skills to evolve. My love for poetry also made this process easier.
Are there more books in the offing?
I am contemplating fiction with a social message. I believe education today requires a transformation.
(Obscurity Of Life by Ajeesh Venugopalan; Published by Author’s Channel; ₹199; Available online and all book stores)
