TRIP IN THE LITERARY WORLD
NAMITA GOKHALE’S JAIPUR JOURNALS IS A RIVETING READ THAT SUCKS YOU INTO THE WORLD OF COLOURFUL CHARACTERS WITH DARK SECRETS THAT GRADUALLY UNFOLD AT THE JAIPUR LIT FEST.
Namita Gokhale’s Jaipur Journals is a riveting read
If you are fascinated by the world of writers and what goes on in an author’s head, their obsession with vocabulary; this book provides insights into a world that the writer is most familiar with. From a 70-year-old unpublished author who constantly reworks on her manuscript to a teen author embarking on her first literary session, to an observant columnist who is soaking in the festive vibe, every character is finely etched in this novel.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q
You have been writing novels since
1984 and with 18 works to your credit, does the process become more organic with time?
Writing my first novel, Paro: Dreams of Passion when I was
26 was an incredibly natural and spontaneous experience. I didn’t know the rules so I could make or break them as I pleased. I had beginners luck with my first novel and what was perhaps a dream debut, despite the controversy surrounding the book. My next novel was very different — nobody wanted to publish it.
And so on, with each book an individual journey, a distinct quest. I can’t say that it gets easier with time, but one does begin to know and confidently assert one’s individual voice. And technology has made it readier to write and edit as well. Q You have been extensively involved with the Lit Fest, so what took you so long to come up with a book set against this backdrop? Are any characters drawn from authors you have met?
I didn’t ever intend to write about the Jaipur Literature Festival until an American friend suggested it. Even so, I resisted the idea, but something had taken seed and begun germinating in my mind. The characters are not really taken from any individual authors, — they came to me as living people whose stories I was compelled to share.
Q
Was it relatively easier working on this book, given that you do know how the entire fest functions and what goes on inside?
The different stories that come together in Jaipur Journals were fun to conjure up and record and write, precisely because I knew the setting of the Lit Fest and Diggy Palace so well. However I had to use all my craft and skill to balance these varied narratives so that they flowed effortlessly into each other. It’s an easy read, but I had to edit patiently to see that the episodes and timelines maintained a certain rhythm and pace.
Q
The book is truly a mixed bag of tales with the prime characters depicting a dark side to their personalities. I especially loved the way Rudrani Rana’s persona evolved through the novel. There is a delicious wickedness to her. Did you enjoy working on this character?
I identify with Rudrani Rana and feel a surge of affection when I think of her. Mean, malicious, even malevolent, she could so easily have come through as a negative character, but her spunk and her spite made her the stellar centre of the novel. I usually suffer a sort of instant amnesia and leave the dramatis personae and plots of my novels behind once I have written them. But Rudrani remained — remains — with me. She carries the essence of the writer within her, both the detachment and the passionate involvement. One of the reviews described her as “another kind of bad girl”. I loved that.
Q
There seems to be an underlying tone of sadness in all their lives be it a Zoya who despite her fiery outbursts is still seeking validation for her sexual preference Gayatri, who clearly was unable to move on from the past and is torn apart by circumstances once again. Anirban, whose column gave him the double life he desired. He seems the only one who is relatively at peace with himself.
Yes you have described it quite accurately. Even in the short interludes where we encounter them, the burden of contradictions weighs heavy upon them, and the various characters, — Zoya, Gayatri, Raju Srivastava ‘Betaab’ — are all trying to reconcile these conflicts within themselves. They are struggling to articulate them through their writing, to somehow make sense of it all. And yes, compared to the others inhabiting the pages of Jaipur Journals, Anirban has an emotional generosity that actually moves the story forward, in that he accepts and appreciates Rudrani Rana and helps her with her unsubmitted novel.
Q
The book is an intense read and somewhat emotionally exhausting. Did you feel that way while writing it?
I felt happy and energised while writing Jaipur Journals. It is about writers and the writing life, and that is a theme extremely close to my heart. There were some parts that were emotive, and draining, such as Anna Wilde’s memories of her time in Benares. And there were some comic moments that made me smile while describing them.
Q
You have made references to people in the book like Tharoor and his penchant for words like ‘troglodyte’. Did you check with them in advance?
I wrote the portions that have Shashi Tharoor and Javed Akhtar as on-stage characters without asking them. After the first drafts were done, I talked to them both and shared the novel with them , highlighting the portions where they featured in it. They were quite amused and gave me their permission to feature them.
Q
How do you let go once the book is over? And are you seasoned enough to deal with brickbats (if any)?
I have over the years learnt to be detached about praise and criticism. I put all my internal resources into my writing, and then move on. The books assume an independent life once they are published. Every book has its own ‘kundali’ — it’s own fate and destiny. And as every storyteller knows, there is always the next book, waiting to be told!