A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer it’s own solitude with sweet sounds.
Being an avid believer of destiny, I think destiny plays if not key then some role in your life. Who would have thought that a Medical officer serving India Reserve Battalion (IRB) would publish a book that will be loved by readers across the globe. Today, the poet of hour is none other than Dr. Priya Dolma Tamang.
Priya lets her poetry flow like a free river and the depth with which she talks about her journey and thought will make you in awe of her. Hailing from Sikkim and getting featured in various international magazines is not luck but sheer hard work.
It is not everyday that you get to talk with a person who is not only inspiring but have a clarity of mind. Well, that’s a rare sight. Honestly, this conversion is something from which I have personally learned a lot and you’ll to.
Here’s everything that I got the honor to ask the voice behind Ivory Gleam.
- You hail from the Himalayan state of Sikkim. I’m sure you are very close to Nature. Did it help to ignite the spark of a writer in you?
I’ve spent a major chunk of my early adulthood outside Sikkim, and since I am homebound for a while now, I’ve inevitably come to appreciate the natural gifts we often tend to take for granted. Nature inspires me, both literally and metaphorically. It is the purity and peace that I breathe in every morning which awakens a sense of zen. Clarity of thought is quintessential for mindful creation.
- You aim to embed practical spirituality in the pieces you write. What, according to you, is Spirituality?
Spirituality, to me, is acknowledgement, awareness and acceptance of the fact that we are much more than these bodies we conduct. We are Souls, interconnected at energetic levels of love, compassion and universal oneness. We are different in our similarities, yet similar in our differences. Once we realize this bigger picture and the grand scheme of things and begin to recognize ourselves as vibrations from a single cosmic source, there will be no room for hatred, competition, discrimination, judgment and any negativity that segregates our human race.
We are all in this together, we sink or swim as a whole. Shallow, material needs will cease to satisfy, but spiritual growth and a rich inner world is what we can truly pass on from one life to the next, and onto informed generations. To quote Pierre Teilhard de Chardin,
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
- Professionally you are a Doctor. How did Dr Priya turn into Poet Priya?
My qualification is that of a Medical Practitioner, which is undoubtedly, a very noble profession. But with all due respect, my artistic side has taken over and dominated my personality. We are all serving humanity, in whatever capacity we can, and whichever role we choose to play. Words have a tremendous healing effect, and sometimes, kindness can do what allopathy cannot. Drugs modulate the physiology and alter chemical reactions. Words can modulate the psyche, and alter emotional reactions. And for better living, there ought to be a perfect balance in the trinity of Body, Mind and Spirit.
- What’s the story behind the title ‘Ivory Gleam’, and what’s the book about?
The title ‘Ivory Gleam’ has intrigued many readers. I happened to compile this assemblage of poetry and prose in the midst of floating clouds over the Sikkimese hills. The pristine whiteness resonated with my thoughts, and I’d stare for hours into the nimbus – purging my musings, purifying intentions and reflecting them into verses.
‘Ivory’ is the color which best describes the ‘gleaming’ clouds that have helped me to rediscover myself. With this book, and the three chapters of learning, longing and loving, which have all been dealt with differently, thematically and figuratively, I’ve made an attempt to offer three decades of my respective experience and observations.
- Which is the one writer you admire a lot, and why is it so?
I admire Dr Brian Weiss. I’ve read his books over and over again, at various phases of my life. They have answered many of the queries that I nurtured regarding life and life after death. Whenever I seek the meaning of existence, the fatality of loss and the longing for love, his books are the ones that I turn to. His theories seem pretty plausible to me.
Miriam Otto| Interview with the wonder woman
- What does literary success look like to you?
Success is a highly subjective term. In relation to what I perceive as ‘success’, if my actions are aimed not to harm but to heal, not to degrade but to motivate, not to spread hatred but awareness, I’d be happy with myself. Contrary to commercial success, literary success would mean improving on your craft with each work produced, and being able to influence a loyal readership with what you have to offer. Name, fame or fortune have never been my priority. Respect, love and genuine connections, definitely are.
- Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
Being an HSP (highly sensitive person), I thrive on emotions and have always sought emotional security in interpersonal relationships, and all the things that I do. As far as writing is concerned, there are various genres which do not mandatorily require emotionality or sensitive scrutiny. Any literate person can write.
Now how far those writings are able to elicit the intended response from the readers, is what distinguishes the skill of one writer from the other. I believe that true art is undiluted honesty, and anything done with an honorable drive is worth adulation (with or without an emotional aspect to it).
- What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend on research before beginning a book?
There is no research involved when I compose poetry, apart from an in-depth journey into my own cognition, and sentiments alike. I write spontaneously without any bias of force contrived methods. I rarely edit or redo what has free-flown from my mind. However, if my write-ups include fact-based or an analytical backdrop, I do take adequate time to educate myself before voicing an opinion. As far as form poetry is concerned, I read several examples to learn the technicalities of their structure. But with free verse, the artistic license is liberating, creatively satisfying and less time-consuming.
- Do you Google yourself?
Of course, I do. I Google my name, my book reviews and everything else under the sun. Google and I are inseparable. I’d not be here if it was not for Google.
- Any message that you would want to give to our aspiring writers?
I’d be lying if I say, I have the ultimate words of wisdom to provide. And it would be an understatement to assure that the life of any creative entity is easy. It is not going to be easy, especially if you want to carve a niche of your own in this societal relay of rat races. What matters is your passion and how far you are willing to invest in terms of time and energy, to master your art and improvise every day.
I am in this for no reason other than my love for it. If your artistic pursuit is one of your loves and not just an avenue for some vain agenda, you will be recognized for your sheer hard work, adored for your zeal and praised for your talent.
PS : It’s a great honor to talk with someone having so much depth in their personality and that’s something that’s quite evident in her book as well. We wish her all the very best for upcoming releases and may she continue to be a guiding light for the young authors.