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| Brian reads his poem 'Qila Mubark' at Red fort. |
-Brian Mendonca
Ekta Saxena of Indian Eye, New York caught up with Brian Mendonca in Delhi after the release of his book 'Jasmine City: Poems from Delhi. ' Here is the transcript of the interview.
1.Having lived all your life in Goa, what has Delhi meant to you, spending almost 10 years here?
I was born in Gujarat. I did my schooling in Mumbai; my college in Goa; my MPhil in Pune; and my PhD in Hyderabad. I began my working life in Delhi.
Delhi was a city of sensation, like no other. It gave me freedom to be who I was destined to be - a poet. It gave me a job to support my writing and my travel. I am fascinated by this city. The people who work tirelessly to earn their living, leave me humbled.
2. What is so unique about Delhi that motivated you to dedicate a poetry collection on it.
I write from moment to moment. Every glimpse of Delhi led me to a deeper understanding of its ethos. It was a city that needed to be deciphered. I needed to move beyond the cliches that describe Delhi and showcase its humanity.
3. You have captured the little nuances of life here. What does Delhi offer beyond its famous monuments?
Delhi is a universal city. Shahjahan called the Lal Qila the centre of the world, 'axis mundi. ' But ever since the Sultanate period Delhi has become more layered, more textured. It has moved beyond the necropolis it was and has embraced modernity. As a poet I try to chronicle this transition in the vignettes I offer of life in this remembered city.
4. As a poet, what inspires you to capture and weave into words, particularly this collection.
I spend lot of time just looking. I see the profound in the obvious. I speak for the voiceless. I am an itinerant traveller in this world. I am a chronicler of our times. Ibn Batuta inspires me. I use contemporary idioms to unpack the city.
5. Tell us something about your past collections.
My debut volume was 'Last Bus to Vasco: Poems from Goa' (Delhi, 2006). My second collection was 'A Peace of India: Poems in Transit' (Delhi, 2011). My latest offering is 'Jasmine City: Poems from Delhi (Goa, 2023).
The poems for all 3 volumes were being written simultaneously. They were gathered into separate collections later. They are all self-published.
'Last Bus to Vasco' is Goa-specific. I have named my blog after it. 'A Peace of India' presents the poems of a traveller-poet. These poems are the poems of a 'ramta-jogi' who has wandered across India to find his soul.
6. Delhi now and Delhi then, what is your observation? Does its past still reflect in the fast paced metropolitan city that it has become?
Delhi has been home to 7 cities. Even in the Delhi we see today, the old city still exists in the late-middle ages whereas South Delhi is more contemporary. The voices of the past are never far away, if one appreciates Delhi's history and its monuments.
7. Which is your favorite spot and food of Delhi?
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