Five Questions with Vivek Nath Mishra

 

FIVE QUESTIONS WITH VIVEK NATH MISHRA 

Today we have multi- talented Vivek Nath Mishra with us who hails from Varanasi .His short stories have been published in many magazines, anthologies and newspapers including The Hindu, Adelaide literary magazine, Muse India, Cafe Dissensus. Some of them are forthcoming in Indian Literature and Punch magazine. His debut book is Birdsongs of Love and Despair published by Hawakal. 

Some of his photographs have appeared on different platforms including The Guardian and Sahapedia. Let us get to know him better through just Five Questions. So, here I go.

Santosh: Who is Vivek Nath Mishra? A Photographer? An intellectual? A thinker? A writer? An ordinary man with some extraordinary passions?                                                         

Vivek:  Well, to define oneself is the most difficult task. Like anyone else, I have been a mix up of several identities and ideas and thoughts. Writing, reading, photography are only a few of my abiding pursuits which people are aware of due to social media but apart from that I like doing several other things, for instance, one is sitting idly and quietly for some time and doing nothing. If there has been something constant in all of these it has been pleasure; pleasure of doing it. I'm happy to say and I am saying it sincerely that nothing among all these are driven by mere needs. So, if I have to define myself anyway, perhaps I would call myself a pleasure taker or better alive.  

Santosh:  Honesty, for me too, there is nothing more pleasurable and exciting than observing the mundane. It gives me so much joy that every morning makes me spring from bed, to jump into the maelstrom of another day, aquiver with anticipation of a new dawn unfolding in its myriad hues. So much so that it has made me pen my morning ramblings with great zest, where dogs, cats, stray cows, balloon sellers, bangle sellers and tea vendors make their presence felt in a big way. Yes, pleasure really lies in observing the ordinary hues of life.
You don’t know, but I have been admiring your photography with a jaw- dropping admiration for a long-long time. Ha-Ha.
A page from the street’s anecdotal account. Kings and their sleepy domains.
On some random autumn afternoon she drapes a rainbow. This is her magic realism.
Not just your pictures, but also your captions intrigue, and you undoubtedly succeed in helping us, to use your eloquent words, to garnish our greys with some greens.
Tell us something about this passion of yours.

On some random autumn afternoon she drapes a rainbow

Vivek: To be honest, I feel overwhelmed when someone calls me a good photographer, as I feel I am not. I have just begun learning, the good news is that I'll continue doing that. I'm flattered to know that you praise my pictures. I've also been criticized for my photographs. Some have said that I'm rather presenting a bad image of Varanasi by posting all those dilapidated mansions and small shanties and dying houses and of course, one invariant thing- poverty. I respect their opinion, but after all, these are only opinions not reality. And I wish they understood that they are talking of poverty in terms of materialism, as I have found materially poor people more festive and joyous. Thus, I have remained indifferent about these judgements so far because I feel there is beauty in everything even in the disagreement only if we understand it well.

Coming to the captions, I feel there’s always a personal perception of looking at things. It could be imperfect but I certainly rely upon the beauty of imperfections. Also, I think I am not a poet but I fancy being one.

Santosh: Well, just follow your passion, let the naysayers say what they want to say. Even the greats have not been spared by critics, don’t forget that even Satyajit Ray was criticised for depicting poverty. And yes, every opinion helps one in improving, and indeed there is beauty even in disagreement, if only we take it in the right spirit.

You know they say that curiosity killed the cat [I wonder who saw that cat being killed. I staunchly believe that it is just a widely circulated rumour, or may be a conspiracy to nip curiosity?]
But, believe me, I am no cat, and am convinced that my congenital curiosity will not kill me, so tell me something about the thoughts that keep you company and yes, while you are at it, don’t forget to tell us something about the frog who kept you company this whole summer on your second floor apartment and the nest- box in your balcony.  
Yes, I am that curious.

Vivek: Ha ha ha. Secrecy gives birth to curiosity. A very important element of literature. I'm glad you're curious to know. I feel a human being is mostly an accumulation of thoughts and ideas, but there's something beyond that and I'm more curious to know about that. Thoughts are so inconsistent and they keep changing and I keep craving for the consistency but I'm not too sure if there has been a constant thought with me so far. If I talk about emotions, yes. You ask any person and I think if there has been something at the centre of one's heart, it's love. That's the only constant. I'm not using vague terms. But I feel love is something beyond thoughts and ideas. One chooses what one loves, in my case, there are birds and frogs, as I'm a nature lover at heart. 

A page from the street’s anecdotal account.

 

Santosh: Well, I too just love nature, and you will find a lot flora and fauna- and also frogs - in my e-book Morning Meanderings. Okay, tell us something about your debut book, Birdsongs of love and despair- stories from Varanasi.  I loved all the stories where you have so touchingly given voice to the marginalized folks- a toy seller, a retired person, the maid, the gardener and many more. All are equally heart- warming, but tell me which story is closest to your heart?
Yes, I am again being curious.

Vivek:  Birdsongs of Love and Despair is a collection of eleven short stories. It was published by Hawakal and I'm grateful to my publishers who showed confidence in my work. Stories come from Varanasi, but if I say it's only about one city and its inhabitants I would be wrong. I think there is a sense of universality in all these stories. Human conscience is same everywhere. Love is everyone's ultimate goal. I might sound like a person with definite objective but I assure you we are looking for love in everything, that vague emotion we are not very sure of, but we keep feeling that occasionally. However, there can be no love without despair. If one has not felt despair once in his life I am not sure whether he has felt love. Love and Despair are two faces of one coin. They are part of one song. 

My favourite keeps changing by time. And I feel I am yet to write my favourite.  However, the story from the book which is closest to my heart is 'Weight of demise'. 

                            

Santosh: Well, congratulations for this collection of very sensitively written and well- crafted stories. May you write many more. Any plans of bringing out a book of your excellent photography?
What is next in the pipeline? A book of poems? Short stories?

Vivek: No plans yet about the book of photographs. But I am looking forward to work on that. 

I'm still working on my second collection of short stories. I am taking my time and enjoying this process. As I said I am yet to write my favourite and until I do that I might not stop.

Santosh: Keep writing and keep clicking those exquisite photographs. Yes, never stop. It was a pleasure interacting with you. All the best for your future literary endeavours.