Dear ALL,The Mocha Writers' Meeting we had on Sunday was a great success despite the fact that there was six of us. Despite the low turnout (do we expect any less!) we managed to sit for 2 1/2 hours discussing many things on the topic and off the topic but I'm
proud to say it wasn't another waste of hours sorting out peoples admin issues like "how to use the blog" or "whats the password" etc. We turned the chairs around and had a round table discussion about three topics:1. Writing - why do we write?2. Inspiration - what inspires us individually to write?3. Writing in India - does our geographical
position make a difference about the topics we choose to write about? Or do we stick to the tried and tested?I had picked these three topics because A. I felt it was appropriate to bring this basic discussion back into the foray after some much needed impetus had been lost and B. a child recently asked me "why do you write Ravin?" and i didn't know what to say to him.We had some great insight about how anything positive seen by Srinidhi
can make him want to write forever, but what about negative aspects, others asked?We had a guest from the States who said she writes into newspapers all the time complaining about certain civic matters she sees on the streets of India, hence her writing is inspired by negative aspects.The conversation changed to India once water was served (after asking numerous times for it!) and we discussed Indian writing and how the lack of open-mindedness in the nation can sometimes mean the writing is subject to this problem too. Some great views and insights were added and I feel all members, who didn't turn up, missed the opinions about where India is today as a nation and how that projection as a nation is as much to do with the writing (newspapers, books etc) as it is to do with the person.One fantastic conversation was the background behind regionalism in India, and how languages of regions and the proud labels associated with those languages and the eloquent nature of these phonetic sounds when spoken are effected when the English translation is later manifested for this (i.e poem, song etc from say Tamil to English). We asked ourselves, does the text lose its purpose and meaning?All our shared experiences meant something and I'm proud to say that the meeting was a fantastic insight into thoughts about issues we would prefer discussing with our cats instead otherwise we'd be probably sound loopy in some way... :)Finally I would like to add that i recently saw this (below) posted on the blog and only felt it right that i responded:
I read in Runa's mail that this month's meeting will be chaired by Ravin. Is Ravin a writer or is he a dress designer? I ask this question because I have not yet seen a single posting of this person on t...
In my opinion, i feel something of a real shame here. Firstly i would like to clarify that claiming you know something about somebody and writing it on a public forum is a risky scenario. Whoever thought i was a dress designer is certainly on planet Mars and not the Earth i currently live on. Secondly, my magazine background for a "Lifestyle" magazine, i REPEAT, "Lifestyle" magazine, doesn't autmotically mean someone is a dress designer. Thats like saying the great Arun Purie of India Today group is a make-up artist because he puts himself as Editor-In-Chief of Cosmopolitan India. Unfortunately, for one to think that way only makes one have a rather small mind in my opinion.
Secondly, for all of you that know me (and quite clearly judging by this now deleted blog post i refer to above, some of you bloody well don't! :)) i have said from the outset that neither will i contribute nor will i write on the blog of Mocha Writers' Club or add any of my writings because a. i dont have the time (honestly) b. i have my own blog with 3,000 viewers in India and 10,000 NRI's worldwide and c. my blog is my take on life - what i write there is the the only writing i will do publicly as i am committed to other things.
Thirdly, to make the judgement that by someones frequency in blog postings on the MWC blog is directly related to their abilties as a chairperson is possibly the most backward and ignorant way of thinking. I have said before that me in person is my contribution to MWC and not some half-hearted crap about something or other on the blog. This works for me and i guess thats why everybody remembers my name everytime i turn up - impressions count you see.
Let me add that myself and Runa (and i would like to say Nemo Menon too) put in the greatest work ethic we can to chair meetings. Are we scared to chair them? No. Are we scared to talk? No. The thing is we are good at what we do which is to try our best to lead the masses. The MWC has its faults, no doubt, and we have ours (hell just ask my Girlfriend she'll tell you!) but i would like to say who else has even taken a initiative to chair a meeting? Chairing a meeting isn't a given, and it shouldn't be taken for granted that someone will always chair. I find people expect it - why not give it a try yourselfs? You get only that for which you give. So for me, writing about stars in the night on the MWC is hardly a contribution when you cant even have the decency to turn up to meetings or offer to chair them.
Finally, I wouldn't go into my writing abilties to prove to anybody whether im a worthy chairman or not, thats not like me. But i will say this.
The same person (and many many share this persons view) wrote on the blog this nice poem:
Perhaps
It's the mightiest stars
That shine the faintest
So that it takes
The sharpest eyes to espy them
I would like to say that may be it is me who shines so faintly on the MWC blog, and it is thee who doesn't have the sharpest eyes to espy them.
Thank You and Goodnight.
http://travellingsampat.blogspot.com
sampat.ravin@gmail.com
