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BAHRAIN-based author and poet Nivedita Roy’s book of 30 thought-provoking essays has hit the shelves this month.
Vignettes – A Montage of Creativity features her perspectives, observations and biographical musings, compiled over two years.
“Some of the essays were inked for certain prompts (posted for writing competitions online) and some were inspired by real experiences,” the Indian expatriate from Lucknow city told GulfWeekly.
“One of the essays is based on the unsung heroes of Bahrain who helped during the April rain mayhem this year. Some are my views on certain socio-political issues in the context of my homeland India. I have touched upon certain emotional issues too,” she added.
The striking abstract cover art by Bahrain-based artist and metal sculptor Niju Joy encompasses the essence of the 100-page book.
“This abstract painting is about the ‘you’ and the ‘inner you’ which coexists. The grey in background symbolises a journey from despair and towards hope with the pink highlights, showing that brighter moods can overlay darker feelings but still coexist,” Niju revealed.
Nivedita was last year’s Reul International Runner Up for poetry, a title bestowed on her by The Significant League, a group run by some elite writers of India, most of them award-winning, best-selling authors. Her poems and articles have been carried in many newspapers, including Gulf Daily News in Bahrain, as well as international publications.
After publishing four poem collections – two each in English and Hindi – and one short story collection, as well as contributing to 34 anthologies, Nivedita decided to dive into essays.
“Poetry is beautiful but in my essays, I’ve paused the beautiful and gone bold. I wanted to express myself on some pertinent issues and had collected a few heartfelt scribbles over the last two years,” the 53-year-old said, explaining her decision to branch out.
An excerpt from Vignettes – A Montage of Creativity reads:
‘We dwell in our spaces, those spaces occupy the universe and as we speak, we move, we interact, we share that space with other inhabitants. We are mingling yet we may not intertwine. As a teacher I could create an anthology of anecdotes of how some of my students had a dissimilar point of view. Some bring back a smile, others still remain unpleasant even to reminisce, now.’
Nivedita’s tryst with writing started at a young age as her father was a scholar and writer too. She grew up editing his work and as a teenager even wrote for herself though she didn’t value her ‘scribbles’.
“I would express in my personal diary which would then hibernate in the cupboard,” she said.
After being committed to writing for years, Nivedita published her first book during the Covid-19 pandemic and hasn’t looked back since. The bilingual author draws inspiration for her work from a range of subjects.
“Nature, suffering, happiness… everything inspires me. I also feel strongly about women’s issues, injustice, and stereotypes and I express them boldly,” added the Al Raja School teacher.
Nivedita lives in Adliya with her husband Allen, general manager in a Bahrain-based company, and the couple has two children Aanya, 27, and Alex, 23, who were raised in Bahrain but now live abroad. As a way to keep in touch with her passion for writing, she is an active part of many local writing and poetry groups, an experience she truly cherishes as it has given her the opportunity to rub shoulders with authors from around the globe.
“I feel fortunate to be able to stay connected globally while residing in Bahrain and hone my writing skills. This interaction with various authors and poets provides a learning platform for me. It also offers a chance to participate in writing events like NAPOWRIMO (National Poetry Writing Month) where we stretch our skills and work on prompts given by senior and seasoned writers,” the creative added.
While Nivedita is a versatile writer, her first love is poetry. The bard announced that she is set to begin work on a new collection of English poems. Additionally, she has plans to release a story collection in Hindi.
“I love to write in Hindustani too, which is a good mixture of Hindi and Urdu languages,” she said.
Nivedita’s book is available on Amazon.
Follow the author’s journey @nexpressions11 on Instagram.
