Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
A group of Bahrain-based writers have published their works in two recently released anthologies, writes Melissa Nazareth.
Curry for The Spirited Soul showcases the works of 36 women around the world, including locally residing artist and entrepreneur Anju Kapoor, homemaker and ‘teacher at heart’ Garima Kapoor, author and teacher Nivedita Roy, artist and wordsmith Pallavi Jain, and artist, singer and songwriter Rupa Bhargava.
The 191-page collection of personal anecdotes brings alive some of their best memories as well as the hurdles they have overcome, offering to inspire readers.
Another bilingual book entitled Strings of Connection/ Kache Dhaage (Hindi for ‘fragile threads’ symbolising weak connections) includes verses by Garima, Nivedita, Pallavi and Rupa, alongside 57 bards from different walks of life. The 186-page compilation explores ‘the many shades of human connection’ across 97 poems.
“In Kache Dhaage, my piece in Hindi deals with an expatriate declaring his/ her love for both homeland and the home away from home. My English poem is dedicated to my late brother and our relationship,” Nivedita told GulfWeekly.
“In Curry for The Spirited Soul, I have shared my childhood experience of going through an orthopaedic condition,” added the 54-year-old from Adliya who has called Bahrain home for more than two decades.
She revealed her plans to write a children’s book and another one focusing on work-life balance in the
New Year.
Visual artist Anju Kapoor from Manama, who has been residing in Bahrain for the last 30 years, tells a tale that encapsulates her journey overcoming a crippling fear of water.
“Today, I am a confident swimmer. I am proof that confronting one’s fear can open an entirely new world of possibilities beneath and beyond — the surface,” remarked the 54-year-old, who, along with the other contributors, is part of Literary Warriors Group (LWG).
LWG is an online platform promoting literature and poetry, and published both the anthologies last year.
Pallavi from Saar, who presented her verses at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, India, in collaboration with the LWG last year, noted that she was not sure if she had life experiences that could inspire readers.
“I got talking to my husband who reminded me of the many meaningful events in my life,” nature lover Pallavi said.
The 51-year-old confessed that working on her verses for Kache Dhaage helped her focus on the relationships that are integral to life and let go of the ones pulling her back.
The books are available on Amazon.
