AN INTERVIEW WITH RENOUND WRITER AND POET NEHA BHANDARKAR

BY
Satyabrata jena
Editor- Fingerprintnews

Tell about your birth place, education and family backround..?
:
Namaskar.
 I am Neha Bhandarkar from Nagpur. My birth date is 3rd September 1965. I born and brought up in Nagpur, Maharashtra state.
I am post graduate in commerce. 
And working in most recognised, world's largest Insurance company Life Insurance Corporation of India. (LIC)
My father was working in Indian Bureau of Mines and my mother was home maker. 
My husband is a retired tahsildar and a Land Acquisition Manager in Nagpur metro. 
My son is entrepreneur and my daughter in law is a doctor of Maxillofacial Prosthodontics.

I have been writing since 2009, exactly 20 years after my marriage. Since then, with the strong support of my husband Vilas Bhandarkar, I have been able to maintain my home, office and literature, my passion. My son Kshitij and daughter-in-law Apoorva have always been with me, making this whole journey easier. My grand daughter Anaisha is also an avid reader.

How you emerged as Poet..? Inspiration..?
:
I think that poetry should be more suggestive of sadness and loneliness. It happened with me too. Consequently I started writing poetry.

In my opinion, "language and literature" are the main, though it is not the highest, parts of culture. Therefore, for me, language and literature means of course "books".  Obviously they are my source of inspiration.
My mother and father were very good readers. That also has an influence. Moreover, books like Chandoba and Chacha Chaudhary, comics being given  by my grandfather, were my childhood reading.
When I was 14 years old, the first Marathi novel I read in my life was YAYATI, written by Gyanpith award winner Marathi writer V.S. Khandekar. After that, the quality of reading remained high. Even today, I am a conscious reader.

Which genre is your favouritein the Literature ..Tell your journey as Editor..?
:
Poetry and critics is the most favourite part of my literature. but I have handled all important jenres.
I love to read utility literature too.

My journey as an editor started from 'Multilingual, Multidisciplinary International journal Reader's Choice'. 
Mrs Sunita Paul, editor in chief encouraged me to be an editor of this international multidisciplinary multilingual e magazine Reader's Choice. And I accepted her challange to be an editor of MARATHI and HINDI SECTION. And now I found the job as interesting as writting literature.
Before that I have done a job as an sub editor of some MARATHI souvenirs.

Being trilingual author,in which language you are comfortable .?
:
Yes I am trilingual author. All three languages ​​have given me recognition in those circles. However, due to mutual translation from Marathi and Hindi into English and from English into Marathi and Hindi, I was able to do some work at  International level and my poems also being published all over the world.

Despite this, Marathi is my first language. I studied only in Marathi up to PG (Post Graduation). That's why comparatively, I am more comfortable in Marathi.

How many books published..?
what is the soul of your writings..?
:
I have published a total of 16 books, including ten collections of poetry... five in Marathi, three in Hindi, two in English... 
Two collections of short stories, one in Marathi and one in English... 
One novel in Marathi... 
One collection of review and critics ... 
A collection of Zen poetry translated from English into Marathi and 
A Biography of Ahilyabai Holkar, a queen of Malava. 

Soul of my writting is Humanity. And mostly I write woman centric literature.

Please tell your own definition about Poetry..?
:
Poetry is sometimes like a
'Parakaya pravesh" means to "entering another body" or "the supernatural power of thinking about others.

It is often associated with a supernatural ability or power, where someone can take into account another's opinion, can read another mind.

For me poetry is a form of verbal art. Simply the most beautiful, impressive and widely effective mode of saying things. 
Poetry is a art of pleasure with truth, contribution of reality and criticism of life 
 Poetry is like a bird...a free bird.
For me Poetry is a dream, imagination and passion.

What are the latest trends in Marathi Literature..?
:
Marathi literature is progressing in various directions these days. Digital media, new writers and writing on social issues have created a new energy and diversity in Marathi literature.

And a very satisfactory thing is that a group of poets who writes in "Vrutta" on  Facebook and wats app group named Godatirth and Vruttganga group. Poetry Santosh Watpade is running this movement.
Vrutta means a circular or roundel poem , written using a set of syllables/simile/rhymes etc. 

Vrittganga, a group of traditional  poets, is gradually producing new poets. For Marathi Poetry it is a Golden Path.

Organising Sahitya sammelana or literary festivals in all categories. Now a days Category wise literary festivals in a huge size is setting a trend in Marathi.

Tell about the awards/honours you received..?
:
In Marathwada and Amravati University my poems and corporate articles have been included in syllabus for graduation and post graduation.

In India I have bagged many prestigious awards for my MARATHI and HINDI literature.

 Maharashtra Government bestowed upon me TWICE, the Maharashtra State Hindi Sahitya Academy Awards. 
Recently from Hyderabad SAHITYA GARIMA AWARD has been bestowed upon me from Kadambini Club.

From abroad I have bagged many awards ...
1) Prince Muzaka Literary Club Award from Albania from Europe 
2) Classic Poetry Award from Kyrgyzstan 
3) Golden Bridge Award from there in 2023 
4) Excellent Poetry Award from the Philippines 
5) Madhesi Leader Gajendra Narayan Singh Award from Nepal 
6) And many other poetry awards and honors from many countries.

Appeared as FEATURED POET on the cover of the magazine Poet Of The Year published by the publishing company INNER CHILD PRESS INTERNATIONAL, USA in America. This is a matter of joy.

Quote some of your favourite lines in your poetry..?
:
Some lines of my poems...
1)
When the woods are thirsty 
and the rivers are dried 
the books quench your thirst 
to be pacified

2)
Birds are wandering 
for Shelters 
No trees but 
abundant concrete structures 
Made the life on the earth useless

3)
After autumn 
hopes of trees never end 
but wars put an end for 
rays of hopes and 
expectations too

4)
The dawn, dreaming of Sunrise
The Sun dancing on a love-tune
Fresh rays of hope
is kissing the sand-dunes!

5)
Shut the window of complaints
Try to shift you in que of gratitude
Now a days human needs virtue!

6)
The lightly dangling 
of the fringe of air
seems dwelling  
still in the sky, there!

7)
In the universe 
Slumber is playing hide and seek
taking shapes of dreams 
with hushed steps 
In the night.
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