Rohini Gupta's Blog

I have heard then all – the excuses not to work, not to write.

Maybe tomorrow or next week. Maybe after I retire. Or when I feel better or when I have more time. When is a blue moon, or when the weather turns.

Those and hundreds more have one thing in common – they are useless.

But this one works. How do you resist?

This little guy is the office cat. Because he loves sleeping with his head on the keyboard or sprawled on the laptop. Is he writing the Great Feline Novel? I asked him but he only meowed. Maybe it’s too early to talk about it yet.

Yes, it worked. I took a break. What else could I do?

Cafe Haiku is doing an interesting session on Imagery in Haiku on Saturday. A discussion on all aspects of the power of images in such a short form.

I will be speaking about the link and shift method which makes a haiku stand out. Poetry also requires a shift away from the banal in which the mind discovers something unexpected or surprising. Its not easy to make the shift as most poets know. Its even more important in a form of poetry like Haiku, which has only three lines and less than seventeen syllables.

Its not easy to write a good poem and its just as hard to write a good haiku.

Date – 29 June 2024

Time – 8 pm to 9.30 pm IST

Venue – on Zoom, free and open to all who register

Registration – the QR code is on the poster above. You can click on for the very simple registration. All we need is name and email and we will send you the link by email.

In case you cannot access the QR code, here is the link –

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchIFFueJ_0Bce29ZdDfeQPRebntX-C5-UBoh2FxsjLJJnJ3g/viewform

From Cafe Haiku –

We have a distinguished panel of guests and Cafe Haiku editors, each of whom will be talking about different aspects of tne topic, Imagery in Haiku. Do take this chance for a Deep Dive into the subject. Our previous Deep Dives were well recieved and most said they learned something new from each packed evening. Whether you are a beginner or experienced haijin, you will find something interesting in this session. Do join us.

See you there.

Also check out Cafe Haiku, if you are interested.

I will be at Anantha 2024, the yearly poetry festival. I will be with the editors and members of Cafe Haiku and we will discuss haiku and haibun, read some of our work and share the experiences which led to writing it.

It will be a casual session, meant for everyone with or without knowledge of haiku.

If you love haiku, or just want a first taste of it, join us in this session on Facebook live.

31 May 2024 at 6 pm IST

The facebook link is here –

http://Facebook.com/samyuktapoetry

See you there.

it’s been a year since the publication of Arya, the Anthology of Vedic women. My story, the Way of the Warrior was one of the ten stories about strong women from ancient India. In case you are wondering there are enough strong women in the epics to keep me busy for a lifetime. You might have heard a load of rubbish – that ancient India exploited women and they were helpless victims. It only shows ignorance – that whoever says that has not read the original texts. There has been too much misrepresation from secondary texts.

It’s been an interesting journey and I loved meeting the other authors and exchanging experiences. A writer’s life tends to be too isolated so meeting other authors is always such a pleasure.

Indica did some interviews recently and here is mine, where I talk of my story and my character, Chitrangada, a warrior princess from the Mahabharat.

You can read the interview below.

I really enjoyed writing the story. Finished a novel as well for which I am seeking a publisher. Its been quite a journey. I took time off this blog so that I could finish my book. Now that it’s done I am going to write a series on what I learned from writing a novel and all the interesting details I found in my extensive research.

A writer’s perspective is different. When I research I am looking for little details which might seem irrelevant to others. Those small pieces build up the story. I will be writing more about that now that I am back to blogging.

Aryaa, the anthology published by Indica, is available on Amazon.

Cafe Haiku is doing an online session tomorrow evening, exploring seasons and season words in the field of haiku.

8 expert speakers, including me, many interesting aspects covered, an evening full of nature and poetry.

For more on this interesting session or anything haiku check the Cafe Haiku website.

The World Haiku Review’s Spring issue is up and it a big one. Haiku, haibun and also the announcement of the winner of the RH Blyth Award.

This issue has been a long time coming, mostly because its been a tough year for both of the editors. Personal issues led to some amount of confusion and lack of clarity, and a couple of glitches kept us on our toes.

But that is all past now. The issue is up at last and you can look at it here, at the World Haiku Review.

Enjoy.

Aryaa, the anthology of 10 stories about strong Indian women is going places. Urban Pandits is interviewing all 10 authors and mine is today.

Do check it out. The interview will be available on the you tube channel.

Aryaa is now available as an ebook as well as print.

Here is the Indian link –

If not in India, copy this code into the Amazon of your country – B0BSHYLRVV

I am at Kalaghoda this year. If you are in Mumbai during this year’s Kalaghoda festival, come and join us at this book launch.

7 February 2023, Tuesday, 6.15 to 7 pm

CS Museum lawns at Kalaghoda

See you there!

Aryaa, the stories of ten strong women was launched in Bangalore last month in a quiet launch with the editor, Shivkumar G V and all ten authirs who travelled there for the day. The setting was lovely, far from town amid the banana orchards and fields as far as the eye could see.

The book is now available on Amazon. To buy it from Amazon India, click HERE

For the Amazon of any other country copy this code into your Amazon page – B0BSHYLRVV

When I submitted a story, back in January 2021, I had no idea it would be such an intensive and interactive journey. I have been writing stories for many years but I don’t often get the chance to submit my Indian epic tales. I have several ideas in my diaries so when I read this submission call, I polished up the Way of the Warrior and sent it in. Here it is now.

If you want to hear about how I wrote it, here is an interview – Gaurav Tiwari chats with me on his YouTube channel, mysutradhar, HERE

Do take a look and tell me what you think.