This week, I got to have a chat with Rozy S Paul, the author of a beautifully written poetry, titled Laulyam: An Intense Desire. She hails from the state of Assam in India. Rozy says that writing is something that flows in her blood. Writing helps her in consoling the sorrows, sadness, and pain.
Read on as poet Rozy S Paul talks about her debut book, life as a writer, inspirations behind writing the poetry, favourite authors and books, passions in life, and much more.
1. Let’s begin with a brief introduction of yours, and a brief overview of your debut book- Laulyam: An Intense Desire with 20 Poems.
Hey, thanks a lot for conducting this interview. It feels extremely pleasurable.
My name is Rozy S Paul. I belong to Dibrugarh, Assam. I am a published author. Writing is my passion and it is something that flows in my blood. The heart is my paper. It consoles my sorrow, sadness, pain, and comes out with the best quality. I try my best to give fruitful content to the readers and make this human life purposeful. I am a worshiper of karma and a dependent soul on Lord Krishna.
I know multiple languages, including English, Sanskrit, Hindi, Bengali and Assamese.
My favourite hobbies are painting, cooking, gardening, listening to music, travelling, dancing, and enjoying sports indoor and outdoor both.
I love to paint. I know sketching, charcoal, soft pastel, oil pastel, watercolour, acrylic, oil, knife, nib, stone, and glass variety of all kinds of paintings.
I love to cook and consider it as an art. I am a foodie. I am very much interested to cook Indian dishes, especially all kind of Bengali cuisine. Sometimes, I also try continental, Chinese and Mexican recipes.
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I love to do seasonal gardening. I believe life should be like a flower, blooming fragmented for others. I always look forward to doing seasonal farming.
I like listening to soft and classical music. It quenches my thirsty ear with Haari-Naam Sankirtan especially Bhajan. Music gives me peace. I was trained in the primary level of classical music called Bisaradh, though I didn’t complete it.
I am very much fond of exotic travelling. It has always excited me and helps me to know people and their culture & customs. Also, the beauty of nature beholds me.
I appreciate all different kinds of classical dance, like Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Bihu, Jhoomoor etc. Being born in Assam, I know a few dance steps of Bihu. Since childhood, I have participated in Rabindra sangeet and Nazrul Geeti dance. I love to do that.
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Introducing you to my debut book now.
The meaning of Laulyam is having a desire to please God with all your capacity. Sometimes we are very greedy to achieve or receive something. We become mad. That is required. ‘Laulyam Eka Mulyam’. To achieve Krishna consciousness perfectly. This ecstasy, this eagerness or greediness to serve the Lord. That is the only price to pay to achieve that emotion. Money, prestige, good percentage, beauty, etc. are nothing.
Our entire life is all about a story of love between us and God. There is only a single reason behind the nature sending people, experience, gifts, pain, etc. to your path: To bring you back to him.
Love begins with knowledge. Love is about selflessly empowering and serving others. Love means serving the Lord. People may think that love is a relation which falls between human beings only. But serving Lord is beyond bodily concept but this body is the only means to serve and love god which is rare.
Through my book, I have shown people that serving and loving God is something that can actually give us immense pleasure. And of course, it’s not the end; it’s a continuous process which I have experienced and given people to practice on a regular basis.
Recognition comes from acceptance. When people accept lord in their life and work according to their wish, then life becomes a boon. Reciprocation comes from his side. Fulfil your genuine needs and put him in your thoughts. Witness your life-changing moments.
Place God in the centre of your life. Depend on him, love him, worship him, serve him and surrender yourself to him. Then see, how magically life changes. How beautiful life is!
2. What inspired you to write a book like Laulyam? What exactly does the title of your book mean and suggest?
Writing is not new to me. I have been writing since my childhood. But the title is definitely intriguing to me. After studying and practising spiritual education, I came to know the true purpose of human life. That forced emotion bound me to write this book.
Laulyam is a Sanskrit word. It means greediness to achieve anything but here it is not used to achieve mundane things. Rather it has been used here for greediness to please supreme Lord with any capacity. That mode is madness about to achieve but not success, love, fame, name, power and money which are temporary and perishable. We are preparing for a higher purpose and pleasure. Laulyam defines here that utmost need to reach the ultimate destination.
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3. How much time did you take to finish the book? Did you follow any writing routine?
Almost a year. I love to write, that only gives me peace. If somebody tells me to write the whole day, I can do that passionately. Routine can’t bind me I just want to flow freely like a river that never ceases to hustle.
4. Tell us about the journey after the manuscript was ready on your laptop.
😀 Nothing likes that as such. I didn’t prepare any manuscript, neither did even thought of publishing a book. I just abruptly jotted down all the poems in my diary. But I never thought of a professional way to be chosen for publishing a book.
Before a few days of publishing, I just filled the registration forms of different publication houses. One day the owner of EvincePub publication house called me up and share their publishing package. He asked me to send some sample pages of poems. He checked my work and sent me the approval letter. But I had said no to them as I wanted to take some time. After three months, I got back to them.
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5. What were the challenges that you faced to find the publisher for your book?
With God’s grace, everything happened properly. Though things took time, I didn’t face any hardcore challenges.
6. What sort of reviews are you getting from the readers for the Laulyam?
Very unique, complete polished package with understanding, appreciation, acceptance, variety to express their thoughts in review those are motivating to work more for new projects and some area I have to work for filling those breakages.
7. When did you realize that you wanted to be a writer?
I have never imagined that though I started writing from the early days. I always wanted to be a doctor which was also my mother’s dream and shattered with her demise. I put in my efforts to become a government banker. Professionally I never thought of to be a writer. This is just inborn. God’s willing.
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8. Whom do you consider your icons when it comes to writing? Any favourite authors?
Nature’s poet William Wordsworth, P B Shelley, John Keats, Byron who brought romanticism in English literature. William Shakespeare, Pablo Neruda for the sonnet, Bob Dylan, Mark Knopfler.
Rabindranath Tagore, Michel Madhusudan Dutta, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay for Bengali literature. Even Assamese, Hindi, Sanskrit literature’s authors also inspire me a lot.
9. A quick-fire round (answer in up to 50 words):
a) Books that have influenced your life.
‘The nectar of devotion’
‘The nectar of instruction’
‘Science of self-realisation’
‘Bhagavat-Gita as it is’
‘Last poem’
‘Charan Chuye Jai’
b) Things you love to do when you are not writing?
Painting and sketching. These days I am missing knitting and crafting.
c) If you were to write a book about yourself, what would you name it?
This never came to my mind. But you made me to think of it. I’d name it: ‘A memoir: turn pages of those untold stories’
d) One habit that you think makes you more productive?
Travelling. It helps me to grow and to break that monotonous daily routine life and refresh the mind. It also brings in energies for thinking productive.
10. What’s next for Rozy S.Paul? Are you working on a new book?
Yes, I am working on a new project. I will come up with it soon.
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