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LIFE & LETTERS JUNE 06, 2024 | The Indian Eye 44

Q&A WITH BRIAN MENDONCA

‘For me, Delhi was a city of

sensation, like no other. It gave me

freedom to become a poet’

asmine City: Poems from Delhi’ by Bri-
an Mendonca was released in Delhi at the
JYMCA conference room on May 20, 2024.
Sohail Hashmi, writer, filmmaker, and heritage
activist provided a background of poetry in Del-
hi and how poets like Mir and Ghalib responded
to the changing fortunes of the city. He situated
Brian’s poetry among poetry collections on Delhi
written in English and read and commented on
the poem ‘1321.’
Sonya Gupta, academic and translator, spoke
about Brian’s use of musical allusions in poems
like ‘Motley Crue.’ She was moved by Brian’s love
poems and asked Brian to read his poem ‘Call Me.
‘ She noted how his poems are often about the
poor and marginalized. She noted the terseness of
poems like ‘9 to 5’ and ‘Dragonfly Morning. ‘
Amit Ranjan, poet from Delhi, read out from
his Foreword to ‘Jasmine City’ and how he vibed
with Brian in Goa. He was uneasy with the roman-
ticization of Delhi. (From Left to right) Sohail Hashmi, Amit Ranjan, Sonya Gupta and Brian Mendonca at the YMCA Conference Hall during the
To showcase the realism and romance of his
poetic oeuvre Brian read his poem, ‘Qila Mubark’ launch of the poetry collection
written on the Red Fort. He thanked Kallol Ma-
jumder who did the artwork for the book and ev- I write from moment to moment. Every (Delhi, 2011). My latest offering is ‘Jasmine City:
eryone clapped. He was grateful to Oxford Uni- glimpse of Delhi led me to a deeper understand- Poems from Delhi (Goa, 2023). The poems for
versity Press where he worked as an editor for ing of its ethos. It was a city that needed to be all 3 volumes were being written simultaneously.
providing the stability which enabled him to pen deciphered. I needed to move beyond the cliches They were gathered into separate collections lat-
his poems. The event was compered by Robinson that describe Delhi and showcase its humanity. er. They are all self-published.
Raju, publishing professional. The vote of thanks ‘Last Bus to Vasco’ is Goa-specific. I have
was given by Shilpa Chowdhary, academic and You have captured the little nuances of life here in named my blog after it. ‘A Peace of India’ presents
writer from Delhi. your poems. What Delhi offers beyond its famous the poems of a traveler-poet. These poems are the
monuments? poems of a ‘ramta-jogi’ who has wandered across
In an interview for The Indian Eye with Delhi is a universal city. Shahjahan called the India to find his soul.
Ekta Saxena, the poet talked about his Lal Qila the centre of the world, ‘axis mundi. ‘ But
poems and life in Delhi. Excerpts: ever since the Sultanate period, Delhi has become Delhi of now and Delhi of then, what is your observa-
more layered, more textured. It has moved beyond tion? Does its past still reflect in the fast-paced Met-
the necropolis it was and has embraced moderni- ropolitan it has become?
What Delhi means to you, where you spent almost ty. As a poet I try to chronicle this transition in the Delhi has been home to seven cities. Even in
15 years? vignettes I offer of life in this remembered city. the Delhi we see today, the Old City still exists in
I was born in Gujarat. I did my schooling in the late-middle-ages whereas South Delhi is more
Mumbai; my college in Goa; my MPhil in Pune; As a poet, what inspires you to capture and weave into contemporary. The voices of the past are never
and my PhD in Hyderabad. I began my working words, particularly this collection? far away, if one appreciates Delhi’s history and its
life in Delhi. Delhi was a city of sensation, like no I spend lot of time just looking. I see the pro- monuments.
other. It gave me freedom to be who I was des- found in the obvious. I speak for the voiceless.
tined to be -- a poet. It gave me a job to support I am an itinerant traveler in this world. I am a Which is your favorite spot and food of Delhi?
my writing and my travel. I am fascinated by this chronicler of our times. Ibn Batuta inspires me. I When I first came to Delhi, I used to enjoy
city. The people who work tirelessly to earn their use contemporary idioms to unpack the city. mutton biryani at Nand Lal’s dhaba, Daryaganj.
living, leave me humbled. Tell us something about your past collections. I also used to love the chhole-kulche they used
My debut volume was ‘Last Bus to Vasco: to serve on carts at Daryaganj at Rs. 10 a plate.
What is so unique about Delhi that motivated you to Poems from Goa’ (Delhi, 2006). My second col- I love simple street food like bread pakoras and
dedicate a poetry collection on it? lection was ‘A Peace of India: Poems in Transit’ kulhad chai.

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