Ballet on Verses

A poet, dancer, writer, wanderer…did we miss out something?
Procrastinator and beach-bum extraordinaire – Tishani Doshi.

Of Baltimore, London and Madras, which city do you connect to the most?

Ever since watching The Wire I’ve felt somewhat nostalgic towards Baltimore, but not enough to revisit. London always presents itself as a city with so many possibilities, so many potential lives, but I can’t get my head around that crazy weather. Madras feels like destiny…a destiny I’m always trying to escape.

What is more nerve racking: a nine to five job or attending family weddings?

Oh, that’s hard. Probably the 9-5 job, which provides no culinary benefits that I know of. Also, unlike the family wedding, which only appears to be endless, the 9-5 job (for me) is in fact, the abyss.

Three places that intrigue you:

Japan, Ethiopia, Italy

The most cliched question you have been asked?

Who are your favourite writers?

Your take on:

Civil Society Movement in India 2011:

I wish that this was India’s long-a-coming revolution, but it isn’t. At least not with the present “Team” at the helm – where sanctimony seems to prevail over all else.

Literary Festivals:

I’m an ardent lover of literary festivals, although in recent years my mojo has waned. I’ve been to lit-fests as a journalist, a writer and as a punter, and I’ve enjoyed every capacity. Perhaps I should just organize one to beat the love out of me.

Love Stories set in IITs: 

Are a bit like my feelings towards the Irukandji Jellyfish. I hear they exist but I’ve never seen one, and I don’t really want to either.

Contemporary Indian poetry: 

Doesn’t get nearly enough attention as contemporary Indian fiction… and as a consequence, the Indian literary scene is poorer for it.

Glamourizing writers: 

Haven’t writers always been glamorous? Anyone who can spend a big chunk of their lives in solitude, creating universes of their own while raising families, battling depression, uncertainty, penury and all other manner of bombardment, and still continue to create – is pretty glamorous in my book already.

Current Reading list: 

Ali Smith’s ‘There but for The’, Rahul Bhattacharya’s ‘The Sly Company of People who Care’, Maaza Mengiste’s ‘Beneath the Lion’s Gaze’, and The Selected Poetry and Prose of Andrea Zanzotto.

Blogs you frequent: 

I’m not really a blog-loving person. I prefer a longer form of journalism but occasionally I will dip into Akhond of Swat, Jabberwok, The Spaniard in the Works and Kuzhali Manickavel’s third wolrd ghetto vampire blogspot.

Favourite twitterati:

No. Definitely not a twitter kind of person.

Music you wake up to:

Gundecha Brother’s Raag Bhairavi, Sheila Dhar, Uday Bhawalkar. If I’m in a stormy mood – Billy Holiday or Chet Baker.

Future projects:

Books, pups, beach.