Author’s Background: Author-Poet Ramachandran Rajasekharan is a senior finance professional with more than four decades of experience in Audit and allied fields. He discovered his muse only in his early sixties. Nevertheless, this was no surprise as both his parents were poets in their own right who had instilled in him a love of reading and poetry from a very young age. Books of every genre have been his companions since his boyhood. He is happily married to Kalyani S Menon and blessed with twin sons, Govind and Gopal. At present, the king of his universe is Madhav, his grandson.
Neel Preet: Firstly, Congratulations on your book, “Smiling In My Sleep!” What responses are you getting from this book of yours? Please share your experience about this book.
Ramachandran Rajasekharan: Thank you. The initial responses are encouraging. This book, as you are aware a collection of poems beginning with my memories of the past with those who are now no more with me. These memories provide me with emotional inspiration and energy to travel the uncertain terrain of life. Someone who moulded me and made me what I am today with their unconditional love and guidance showed me how to distinguish between right and wrong, important and unimportant, without telling it to me explicitly, but showing by their way of life.
Neel Preet: Your book is a wonderful collection of “Emotional & Inspirational Poems”, so what inspired you to write these poems?
Ramachandran Rajasekharan: Poetry glanced at me quite late in life. I wrote my first poem after completing six decades on this planet.
I have met many people, observed many things, the good, the bad and the ugly, and experienced agony and ecstasy in life. When the goddess of poetry graced me, these emotions and experiences began to flow out of me.
Neel Preet: You’ve given a very interesting title to your book, which is very catchy, too, so, what made you go for this title for your book?
Ramachandran Rajasekharan: The title poem is about the mother-child relationship. Is there anything sweeter on this planet than that? Mother is the cornerstone of the family. At least, it was my experience. In the title poem, I try to portray my recalling of childhood memories with my mother and how they continue to make me smile in my life.
Neel Preet: What was your mind-set, while working on this book? What was the impetus behind this work of yours?
Ramachandran Rajasekharan: The book contains poems written over a period of time. These poems underline my thoughts on many aspects of life, personal, romantic, spiritual, familial, nature, spiritual, womanhood, poverty, and testing times I experienced at crossroads, giving rise to many thoughts and emotions. My poems speak about those times.
My focus was more oriented towards the selection of poems which together convey a wholesome picture of the life that I have experienced in a manner relatable to all readers.
Neel Preet: Well, after reading your amazing poems, my next question to you is that what keeps you fuelled to carry on your writing journey?
Ramachandran Rajasekharan: As stated earlier, I have found poetry flowing out late. I am a finance professional and passionately followed that path. My parents used to write poems. Probable poetry was in my genes. It started flowing out at a given moment, and I experienced the joy and pain of writing. I can go on as long as I can.
Neel Preet: While reading your book, I found that your poems had some really strong emotions and stories inside them, which had greatly impressed me and thus I would like you to explain the overall theme of your book!
Ramachandran Rajasekharan: Well, as you know, this book is divided into two parts. The first part deals with the memories of the past, which have shaped my perspectives about life that provide me with energy and inspiration. The second part deals with life, which can be further divided into my thoughts about different aspects of life.
I am a person who carries nature close to my heart. I am forced to believe that our thoughts about development should be balanced with nature.
I believe in God, but my spiritual beliefs are shaped with conviction and not by birth alone.
I respect women, and some poems convey my thoughts on gender equality. My grandson- poems express my love and concern for our future generation.
I feel anguish and fail not to understand how poverty, the largest plight facing humanity, always gets a lower priority over defence expenditure universally.
You are correct that my poems are similar to stories. I ensure my vocabulary is simple and relatable, so those who dive deeper can easily understand and relate to the metaphorical layer. That will be more relatable to readers.
Neel Preet: Your writing seemed to be impeccable and you were bold with your poems in your book, which I really appreciate. Therefore, I want you to tell us about some of those writers who had inspired you and whom you follow!
Ramachandran Rajasekharan: I try to express my thoughts with conviction. Many poets have influenced in shaping my views, including my parents. To mention a few, Khalil Jibran, Kamala Das, Emily Dickinson, A. K. Ramanujan, Ivan Turgenev and even the for that matter the legendary Chekov, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky (though they were not poets per se)
Neel Preet: Is there any message which you would like to convey to your readers? Or any piece of advice, which you would like to give to the readers out there!
Ramachandran Rajasekharan: Well, my poems do convey my messages. If one reads me well, the reader could feel the anguish over the societal indifference to nature. We are often carried away with our short-sighted race for development, which sustains the tree of life. The once-hailed miracle invention of science ‘Plastic’ has now assumed demonical proportions. We should learn to co-exist with nature and other species of nature. Let us not waste money conquering outer space or each other without ensuring food availability for the needy and that none dies of hunger.
Our spiritual perspectives should realise that God is supreme and we can build no great temples, churches or mosques than the beautiful world we have inherited. We can give God nothing in return except love, empathy and compassion for the suffering brethren. Who are we to build landmark worship places for the mythological God who is believed to have measured the three worlds with two steps? Accept that he is supreme and is satisfied by unconditional faith. Do not invoke the anger of god.
We should learn to respect women as individuals of worthy self-respect. Accept that mother is the cornerstone of the family. Travel in the middle path; money is only necessary for meeting our needs. Greed will not reach us anywhere. Rich people also die despite the best treatment that money can buy.
See the beauty in the blooming flowers we usually pluck, use, and throw away. But if we see its beauty, we will enjoy it and be satisfied. Live our life by what we believe to be correct and acceptable for a peaceful life.
The rich and arrogant repeat this act against the lesser privileged, including children. God does not discriminate. By such actions, we convey a wrong message to our children and grandchildren, the future of humanity.
Neel Preet: Are there any other books being worked on by you? Please let us know about your future projects.
Ramachandran Rajasekharan: I enjoy writing poems. You can expect my next book very soon.
Neel Preet: Thank you so much for answering all my questions. All the very best to you for the future and your book too!
Ramachandran Rajasekharan: Thank you, Neel Preet. I enjoyed answering your questions.
