An Interview with Dr. Priya Rohan

The Literature Times: Dr. Priya, what inspired you to explore Cleopatra beyond her historical identity and connect her legacy with reincarnation?

Dr. Priya Rohan: I first read about Cleopatra when I was sixteen, and her personality fascinated me. While many saw her as a beautiful seductress, I admired the young woman who became queen and stood her ground in a male-dominated world. Years later, encouraged by my husband, I decided to write about her from my own perspective. I knew I couldn’t change everyone’s perception, but if my pen could become a sword against even a little prejudice, why shouldn’t I use it? Reincarnation came with the second book. Readers wanted to know what happened next, and I wanted to take the story beyond ancient Egypt.

The Literature Times: The novel moves between ancient Egypt and rural India. What inspired you to bring these two different worlds together?

Dr. Priya Rohan: Interestingly, I hadn’t planned this connection initially. Years ago, while reading different historical interpretations, I came across speculative claims about Cleopatra’s mother having Indian origins. I also encountered accounts suggesting Cleopatra wanted her son Caesarion to travel to India and study Sanskrit and the Vedas. These weren’t established historical facts, but they stayed in my mind. When I began exploring Cleopatra’s reincarnation, India seemed an intriguing place to continue her story.

The Literature Times: Devi possesses an unusual maturity and mysterious inner world. How did you develop her character and psychological depth?

Dr. Priya Rohan: Devi took considerable time to develop. In fact, I experienced writer’s block at the beginning of the second novel because I wasn’t sure where to start. I wanted her character to unfold naturally while maintaining the curiosity of a thriller. Rather than explaining everything about her from birth, I chose to reveal her personality, powers and psychological complexities gradually as the story progressed.

The Literature Times: How has your professional background in mental health and consciousness research influenced the themes and characters of this novel?

Dr. Priya Rohan: My profession has influenced my writing immensely. As a doctor working in neurointegrative mental health, I deal with human emotions and psychological complexities every day. Understanding these different layers of the human mind has become part of who I am. Naturally, that reflects in my characters. I wanted them to be complex yet understandable, with strengths, flaws and contradictions readers could recognise in themselves. I wanted them to feel like real people, not merely fictional characters.

The Literature Times: Cleopatra has been portrayed in countless historical and fictional works. What makes your interpretation of her legacy unique?

Dr. Priya Rohan: I wouldn’t call her my Cleopatra. It’s simply my perception of her. I prefer looking at the whole coin rather than just one side. She became queen as a teenager and held her position among powerful male rulers. Men like Julius Caesar and Mark Antony were surrounded by beautiful women, so I find it difficult to believe beauty alone explains her influence. Caesar even placed her golden statue in the Temple of Venus Genetrix in Rome. That made me question what else lay beneath her familiar image. I see a remarkably powerful woman whose impact has survived centuries.

The Literature Times: Love, obsession, and possession play important roles in the story. What motivated yoInterviewsu to explore these complex emotional connections?

Dr. Priya Rohan: I believe love and obsession can exist very close to each other. Sometimes obsession is visible; sometimes it remains hidden until it crosses a certain limit. As someone who studies human emotions, I find that complexity fascinating. In my novel, possession is more about the antagonist’s intense desire to possess someone he cannot truly control. These emotions were important to the psychological development of the story.

The Literature Times: Your novel combines archaeological discoveries with supernatural mysteries. How did you balance historical elements with creative imagination?

Dr. Priya Rohan: I always feel that research gives roots to my story, while imagination gives it wings. Both are equally important. Without historical and archaeological foundations, the story would lose credibility. But without imagination, it would become a history book rather than a novel. I read extensively about Cleopatra, drawing from historians, scholars and archaeological interpretations, then allowed my imagination to build upon that foundation.

The Literature Times: The story raises questions about memory, identity, and consciousness. What philosophical ideas did you hope to explore through fiction?

Dr. Priya Rohan: There isn’t one particular philosophical question I wanted to answer. I wanted certain moments to work almost like a mirror. Readers may be following Devi’s life, but somewhere along the way, they might recognise questions from their own lives. These philosophies aren’t new; they’ve existed throughout human history. I’ve simply explored them through a different story and perspective.

The Literature Times: As both a researcher and a visual artist, how do your scientific and artistic interests influence your approach to storytelling?

Dr. Priya Rohan: Science plays an important role in my writing because I like giving readers explanations that make even extraordinary situations feel believable. I didn’t want the novel to feel merely like a fairy tale. Art, on the other hand, gives storytelling its aesthetics, expression and beauty. Science helps me build credibility, while art shapes the experience of reading.

The Literature Times: What deeper message about human existence and identity would you like readers to take away from Reincarnation Begins?

Dr. Priya Rohan: Human existence is far more complex than we understand, and I believe we should look at things in their entirety before judging them. Just as you cannot understand a book by reading only a few pages, you cannot understand a person or an experience from one perspective. Opinions are easy to express, but meaningful judgment requires knowledge, understanding and careful examination. I hope readers experience the complete journey and discover the deeper essence of the novel rather than seeing it merely as a story.