Hello
readers,
readers,
Today we
have a talented writer with us. A famous blogger, writer and author of Nomad
Learns Morality, Tomichan Matheikal
have a talented writer with us. A famous blogger, writer and author of Nomad
Learns Morality, Tomichan Matheikal
Hi Sir,
Welcome to
my virtual teté-a-teté
my virtual teté-a-teté
Q Tell
us a little about yourself and your backgroun
Hi, Rakhi, first of all, thanks for
reviewing my book, The Nomad Learns
Morality.
us a little about yourself and your backgroun
Hi, Rakhi, first of all, thanks for
reviewing my book, The Nomad Learns
Morality.
I have been a teacher throughout my
working life and I enjoy being with youngsters.
I started my teaching career in Shillong and then moved to Delhi before
returning to Kerala a few months back, having completed three decades of
nomadic existence.
working life and I enjoy being with youngsters.
I started my teaching career in Shillong and then moved to Delhi before
returning to Kerala a few months back, having completed three decades of
nomadic existence.
Q Please
tell the readers about your book.
tell the readers about your book.
The
Nomad Learns Morality is a collection of short stories most of which
were written during the last two years of my life in Delhi when drastic changes
took place in my life as well as that of my colleagues because of the change in
the management of the school where I was teaching. The new management was not interested in running the school. They were in fact
grabbing the 15-acre campus by subjecting the school to euthanasia. Many staff members were tortured
psychologically in order to eject them from the school. False allegations were leveled against them
even in the court. Some were beaten up
by thugs. The happenings shook me
especially because the people who committed such atrocities were the followers
of a godman. Everything was apparently
being done for the sake of religion. The cult to which they belong has a few
million followers in India and abroad. I
began to wonder how so many people could be fooled by religion. Many of the stories in the book came as a
result of the questions that arose in my mind about religion.
Nomad Learns Morality is a collection of short stories most of which
were written during the last two years of my life in Delhi when drastic changes
took place in my life as well as that of my colleagues because of the change in
the management of the school where I was teaching. The new management was not interested in running the school. They were in fact
grabbing the 15-acre campus by subjecting the school to euthanasia. Many staff members were tortured
psychologically in order to eject them from the school. False allegations were leveled against them
even in the court. Some were beaten up
by thugs. The happenings shook me
especially because the people who committed such atrocities were the followers
of a godman. Everything was apparently
being done for the sake of religion. The cult to which they belong has a few
million followers in India and abroad. I
began to wonder how so many people could be fooled by religion. Many of the stories in the book came as a
result of the questions that arose in my mind about religion.
Q We can see your strong take on
several social aspects in the book. How do you view religious fanaticism?
several social aspects in the book. How do you view religious fanaticism?
Religion has played a very dominant role in my life and this is the chief
reason why I find it impossible to cut it off from my life. I have come across all sorts of religious people
from genuine devotees to absolute frauds.
For most of them, religion is merely a career, a means of earning
livelihood and securing good positions, and has nothing to do with
spirituality. They make use of other
people for their petty personal victories.
reason why I find it impossible to cut it off from my life. I have come across all sorts of religious people
from genuine devotees to absolute frauds.
For most of them, religion is merely a career, a means of earning
livelihood and securing good positions, and has nothing to do with
spirituality. They make use of other
people for their petty personal victories.
Religious fanaticism is still worse.
The fanatics hoodwink themselves and victimize others. They presume themselves to be the custodians
of god-given truths and persecute other people with those truths. Religious fanaticism is the biggest challenge
that the world faces today after ecological threats.
The fanatics hoodwink themselves and victimize others. They presume themselves to be the custodians
of god-given truths and persecute other people with those truths. Religious fanaticism is the biggest challenge
that the world faces today after ecological threats.
Q Most of the stories under the
contemporary fiction, had connection with Kerala, Shillong and Shimla and
revolves around school backgrounds. Is
there any real life connection?
contemporary fiction, had connection with Kerala, Shillong and Shimla and
revolves around school backgrounds. Is
there any real life connection?
Kerala is my homeland to which I returned on annual vacation
very religiously. Some of those visits
inspired certain stories. Shillong is
the place where I spent the first 15 years of my life as a teacher. It is a place which taught me many lessons of life in ways that so were beyond my grasp that I had to leave the place in bafflement and despair. It was my
inability to cope with certain situations more than other people’s
wickedness. Shillong appears even in the
novel, Black Hole, which I am now
seralizing in my blog. It is a place which remains imprinted indelibly in my
psyche. Shimla is a place where I spent a holiday and presented me with some
romantic memories. The Mall Road watched
over by a gigantic figure of Hanuman that towers in the background forest is
one of the places that still triggers quaint feelings in me.
very religiously. Some of those visits
inspired certain stories. Shillong is
the place where I spent the first 15 years of my life as a teacher. It is a place which taught me many lessons of life in ways that so were beyond my grasp that I had to leave the place in bafflement and despair. It was my
inability to cope with certain situations more than other people’s
wickedness. Shillong appears even in the
novel, Black Hole, which I am now
seralizing in my blog. It is a place which remains imprinted indelibly in my
psyche. Shimla is a place where I spent a holiday and presented me with some
romantic memories. The Mall Road watched
over by a gigantic figure of Hanuman that towers in the background forest is
one of the places that still triggers quaint feelings in me.
Q Tell us about your blogging experience.
Blogging has remained my most beloved pastime in the last many
years. It is my way of rising above the
pettiness that life inevitably thrusts at us.
It has been a very happy experience, a liberating experience.
years. It is my way of rising above the
pettiness that life inevitably thrusts at us.
It has been a very happy experience, a liberating experience.
Q For a blog we are our masters. But
that might not be the case with publishing. Can you share your publishing
experience?
that might not be the case with publishing. Can you share your publishing
experience?
It has been a rather unpleasant experience which I don’t wish to speak
about.
about.
Q
What are you working on at the minute?
What are you working on at the minute?
Black Hole,
my novel.
my novel.
Q When did you decide to become a writer?
I
loved to write even as a student. It was
not a decision. Writing occurred to me
as naturally as singing would occur to a singer or painting to a painter.
loved to write even as a student. It was
not a decision. Writing occurred to me
as naturally as singing would occur to a singer or painting to a painter.
Q
Do you ever get writer’s Block?
Do you ever get writer’s Block?
Not
seriously. I suffer from bouts of
depression occasionally during which I can’t write. That’s not the same as writer’s block,
however.
seriously. I suffer from bouts of
depression occasionally during which I can’t write. That’s not the same as writer’s block,
however.
Q
Did you do a press release, Goodreads book launch or anything else
to promote your work and did it work?
Did you do a press release, Goodreads book launch or anything else
to promote your work and did it work?
I
didn’t go out of my way to promote the book.
Some friends were generous enough to review the book in their blogs and
also list it with Goodreads.
didn’t go out of my way to promote the book.
Some friends were generous enough to review the book in their blogs and
also list it with Goodreads.
Q
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Write
from the heart. Probe the depths of
life. Embrace the pain of truths if
necessary.
from the heart. Probe the depths of
life. Embrace the pain of truths if
necessary.
Q
How can readers discover more about you and you work?
How can readers discover more about you and you work?
There
is no other way than reading my work.
is no other way than reading my work.
Q
Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to
take part in this interview.
Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to
take part in this interview.
It’s
been my pleasure and thanks to you for asking some very interesting questions.
been my pleasure and thanks to you for asking some very interesting questions.
