Welcome to the virtual tete-a-tete. Today we have a multifaceted personalities with us. A poet, Tarot card reader, singer, traveler, and whatnot.
Please welcome Mehr, the author of Hasratein.
Please welcome Mehr, the author of Hasratein.
Tell us about yourself
I Hail from the city of Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Post my Primary schooling I moved to NCR to pursue my Engineering from Inderprastha College (IPEC) and later completed my MBA from Symbiosis. Was a naughty kid in my childhood days (I still am ) and loved playing Football, Cricket, and Badminton. I was always fascinated by Cricket Commentary and thought will do it once. It’s still an unfulfilled dream. In my Family, I have my parents who stay in Kanpur and often visit me in Bangalore, and my elder sister Shweta who is Settled in the US with her family. I have 2 beautiful nieces Aarya and Aneesha.
Whom do you prefer? Sajal, the writer, singer, or Tarot card reader.
All Three are close to me and I would be incomplete without any of them…
Singing relaxes me and you shall find me humming songs every moment if I’m not asleep. I have been referred to AIR FM, Akashvani, and FM radio by my friends and family. It’s difficult to imagine life without music….and Music I mean, the 80s, and 90s melodies. I avoid today’s songs.
Tarot reading is for the seekers. I’m blessed that I can relate to the Tarot cards and have been given guidance by a much-renowned Tarot reader who is a member of the American Tarot Association. I enjoy Tarot Reading for people as they feel it helps them and if it comes through me, I’m glad. It’s famous and practiced in western countries. I’m an ATA member too.
Writing gives me the freedom to pen down my wildest imaginations, My thoughts and ideas take shape with words. I feel when it’s my day I can see words floating all around and talking to me… But writing, I feel is tougher than Singing and Tarot Readings.
When did you decide to actually sit down and write something?
Honestly, just a few months back.
I’m blessed to have a few good friends who thought that my writing is worth being printed and shared with a larger audience. I have my family who supported me (Even if they didn’t understand Urdu words) they shall end up saying “Wah Wah, kya likha hai “. I use to write in my college days but I can’t say that was serious writing. The thoughts which you would find in “Hasratein”, are quite mature, Nazms…and I must say, Gulzar Sahab’s writing style inspires me. His Nazms leave the author with thoughts and cannot be stereotyped. I feel really happy when people mention that in my writing they can see a knack for Gulzar Sahab’s style. I feel this is a great compliment but it makes me nervous too. He is a Legend. He is a Masterpiece and you don’t create Masterpieces over and over again.
That’s amazing! So, were your preferences always poetry?
Well Yes…If it wasn’t poetry it would be more of Shayari’s, but since my young days, I was always inclined towards Poetry, Shayris, and Ghazals. People used to tag me as Boring or Buddha when I used to listen to Jagjeet Ji in my young days. but I feel the lyrics, and voice, that Jagjeet Ji carried, were a God’s gift. The effortless ways he used to sing ghazals are commendable.
Your writings have a pain; about betrayal, about religious fanaticism. Was that intentional?
That’s what Shayar’s and Poets are all about. The world says pain gives birth to a poet. Isn’t it? (Laughing)
But I agree only partially with it. If I write about Lahore, it doesn’t mean I have crossed borders…Similarly, if I write about Graveyard it doesn’t mean I’ve been there often. These are my thoughts which I pen down. Many times, Writers have to get into others’ shoes to understand what a person feelings…I realize authors always live moments and strike them beautifully with the choicest words. And I respect poets who can dream and write stuff that they haven’t witnessed or are imaginary. It’s not that easy writing about something, you haven’t seen or is just in your dreams. Regarding Religious Fanaticism, no I haven’t been a victim of it yet. But as I said I can relate to it.
Tell us more about your Tarot card reading.
Seems you are fascinated too Tarot is nothing but practice and it’s all about belief. People do ask whether it even works as this does not give a definitive answer to certain questions, unlike astrology. I ask them, What’s the guarantee that your astrologer depicts your future correctly. These days when Babas urge you to do this pooja, buy this yantra, at least Tarot doesn’t do all that. This is all about belief. If Numerology exists, Astrology exists, then certainly Tarot Reading does. I have known a seeker who challenged the readings that drew from her cards in August 2017 and later in January I received a thank you call mentioning what was said happened. So you need to take guidance from what’s on the card. It may or may not happen. Tarot gathers the energy around and within you and relates to your inner & higher self.
You Drove all the way from Bangalore to Delhi? Now that’s something…Elaborate pls.
I love long drives. And my long drives are really long. I have a couple of times driven from Mumbai to Rajasthan, Kanpur. I Once drove from Kanpur to Pune and then Bangalore. But this time in 2017 I drove from Bangalore to Delhi and return. It was a fantastic drive cutting through the countryside and believe me, It’s beautiful It almost took 24 hours on Road and include another 12 hours which we took a stopover at Nagpur. Just to let you know I have driven ~1,60,000 Kms in the last 6 years (of course I changed my cars)
Now read the acknowledgment page of my book..last lines..now they will make better sense.
What are your future plans? Are you working on any book now, Will we see a professional Singer?
Singer Noooo … I’m good at Karaoke and that is all. I agree there have been few recognition for me in this field but when I listen to today’s talent on the Radio or television I realize I’m too chota in front of them.
Book, Yes definitely I have already started working on it however not sure about the timelines. I’ve been fighting writer’s block for the last couple of weeks. Hope it gets over soon.
One thing which you want to achieve?
My one dream is to Meet Gulzar sahab , Javed ji and Rahat Indori Sahab. While I have attended Rahat Indori Jim’s event in Bangalore last year…I’m yet to get lucky to meet the other legends.
How can the readers reach you?
They can reach me at authormehr@gmail.com or Author_Mehr is my Instagram account.
Thank you so much for your time. All the best for your future work. If you are a book lover, join our Outset Book Club and be with other book lovers. We also have Outset Books Facebook Group.
