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Poetry from the Innermost Recesses of the Heart: An Interview with D.C. Chambial(continued) Interview by Dr. Nilanshu Kumar Agarwal The titles of some of your collections are highly symbolic. For
example, mark the titles — Broken Images, The Cargoes of the
Bleeding Hearts, Gyrating Hawks and Sinking Roads and Before
the Petals Unfold. They are steeped in deep symbolism. What is the
role of symbolism in poetry? Do you think that poetry is a curved or
pseudo statement, where artistic excellence can be achieved through
indirect communication of symbols and myths? Please address that point. Yes. I do agree with you. Most of the titles of my poems and almost
all collections are symbolic. These symbols, particularly for me, give
pleasure. They make the reader sit up and think about the exact thing
that the poet wants to suggest by using such symbols. In their absence,
I feel, the reader remains relaxed, because what a writer is saying
goes directly to his mind. Symbols not only make the reader alert, insinuate
him to track the poet's thought and derive pleasure from that. It is
a basic human nature that, when one gets something after hard-work,
one feels greater sense of joy and satisfaction than what one gets when
everything comes easily. In this manner, I think, symbols give more delight and the bliss that
results from it and play a vital role in fulfilling one major objective
of giving pleasure. I personally do not relish a direct or flat poetry. So far as calling symbols a "pseudo statement" is concerned,
the very nature of language is "curved" or "pseudo."
In all languages of the world, all words signify the things/emotions/associations
for which they are used. For example "Maranda" or "Rae
Bareilly" are the words [sound symbols] used to suggest these two
places; these could easily be given or could have also been given to
some other places. But the sounds, when spoken/heard, and their written
forms have since long been associated with these places and such sounds
or written forms immediately bring to mind only these two places having,
thus, become "conventional" or "public" symbols.
"A symbol, in the broadest sense of the term, is anything which
signifies something else; in this sense all words are symbols"
(MH Abrams). It is, positively, an artistic device to achieve "artistic excellence" as you have said. It is not the only artistic device, but it is without doubt one of the other artistic devices used by artists to attain creative brilliance and quality in their art besides imparting pleasure to the artist at the time of creation and later to the reader/audience. Use of myths, allusions — literary or historical — similes, metaphors are some other devices used to realize this effect. Each artist/poet uses his own device with his own preference and liking. As no two individuals are alike, similarly the styles and devices that various artists use differentiate them from one another and impart individual character to their work. This is how I look at it. How will you describe your haiku poems? Are they close to your heart?
Are they suitable for Indian readers? Please comment. Haiku poems: yes, I do compose haiku poems but very rarely. There are
poets, like Dr Ameeruddin, Dr. R. K. Singh, and Mrs. Urmila Kaul besides
others, who compose haiku poems copiously. Haiku writing, basically
a Japanese genre of poetry, is epigrammatic in manner and describes
an instantaneous response of the poet. More and more Indian poets are
following it. As an editor, I receive so many haiku poems from so many
poets who divide any thought, at times, even a sentence into three lines
of 5, 7, and 5 syllables and call it haiku. If one wants to write haiku,
one has to imbibe the very spirit, besides technique, of the haiku.
POETCRIT has published articles on haiku in its some past issues
with an aim of apprising its readers with haiku. So far as haiku composition is concerned, I am trying to learn how
to write one. Sometimes, I, myself, feel that I have strayed away from
the spirit of haiku and failed to furnish a perfect one. Haiku is an imported, yet important, technique of composing poems.
Certainly, it will take its time to get home in India among readers
and writers. It is only the beginning. Maturity is to come with time
and practice. Now, if we remember, it is after a practice of about 180
years that Indo-English writing has become Indian English writing. So
haiku, too, I am sure, will attain native colour in India. Suitability
does not matter much. When the readers will get excellent haiku poems,
they will like them. By the way, who does not like something, good,
something beautiful and something true? The spirit of satyam, shivam,
sundram is always in demand. I have always been optimistic in everything. Change is the law of nature.
"Old order changeth yielding place to new …." otherwise
even good things of this world would become stale and monotonous. It
is the change that keeps interest alive, not only in art but also in
life. As editor of the prestigious journal Poetcrit, what do you
think are the major problems, faced by the creative poets and critics
in India? Creative poets and critics, I think, don't have any problem, so far
as publication in magazines and journals is concerned. Editors only
seek subscription to keep their journals alive. There is only one criterion
that poems and critical writings should conform to the publication standards
of such magazines and journals. What will you say about the publisher-author relationship in India?
Is it cordial? Or do you think that there exists a sort of troubled
anxiety in that relationship? If there are some problems in that union,
what are the factors responsible of the growth of them? Will you suggest
some remedies? The publisher-author relationship has never been cordial. Publishers
demand money from the author, who is not so well off. Second, they do
not accept matter for publication on its worth but on the popularity
of the name of the author(s). One thing these publishers should keep
in mind: that all those renowned names were not born famous. There are some problems, mainly on the part of the publishers: they
should, instead of flatly refusing the new authors or asking for huge
sums of money from them, weigh and consider the worth of the matter
submitted for publication. If there are certain flaws or short comings
that should be pointed out to the author(s), then they (authors) will
not feel affronted and try to improve their worth. In case the matter
is worthy of publication, it should be published. Here, I can cite the
example of Mulk Raj Anand's world famous story 'The Lost Child' was
turned down by seven magazines but was later considered one of the best
stories of the world. His first novel, Untouchable, whose publication
was rejected by 19 publishers for more than four years, and the 20th
also accepted it only after E.M. Forster agreed to write a preface to
it. After publication, they became classics of their own kind. It is
a universal problem and not confined to India only. As we, Indian writers,
face this in India, we think it is only an Indian problem. The problem with publishers is that they, first of all, say yes and
demand huge amount from the author for the publication of the matter/book
saying that this amount is only a part of the total expenditure worked
out. With that amount the author himself can publish the book. Those
writers who make payments after being lured of after-sale royalty, they
either never get that or get only a fraction. The publisher enjoys the
lion's share and deceives the author. In the contemporary era, the Internet has entered into every sphere
of life. Can this wonder of information technology provide some avenues
for the authors? An author can easily get his work published on some
Web sites and blogs. What are your views about this e-publishing? Do
people take it seriously? Please explicate. Yes, it is now beyond doubt that the present times may well be termed
as an era of information technology Or, precisely, an age of Internet.
Well said, now an author can publish his works on Web sites and blogs.
But, how many of us are able to do so? There are places where there
is no access of this technology and where there is, it suffers because
the service providers care only to charge their fee and bother little
to provide quality service. So far, I think, most of the authors are not well-versed in this technique.
If they ever try their hand at it, problems associated with computer
hamper their work and dampen their spirit. However, the younger generation
feels quite aflame about it. I personally feel, in the future e-publishing
will completely take over this job. What are your views about contemporary literary criticism in India?
Is it good quality? Or, is it merely repetitive? If it has some originality,
can you mention those points to the readers, along with the names of
some of the creative critics? Present literary criticism has dwindled down to being repetitive. Yet,
quality criticism is not completely obliterated. Those who believe in
quality are silently doing their job. Those who want to earn a name
by publishing a large number of papers/books do not hesitate even to
borrow ideas from other critics and, at times, even shamelessly copy
pages from other critics. I know a large number of those belonging to
both categories, but it would be wise not to divulge. Are the syllabi of English studies in India proper? Should not we
include some regional authors in English translation at the U.G. and
P.G. levels? Share your views about the syllabi of English studies in
India. I do agree with you that regional authors in translation should be
included in the syllabi at the U.G. and P.G. levels. English literature
does not now necessarily mean the literature of Britain or America.
Whereever it is being written in English, it deserves its due recognition.
New authors of Indian English genres should also be included. There
is no dearth of quality in Indian English literature. Indian English
has come of age. It is as good as other Indian languages. I think that
the syllabi at all levels should be revised to include good Indian authors,
whether original in English or in translation. There should not be any
discrimination between the author of one language and the other. An
author is an author. He must be honoured by giving him his due place.
Literature by Indians, irrespective of its language, is all Indian literature
as one.
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