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Writing is a form of meditation, says Sharad P Paul to Hiren Kumar Bose
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Unlike most NRIs you chose to
write about a brother-sister duo who fled Tibet to escape Mao’s troops. Was the story waiting to be told?
This book arose out of my trek in the Himalayas, many years ago. Possibly, many Indian authors (especially those that live outside India) write specifically
for a western audience.In some
ways, as this is not my only career
path, I am free to express myself.
What type of research was involved while doing the book?
I’m a great ‘rememberer’ of conversations, and so could recollect many Tibetan conversations during my time spent on the India/Nepal border. I also spent some time understanding Tibetan Buddhism, as that spirituality is a big part of the book.
As a skin surgeon you have tight schedules. When do you write?
I write at nights mostly – it is the only time I am free – when everyone is asleep and I get the quietude I need. As my days are long, performing reconstructive surgery after skin cancer, writing helps me relax and becomes a form of meditation.
What next?
In September, my publishers are
releasing a non-fiction book, Skin, which deals with skin evolution and why our brown skin is different and therefore needs a different skin care regimen.
To Kill a Snow Dragonfly,
Sharad P Paul, Fourth Estate,
` 399
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| From setting historical facts right to the dichotomy in Indian society, from a love story set in China to a crime detection story in the Mughal era, our bunch of bestsellers will entice you |
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Set between Portugal and China in the late 1800s it’s about Dr Antonio Maria, an eligible bachelor who leaves Lisbon to find a Chinese cure for syphilis afflicting his father. Determined to find a cure, he sails to Peking to study under renowned doctor Xu who insists that Antonio spendfour full seasons in the Summer Palace. While learning the Chinese secrets of the human body, he falls in love with Xu’s assistant.The threat of the Boxer rebellion hangs over Peking, and the couple must decide whether to flee together or remain in China, testing the limits of their love and faith. |
| The Yellow Emperor’s Cure, Kunal Basu, Picador, ` 499 |
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| The ever evolving and never ending history is always fascinating. This engaging book reinforces the same idea. With eighty straightforward questions put starkly to the readers, the author challenges the different historical, mythological and religious facts of India, with clear evidence. The book brings out some surprising revelations that would make readers think. |
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80 Questions to Understand India, Murad Ali Baig,
Jaico, ` 250 |
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Putting a crime detection story against a historical backdrop is a novelty in Indian English writing and that’s what makes the exploits of Muzaffar Jang, a young nobleman of Mughal era so endearing and engaging. Jang made his debut as a detective with The Englishman’s Cameo and has now followed it with this series of short mystery stories. The writer brings alive the 17th century of Shahjahanabad (what we know as present day Old Delhi) as well as its neighbouring places to life with its galis, mohallas,dargahs and the historical figures. |
| The Eighth Guest & Other Muzaffar Jang Mysteries, Madulika Liddle, Hachette India, ` 350 |
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| Veteran journalist Mrinal Pande’s essays trace the fast widening gap between the brightly shining India and the ‘Bharat’ that stays in shadows. She examines the fault lines between the small town and the metropolis, and writes about the role that globalisation has played in its spread and the effect of this divide on contemporary literature and media. Be ready to come across tragi-comic accounts of some remarkable women like Aaliya from Haryana, trained to be a boxer and Prabha Devi of Uttarakhand, who chose to become the village barber. |
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The Other Country, Murad Ali Baig,
Mrinal Pande, Penguin, ` 350 |
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