A Haiku link to Bharatham

Kala Ramesh needs no introduction. The world-renowned poet had her beginnings from Chennai and her journey as an Indian classical musician to haiku poet is just as beautiful as her works. She began writing short articles and essays on Indian music in late 2004, and incidentally came across ‘haiku’ on an online Indian poetry website. There was no stopping her thereafter.

Kala teaches short forms of poetry and has so far organised five haiku festivals in India, propagating the poetry from far and wide in the country. Kala will be back in the city for the launch of her book Beyond The Horizon Beyond as part of the ‘Poetry with Prakriti’ monthly series. She talks CE about life, haiku and the wor(l)ds in between. Excerpts follow:
 

How did your journey in haiku begin?

My brother did mention the existence of a type of poetry called ‘haiku’ as early as 1998, when we were seriously discussing Hindu philosophy,  but that passed me by like an autumn breeze. When I came upon haiku on an Indian poetry online site in 2005, I downloaded their five lessons on haiku and started to write. Since I was then into classical music (as a vocalist), I tried writing haiku all based on music, without any connection to the ever-changing seasons. Blissfully unaware of haiku’s subtle nuances, I began to submit my work within a week. Every rejection made me look at my work through the editor’s eyes, and I think that helped a lot.

Tell us about the process with which you prefer to work in?

My personal work is mostly done in isolation — going deep within, touching that void, the silences that lie embedded in each one of us. 
The book launch in Chennai also features a 45-minute recital by you and Bharatanatyam dancer Preethi Ramprasad.

How do you combine Indian art with Japanese?

From childhood, I was taught Indian Classical music by leading musicians — first in Carnatic and later in Hindustani — in both veena and vocal. Given this background in Indian classical music and the Japanese aesthetics of ‘link and shift’ strongly prevalent in haiku, a link that connects these two ancient cultures together seemed a logical step forward. Also, stage performances such as dance and theatre are based on the effective portrayal of images and haiku is also strongly image-based, so the collaborations seem natural to me. I refuse to call these collaborations fusion or jugalbandi. I believe each art form needs its own breathing and dreaming spaces and should retain its own voice. What I have attempted is saath sangath — two art forms weaving in and out of each other, each designed to capture the undivided attention of the audience while the other remains subservient, until they exchange places. 

In your view, how has India taken to Haiku and other forms of Japanese poetry?

When I started to teach haiku in 2006, I was just six months into haiku and it was also new to us in India. After 11 years, I can confidently say haiku is blooming and shows admirable responses from all who come in contact with it. Many haiku poets in our regional languages are doing extremely well. 
 

What are your fondest memories of your hometown, Chennai?

My parents live here and I come here often and spend a good amount of time on each of my visits. I owe everything I am today to my parents. Our Thursday evening outings to the Marina Beach and the fairs at the Congress Grounds — these are amazing memories. The innumerable concerts I attended here also coloured my teenage years. Chennai is special to me in many ways.