Author Interview : Supriya Sehgal author of 'A Tigress called Machhli and Other True Animal Stories from India' (Part 2)

Supriya Sehgal

Read up, the concluding part of the Interview with Supriya Sehgal, author of 'A Tigress called Machhli and Other True Animal Stories from India' (Part 2). Questions such as the biggest lesson she (positive or negative), she has picked up, and has she ever run low on any money during her tours, any particular story she feels close to, what she felt, was the most fulfilling part of her story and the most challenging part.

What she is planning on writing next, any authors she takes inspiration from, who her favourite authors, and the books, she is reading currently, are questions she answers, Folks...

What is the biggest lesson (positive or negative) you’ve learned through this entire adventure?

The biggest lesson learned over years of adventuring around India is that you have to operate with implicit trust in people and your surroundings. Our minds are so wired to judge and doubt. This attitude doesn’t help at all.

Have you felt ever lonely being a solo adventurer? 

No, I quite enjoy my own company. It can get physically exhausting sometimes. I’ve started taking a day’s break in the middle of my travel, when I have to go over 10 days.

Have you ever run low on money during your tour?

Yes, I have been in a strange situation in Nepal where none of my cards worked and I had only some hundred odd Indian rupees. I felt quite stuck but things worked out when my AirBNB owner came to my rescue.

What are your future travel plans?

I’m quite unfamiliar with Maharashtra and plan to explore that on my own, as Bombay is going to be base, from now on. My partner and I are making an extensive Italy itinerary.

Which particular story do you feel most close to? Why?

This is quite hard, as I have met most of the animals and people featured in the book. Ashok Baba and Julie in Varanasi, Babiya from my initial solo travels and Vijay Sharma and his absurd way of feeding the monkeys of Galta Ji Temple are most memorable for me.

What is the most fulfilling part of writing this book? And what is the most challenging?

The fulfilling part came after the book reached the hands of children who called, mailed and messaged via their parents to chat about the book and ask more questions. 

The most challenging part was sticking to deadlines. I assumed that this would be a breeze to write, but it has been the most difficult thing ever :).

What else do you do on a daily basis?

I write for travel publications, edit and do a lot of commercial writing and content strategy for brands.

Who are your favourite authors and why?

Ruskin Bond

Bijal Vachharajani

In the realm of children’s books, I love Shruthi Rao, Bijal Vachharajani and the evergreen Ruskin Bond. Mo Willems and Drew Daywalt are others that I admire.

Which books are you currently reading?

I just picked up Animal Indica edited by Sumana Roy.

You can Read the Review,  here as well.

Author Interview : Supriya Sehgal author of 'A Tigress called Machhli and Other True Animal Stories from India'

Supriya Sehgal

Read up, Interview with Supriya Sehgal, author of 'A Tigress called Machhli and Other True Animal Stories from India'. This interview is a treat! 

In this interview, she tells us, how the entire book first happened, how she got  her personal story and managed to combine it with the subject of the book, what inspired her to start writing this book, and how her way of thinking has changed, since she first started travelling and writing, there is more coming up, Folks...

How did ‘A Tigress called Machhli and other True Animal Stories from India’ first happen?

Having been in the travel writing space for a decade, I always wanted to write something for children that married travel and a sense of inclusivity. The original idea was to write something that would bridge the north-south divide – food, culture and appearance wise.

But that seemed a bit patronising and I thought of the many unique animal-human relationships, I had seen on the road. Giving it a simple and slightly humorous spin was my editor, Nimmy Chacko’s idea. She is the one who steered the messaging and the humour in the book.

How did you bring out your personal story and combine it into the entire subject?

 

That was pretty natural, as I have met almost all the protagonists in the book or have interviewed them on phone over ten tears. When you’ve actually travelled or have experiences (childhood) to tap into, then, the combining is pretty easy.

I have some more stories on the same topic in the kitty – but we had to be conscious that the book wasn’t leaning to a particular kind of animal (read, dogs) :)

What kind of research was put into the writing of this book?

Since I have personally met most of the people and animals featured in the book, it was really primary research. In some cases, it was based on phone interviews. The historical nuggets were researched from secondary resources.

What according to you is different about your book?

It has been our effort to not make the book pedantic, but keep it engaging for the children and also, strike empathy in them. Plus, it has a clear travel angle by mentioning the destinations and backdrop.

I think the book has been able to find that balance, which makes it different. It’s not an instructive travel or animal book.

Any advice to writers that would like to be published today? How tough is it to be published? 

My advice would be to be flexible about your topic, if you are completely new in the arena. The publishing houses and editors tend to know the audience better if you are not familiar with the genre.

For example, this is my 40^th or so book, but only the second directed to children (the first was a story, as part of an anthology). I was happy to get insights from the Hachette team and the end product is much better than what I had imagined. 

On getting published, I had it easy, but the writing world is much more democratic now. Publishing houses are also looking for good content that would make commercial sense. Pitch away!

What has inspired you to start writing this book?

My desire to influence young travelers to see India with a compassionate eye was the original idea. The fact that I could include animals in it was an added advantage.

How has your way of thinking changed since you first started travelling and writing?

I think my travels earlier were much more pure and agenda-less. Since most of my travel is for commercial projects, there is a work slant almost all the time.

However, I think I have learnt to pace things rather than dash in - dash out. Writing certainly compels you to be present to the simplest of situations, dig for stories and take in the place more deeply.

You can Read the Review,  here as well.

Book Review : 'A Tigress called Machhli and other True Animal Stories from India' by Supriya Sehgal

When I first met this author, let us do something big, her eyes seemed to say, and today her eyes have finally got their say, when I read this book, ‘A Tigress called Machhli and Other True Animal Stories from India’. 

Supriya Sehgal is finally here! 

There are thirty stories in here, there and everywhere. It could have been a friend’s home, or a forest or a temple or even a rescue mission. And the animals could be birds, cats, cows, dogs, storks, parrots or even snakes; besides tigers, lions, leopards and crocodiles. Wow, this girl has been everywhere and seen almost everything! 

Let us be nice to the veggies for the day and start off with ‘The Vegetarian Crocodile’. The croc’s home is the Anantapura Lake Temple, pond in Kasargod. It is named Babiya and, the only possible way that the croc has got in here is, during the rains.

That is, it is assumed that it probably fell in the pond, because about thousands of years ago, the priests noticed a solo reptile swimming in the pool. The croc is a gentle creature and is fed jaggery and rice. Of course, it probably is hogging on a few fish at night but your guess is as good as mine…

Then, we have ‘The Temple of Rats’. Goddess Karni Mata, in Rajasthan is the temple which is host to a horde of rats, scurrying about the place. And one does not mind even if he or she has a rat on the edge of a shirt or the corner of a dupatta for a few seconds!! About 25,000 brown rats crawl all over of the temple. These little creatures were the blessing of Lord Yama, given to Karni Mata in place of male children. The priests say there are about four white coloured rats, among all these, and consider yourself lucky if they eat food from you!!

In a jungle in Rajasthan, in the afternoon time, when the tiger usually takes a break and cubs are trailing behind it. In ‘A Tigresses called Machhli’ sounds of splashing and paddling are heard...

A crocodile is usually also in the waters. One day, the two of them went at each other for hours together!! But not today, it was the day of the tiger. It had made a name for itself as the ‘Crocodile Killer’.

It had become Machhli, the queen of Ranthambore, and so many photographers and tourists and cameramen came to click a picture or two! The brave tiger gave out the age of 19, while it predecessors usually died at 15.

Now, let us go shopping for a wedding, in the middle of monsoon. In Tamil Nadu, villagers get together to watch ‘A Monsoon Wedding’, which is supposed to bring rain. This particular donkey marriage is supposed to impress the gods, and that is why it was used by the ancestors. You have the whole deal; you have two garlands, the whole Hindu wedding list of mantras and of course, the thaali and all the guests, dressing up, dancing and singing…

All these stories are true too, illustrated wonderfully, this book is un-putdownable.  And Sehgal is brilliant in this book; she has been here, there and everywhere.

The best thing is that I can spot a cat or two and almost 20 of the neighbourhood dogs right now, in my neighbourhood itself… Maybe I can spot Supriya, close by too. Oh, this book is not for kids only, everyone can read it and laugh and enjoy, the entire experience itself…