Tales Of Yesteryear
Grazia India|November 2023
Author and poet Mrinalini Harchandrai on the emotions and transitions of her debut novel
Mrinalini Harchandrai
Tales Of Yesteryear

GRAZIA: What made you decide to set your debut novel, Rescuing A River Breeze, in the Goan liberation time? MRINALINI

HARCHANDRAI: I found it intriguing that the British had left in 1947 but the Portuguese were still around for several years after. Also, it is a rather dramatic event in our history, which I thought wasn't explored very much in fiction. I found that the word liberation itself is fraught with divided opinion. For some it was a 'liberation', and for others a 'botheration'. I prefer the more neutral and technical term annexation. The fact that there are three (or more) viewpoints that echo right up to the present time with regard to a single event is interesting to me.

G: How was the process of going from poetry to novel in terms of process, and what conscious changes did you have to make?

MH: The way I see it, a poem and a novel are divergent in form as much as a fresh-water well is different from the ocean. However they both employ parts of my brain that use metaphor and allegory, lyricism, playfulness, truth slanting, and empathy. These are tools that easily facilitate the slide across the two. Margaret Atwood, who straddles both these forms (among others), once said that the disciplines evoke entirely different personalities, and I think she meant within her. If I were to think of it like that, my poetry personality would be more of a longjumper who doesn't sometimes mind a blindfold for takeoff and my novel personality would be a marathoner stopping every once in a while to commune with a butterfly.

G: Your central character is based on your mother's experience as a girl during this important historic time. How did you translate her experience and fictionalise it without compromising on its reality?

Denne historien er fra November 2023-utgaven av Grazia India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra November 2023-utgaven av Grazia India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA GRAZIA INDIASe alt
Cultural Renaissance
Grazia India

Cultural Renaissance

With a vision to bridge Jaipur's artistic legacy and the global contemporary art world, HH Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh and Noelle Kadar launch the Jaipur Centre for Art

time-read
3 mins  |
October 2024
LOVE, LOSS, AND LESSONS LEARNED
Grazia India

LOVE, LOSS, AND LESSONS LEARNED

In conversation with Durjoy Datta, as he reflects on the emotional toll of writing intense stories, his journey as an author, and how his latest book revisits themes of love, second chances, and loss

time-read
3 mins  |
October 2024
All Eyes On THIS
Grazia India

All Eyes On THIS

Meet the newest standout brands on Grazia's beauty desk

time-read
2 mins  |
October 2024
Is Restocking Our Fridges A New Form Of Self-Care?
Grazia India

Is Restocking Our Fridges A New Form Of Self-Care?

All the reasons why #restocking may not be as calming as it seems

time-read
5 mins  |
October 2024
SAVOUR THE TASTE OF SOUTHEAST ASIA
Grazia India

SAVOUR THE TASTE OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

In the heart of our capital lies an extraordinary dining experience, unlike any other

time-read
2 mins  |
October 2024
ESCAPE THE ORDINARY
Grazia India

ESCAPE THE ORDINARY

Luxury stays are now an essential part of our lives.

time-read
2 mins  |
October 2024
CHEFS ON THE LOOSE
Grazia India

CHEFS ON THE LOOSE

Here's How Pop-Ups, Takeovers, and Workshops Are Heating Up the Indian Culinary Scene

time-read
5 mins  |
October 2024
NOT SO HIDDEN
Grazia India

NOT SO HIDDEN

What's making everyone wear acne patches, from transparent ones to colourful with bold designs, in public spaces?

time-read
3 mins  |
October 2024
RAISING THE BAR
Grazia India

RAISING THE BAR

With medi-facials on the rise, we're setting new benchmarks of our expectations from these treatments, and they're delivering

time-read
4 mins  |
October 2024
WHAT WORLD ARE WE LEAVING BEHIND FOR HER?
Grazia India

WHAT WORLD ARE WE LEAVING BEHIND FOR HER?

Despite stronger laws, crimes against women continue to rise in India. The International Day of the Girl Child is not one for celebration, but instead, one for igniting concern, awakening, and reformation

time-read
5 mins  |
October 2024