Reflections of life and cultural fusion in Roopa Kamath's debutante book of poetries and musings - The Heart knows no fear.
Meet Roopa Kamath, an Indian Australian writer who has broken all barriers to pursue a job that is not only niche but also challenging: illustrating life's complexities in beautiful prose.
Before coming to Australia in 2013, Roopa taught young adults in schools across Bangalore through the newspaper in education program initiated by THE HIINDU.
In late 2000, when the IT industry was booming, Roopa landed a job at Yahoo! as an editor for content creation. However, when one is born with a creative flair, the writer within leaps out to authenticate and capture the many emotions.
Her poetry is a beautifully woven garland of words, creating a tapestry of metaphors and lyricism. By capturing the essence of emotions, Roopa takes her readers on a journey from falling in love to experiencing heartbreak and even finding solace in a spiritual healing journey in solitude.
The unconditional support of her two adored children and the sheer determination of the writer inside her made forty-seven-year-old Roopa follow her dream.
Her his book was born from the desire to bring forth her lifelong experience through verses close to her heart. The poems span the period from her adolescent experiences to her present-day living.
These poems have acted as outlets when she has felt a rush of emotions, be it happiness, sorrow, grief or gratitude. She has been writing poetry since she could rhyme words as a child; however, the beauty of capturing her emotions started shaping her poems in her teens.
The shared emotions and experiences are universal, and she wants her readers to know they are not alone on their journey. Roopa says that is one of the main reasons for the book.
"Poetry is not as readily marketed as a novel or any other Prose form. However, we still see the art form surviving ."
Some forums are dedicated to poetry recitations across the world. Poets like Rupi Kaur have huge audiences who come to watch them recite their poems. Poetry appeals to the finer sensibility of a few. However, Roopa adds that poetry is a medium through which there is an instant connection between the poet and the reader.
Unlike prose, poetry varies in many ways, and multiple readers may associate with the emotions in the poetry to match their situations.
Roopa bases her inspirations on nature, human emotions, experiences, and Indian Mythology, which sparks her creative mind, and her day job in a Govt office doesn't hinder her creative juices.
A valued message Roopa shares with young writers and poets is to express themselves fearlessly. A writer, through their words, can bring about changes - a simple thought giving birth to a subtle difference and later that very thought turning into a revolution. Words are powerful, and every action reacts.
Roopa's next project is a book of short stories about woman protagonists who rise above the ordinary and revel in their dormant strength set free. These stories originate in India and Melbourne.
All of us at G'day India wish Roopa to create more poetries and stories because words have their own stories to tell. More power to the fearless heart; let the pen shine, and the pages flow with words.
By Nandita Chakraborty
