Life means doing what one is passionate about, says poet Pratibha Panghal
“The journey from teaching children the nuances of poetry to realising my own dream and getting my first book published has been both interesting as well as a struggle,” says Pratibha Panghal, an English teacher who has recently retired from service and come out with her first book, a collection of poems, titled, ‘Listen to the Thorn Birds’.
Published by Delhi and London-based BlueRose One, it is peppered with 60 verses which touch an array of human emotions. While most were freshly written, a few stem from the diary maintained regularly by Pratibha. “There is no specific time conducive to writing. I get ideas which spontaneously get formed into words, anytime and anywhere,” she says when asked about the spirit of poetry in her. “It can be during a simple walk somewhere in the city, while dining at a restaurant or while looking out of the window. All writers would connect with this. Being an emotional person, I have always observed people, places and events with imagination and sensitivity .The storms within and without have enabled me to explore and experience depths of life that only poetry can express effectively,” she continues. Life should continue with what we are passionate about, even after the so-called retirement from any full-time job, she says.
Panghal’s love for poetry comes from the family environment. Her mother Ranjit Malhotra was a school principal and taught English poetry while her father’s conversation was always embellished with Urdu couplets. During her long career at DAV Public School, Lawrence Road, she also headed the school’s annual magazine besides training students in several extracurricular activities including debates, declamation, photography and poetry recitation. Interestingly, 15 poems in her book also carry artwork (watercolour paintings) by a young Kolkata-based artist, Ankita Ghosh. “I was impressed with her work on Instagram and asked if she could collaborate. Also being a literature lover as most Bengalis are, she understood my poems so deeply that her work beautifully matched every feeling of the poems,” informs Panghal.
“Art and words are a beautiful combination. You will realise this through my book.”Having been a teacher, she believes that in encouraging the habit of reading, parents can play a big role besides the school as children pick up everything they see around them. “If parents will read, especially in front of their children, they will be naturally encouraged to read. Secondly, children can be gifted books which cater to their interest, from automobiles to aviation, as it can go a long way. Thirdly, every city should have rich libraries where parents feel encouraged to take their children because reading is the best investment for the mind which widens horizons and keeps adding so much new to it that it has the power to enrich one’s life,” Panghal points out.
Meanwhile, Pratibha Panghal also adores travelling with focus on adventure. “I have been on many bike trips, riding pillion with my husband. The one from Amritsar to Bhutan in scorching summer heat involved almost 14 hours of riding bike every day. Those trips healed me besides changing perspective on life. Like poetry, solo trips as well as pillion-riding, build self-confidence and are therapeutic. Travelling in general is the best investment for the mind, especially if we stay away from technology during the travels. It has the power to connect us with our true selves including our potential.”
