Pawan Alok, 70, is a poet and essayist from Bhojpur who has received numerous awards for his works, including the ‘Pallav Rastriya Samman’, ‘Satyamohan Joshi Satabdi Mahoutsav Puraskar’, ‘Bangladesh Maitri Sang Samman’, ‘Yogmaya Srishti Samman’ and many more. Babita Shrestha from ApEx caught up with Alok to talk about what fuels his love for writing.
What inspired you to write?
My main source of inspiration is my rural hometown. Back during my high school days, one of my teachers encouraged me to hone my literary skills and since then, I’ve been immersed in literature. We used to have many literature events every year and I used to win most of the competitions. My passion grew, and I eventually began submitting my writings to newspapers. My first published work was ‘Prem Ko Abhivyakti’. After moving to Kathmandu, I attended literary events and worked at Nepal Pragya Pratisthan, where I met notable writers such as Balkrishna Sama, Madhav Ghimire, Siddhicharan Shrestha, and others. Meeting them made me want to write even more.
Is there a particular literary form that you prefer?
I started off as a poet. ‘The Poison Tree’ was published in Bangladesh, while ‘Pawan Alok ka Kehi Kavita’ was published in Nepal. Additionally, I’ve also written a travelog, two travel novels, and three essay collections. I enjoy writing travelogs the most and I find myself indulging in that ever so often. So far, ‘Europe ko Jhajhalko’ has been launched, followed by ‘Arun Express’, ‘Kehi Samjhana Kehi Sirjana’, and ‘Pahad Ra Lamatanna Samudra’. I’m now working on two more books that will be published soon.
Can you run us through your writing process?
I’m a travel enthusiast and so far I have visited 30 different countries. I don’t travel to write, but wonderful experiences prompt me. A travelog, to me, is not a lengthy description but rather a subtle flow of emotion and perception. When I travel, I always take a diary with me. I keep track of things that have an impact on me. Later, I’ll attempt to express that in words. Typically, I work on drafts and then go over them multiple times until I’m satisfied. It takes days and sometimes even months to edit my work. I send my manuscript to other travel writers for feedback and criticism before publication since I believe that modifications are vital for good writing. Also, I try to write clearly and simply so that readers are able to understand the real tone and message.
When did you realize you had an interest in travel writing? Can you share some of your favorite travel memories?
I completed a degree in the United Kingdom, and while living there, I had plenty of opportunities to explore the city. I used to plan trips during the weekend. I had never considered writing about my trips till I read Tana Sharma’s ‘Belaet Tira Baralida’ at the time.
Following that, I began writing other travel memoirs and even travel novels. ‘Pahad Ra Lamatnna Samundra’ is one of my most significant writings which narrates my travels around Nepal and even to other nations. It covers 15 collections of travelogs from my trips to Janakpur, Bhojpur, Bara, and Parsa, as well as foreign nations such as Switzerland, England, the US, Belgium, France, and others.
In the book, I’ve also included my trip to the lake district where English writer William Wordsworth grew up. The authorities have preserved his home furnishings. Seeing that, it struck me that we had outstanding Nepali writers as well, but the government has never given them their due. In order to draw attention to that, I have incorporated my sentiments about the issue as well.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a travel writer?
To be honest, not everyone can write or has the drive to do so. Also, it has always been difficult, particularly for Nepali writers, because our government invests little in the promotion of Nepali arts and literature. Publication and marketing are difficult endeavors, and writers frequently face financial constraints. Given the circumstances, I strongly urge the administration to implement comprehensive response plans. I’ve formed my own organization, ‘Yogmaya Rastriya Naari Srasta Samaan’ at my own expense, to pay respect to Yogmaya Neupane’s contributions. This prize recognizes Nepali women authors who continuously contribute to Nepali literature.
What advice would you give to anyone who wants to become a travel writer?
Travel writing is not only about descriptions of a place but also about the flow of emotions. Don’t be in a hurry to get published. Make sure you get feedback from other writers or readers and work on polishing your draft. You have to be able to make your readers feel like they are there in that place with you and for that, your writing will have to go through many revisions.
