Mohua Chinappa: Navigating Life’s Depths Through Poetry

Mohua Chinappa’s poetry resonates with a profound sense of introspection, weaving together themes of longing, hope, and the human experience. In a candid interview, she shares her journey as a poet and the inspirations behind her evocative verses.

Your poetry has a sense of anger and longing, and yet there is hope and brightness that you can see, is it a conscious effort to do that?

Writing poetry is a stream of consciousness that happens at a deeper level, which remains inexplicable for me. Therefore, there is no conscious effort to make my poems hopeful. As a writer I survive life and its consequences, in the hope of a better world where there is kindness and better understanding of each other’s feelings. Also, a place where humanity remains the pivotal point of awareness in each of us.

You became a podcaster after being a housewife for several decades, and then a writer and a poet, what are the key learnings from your journey so far?

The learnings are to not listen to anyone who discourages you from your dreams. Even if they are your parents, spouse or friends. The key is to remain connected to the inner voice that will guide you ahead. For me my stubborn faith in my dreams, my consistency and faith that lead me to my totally unimaginable possibilities of reinventing myself all over again.

What inspires you to express through poetry?

I express myself best via words. Poetry is one form of expression. I write columns and books too. Writing remains my best friend and my only non judgmental saviour from life’s betrayals.

Who is your favourite poet and why?

There are many. It is difficult to point one poet. Tagore remains my eternal friend in times of duress and holds my hand in my moments of darkness when all I want is familiarity in my often-unfamiliar surroundings.