Rochelle's Verandah: Recent Episodes
Rochelle Potkar
Readings of poetry and short stories by Rochelle Potkar from her books Paper Asylum, Four Degrees of Separation, Bombay Hangovers, and other works. This podcast reflects on love, life & relationships.
While at the Indo-Danish Kurindan International Writing Residency 2024, curated and directed by Claus Ankersen, two participants: Lærke Helene Askholm and Rochelle Potkar informally chat about their literary journeys.
Bio notes -
Lærke Helene Askholm is a Danish writer and singer. She writes fiction, non-fiction, lyrics, and creative texts for music and films. She holds a B.A. in International Corporate Communications as well as a M.A. in Social Work. In 2023 she published ‘Ude ved postkassen’, (Outside by the Mailbox), an illustrated collection of fiction texts on growing up speaking to young and adult readers alike. Her second book of fiction, ‘Andalucia in My Eyes’ (Andalucia i mit blik) is currently under publication.
Rochelle Potkar is a poet, author, and screenwriter based in Mumbai. Her books include: Four Degrees of Separation, Paper Asylum, Bombay Hangovers, and Coins in Rivers.
As Saritha told the audience at the @madrasbookclub, she had 2 confessions to make.
One that she knew me (aka) @rochellepotkar for 20 years. So the evening was a conversation between friends as it was a discussion about my book of poetry, Coins in Rivers.
Two, she didn't normally read poetry. She felt Poetry was subjective both to the poet as well as the reader, and Indian schools have done a disservice by teaching poetry as a subject for scoring marks instead of teaching us how to appreciate it and relate to it based on our own life experiences.
So what a wonderful time was had between poet and non-reader of poetry talking about words and imagery and verses and lines. When Rochelle read/performed her poem, Harry Mendonsa, it was a revelation about how poetry can be read. 'Pav' was a Haibun that showed Saritha and the audience layers of thought in a limited word count. 'Toys of Chitrakoot' was a telling commentary on capitalism.
Saritha concluded:'I may, after all, have learned there's more to poetry than just the rhyming and structure that I remember from my school days.'
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It was lovely to meet Sivakami Velliangiri and Chandramohan Naidu and everyone else. Maya Sharma Sriram was sorely missed.
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The next day saw book-signing events at Higginbotham and Odyssey bookstores. You will find an author-signed copy of Coins in Rivers if you drop by these bookstores.
What a pleasure it was to be in conversation with poet Poornima Laxmeshwar over Coins in Rivers (@hachette_india) at Atta Galatta, Bengaluru, on 14 September 2024, amid a rapt audience.
Thank you Poornima for your Ph. D-like questions on the poems.
Also, thanking the very receptive audience and the bookstore team - Prerna Prakash and Siddharth for coordinating this effectively.
A conversation over Coins in Rivers with Dr. Rashmi Lee George and the faculty and students of St. Xavier's College, Mumbai was full of fun, insight, and quirk. I enjoyed questions from both faculty and students and how they read my poems in a constellation in class. I shared thoughts and views on creative writing and the journeys and processes of Poetry.
Interacting with bright and brilliant minds is always energizing. What a wonderful morning spent in Mumbai with Poetry!
It was a well-researched conversation that Nicole Suares had with me over Coins in Rivers (Hachette India) at the Broadway Book Centre, Panjim, Goa.
Govind Potekar later wrote about it in O Herald.
My most stunning moment was to see Manohar Shetty and Devika Sequeira at the launch.
Poet and academician Dr. Bhawna Vij Arora was in conversation with me on 20 May morning at Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies (VIPS), Delhi after an invitation by dean Dr. Salonee Priya.
Presenting my points of view and my poems from Coins in Rivers and speaking to Bhawna's many questions for collegians - the young of heart and mind, and the faculty members of VIPS was energizing.
With the mesmerizing and iconic researcher, curator, co-founder of the Goa Heritage Action Group, writer, and poet Heta Pandit whose unique gleanings and questions shaped our discussion on my poetry book launch of Coins in Rivers at The Dogear’s Bookshop Margao, Goa - this was an evening to remember. Also, the audience was rapt and attentive, very engaged, and had scores of remarks, questions, and comments.
Thank you, Leonard and Queenie Fernandes.
Goa's well-known spoken word poet and prize-winning author Pragya Bhagat talks to Rochelle Potkar over her book Coins in Rivers (published by Hachette India) at Goa-Anjuna's Chamapa Bookstore.
Thank you Harihara SS for hosting this.
Amit Ranjan talks to Rochelle Potkar about her new book of poems Coins in Rivers, published by Hachette India.
This conversation was held at the lovely Kunzum Books G2K space.
Celebrating 'Coins in Rivers' - new book of poetry, published by Hachette India with the Purple Pencil Project.
Rochelle Potkar and Prakruti Maniar in conversation.
The Mistress is in turmoil. The Dog is in turmoil.
My book of short stories Bombay Hangovers is available on Amazon.
The Mistress is in turmoil. The Dog is in turmoil.
My book of short stories Bombay Hangovers is available on Amazon.
In Garble, an artist makes a Faustian bargain.
In Curiosity, Fly slips through Spider's web again with a story.
My book of stories Bombay Hangovers is on Amazon.
Walking down memory gullies and paths to the möbius strip of the eternity.
Poems read are Knotted inside me, Gathering, Biscooti Love, and Transmogrified.
An unlikely friendship develops between a man off the grid and an estranged bee - both refugees of devastation.
Amazon has my collection of short stories Bombay Hangovers that await your review.
Sign up for my session at the Emirates Airline Literature Festival 2022.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
Death itself recollects a memorable moment in 1560 in its life when things turned a little different.
Amazon still has Bombay Hangovers my collection of 16 short stories that await your review.
Sign up for my session at the Emirates Airline Literature Festival 2022.
A bewildered family man continues to live in a haunted house in an unknown place and time, as his wife, kids, and dog disappear, one by one.
Amazon has Bombay Hangovers - my collection of 16 short stories.
Fanny? Where is she?
Amazon has Bombay Hangovers - my collection of 16 short stories.
Malaika had many lovers, says the Narrator of this story, as she watches on...
This story is part of the collection Bombay Hangovers, available on Amazon.
From the poet and storyteller Rochelle Potkar.
Today I thought of zooming out – going all macro and panoramic and sharing philosophy. Now we all glean some philosophy from our lives daily – you can call it like the scraping of the residue of wisdom or epiphany. The bigger point is how to whittle it down into lines of lyric and rhythm.
The 3 poems read are Bedrock, n+1=n, and Dentist.
Contemplations on Solitude & Loneliness.
We can be a bit gloomy, reflective, contemplative even against a backdrop of festivity and the turn-of-a-year. We don’t have to perform happiness or joy.
The poems are: Solitary, Pivot & Jaguar Lights
The short story collection Bombay Hangovers on Amazon -
https://www.amazon.com/Bombay-Hangovers-Rochelle-Potkar/dp/8195012639/
3 poems on the kaleidoscopic nature of Love. The first podcast by poet and author Rochelle Potkar.
The poems: Raw Forms, 4 degrees of Separation, Last Laugh