In the last episode of season 4 of the True Fiction Project, I am honored to welcome the amazing Anand Thakore. I’ve known Anand since we were in school together, and it has been incredible to see his journey and learn of his success as an Anglophone Poet and Hindustani Classical Musician. During this episode we reminisce on some of our school experiences and share stories. Then we dive in to learn what Anand is up to now, while he shares his latest projects. We hear an excerpt of music and a poem from the late Deepankar Khivani, titled Cathedral. Anand shares his experience working with Deepankar and how their work together inspired him to start writing poetry again. The episode goes on to include three original pieces by Anand Thakore titled Sea Link, My Place and Mughal Sequence. Tune in for this entertaining episode!

IN THIS EPISODE:

[2:28] Anand shares about his journey with Sanskrit.
[4:03] What was Anand’s journey with music and poetry?
[9:49] What is the style of contemporary Indian writing?
[10:50] Anand shares his story about the creation of the Mughal Sequence.
[13:50] What is the backstory behind some of his latest pieces?
[16:30] How do poets utilize characters in their poetry?
[18:42] Anand talks about the work he’s done with Deepankar Khivani.
[21:23] Anand shares the song and poem Cathedral by Deepankar Khivani.
[22:51] We hear the poem Sea Link, by Anand Thakore.
[25:09] We hear the poem My Place, by Anand Thakore
[26:24] Why was Anand feeling like a sock puppet?
[29:01] Anand shares more about the poem Mughal Sequence and then we hear an excerpt from it.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

[12:51] Anand wants the American audience to understand that they are a trans culture, multicultural, multilingual people. Their themes are Indian, their language is English, their music can be Indian, they can also experience Western music in great depth.
[14:49] Anand feels that poetry really has to embrace the moment and be very short and brief and make its statement in a short space.
[16:32] Sometimes poets reveal themselves when they are pretending to be someone else.

Fiction Credits:

Poems below written and narrated by: Anand Thakore

Sea Link
My Place
Mughal Sequence

Cathedral Poem: Written by Deepankar Khiwani and narrated by Anand Thakore

The Cathedral & John Connon School

Anand’s song at end of episode:

Pt. Anand Thakore - Kabir Bhajan-Kuan thagva nagariya lutal ho (Juhu Hamara Festival Kaifi Azmi Park 2019)

Anand's other works:

De Kooning's Smile: Collected Poems

In Praise of Bone

Elephant Bathing

BIO:

Born in Mumbai in 1971, Anand Thakore grew up in India and in the United Kingdom. He has spent most of his life in Mumbai. His published collections of poetry include In Praise of Bone (2023), Waking In December (2001), Elephant Bathing (2012), Mughal Sequence (2012), and Seven Deaths and Four Scrolls (2017). A Hindustani classical vocalist by training, he has devoted much of his life to the study, performance, composition and teaching of Hindustani vocal music. He received musical instruction for many years from Ustad Aslam Khan, Pandit Baban Haldankar and Pandit Satyasheel Deshpande. He is the founder of Harbour Line, a publishing collective, and of Kshitij, an interactive forum for musicians. He holds an MA in English Literature and is the recipient of grants from The Ministry of Human Resource Development and The Charles Wallace India Trust. He lives in Mumbai and divides his time between writing, performances, and teaching music. His fourth collection of verse, entitled Seven Deaths and Four Scrolls, was recently shortlisted for The Jayadeva National Poetry Award.

Anand Thakore's Facebook

Anand Thakore's Website

Poetry International Website

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