Sairah Rasheed Khan, is daughter of a fruit merchant Rashid Ahmad Khan. They live in Dolipora Village in Kupwara and is preparing for NEET exams.
INS Kupwara Correspondent Tasaduq Hussain had a candid chat with Saira, on her book Peace In Agony, a poetry collection of her’s.
INS: What is Peace in Agony ?
Sairah: With every thing shut and closed light won’t come inside a room, i believe, when one is broke, light penetrates through. Pain and grief is the precursor of self-awareness and enlightenment.
Moreover, pain and grief is something that brings me close to my creator. Shouldn’t I appreciate that.
INS: Why would you recommend your book to readers?
Sairah: Words do provoke and so will my writings and if a reader is able to grasp them, perspectives about issues which have been highlighted in th book might change as well.
INS: How has been the experience of becoming an author been. Have you faced any hurdles on the basis of gender?
Sairah: People do judge my thoughts on the basis of gender and age. Have often heard that since you are a ‘teen’ you don’t understand life better than us. To the contrary, I have had encounters where a person in late 90’s would be as mature as a 10 year old kid.
I hate women to be symbolised as ‘flower’, something so delicate that it needs thorns to protect it.
A woman is herself a warrior.
So, whenever you highlight patriarchy and such things, machos, who give you certificates of hierarchy would begin illogical sermonizing in the name of religion and that is worse.
INS: Tell us about the response the book had gathered for you. Is it all praise or criticism?
Sairah:- Both! but appreciations dominated.
As William James said,” The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated” and I’m no exception. it ecourages you, boosts your morale but at the same time I welcome criticism too. It prompts you to improve your skills and plays a major role in success story.
So, I embrace and value both criticism and appreciation.
INS: After peace of Agony have you started to work for some other book?
Sairah:- Yes. I’m working on my another poetry collection and will continue writing.
INS: How is it to be a daughter, a girl, a student, and a poetess at same time ?
Sairah;- It is a source of delight. Not a single thing but a bunch of things define me.
INS: How has been your family with you since you have decided to be a poetess ?
Sairah:- My Family has always been there for me. It is their encouragement that formed little rhymes that ended up with a book being realised.
INS: What do you suggest to new aspiring writers ?
Sairah : Don’t care about bad work . It is okay to have a bad work than the one that is still in your imagination. Keep writing and your thoughts are worth been given a shot.
INS: A message for young generation especially women folk ?
Sairah:- To women folk – Don’t settle for anything that doesn’t excite you and hampers your growth. Keep supporting and uplifting each other.
ADVERTISEMENT
