This is one of my first ever interviews. It was almost a decade back. I present to you this early work without any edits. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, but Tenzin Tsundue's fight for freedom continues. He has become the voice of his community and to quote him: He truly is willing 'to make any sacrifice the truth demands' for he is a Satyanveshi. Salaam
A poet on the border- an encounter
I am a Tibetan.
But I am not from Tibet.
Never been there.
Yet I dream
of dying there.
(From My Tibetanness.)
The young poet who expressed these thoughts is Tenzin Tsundue. In the three years of our friendship I have seen the growth and establishment of this bright star on the poetry horizon with the book ‘Crossing The Border’. ‘A Tibetan compelled to be in India’, a poet, a path breaker, a freedom fighter or as he says ‘an activist-poet’, lots of titles can describe him. I have the opportunity to probe into the depths of this mind and try and come out with some gems.
And so with cups of coffee and some dogs for company we met at the Kalina campus of Mumbai University.
“Tashi Dalek, Tenzin. Thanks for braving the heat wave to meet me. To get down to the purpose of our meeting, your artistic efforts”.
In almost all your works I seem to sense this sense of expectancy, pain even possessiveness. How do you explain that?
Tenzin: You see, Ayan, my poetry is my medium of search. I don’t know what I am searching. It can be a lover, my poetic muse or independence. And while searching one is always in a flux, struggle and so there’s pain. I haven’t found a haven yet.
Even the title of the book 'Crossing the border’, suggests that.
Exactly, it’s a process, a moment in chaos. The border hasn’t been crossed yet. On the passport I am Tibetan-Indian, neither here nor there. But culturally I am a Tibetan, an Indian and a Mumbaiite. It’s a difficult situation, like standing on a divider of a two-way street and not being allowed to enter any of the flows. And it’s this sense of not belonging that prompts me to be possessive, to have something to call my own.”
Another aspect of your poems is their aggressive style. There is a definite rhythm, a beat like feel to them. Is that a conscious effort?
Tenzin: That is there. I am not good at working on sound system; still, I have this feel of sound helping me. Many times I have failed, but it fits into place many times. Like take for instance ‘Clamour Of The Beads’. I am very happy with its rhythm, construction, the sound quality, it worked out really well. It’s special. It’s not an instinctual exercise. I work again and again on my poems to make them as effective as possible.
Then what about the poem you woke up to write at 4am.
Tenzin: Oh! I did, but then I worked on it to give it a definitive shape and sound. I work hard to make my poems speak.
Some detractors have said that this angst for your state is a crutch and hampering your style. What do you have to say?
See, people read my works in a pre-conceived notion, within a specific context. They approach it all wrong. I am not perceived just as a poet at time of reading. Can’t I be a doomed person as in ‘Spider-Webbed’ or a lover? Each poem should be taken in its individual capacity. They shouldn’t be read in a particular shade.
Such an eminent personality as Adil Jussawalla has called you ‘ the emerging voice of Tibetans in exile’; it does then bring its repercussions as well as responsibilities. Doesn’t it.
Tenzin: This has happened, as this segment of Tibetans have a lot to say. I being a Tibetan talking about Tibet in the international language, in this form des bring certain public emotions to the fore. Once you are a public figure, you stop being yourself in their eyes. A lot of people listening to you put you as voice of a group of people. But a poet has to be taken as all of himself. Whatever he says, he does in his own, poetic capacity, not as representative. This reinforcement of being a representative of a group of people shouldn’t be there.
Speaking of that, you are the first Tibetan to write in English. What is the reaction in the Tibetan community?
Tenzin: Well, with the publication of my book and the readings in various Tibetan schools, I do some affect. Till now they were being feed on a diet of such canonical works as Wordsworth, Keats. They do have some relevance but we cannot relate to them culturally. They and the things around them are part of the cultural, political milieu I write about. And having set a trend, it will encourage people to write in this form to express themselves. And this is something that is already happening.
To move on, what are the influences in your writing?
Tenzin: (Laughs)…can’t really say influence. I don’t seem to show any of their good qualities. Of course, authors like Frost, A.K.Ramanujan, Ruskin Bond, Cummings, Theodore Roethke, Camus, Hardy, Lawrence…
And Khalil Gibran…
Tenzin: Of course, it all started with him. In the 11th standard, a couple of friends took some of his works from the library, not issued though, hid them, used to go to the hills and read him out loud. That they were translations didn’t matter. Beautiful similes and metaphors.
My classmates are my first audience, and critics. I wouldn’t have written without them. Also people like Adil Jussawalla, Nissim Esikiel, Dom Moraes, and of course The Bombay Poetry Circle have played an important role in my life.
Being Tibetan, religion must be an important aspect of your life.
Tenzin: Not really, I am not religious. Never been conscious of it. You know, when I visit a religious site, the beauty, artistry and architecture amazes me, but the spirituality never overwhelms me. For me, being a good person is being a good Buddhist.
Especially, in the present global situation what role does an artist have to play?
Tenzin: It’s strange, America declaring war on something present in the world for such along time. Now suddenly, the center’s ideal has been disturbed and they can hear the voices of the periphery. Terrorism is a concept about people, without a voice, on the fringes, trying to affect the center. Like a mouse trying to dig a hole in the mountain. Look at Taiwan, Mongolia, Tibet suppressed by China for so long. Coming back to your point. No artist lives in an ivory tower. He has a voice like the man on the street. He expresses it through his art. In the present climate he should try and bring about more heightened sensibilities among the people to try and solve the problem.
You are the General Secretary of ‘ Friends Of Tibet India’, what are the events you are involved in?
Tenzin: We are an organization working towards grater awareness of the Tibetan situation. And towards this goal we organize various events in the different centers of the country. We have The Contemporary Tibetan Art Festival coming up in Dharamsala, on the 27th and 28th of October, involving paintings readings, photography, films and other artistic endeavors by Tibetans.
So, what else have you been doing?
Tenzin: Recently, I read my Tibetan poems on RadioFreeAsia, a service aimed at Tibetans in Tibet. It is broadcast in 11 Asian languages. It was a novel experience. My Tibetan poems have taken some liberties with traditional form. The traditional form has archaic words, stanziac and syllabled structure, making them difficult to approach. Mine has free verse and commonly used terms. Making them more approachable.
Prose is an area you have neglected, despite winning the Picador-Outlook Non-Fiction Competition 2001 in March.
Tenzin: I am exploring this form now. The first step was a giant leap for me; after all, the Picador event was my first prose effort. Now I am working on a collection of short stories. About ordinary Tibetans in difficult situations. People, who despite failures are heroes due to their survival spirit.
What else are you working on? When is the next edition of the book coming out?
Tenzin: Not in the near future. I am currently working on a script for a short film, Kora (full circle). It’s about the generation gap in the Tibetan community. Talking of socio-political issues against a religious backdrop. It’s about breaking the obstinate boundaries and coming to an understanding. Apprehensive about it’s success. The liberties literature offers is not there in films with considerations of light, sound, image, camera angle thrown in.
His pager beeps calling him to another meeting. And so we part with my thirst left unquenched.
Our perceptions may place Tenzin in the bright lights but he remains the same simple genius. The guy I remember working like crazy to fulfill his passion, creating magic with words or simply enjoying the company of friends.
