What inspired the title Unfathomed for your poetry collection?
Nidra Naik: Considering the book is based on life’s experiences, its emotional aspects, and becoming resilient, I wanted the title to be profound. The word Unfathomed, meaning immeasurable and deep, came to me suddenly and felt perfect.
How did the concept of #ThinkingNidra come to life?
Nidra Naik: This was a marketing idea to promote my social handle of the same name. Additionally, I often write quotes under this hashtag, which further solidified its connection to my work.
What emotions or themes do you hope resonate most with readers of Unfathomed?
Nidra Naik: I hope readers connect with themes of acceptance and emotional resilience. Each situation in life teaches us something, and embracing these lessons is vital for personal growth.
Can you share the significance of including handwritten poems in your book?
Nidra Naik: A dear friend suggested this idea, and I immediately agreed because it felt intimate and personal. Including handwritten poems creates a special connection between the writer and the audience, and I’m thrilled that reviewers are appreciating it! 😊
How has your Odia heritage influenced your journey as a writer?
Nidra Naik: My family has a rich artistic background, encompassing Odia movies, acting, writing, theatrics, music, and singing. Writing feels like my way of maintaining a connection to this artistic lineage, even if in a slightly different form. I still have a long way to go!
Which poets or authors have had the biggest impact on your writing?
Nidra Naik: Growing up, I read William Wordsworth, John Keats, Rudyard Kipling, and William Shakespeare. I also listened to my father’s Odia songs. These influences stayed with me as I matured. Additionally, I deeply connect with Jhumpa Lahiri’s style, which has significantly shaped my writing.
What role does nature play in your creative process?
Nidra Naik: I see myself as a miniature of nature. We all connect to its beauty, mysticism, liveliness, and even its ferocity. To ignore nature would be to deny our own creativity and the process of creation itself.
How do you balance storytelling in poetry versus short stories?
Nidra Naik: I don’t plan my writing. When inspiration strikes, I write, and whether it turns into prose or poetry depends on the moment. Poetry is a rarer occurrence for me, making it a special, once-in-a-while affair.
How do your personal experiences shape the authenticity of your work?
Nidra Naik: This book is 100% based on my experiences, presented through a lyrical and philosophical lens.What message do you hope readers take away from Unfathomed?
Nidra Naik: Life is full of challenges, but how we learn and grow from them is up to us—and that’s what makes us wise. Develop your own perspectives, philosophy, and principles. Live life to the fullest, and don’t limit yourself to black and white thinking. Embrace the grey areas—they can be an interesting color to wear too!
Nidra Naik is an Indian novelist and a poet. She, many a times, extensively quotes her thoughts to her pseudonym #ThinkingNidra. Hailing from Cuttack, she finds it interesting to explore different places and people and take great inspiration from it. She states, “My parents’ lineage of being Odia artists is somewhere deeply rooted in me in the form of a writer-some diluted talent!” She is an author of “The Bhubaneswar Times”, “A Lot Like Love & Other Short Stories”, and “Sonnets to Paradise”; contributor of poems to the anthology titled, “Out of the Woods”, “Moonlight”. Her latest book on poetry is titled, ‘Unfathomed- #Thinking Nidra’.
She’s also a dog mother and an ardent lover of animals & nature. She spends her leisurely hours in observing the surrounding, feeding and petting animals. Apart from writing, she loves to sing, sketch, cook, read, listen to music and spend time with her pets.
She, currently lives and works in Hyderabad. You can reach out to her on her Instagram handle #ThinkingNidra
