What
happens when an interview stretches to almost seven hours? It probably
means it was more than just an interview. And for a person who’s
been on this road for quite a while, it means striking a conversation
so interesting there is no need for questions. In fact it’s now
become quite a difficult task, to be able to do this article justice.
And in a situation like this, one can just hope and pray that the
end is well met.
As
you can see, this has been a learning process for me as well. It’s
taken days to even start this article, let alone finish it. Not
because I cannot but for a while I didn’t know how to. In life you
meet a lot of people, many just fade into the oblivion and a very
few make an impression that is so overpowering it shakes the very
ground you walk on.
Dramatic
as this may sound, but it’s with sincerity I say what I say after
coming across two such strong individuals. Meet Param and Para –
twins by birth. They look alike and that is probably the only similarity.
Param, the artist seems a little withdrawn, at times. She easily
goes back into her shell, speaks only when spoken to and usually
communicates best through her paintings. Para on the other hand
seems the stronger of the two, the decision maker and is able to
strike a conversation with everybody. And Param and Para with Pallav
Ranjan are Spiny Babbler. As we proceed Pallav’s name will be brought
up quite often and why shouldn’t it? After all Pallav is the driving
force. Whoever said two is a company and three a crowd?
The
journey began somewhere back in September 1994. Job opportunities
were minimal, students were going abroad for their further studies
(or just basically to have a ‘better’ life) and it was a confusing
time for those who decided to stay back but what next? It was the
same for Para but it all changed after her visit to Bhaktapur during
Gai Jatra. It was in the evening, when she came back, that she made
a decision. And that decision was going to change three lives.
Para
realized that Nepal was steeped in a rich tradition, something you
won’t get anywhere else in the world. It was this time, Para suddenly
got reminded of a few lines from Mohan Koirala’s poem:
"Forgetful.
I passed this road in the morning,
I
did not look. Forgive me.
As
I climbed up stairs, I stumbled, fell face down,
and
say what felt on paper. Forgive me.
These
are but moments that my eyes have seen,
Though
I did not wish to see them.”
She
realized that people take things for granted. She was not going
to make the same folly, not when she realizes it. So the next thing
on Para’s agenda is to call Pallav and it was then that they officially
decided to bring Spiny Babbler to life.
At
the time Spiny Babbler wasn’t opened from a ‘business’ point of
view but for the common interest in art and literature. And along
the way the threesome would realize that they have a lot to learn.
In 1994, it began on an informal note. Gradually a few assignments
came their way, added with plenty of support from Pallav’s mother
who helped them invest in their first computer. Spiny Babbler was
growing and Para knew that she had to share it with her twin Param.
Param
had just got back from the USA from a girl scouts program and was
studying sociology in Tribhuvan University. Para was aware of Param’s
interest in art but Param hadn’t started painting seriously then.
Nevertheless Param joined the bandwagon and as of now Spiny Babbler
can be considered one of the pioneer organizations in promoting
art and literature in the valley. All due to the dedication of three
young and dynamic individuals who believed in themselves and the
potential in others.
Spiny
Babbler is situated in Kupondol and as you enter the gates you’ll
probably (most of the times actually) be greeted by Pallav or Para.
I just realized that the few times I’ve been there it is usually
hard to track down Param. But she would eventually come out and
easily fit into the conversation making the guest/s feel comfortable.
Too comfortable for me because that day I landed up joining them
for tea, heavy snacks (for which I didn’t get to thank them) and
probably would have stayed on for dinner if Pallav hadn’t reminded
us that it was getting late. Not in so many words actually, he said,
would you like to stay for dinner? And it struck me then that I’d
lasted there longer than I’d imagined.
The
place looks new now (for people who’ve visited Spiny Babbler before),
they’ve renovated the place quite extensively. And to a remark by
me, Spiny Babbler’s become rich, roars of laughter followed. There
was a reason for me making that comment (and for them reacting the
way they did) and if you’ve read Fragments, the book of poems
by Pallav you’ll know what I mean. While the poet explains his poems,
he says, in Suicide Notes: ‘At one point we were 1.5 million (15
lakhs) rupees in debt.’ I still get a shiver when I think of it.
And while our conversation unfolded I knew some time or the other
I would have put forward this one question, what about that 15 lakhs
debt? But since I had the whole day I figured I had ample time to
bring out that section of their past, slowly.
By
now I had made myself more than comfortable and was listening intently
to their story. I couldn’t help noticing a twinkle in their eyes
as Param and Para, who would continuously look at each other for
reassurance, told me about their work. By now Param was sharing
with us how her venture into art took off in black and white. Not
as interest but due to the line drawings for covers, which were
usually in black and white, as it was more economical. But painting
for her was spontaneous. “I didn’t decide one day that I would start
painting and it would turn out beautiful.” No, that wasn’t the way
she started painting. She was once playing around with paint on
A4 size paper when she created her best work (that’s what Param
feels) – the Dark Flowers collection. Param’s difficulty in painting
colour was in turn probably due to the fact that she stuck to black
and white in her early works in Spiny Babbler.
So
for Param her venture into color was also accidental. “I began experimenting
at first but it wasn’t satisfying. It was just paint splattered,
it wasn’t art.” But Param didn’t give up and continued creating
and finally she liked the outcome and that was when her first color
series took form.
And
as you must have realized, by now our conversation was shifting
towards Param’s paintings and how she feels about creating something
of her own opposed to commission work i.e. creating artwork according
to clients’ needs. Param, initially, had a problem doing commission
work, because she didn’t feel confident as it involves clients’
sentiments and Param was hesitant. The lack of confidence, Param
reveals, probably also creeped in due to inexperience in that field
and the lack of courage to take a shot at it. And it was only after
accepting a project for Greta Rana that Param gained the much needed
confidence about commission work. This confidence came out of compulsion
too, because when the project arrived, an in house artist for Spiny
Babbler was taking care of the commission work and “he was good
in his execution,” says Param. But Nanda left midway and Param sees
herself being faced with this project as a challenge – a challenge
she had to accept. Now she realizes that it is fun after all, given
the space she requires for her own input, creativity and speciality.
Param’s
had her share of exhibitions but they’ve always been displayed in
Spiny Babbler. So doesn’t that restrict her paintings only to a
few who know about Spiny Babbler? Yes, but she also reveals that
it’s not easy having to work with other people. There are glitches
in the form of time management on both parties and personality clashes
also come in the way. Param’s next step is to some day be able to
exhibit her first original paintings while venturing into the world
of art – the Dark Flower series.
“I
was fresh and enthusiastic as a person then. That urge to create
something new and be explorative. The feeling that I must ‘perform’
wasn’t a hindrance. I worked on instinct and I would consider my
early works as my best.” She goes on to explain that commission
work is all about performing, it’s a challenge because more than
your own satisfaction, you have to make sure that the end result
is satisfying to the client/s. And most important of all there’s
money,” Param laughs.
So
does that mean she’ll cut down on her original paintings? No, because
Param realizes that it’s essential for an artist to keep having
exhibitions and interactions with art enthusiasts or else a time
will come when people will forget there ever was an artist in the
first place. But is there a respect for artists in Nepal that they
have to be worried about being forgotten? Param agrees that it’s
an even bigger challenge for artists in Nepal as the people haven’t
been able to understand ‘art’ in its totality. “We haven’t been
brought up with art as a background. Even if you look at the art
education that students receive here, it’s very discouraging.”
By
now the seventh hour, I was talking about at the beginning is drawing
near and I realize that the question that has been at the back of
my head, should be raised. It’s probably now or never. And when
I do bring it up Param and Para started laughing. That was their
first response. It was as if they knew that question was bound to
come sooner or later. They answered with no hesitation. It was as
if they wanted to share that experience, as a lesson learnt in time.
“It was lack of human resource, discipline and money management,”
Para said and Param agreed. They were spending more than they earned
and at one time they had sixteen staff members. 16!!! I couldn’t
help let out a cry of shock. “It was crazy,” they agreed but their
argument then was that they could use the potential of the sixteen
people in different fields. Unfortunately half the day (if not more)
was consumed in checking on them and one fine day, they realized
that money was spent (a lot of money) and they didn’t know where
it had gone. To cut a long story short they realized they were drowning
in a debt of fifteen lakhs.
“It
was a learning experience for all of us. We’ve personally grown
a lot from those days. It was a time of realization that we have
a problem but more than that we realized that there are other people
who probably have bigger problems than us, so we learnt to deal
with it. It shook us up pretty bad but instead of giving up we decided
to overcome it,” said Para. They’ve learnt that the key word is
savings. “Everyone faces a rainy day and you can’t keep borrowing
money, that’s when savings come as a blessing.” And while Param
and Para were unfolding their follies, with dignity, I noticed a
sense of strength and that could only come about because they stood
by each other. Of course there were quarrels (that would be putting
it lightly). They were young, inexperienced and invested unnecessarily.
“It was all a learning experience,” said Para, “In fact I’m still
learning in many ways. You cross one hurdle but there are more in
store for you but that one major incident in our lives will help
us cope with anything. We are more organized now.” I bet. |