Born and raised in the Himalayan town of Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, one of Dr. Priya Dolma Tamang’s favorite quotes is from French philosopher and Jesuit priest, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” Dr. Tamang’s love for words provided her the opportunity to share her gift on an international scale. Ivory Gleam is a book of poetry and prose that addresses subjects including love, self and society, death, and life.
Morgan Lee Reviews had the chance to speak with Dr. Tamang about the inspiration behind Ivory Gleam and why she wants the children from her area to fight for their dreams.
Morgan Lee Reviews: Dr. Tamang, would you mind telling the readers about yourself?
Dr. Priya Dolma Tamang: I am, first and foremost, God’s child. I feel utterly blessed to occupy this worldly space with other creations of Divine. Biographically, I was born and bred in the tiny Himalayan town of Gangtok. My ethnic roots are tribal Nepalese. We follow Buddhism by virtue of birth. I am deeply invested in Hinduism as well.
Having graduated with a degree in medicine, I went on to serve as a Registered Medical Practitioner. It was much later in life that I rediscovered my love for words. The desire was dormant but existent. Art has also been quintessential in my growth as a person, aiding in spiritual advancement and alternative methods of healing. Despite English not being my first language and the likelihood of conversational setbacks, I have succeeded in delivering my ideas to a global audience.
MLR: Describe yourself in one word, and why?
PDT: Transparent. I am very open and honest about almost everything. At times, this may come across as crude or lack of sophistication, but I’d rather be spontaneous than pretentious. I am impulsive to a fault, and it will not be very difficult for anybody to read me. There are no agendas to my actions, no vendettas in my virtues.
MLR: What was your inspiration behind Ivory Gleam, and what was the thought process behind the titles for your poetry and prose?
PDT: My house is located at an astounding altitude. We are perpetually covered in clouds. There have been pensive moments when I’d stare into the vast expanse of shiny white clouds and rethink realities of life. Nature is a pure portal of connectivity to the source. My book, “Ivory Gleam,” was mostly written as episodic musings during such times of inner reflection. The clouds, ivory white in colour, were gleaming bright to play a pivotal role in my creative expression.
As far as the segments of the book go, there are three chapters of learning, longing, and loving, respectively. I wrote them at different phases of my life and in the same frame of mind as the titles justify. “Colloquial Delicacy” deals with insights on the various challenges that we face as social creatures. My opinions from encounters have been captured in crisp mindbenders. It is an assessment of generic human nature by an individual standard. “Soliloquy” talks of pain, hard-hitting and explosive. Betrayal and brokenness. The longing, the loss, and the melancholy. We conclude to complete a full circle with “Chivalry.” It is about love and the strength to love after all of the above. Romance is the highlight of the ending part.
MLR: Wow. What was the process like for you writing Ivory Gleam?
PDT: I wrote the isolated pieces over two years. Each piece was a result of some stimuli, be it inter or intrapersonal. They were not written for publication. They were mere pages of my journal; some posted on social media. I did not intend to have a book. However, with time and demand, my intentions evolved. I wanted something physical to hold for all the hours that were spent overthinking. I compiled those random rants into a manuscript and started publisher hunting. Leadstart Publishers, Mumbai, India, were the first to show interest. My work went through the mandatory phases of preliminary sample scrutiny, final manuscript approval, editing, proofreading, typesetting, cover design, ebook creation, printing, marketing, and distribution, in that order. I am glad that the book was taken up by the acquisition editor and could see the light of the day.
MLR: Congratulations! Are you planning on writing another book?
PDT: The title of my second book is “My Sonder Sky.” It is a dedication to someone close to my heart. This book is a continuation of my first, with better-framed poetry and prose. I reckon that my poetic skills have improved over the years. I have come a long way from “Ivory Gleam” and “My Sonder Sky” should be an appropriate closure.
MLR: Any advice for fellow authors, poets, and prose writers?
PDT: My only advice would be for you to stay true to your craft. Do not bend your natural tendencies to fit into somebody else’s small box. Your art should be a free-flowing conduit of love, light, compassion, and the power to heal. Every book is special. Every expression is a masterpiece if it comes straight from your heart. Your creation is your identity. It is not for anyone to identify you as superior or inferior. We are only different.
For a genre like poetry, it is important to discover a niche audience. Poetry is not everybody’s cup of tea. Each poem is a story in itself. The characters, the plot, and the climax are hidden between layers of metaphors. To decode this story from implied imagery, apt alliteration, rhyme schemes, and calculated meter, takes an active mind. There are open-ended interpretations to abstract literature. The readers should be ready to challenge themselves and see what they make of it. This speaks volumes of your psyche. What you take from any given written composition, is what your mind has elucidated. This is your personal revelation.
Those looking for an easy read or an interesting story to pass the night may not relish your concoction. This doesn’t mean that your work is below standard. It only means that they are not ready for what you have to offer, just yet.
MLR: What do you want people to take away from this interview?
PDT: Poetry is magical. Creativity is a gift. It does not matter to which corner of the world you belong, the language of souls is the language spoken by art. I want to encourage the readers to pursue their passion and allow that fire to feed them.
My presence as a writer and mild recognition on various fora ought to encourage children from my geographical area to fight for their dreams and develop enough confidence in representing their talent internationally.
Morgan Lee Reviews thanks Dr. Tamang for this interview. Ivory Gleam is available on Amazon and wherever else books are sold. If you haven’t, be sure to check out my previous interview with author Skylar Nightingale.
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