Welsh | Indian
My parents split up when I was 4 and it was largely because of my Dad’s severe mental health struggles contributing to him not being able to be a Father or Husband. He did not want to get better or to be on medication. The split caused a rift between my Indian family and my Welsh family, and I was mainly raised by my Mum and my Nan, but I did see my Indian family every other weekend until I was around 10.
Over the last few years I’ve taken my writing more seriously, I’ve always loved to write but I kept it hidden out of fear of my vulnerability. I’ve started sharing it and it’s somehow daunting and freeing. Recently I learnt about Rabindranath Tagore and the deep history of poetry and storytelling within India and Bangladesh. It's something that comes so naturally to me but it didn’t make sense, I believe it’s a gift from my ancestors. I write poetry to channel pain into something beautiful. Beyond that, I’ve been getting deeper into spirituality, astrology which carries huge significance in India, also cooking and travelling, the next big step will be to travel to India and unlock a deeper layer of knowing my roots.
If I could choose three aspects of my culture to put into a ‘time box’ for the future, the first would be a handwritten poem. Something I've written that captures both pain and beauty, reflecting the legacy of storytelling and poetry I now know is deeply rooted in my ancestry. It would represent my journey of reclaiming voice and vulnerability through creativity. The second would be a recording of a Welsh hymn sung by my family. To capture the music, soul, and history of my Welsh side. Music has always been a thread that connects generations in my family, and the sound of it brings back memories of summers in Wales and the deep pride that comes with knowing where you’re from. The final thing would be a jar of homemade curry spices from my Indian Grandma's kitchen. The smells, the rituals, the warmth of her food, they hold so much love and memory. Even as a child, watching her cook or prepare for prayer gave me a sense of rootedness, and it’s a sensory memory I never want to lose.
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