Described on the cover as "Simple and straight from the heart... A collection of thoughts, commentary and poems,” Joy by Ruzbeh Keki Mowdawala was launched by theater person Dolly Thakore at Bombay’s Crossword bookstore at Kemp’s Corner on December 6, 2010. Farzana Contractor, editor of Upper Crust and Thakore read from the book, followed by an interesting discussion between the author and her audience, as per an e-mail received by Parsiana from Mowdawala.
From left: Dolly Thakore, Ruzbeh Mowdawala and Farzana Contractor (centre) at the launch
A medical professional educated in Bombay and in the US, Mowdawala admits she "took to writing on a whim” in 2009 when she produced Poems, Potpourri and Parsees (see "Pathologist’s poems,” Books, Parsiana, January 7, 2010). Having enjoyed the process of writing Joy, she is now well into her third book, Silence of the Night, due for release later this year.
Notes Contractor in her Foreword, "Appreciation from friends, family and fans has worked its magic in the form of Joy... it’s not so easy to actually sit down and put pen to paper... Clearly she is prompted by her ‘Master’ and ‘angels in heaven’ who urge her to ‘write, write and write.’” This is endorsed by the writer herself who, in the About This Book section acknowledges "My Masters requested me to write and tell the world about their existence, the soul and its journey here and beyond.”
The book has four sections: Joy, Life, Jottings of my observations in daily life and Parsees (subtitled ‘What you wanted to know about us, and were afraid to ask!’). The five poems in the first section deal with the title of the book. The next five concern esoteric themes: "Who is this Master?/ Sage of sages/ Wise of the Wise/ I’ve only heard that voice.” In Jottings, Mowdawala rambles about everyday experiences, nature, her beloved dogs, narrow minded people, nostalgia... The last section comments on Parsipanu, everyday Parsi lingo, cuisine, traits, homes, baugs and colonies, the love for food and eating, even poverty in the community. Though undoubtedly sincere, the poems and verbal peregrinations are considerably marred, as in the previous book, by careless proof reading.
The 100-page book, priced at Rs 160, has been published in 2010 by N. M. Thakkar and Company, 140, Princess Street, Bombay 400002 (tel: 22010633, 22033128). S. V.