Friends- The Post Card Poet

'When did we meet for the first time?,' I asked.  

She said, 'You cooked rasam and came for dinner na?' Not many people remember little things. I was impressed by her memory and in a moment, a burst of gratitude flowed through me for having so many of those little moments with the poet friend, Sanjna. 

Here are the little moments on a memory motorways. 

August.2023, I met Sanjna over a dinner when she was munching on oranges and had a introductory greetings. I got to know that she's into poetry and is local to Bangalore. 

Sep.2023 A few weeks passed by. In Geneva, I was exploring my art pursuit through post cards and colours. I had painted a lot of postcards and wanted to have a creative conversation. At the same time, I ran into Sanjna and I asked, "Would you like to check my art and share your opinions, I would like to share a few ideas." She agreed and we had a hour long conversations,  understanding our ways of pursuing art. "I love practicing art rather than sharing it,"she mentioned how she interacts and practices poetry. "Writing poems on papers and sticking it on a friend's door who may appreciate them. Leaving a note for people to interact with poems she curated, by suggesting few interactions with it. These were a few ideas she shared on sharing poetry. We didn't had any pep talk on art, instead a lot of silence, a lot of ideas, sharing space and trying to be attentive at our best, listening to each other. She was curious by the blueness in my paintings. A few more weeks later, I walk to my door finding this sweet note left by her. She shared one of her favourite poem through a sticky note and left it at my door. Her note inspired me to continue to share what I write and I began to write poems, leave it on my door, curious how other flatmates respond to it. 

Oct.2023. I had my first art exhibition in Geneva, for which I used postcards as medium instead of canvas. I contemplated on the question- How do we share a space? How does postcard become an empty space to fill and to share a lot. Does postcard has any final destination? It moves from one place to other place carrying words and how postcard turns into an object of memory and carry a bit of every place it travels between writer and reader. These are few questions I stayed with. I got a chance to read a few poems of Sanjna and was spell bounded by her poem on home and food. I always brought the poem- biryani into conversation, whenever I talked to her. I shared my idea of postcards and I asked her if she could help me by bringing postcards to Geneva. The next month, she asks her friend, Sai to buy postcards who was flying from India to Geneva. 

A few weeks later, when things were dark and gloomy, I receive a present at my door again, a cover with a lot of  postcards in it. A small gesture, a word, a support can mean a lot in your art pursuit. I was committed to paint with more confidence and more postcards. Thanks Sai for bringing the postcards all the way from India to Geneva.  Thanks Sanjna for handing out the postcards. These gestures means a lot. 

The next time I see her on her birthday while I was cooking rasam. "You can have this later, come to my birthday party," she invited. I remember walking into her party and sharing interesting conversation with Bhavya when I was very much introverted, into myself. Two months into 2024, Sanjna was hosting a poetry workshop and I was hosting a painting workshop at the institute, as a part of well being week. I remember walking into her workshop at last moment and she shared a few handouts and ideas to craft few poems. It was a fun exercise. 

A few more months, I was keen to spend more time sharing a conversation and learning from each other. We found time amidst busy schedules and had a long conversations over long walks. Sanjna is very attentive and puts her ideas subtly welcoming others to share their perspectives, keen to listen the other possibilites. We discussed at length on what it takes to practice any art form. Over a conversation Sanjna shared the importance of support system to pursue the art. I felt very grateful to share conversations with someone who understands the value of these conversations and small gestures of appreciation to continue doing what we do. 

Thanks to the postcards Sanjna got from India through her friend, I painted without a fear of running out of them. A lot of postcards, paintings, I got a chance to come up with another art exhibition. Empty Spaces-Flow. 

On March.18.2024, I spent a whole day from morning to evening working on my installation for exhibition- Empty Spaces-Flow. Sanjna walks in near the installation, looks at me working with postcards, paintings. We share a conversation and she hands me out an orange suggesting me to hydrate myself. Thoughtful gesture. She didn't had to share much words on my activities. Handing out the orange, a small gesture, a little support meant a lot. 

Over conversations with Kiana, Sanjna, E & O, an idea of crafting a book with poetry, paintings, affirmations was put on the table. After series of conversations and planning, we went on our own ways in holidays, sharing responsibilities. 

In a span of year, over conversations, both of us are informed of our art practices and the way we pursue themes. Sanjna welcomed the idea of collaborating of my paintings and her poetry. I shared a series of paintings with her. She curated the paintings and wrote poetry. I was amused and heartened to see the way Sanjna selected the paintings that spoke to her. I love the poem she wrote on the theme of gratitude. It's titled- Forgetting.

Earlier, Ashish curated my paintings for my colourless art exhibition. There are few collaborations that are very close to my heart. Collaboration with Sanjna on this gratitude book project is one of them. Cheers Sanjna for the creative collaboration we got and to many more in the future!

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In these ways, I met Sanjna once in September 2024, near post office, where she shared suggestions related to housing. In october 2024, over dinner, she listened to me as I share my love musings. In November, Kiana, Sanjna and I, along with Sai, celebrated the launch of our book- The Gratitude Book. 

  

In December, we celebrated the sucess of Gratitude book and had a long walk, sharing our thoughts on art and money. 

 

I meet her again in January 2025 for a dinner, ranting about my heart affairs and how I sometimes love to tussle with heart, only to write more poetry and more art. In February 2025, I share a lovely day with her when she's getting ready to pack her bags and leave Geneva to figure out her next journey. 

Sanjna always been a friend who cheered me up by her attention and listening. Her presence always brightened me up and gave me confidence to believe in love, friendship, adventures and everything that instills life in us. Since August 2023 till Feb 2025, I shared great conversations, time whenever it was feasible. As she takes up a new journey and heads back home, Bengaluru for now, I will definitely miss running into her now and then. I will miss listening to her. I will miss sharing my stories with her. I'm grateful that we collaborated and created a lovely piece that would fill a lot of empty spaces in a lot of lives and create ripples in their lives by our work. Sanjna, I'm confident that we'll share more time, space and make more memories. Until I see you again in a different postcard towns, I will miss you.