Room for many worlds: Writers embark on a journey of cultural exchange
(From left) Ali Cobby Eckermann, Merinda Dutton, Beni Yanthan and Dr Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar
Tucked away in the quiet suburbs of Bengaluru is The Jamun, the home of Sangam House, one of India's most coveted writers' residencies. This month, the bungalow played host to two Australian First Nations writers and two Indian Adivasi writers, giving them a quiet escape that allowed them to fully focus their energies on their craft. "It was such an enriching and life-changing experience, as someone with Aboriginal and Indian heritage, it has been a coming home of sorts, and a manner of being able to connect to my heritage and story. I enjoyed visiting the Nagarahole Tiger
Reserve and meeting with Adivasi communities," shared Merinda Dutton, one of the Australian writers, who is also a critic and lawyer by trade, taking a moment to reflect.
Australian writers Ali Cobby Eckermann and Dutton got to spend April at Sangam house (a week of which was shared with the Indian writers) while Indian Writers Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar and Beni Yanthan spent October at Varuna, a writers' residency in Australia. For Yanthan, the exchange was the opposite of homecoming, being her first extended trip away from India. She explains, "Varuna had the kind of stillness that compels one to become acutely aware of one's thoughts, habits and ways of being and existing… it made me aware of how much my imagination and worldview is rooted in my sense of place and in the landscape, how they exist almost instinctively in relation to what surrounds me."
The programme was supported by The Australian Consulate-General in Bengaluru through funding from the Centre for Australia-India Relations with the Australian Consul General in Bengaluru, Hilary McGeachy saying, "The exchange provides time and space for artists to draw on shared histories, identities, and storytelling traditions and explore new collaborations. As the Australia-India relationship continues to grow, it's important to celebrate and explore the rich culture and diversity of both countries."
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