Welcome to our talk with Ajay Jugraan, a poet and writer with a background in law. Ajay moved from a career in law to writing during the COVID-19 lockdown, turning his thoughts into poems and stories. His latest book, The Bridge on the River Song and Other Stories from Garhwal, brings tales from Uttarakhand to readers everywhere. Today, we’ll hear about his roots in Garhwal, the impact of his travels, and his deep connection to these stories. Let’s get to know more about Ajay’s writing and what inspires him.



1. Your journey from being a lawyer to a poet and writer is quite fascinating. What inspired you to transition into writing, and how did the COVID-19 pandemic play a role in this shift?

Ajay: Well, you sure must have heard the false adage that “lawyers are liars” but it is true that most of them experiment with truth sans any emotion. Their focus on facts and law rinses out imagination from their writing yet they are often constrained to propel half-truths offered by their clients. I have a similar experience and perhaps some facility in which the lull, pain, and uncertainty that the pandemic cast triggered into poems and short stories. Perhaps the disappearance of so many known to one made me shift from dollar chase to this writing phase. Unlike money, writing may accomplish immortality for the poet – author’s dear as Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 promises:

“But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”

2. Your book, The Bridge on the River Song and Other Stories from Garhwal, beautifully blends fiction with folk tales from Uttarakhand. What drew you to retell these stories from the hills of Garhwal and incorporate them into your collection?

Ajay: You see, neither man nor the trees that give him shade and fruits can survive without their roots. I am rooted in the geography and culture of these stories and felt that if left unwritten they may ultimately be lost. By writing them down I am trying to repay the debt that I owe to the hills once inhabited, terraced, and explored by my ancestors. Like a salmon, I am traveling back upstream to enliven my roots in nostalgia and gratitude.

3. Dehradun and Garhwal seem to play a significant role in your stories. How does your connection to these places influence your writing, and what impact do you hope it has on readers who may not be familiar with the region?

Ajay: I think the place one is born and grows is always beautiful to recall. The natural beauty of Dehradun and Garhwal and the simplicity of their people is in the veins of my pen. I only hope to transport my reader to these places with the word visuals I try to create around universal themes of sacrifice, bravery, love, and romance. Guess I am a late bloomer. I heard some of these stories at 5 plus, recounted them around 25, and started writing them and more belatedly at 55.

4. You have described yourself as a ‘history buff and patriot.’ How do these aspects of your personality reflect in your stories, particularly when you write about the culture and traditions of Uttarakhand?

Ajay: That epithet comes from someone else’s kindness. I am flattered to accept it. Uttarakhand finds mention in Mahabharata as the route to heaven for the Pandavas so the historicity of the state and its people is a given. Despite its low population, the state gives a disproportionately high number of men to the Indian Army. The state is proud to have presently given Ajit Doval, the most effective NSA as well as many freedom fighters, and top defense and police officers to the country. Every Uttarakhandi household has stories of a family member or two fighting and sometimes dying for the country. Here I am, just a pen soldier paying tribute to this hallowed tradition and culture through my stories.

5. Many of your stories contain elements of romance, bravery, suspense, and mystery. What drives your choice of themes, and how do you balance these diverse elements in your storytelling?

Ajay: I am a lover of bouquets, and very averse to monotony. They say variety is the spice of life. I write on whatever theme or element stirs my heart or mind but as to balance, I only publish a speaking collage of diverse feelings, emotions, and thoughts.

6. Some of your stories in the book are translations from Hindi audio stories available on YouTube. How did you find the experience of translating your own work into English, and what were the challenges and rewards of this process?

Ajay: I believe literature stays alive in translation. That is to say, that translation gives it some interpretation and a much-needed new audience. Getting it voiced over on social media does the same as people captivated by mobiles and other devices prefer to watch or listen much more than read. On my part, though not proficiently multi, I am surely bilingual by family tradition and education. I write in Hindi, English, and Urdu and am now trying to do so in Garhwali too. Translating myself from English into Hindi and vice versa gave me a chance to improve the manuscript more than once. It lets me borrow from the richness of both languages and their literary traditions. Every such challenge is an opportunity to improve and when seized and acted upon with intent leads to the reward of better writing.

7. Your first book, Antrang Satrang, was a collection of Hindi poems that received a great response. How has your experience with poetry influenced your short story writing style in your latest book?

Ajay: That is a story in itself. When I wrote my Hindi poetry collection, quite a few of my well-wishers pleaded inability to read Hindi or understand literary Hindi. I realised that poetry condenses emotions etc leaving or creating interpretive space which is not everyone’s cuppa. In fact, I jokingly refer to my free verse as “prosetry”. Anyway, I wrote English short stories for non-Hindi readers. Short as they may be they are still a huge expansion compared to poetry. Having said that, I still sometimes use excerpts of poetry in the poetic style while writing parts of prose.

8. You often include Hindi and Sanskrit words in your stories, along with their English translations. What role does language play in your storytelling, and how important is it for you to preserve the linguistic richness of your cultural heritage?

Ajay: I am not much of a linguistic Puritan and so open to borrowing beautiful words and phrases from different languages to enrich my writing. Of course, such borrowing has to be aesthetic and stop well short of overwhelming the language of the content so that it may preserve and enhance linguistic richness at the same time.

9. Your work with the NGO Him Jagriti focuses on health and education in remote hill areas. How does your philanthropic work influence your writing, especially when telling stories of people from the hills?

Ajay: Him Jagriti NGO’s work in remote hills gives me an opportunity to listen to folk content in situ and observe people, culture, and events firsthand. It opens the draped urban windows of mind to real life and makes some stories as if they are based on lived experience.

10. As someone who translates both as a hobby and professionally, what advice would you give to aspiring translators who want to bridge languages and cultures through literature?

Ajay: As I said earlier, I believe literature stays alive in translation. For that to become a rule, aspiring translators must be aware that verbatim translation without capturing the essence of the content being translated can make their translation pedantic or even meaningless. To prepare for a soulful translation, they must read and listen to varied content extensively and communicate in both languages on a daily basis.

11. What message or feeling do you hope readers take away from The Bridge on the River Song and Other Stories from Garhwal after experiencing the blend of history, folklore, and modern storytelling?

Ajay: Joy. The joy of reading while becoming the narrator of or a character in the story. They should also feel that writing is easy and enjoyable, not onerous.

12. Given your wide travel experiences and international exposure, do you think your storytelling has been influenced by cultures outside India, or is it deeply rooted in your Indian heritage?

Ajay: Travel is education. Yes, my humble storytelling has been influenced by foreign cultures, hopefully by their greats like Maupassant, Chekhov, and Kafka but at the same time it is rooted in the Indian heritage as it aspires to follow the likes of legendary Premchand, Parsai, and Ruskin Bond.

13. How has the feedback from readers, professors, writers, and journalists shaped your journey as an author, and what has been the most memorable response you’ve received for your work so far?

Ajay: So far so good. I am open to all feedback but respond only to what on its own effortlessly stays with me. The most memorable response I received for my Hindi poetry collection was from the domestic help of a YouTube channel owner who interviewed me. Despite her routine and struggles in Delhi, this girl from Ranchi had read my poems and was able to recall a few that had inspired her. On the other front, the most inspiring comment I got for my English short stories collection was from the thinking patriot retired Lt. Gen. Ata Hasnain when he wrote:

“The reflection of the rural folk culture of Garhwal as described by Jugraan hasn’t been so well portrayed ever before.”

14. What can readers expect next from you? Are there more books in the pipeline that will focus on Uttarakhand’s culture or perhaps explore different genres?

Ajay: I am working on poems and short stories in English, Hindi, and Urdu. I am also working on translations including into Garhwali. My next book may be another collection of short stories not limited by any geography or region.


Thanks for being with us in this chat with Ajay Jugraan. It’s clear his love for writing and his ties to Uttarakhand bring a special touch to his stories. Ajay’s words take us back to the hills, blending past and present in a way that stays with the reader. As he works on new stories and poems, we’re sure there’s much more to look forward to. We hope you enjoyed getting to know Ajay and his thoughts on writing and life.

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