Meet Munmun – Blogger as well as Author of the book “Mayasm” a fiction novel

 

As part of our She Inspires series, in which we are featuring and interviewing leading women across industries. Let us meet Munmun – Blogger as well as Author of the book “Mayasm” a fiction novel .

Munmun worked as one of the seven Editors of an email based Children’s Newspaper for over a year. She is volunteering as a Parent-Educator to the EWS Children in Shikshantar School, Gurgaon. She is a former Teaching Professional with a Cambridge International Diploma in Teachers and Trainers (CIDTT), pursued her MBA (in Marketing) from the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh. She owes to both her positive and negative experiences that have sculpted her as who she is today as a daughter, wife, mother, author and of course, as a person.

So let us welcome Munmun and get to know her 🙂

Turning point in your life (How did the idea of writing a Book came about? Or What ignited the spark in you to start a new book? What were you doing before this?)

Writing or Publishing my book, actually happened suddenly, a co-incident itself. I took the decision of giving a try within a few hours probably after I had got the opportunity. Yes! As a passionate writer my ultimate vision was of course establishing myself as a published Author in near future. Then, my book, “Mayasm” is not preplanned; after getting the opportunity, I started plotting my story and its characters.

What made you choose this name and what is your book about?

First let me explain what this book is all about; it’s a fiction novel, where I tried to say that, we all possess love, affection, care that is some positive emotions as well as hatred, anger, doubt, jealousy kind of negative emotions.

Yet! It depends in which situation, to whom, and where & when we are showcasing our which particular emotion and how it affects our behaviour and relationships.

Again, we term some people as ingenuous and some as shrewd. A particular person can be termed as shrewd to some people again as ingenuous to others.

I do feel like, a person’s belief, reactions, emotions, behaviour, attitude to different situations and with people passes from generations and moulds up according to the environment, education, experience and so many other factors are there too; then these attributes (positive/negative) caused predisposition to certain characters of his/her successors.

In my version this is because of ‘Mayasm.’ Now what is ‘Mayasm?’

As I wanted to state, every moment, a person needs to go through thousands of inner conflict between his/her own positive and negative entities. This is what I defined here as ‘Mayasm; a subtle conflict between inner affinity and antipathy.’

Why did I choose this name? I was going through Google search for synonyms of a word, while writing. Somehow, I have landed to the Homeopathy theory of Miasm (if you pronounce the same theory in Bengali it pronounces as Mayasm) by Hahnemann.

In Homoeopathy the word “miasm” means the effects of microorganisms on the vital force including the symptoms that are transmitted to the following generations. These chronic miasms are capable of producing degenerative illnesses, auto-immune diseases and lead the organism toward immunity disorders.

Hahnemann noticed that each of the chronic diseases has three phases, a primary stage, latent stage, and a secondary or tertiary state. The effects of these miasms were then passed from one generation to the next generation by inheritance and caused predispositions to certain disease syndromes.

Somewhere, I felt, Hahnemann’s theory and my book is trying to say the same thing; one is about microorganisms another one is about peoples’ emotions and behaviours. Therefore, I have chosen this word, ‘Mayasm’ (this word is not there in any Bengali dictionary though) as the title of my book.

What do you like most about what you are doing ?

There is nothing particular to be mentioned about. I love and am enjoying everything what I am doing.

What is your definition of Success?

Success means to procure the confidant and strength to accept the challenges, to fight against all obstacles, to bloom beyond negativities and to move forward in life keeping all negative experiences behind.

If you had to give an advice to your younger self when you were starting out, what would it be or If you had the chance to start all over again, what would you do differently?

If you would ask me the question even a year ago; I would answer like; I would have advised my younger self not to sacrifice your aim and career because of any silly emotions.

But now, as I learned, if something good and worthy happening in my life today, that’s only because of all the mistakes my younger-self had made at that time.

Therefore, no advice I would give; nothing indifferent I would do, rather I would say heartfelt thanks.

Any regrets as of now? And if yes would you like to share

Is there any person without regret? If I would get my parents, sibling, friends whom I have left in Bangladesh, nearer to me, if there would not be any geographical border between them and I!

It’s heart wrenching not meeting them for years or not being there when they need me.

Top 2 regular practices that have helped you

Staying positive and Strong enough to learn how to let all negativities go.

Motivational factor (What keeps you motivated)

My urge to do something meaningful for myself, meaningful in a way that it would satisfy my inner being as well as help me believing in myself.

Above all in spite of all demotivating comments and questions, my love for what I was or am doing.

One relationship that helped (Who has been your biggest support in this journey ?)

My school friend Bilkis B Poly, who herself is a writer.

She literally dragged me in Bengali writing again; she started pushing me to write in Bengali as she added me in a Kolkata based writing Group. Though, she was residing in Bangladesh.

What is the biggest misconception you think people have about you?

As I am from Bangladesh, so I am an illegal immigrant and I am good for nothing. I got married to an successful Indian guy, this is my only quality and this should be considered as my achievement.

What is the biggest misconception you think people have about Bangladesh?

As Bangladesh is a small country, so their education system is not compatible in the world market, people there are inferior in terms of quality, education, knowledge and so on, comparing to the people in other countries specially Indian.

What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a writer?

1. Reading and writing should be the topmost one.
2. Openness to learn
3. Believe in yourself.

There are multiple people who want to publish a book, can you give them some guidance on how to get started ?

Keep writing and keep editing until and unless it won’t satisfy yourself.

Set small or limited goals at a time. Once you will attain those go for a bigger one. Opportunities are there around you, you just need to determine your path very carefully.

When you are not working, what are you doing?

You mean, not writing? I am a staying at home wife and mom, dear! I do take care of my family 24*7.

I need to manage time for my passion and for my writing related work.

What would you have been if not what you are doing currently?

Well, as you know, I am a Bangladeshi by birth and was pursuing my BBA there in Bangladesh. I have grown up with some very clear visions or aims for myself.

Suddenly I was in love with an Indian person and after two years, after finishing my MBA I have come here and got married to him.

When I went to surrender my passport and apply for Indian citizenship, I came to know the DOs and Don’ts rules and regulations for staying in India with a Bangladeshi passport and going through the process of achieving Indian Citizenship by marriage.

Yes! It’s an achievement while sacrificing my career, family, dream, goal, plan, preparations for my future, my value as a person and a woman too. However, one of those rules was that I was not allowed to do any job/earn money for myself until and unless I will be awarded Indian Citizenship.

I had been awarded that most valuable Indian Citizenship by marriage after 13 years.

By then, I had lost my eligibility to join in any job as a fresher. I was old enough to use my 13 years old educational degrees and with almost no experience. Furthermore, I was a mother of two; my younger one was only 2 years old then.

I was gradually sinking in immense void and depression. No one was there besides me to listen to.

Once upon a time I used to write; got some state level (there Divisional level) prizes too in Bangladesh.

After marriage, I had never tried writing again. But now; I had picked up my pen; started flushing out my depression through written words; through my characters.

So, if it was not writing, it must be something else, but what it would be, I have no idea right now. I have not thought it in such a way; I have not researched for any other option to explore.

Anything that you would like to say to our readers

Believe in yourself and be true to yourself. Each and every positive and negative experience is needed to shape up your future. So never give up.

Best Food – Depends on my mood.

Best Book – So many. Very recently I have finished reading ‘Sita: The Warrior of Mithila’ by Amish Tripathi, now I am in love with it.

Best TV series/movie – I do not watch any TV series. There are too many movies in English, Bengali and Hindi to name as my favourites.

Best song or music – I love music and song, any kind of, again depends on my mood.

Best Destination – Sea beach

Any personality/Celebrity who inspires you – If professionally, then it’s my Husband. He knows how to dream big and how to procure it. His strength is his endurance. If it’s personally, then first of all, my father and then all my friends who have motivated me how to continue with the positivity only.

Life motto – I have learnt that past can’t be changed and future can’t be said. So my motto is living in the moment with a positive attitude towards life. Rest will be sorted out with the power of positivity.

Thanks Munmun, for taking time out and doing this interview with us.

So here I am wishing Munmun a lot of luck in her future endeavors and hoping she continues to inspire many other women across. Hope you enjoyed this interview. If you have any other questions or have something to say please do so via comments below.

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Don’t you find this interview inspiring. What do you want to do in life – Think and Go ahead and do it. Live your dream :-). There is no perfect moment to start working on your dream so start now

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