Seiko

Ourvadodara.in: Hello, you must be Siko?

Seiko Kamosawa: Its Seiko, S-E-I-K-O. Seiko Kamosawa. K-A-M-O-S-A-W-A.

O: I’ve got a couple of questions over here. We shall wrap up in half an hour…

S: Aap chaahe to Hindi mein mujhse baat kar sakte hain.

O: I’ve been told you’re fluent in Hindi. So you picked

it up staying here?

S: Maine Japan mein Yokohama University se Hindi aur Indian Culture mein BA kiya hai. Mera Hindi pakka hai!

O: That’s really impressive! Must’ve stunned your friends here?

S: Of course! The students knew there’d be a Japanese student studying with them and were very nervous. Jab maine Hindi mein baat karna shuru kiya, woh bahoot chaunk gaye!

O: You are here for your Masters?

S: Noooo, Bachelors. Main Painting mein Bachelors kar rahi hoon.

O: So you immediately pursued another degree after completing one?

S: Nahi, mein London mein ek saal rahi. Uske pehle Japan mein NHK radio ke hindi seva mein kaam kiya. Main duniya bahoot ghoomi hoon. Idhar aane se pehle Delhi mein ek saal Kendriya Hindi Sansthan mein kaam bhi kiya.

O: Wait a second – how old are you?

S: Twenty-seven.

O: You don’t look a day older than 21. Yeh khoobsoorati ka kya raaz?

S: (blushing) Interview le rahe ho, propose maar rahe ho?

O: I honestly believe your looks belie your age. Tell me – what’s your mantra for eternal youth?

S: Hmmmm… Yoga. Mein roz subah yoga karti hoon Yoga Niketan mein.

O: Yoga must be quite popular in Japan too, I guess?

S: Yeah, very popular. But in Japan, no one does yoga so early in the morning. I like this practice. Mein surya namaskaar bhi karti hoon.

O: Any interest in sport?

S: Yoga is my sport.

O: You know what, Gautam Buddha achieved enlightenment sitting and meditating under a large tree, maybe similar to the under which we’re sitting. Did you like try folding your legs and chant ‘Om!’ here?

S: What?! (she laughs) Arre MSU Fine Arts waale mujhe paagal samajhenge! I get so many assignments each week that time bahut kam milta hai in cheezon ke liye! I’m very drawn towards spirituality and the invisible, lekin itna pressure aur phir city life mein adjust hone ki koshish mein mera saara dhyaan chala jaata hai… I haven’t even had the time to focus on a particular theme yet for my paintings.

O: The faculty keeping you on your toes?

S: Yeah! They are pretty nice though. We also have artists often coming from other states to teach.

O: Someone recommended this university to you?

S: Actually… (she extracts a bulky book from her shoulder-bag) I read about MSU Fine Arts in Partha Mitter’s guide on Indian Art while studying in Japan.

O: You’re drawn towards Indian art?

S: Yes, I want to be an internationally recognized contemporary artist, and Indian art has more reputation worldwide than Japanese art.

O: Seriously?

S: Arre haan! Haan jab main idhar aayi tab mujhe poocha gaya ki mujhe Japanese art mein knowledge tha ki nahi? I told them know block printing, but I also made my intentions clear. Mujhe yahaan naam banana hai.

O: Roop hai Japani lekin sapne Hindustani!

S: Ha ha! Mere Japan mein mere neighbors mujhe South Indian khaana bhejte the. Japan mein Chinatown naam ke jagah par bhi kaafi lazeez Indian joints the. Main aur mere neighbor Bollywood movies bhi saath mil kar dekhte jab kabhi event rakha jaata tha.

O: Your neighbors were Indians?

S: No, Japanese. But they lived many years in India. Woh bhi Delhi mein rehte the.

O: Ah yes… one year in the big bad Delhi!

S: Arre haan! It is much safer here for women. Over there groping would take place so often in crowded areas. Mujhe yaad hai jab yahaan Ganesh Chaturthi ke din mein Raopura area gayi, tab log sirf jashan manaane mein magn the. I can venture out in the evenings without fear.

O: No bad experiences?

S: Haan sirf ek baar jab main ek rickshaw-wala ka sketch le rahi thi tab doosre rickshaw-waale mujhe gher kar unka sketch banane ka request kar rahe the. But a kind Gujarati guy came to my rescue immediately.

O: Good to hear that. Anything else to share about Vadodara?

S: Haan, yaha ka traffic kaafi bekaar hai. I can’t cycle long distances because I feel unsafe with people constantly breaking rules. Achaanak wrong side aa jaate hain.

O: Could I take a picture of you with your cycle?

S: Yeah sure! (I get up to take her picture)

O: You seem pretty settled here… Say cheese!

S: Haan! (smiles) Meri landlady… (ourvadodara: “Another one”) housewife hai to main… (ourvadodara: “One last picture…”) unke saath khoob saari baat karti hoon. She’s family to me. (ourvadodara: “And that’s perfect!”)

O: Does this picture look good?

S: Yeah! Although I wish you’d taken this at Kamaatibaug during the evening-time.

O: Aah.. you could find inspiration for a painting there!

S: I’ll send you if I make one – pakka!