In conversation with Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Abstract

 This is an interview transcript of an e-mail interview taken on 1st March
2019 with Indian American writer Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, a widely known name
in Indian as well as American setting whose prime focus is on emancipation of women
thereby highlighting the power of an Indian woman. In pursuing this she takes various
diasporic concerns of home, identity, culture, memory into consideration. Chitra
Banerjee Divakaruni was in Jaipur, Rajasthan for the Jaipur Literature Festival in
January 2019 for The Forest of Enchantments book launch during which I got the
chance to meet my favourite author. It was indeed very kind and humble of Murthy sir
(Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s spouse) to give her email id so as to conduct the
interview. In the following interview, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni speaks on the power
of Indian woman taking into consideration her latest novel The Forest of Enchantments.
She also talks about the elements that make a good story highlighting her idea of
‘Home’ and the role of memory for a diasporic writer.