Shakuntala Howaldar : “The Human Journey is full of obstacles but we have to carry on!”

Shakuntala Howaldar was born in Bombay and arrived in Mauritius in 1968 with her husband Oomashankar Howaldar, educationist and politician. Since then, she has been involved in literary activities and quickly became a public figure on the island. In 1973 she published her first book ‘I’ve Seen Strange Things.’ Her 15th book, ‘Nachiketas’ – The Road to the Ultimate Truth ,will be launched this Friday 7 July at the MITD hall in Phoenix in presence of the High Commissioner of India, Abhay Thakur.

News on Sunday called upon this prolific writer, poet and thinker at her residence in Beau Bois  to make a review of her journey in Mauritius far from her homeland but where she has nested happily in activities which she likes most - education, women welfare and social involvement.

As an educationist, she has been involved with the Mauritius Institute of Education and spent a quarter of a century at the Mauritius College of the Air where she pioneered audio visual teaching. As a poet she has published several collections of poems in English translated into French, Russian, Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil. She is currently the president of the Mauritian Writers Association where she dedicates herself at guiding young talents to find their way in the extremely complex nature of our multi cultural, multi lingual and multi racial landscape.

In view of creating more space for our writers in English language, she has transformed the Mauritian Writers Association into the International Writers Association in 2016. ‘My vision is to enlarge the family of writers in English and to consolidate the link with local as well as with International Writers groups.’

Shakuntala is also the President of Women Federation for World Peace, an international NGO promoting educational and social interests for young women in Mauritius and around the world. She has prepared several reports for UNESCO, UNICEF and UNDP at various moments of her career. Her works have been accepted by many Ministries as a basic framework for action. She has written a book ‘The Flowers Bloom’ based on the gender issue.

Let us go to the current book Nachiketas to be launched on Friday 7 July. The subtitle of the book is ‘The Road to the Ultimate Truth.’

My vision is to enlarge the family of writers in English and to consolidate the link with local as well as with International Writers groups”

Have you reached the Truth? Are you showing the way to others?
I am not a Rishi. Neither a Guru. I have no pretention to be one. The book is the product of more than 20 years of research. I am only a thinker. I am learning, hearing and listening. I come from a different past, from the Dravidian Times. Unfortunately, we have forgotten so many things. But what can we do, we are humans and human error is inherent in humans as he cannot understand everything. So many forces come into being and you have to meet them with intelligence. You have to start a journey, take the proper decision and be enlightened by the wise man. This is Nachiketas, sharing with my fellow travellers what I have picked up on my way. Some may accept and some may kick it away as they are shunning in their belief. I only sow the seed of wisdom and leave it to grow, serve humanity at one time in eternity. The human journey is full of thorns and thistles but we have to carry on armed with integrity and honesty in hard work.

You are talking like a Guru!
Simply to tell my companions that they are unique; that they should shake off the dust from their shoulders and reach the Light; one need to be clean to understand and accept to take the journey to Truth. Everybody is a unique soul and has something of his own, if not he is only a copy of what he sees in others. It is only when you touch the Light that you can pursue the journey in serenity while sharing with others of what you have learnt.

Tell me more about the book!
The book, if it is a novelty for Mauritians, it is not, for Indians, as it was launched by the literary wing of Sri Chettur Sankaran Nair Trust on the 7th of October 2016 at the CSN Auditorium of Ottapalm in South India. The book is accepted by Indian critics and university professors on the sub continent. The vice Chancellor of Avinashhilingam University of Coimbatore, Padmashree P.R Krishnakumar, has already taken the decision to include the book in the university syllabus for the PhD degree.

You have been running an Osho meditation centre. Why it did not take off in Mauritius?
I ran the meditation centre for many years opening the doors to young and old seeking the truth of Vedanta of oneness, unity, love and peace. It is not a surprise that it did not take off. You know more than 20 countries around the world were denied accesses of the teachings of Osho clinging to the false beliefs of the West. But those who came across the teachings of Osho know that he has been doing something worthy for society.