Conversation with Priya Hajela
Priya Hajela’s writing is deeply influenced by her rich tapestry of experiences — a testament to the resilience she has cultivated as a mother, an immigrant navigating cultural transitions, and a professional thriving in the high-stakes worlds of telecom and IT. Born in Ludhiana, India, Priya’s early years were shaped by her time in northern Indian boarding schools, an experience that likely sowed the seeds of independence and adaptability. Her journey took her to the United States, where she pursued higher education and built a career, only to return to India nearly two decades later, bringing with her a wealth of diverse perspectives.
In 2014, Priya began exploring her passion for storytelling, setting an ambitious goal to write a novel-length piece in just a month. This commitment marked the beginning of her serious engagement with writing. To hone her craft, she enrolled in online writing classes and, after realizing her deep love for the written word, pursued an MFA in Creative Writing at Goddard College in Vermont, graduating in 2017.
Priya’s work reflects her journey and the complex interplay of identity, belonging, and resilience. Her short stories have been featured in various online publications, showcasing her nuanced voice. Her debut novel, Ladies’ Tailor, published by HarperCollins India, is a culmination of her efforts — a narrative that likely carries the essence of her own multifaceted experiences. Through her writing, Priya Hajela continues to explore and celebrate the resilience of the human spirit.
1. Can you please give us brief description about your book “Ladies’ Tailor”.
> Ladies’ Tailor is a story about the human spirit in all its glory. It is about losing everything and rebuilding, about loss and friendship, about love and tragedy. It begins with partition and the effects of that ill-conceived event on masses of humanity but it quickly moves into recovering and rebuilding. Gurdev, the main protagonist is a strong character. It is his actions and decisions that keep the story moving forward. He is well supported by Simrat, his wife, Noor, a friend, Nirmal and Sangat, his two partners and Jagat, his supplier of khadi. The story takes a turn for the dramatic when Gurdev and Noor decide to go into Pakistan and bring back two embroidery boys. Many surprises await them in Lahore and the action picks up considerably as Noor and Gurdev figure out how to do the job they’ve come to do and make it back home safe.
2. In India special in Bihar mainly local women garments seller is male which maybe make women feel uncomfortable . So what you think about it?
> I think clothing tailors and sellers can be any gender. It is a profession like any other and in most cases, the men are just doing their jobs. They have no reason to make their biggest clients, women, uncomfortable and women shouldn’t feel so either.
3. Are you inspired by an incident that inspired you to write this book?
> Not any particular incident. I was interested in partition because my grandparents were partition refugees. I am more interested in the motivations that drive people to face difficulties and work through them. It is an important lesson to always keep striving in life, to keep making improvements, both for yourself and the people around you.
4. How do you select names for your characters ?
> Since I was writing about Sikhs of a particular time, I looked for names of characters amongst my grandparents’ friends. Most names are of other refugees who moved during partition along with my grandparents. I have also used my own grandparents’ names in the book.
5. If you get two options Self help or Emotional in which field do you put your book?
> It is interesting you ask this question. I had not considered Ladies’ Tailor to be a self-help book but I can see how it might be — to women who are married to inconsiderate men, to people who feel life has no meaning and to people who have lost everything but regain their sense of humor and their appreciation of life. The book is also emotional to quite a degree, particularly when it comes to Gurdev’s relationship and later reunion with his parents.
6. If your book turns into a Bollywood movie, which actor would you cast for the role?
> So, for the three main roles — Gurdev, Simrat and Noor, I would probably cast Rajat Kapoor, Vidya Balan and Tabu.
7. Which part is most exiting part of Ladies’ Tailor according to you?
> The moment when Gurdev realizes that the latch on the back door to his old house is very high and he walks inside is the most exciting and moving part of the book. The reunion with his parents was not something I had originally envisaged but it came to me in a later version. In all the changes that took place in Gurdev after his wife leaves him, this probably resulted in the biggest one.
8. What was your hardest scene to write?
> The early scenes of partition were the hardest to write because those events have been written about a lot. I didn’t want to, inadvertently write something I had read. I spent a lot of time visualizing and then writing the scene where Gurdev and his family join the kafila and walk from Lahore to Amritsar.
9. How long on average does it take you to write this book?
> It took me over three years to write Ladies’ Tailor.
10. What is your family reaction on your book?
> My husband and children have all enjoyed the book and have been extremely supportive of my efforts to become a writer.