Advocate-author Yatish Naik’s ‘Sleepless Spirit’ captures human emotions and Goa’s past in 21 illustrated odes
RAMANDEEP KAUR | NT BUZZ
Words written in quiet moments have now found a lasting home in ‘Sleepless Spirit’, the third book by advocate and author Yatish Naik.
The bilingual collection has 21 odes in English and Konkani, illustrated by artist Govit Morajkar and published by Broadway Publishing House. Naik’s earlier works include ‘Lokhabhimukh Sushasana Vaten’, (towards citizen-centric good governance) and ‘Flame of Words’, a bilingual collection of 51 poems.
Naik, who practices both civil and criminal law and is also known for his socio-political activism and writings on legal and political subjects, says the title ‘Sleepless Spirit’ is about a curious and questioning mind.
He explains that the odes were written spontaneously over time. “Whenever a thought struck me, I would note it down, on my phone, at home or even in my car. Eventually, I realised many reflections were about the Goa of the past and emotions that are gradually fading in today’s fast-changing world.” From these, he selected 21 odes that he felt would resonate with readers, describing them as “soul-stirring” pieces that linger.
“Some odes convey longing, others reflection and a few are invocations. The rhythm matches the emotion each ode expresses,” he adds.
The idea to turn the writings into a book began six to eight months ago during a conversation between Naik and his friend Morajkar and they decided to create a dialogue between words and illustrations.
Morajkar shares, “Yatish’s odes spoke directly to me, taking me back in time and making me realise how much we are unknowingly losing. It’s important to revive these memories and experiences of Goa.”
On his approach to the illustrations, he says, “I treated each ode according to how it connected with me personally. One style wouldn’t suffice so I drew from the visuals in my memory, using a mix of traditional and digital media.”
A few odes were particularly challenging to illustrate. “For example, ‘Finding Self’ required several sketches and a lot of time to conceptualise. In the end, the illustration felt calm and fit the mood of the ode,” notes Morajkar.
The artist who also designed the cover and layout, says, “For the cover, I explored many options, but simplicity often works best. The figure represents our conscience, moving through our dreams and encouraging us to think about what we’ve lost and need to protect.”
Though law remains his profession, writing is a personal calling for Naik and he writes when inspired, without planning a book in advance. Through ‘Sleepless Spirit’, he hopes readers will think about their responsibilities and the path they are on. “We must strive to do whatever good we can for humanity,”
he says.
