PVPF 2024

Interview with Arefa Tehsin, Author of The Witch in the Peepul Tree

When I began writing this story, I had not meant it to be so character focused. Somewhere along the way, I got too invested in each character
on Jul 17, 2023

Arefa Tehsin is the author of several fiction and non-fiction books, both for children and adults, and contributes columns and features (to various national dailies and magazines like The Indian Express, The Hindu, Deccan Herald, Outlook, The Wire and The Times of India. Her books have been taken up as textbooks and supplementary readers in schools in India and Sri Lanka.

Frontlist: What inspired you to write a murder mystery beyond the conventional approach of focusing solely on the police and suspects?

Arefa: I didn’t intend to write just a murder mystery. I wanted to write a period novel rooted in the Indian society. The story is as much about us as it is about the mystery.

Frontlist: The story is set in a specific historical and cultural context, with references to the social and political changes in post-independence India. How did you research and portray this era effectively?

Arefa: I realised when I started writing this period novel that it required a lot of research. Almost as much as a non-fiction book. Fortunately, I had my family–my uncles, aunts, my father and a few family friends to provide that information. I especially picked the brains of my uncle Riaz Tehsin who was a visionary, educationist, humanitarian, veteran of folk arts and culture and an institution in himself. I had long conversations with him to understand every little detail about the food, housing, colonies, roads, customs, clothes, occupations, idiosyncrasies and what not. And it was great fun for me to bring history into fiction.

Frontlist: The book touches upon sensitive and challenging topics, such as paedophilia and ostracization of widows. How did you handle these themes with sensitivity and without resorting to explicit language?

Arefa: Maybe the style of writing was inspired from Parijat, who has seen so much violence of words and deeds. Her life is a room without a window, and yet she manages to see sunlight. Or from Dada bhai who chooses not to go for moral debasement even in the face of existential crisis.

Frontlist: The characters in the book are portrayed with depth and complexity. How did you develop these characters and make them relatable to readers?

Arefa: When I began writing this story, I had not meant it to be so character focused. Somewhere along the way, I got too invested in each character. In fact, I became that character. One day I would be Rao sahib and the other day I would be Badi bi. I suffered from a case of skipping personalities. And I hope the reader will also feel that empathy for each one of them, whether they are good or bad or just a mix of both, as all of us are.

Frontlist: The twist in the tale, the secret that dies with Sanaz and is unearthed by the police, is unexpected and leaves readers pondering the consequences of choices. How did you come up with this surprising element and its impact on the story?

Arefa: We are the sum total of the choices we make, and sometimes, we are also a victim of our choices. Talking anything more about the end would be a giveaway.

Frontlist: The book delves into the interconnectedness of life and the complex mixture of human behavior. How did you approach portraying these intricate relationships and the different eras people live in?

Arefa: Indeed, our lives are a complex interplay of individuality and interconnectedness.

Our belief systems have not drastically changed from that era to this. The Indian society and its tehzeeb—its culture, which seems to be so disparate, are at the same time highly syncretic. It is so complex that it can be only simplified through a story. And that is what I did.

Frontlist: Your book explores the power of belief systems and the struggle to adapt to changing eras. Could you discuss the role of the mind and belief systems in shaping the characters and their actions?

Arefa: All of us are shaped by our upbringing and what we are told as we are growing up. If you leave a baby with an insect or a snake, she will not be afraid of it. As we grow up, we are conditioned about what is good or evil or to be feared or revered, among other things. Maybe more than our genes, we are a product of our environment, and that includes the belief systems prevalent in our societies. My grandfather and father always told us to have a rational approach, to question before believing; not to fear the dark or the forests or the unknown. There could exist a logic even behind ghost stories or legends.

Thinking beyond the preconceived notions is what results in original thinking, discoveries and positive change in the society.