‘Within a week, I agreed that Kafka’s spirit occupies resident writers’ desks’

AdventureTour amp TasteRelaxingEducationalAncient amp HistoricalPrague never lets you gohellipthis dear little mother has sharp claws Franz KafkaThe novelistrsquos tempestuous relationship with Czech Republic capital where he was born worked and buried after his death remains an intriguing legacy Fame didnrsquot matter to Kafka When alive he is believed to have destroyed a majority of his works On his deathbed he asked friend Max Brod to burn his novels once he was gone Luckily good sense prevailed and Brod published the works for the world to enjoy Praguersquos famous son would probably have shied away from popularity that it earned as a literary city helped in great measure by his footprints that dot its corners and contoursA bust of Kafka and a plaque were added to the new building Across the street there is a small exhibition that celebrates the writer Kafka 18831924 was a Pragueborn Germanspeaking Jewish writer whose novels express the alienation of 20th centuryA city that boasts of over 200 libraries and one of Europersquos highest concentrations of bookshops earned the title of UNESCO City of Literature in 2014 This tag places Prague in an elite list of Cities of Literature of the world including Dublin Krakow Lahore Melbourne and Edinburgh It offers residency stays to foreign writers and translators which are instituted by organisations and private platforms belonging to Praguersquos literary landscapeIndian writerjournalist Ashutosh Bhardwaj was awarded the UNESCOPrague City of Literature residency located at Kafka House the birthplace of the novelist While the home doesnrsquot exist in its original form the renovated structure that stands on the same site bears a striking resemblance to the original and retains Kafkarsquos bust and plaque Bhardwaj returns to India later this month before which he hopes to finish his writing project and soak in as much of the city as he canBhardwajrsquos writing deskEdited excerpts from the interviewWhat has the experience been so far Does being a resident writer in Kafkarsquos birth home inspire your processI arrived at the Kafka House with a few pending projects The Municipal Library of Prague ensures that the space is given the finest possible care Its renovated interiors carry a sublime eleganceSoon after my arrival I learnt about ldquoKafkarsquos spiritrdquo which is said to pervade the place and possesses the desk of resident writers like myself I came to second this sentiment within a week In the preceding months before my arrival I had been tormented by abstract images images in search of an expression I suddenly found my narrative prose venturing into unanticipated lanes I canrsquot make any claim over the final output quite possibly as often happens it might be nothing out of ordinary prompting me to quietly send it to the trash bin But I should nevertheless record with gratitude the sudden and seamless fruition of ideas that this city has made happenAshutosh BhardwajTell us about your personal discoveries in PragueThe Prague of 2023 is not the 19th century Prague that had made an inglorious list of outsiders including its famous Germanspeaking Jew author The city now embraces thinkers from other continents My coresident at Kafka House is a playwright from Martinique Caribbean island Itrsquos also a city of classical music Numerous young and old men and women are seen busking with clarinet violin and saxophone on the streets You cross the Vltava River hearing a Mozart composition only to realise that you will hear Four Seasons on Charles Bridge a strand that merges with Wagner towards the castleAustrian novelist poet dramatist and biographer of Kafka Max Brod published his works despite the reticent author friend telling him to burn his novels right before his death PicGetty ImagesThe Old Town Square where I live is a marvel of medieval architecture and houses churches On streets lined with Gothic and Baroque buildings various periods and histories collapse and collideA photo of the original Kafka House is on display at the Kafka MuseumAnd there is an India connection toohellipNot many of my compatriots know that Prague holds a special place in Indian literature It was here that the great writer Nirmal Verma arrived to learn the Czech language in 1959 He translated Milan Kundera and Ivan Klima into Hindi much before they were available in English Many of his key works including his first novel Ve Din Days of Longing 1964 are located in Prague With crucial experiences gained from the city during the Cold War he became a phenomenal interlocutor of Europe for India The Prague Years of Nirmal Verma is a book waiting to be written a work that will explain and examine the journeys of a young Indian in a beleaguered continentThe rebuilt Kafka House bears a similarity to the original structureWant to hear from youWe are looking to visit and write about interesting places of stay and travel near and far If you wish to host us for a fair engaging experiencereview 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