Batool Idrish Siamwala writes in her maiden name, Mumtaz Khorakiwala. She is an experienced, passionate teacher of English Language and Literature; a poet, an artist, a healer, traveller, and a Soap Maker.
Teaching Experience
Her teaching experience spans over two decades, and has led her to work with a variety of students and learners ranging from Pre-School Children, Young Learners to College going Adults—both, at the Undergraduate, and Postgraduate levels in St. Joseph’s College for Women, Visakhapatnam. Her forte is facilitating language learning; this she does by encouraging students to read, write and critique prose and poetry. She has served in various capacities: a teacher trainer, an Asst. Professor, and a Content Writer for Second Language Learners in Can N Will Foundation, Chandigarh.
Writing journey
Poetry has anchored Mumtaz Khorakiwala through the most difficult times. Hence, she cherishes this journey of writing poetry which, is therapeutic. Early in college she explored writing: she pasted the best of her fav works in scrap books, wrote in diaries, on scraps of envelopes and journals, and soon became addicted to it.
She recalls the power of Music, Art and Reading Fiction & Poetry stirring her psyche; they were a sort of “Dreamachine*” inducing a psychedelic experience. Perhaps, writing deeply grounded her through epileptic seizures, and helped her fathom her journey as a Healer, through her late thirties. For a brief period she stopped writing Poetry, because she was deeply involved in teaching.
Incidentally, 2019 brought her back right on track, it was the year that she shed her cocoon; and through soul searching journals began writing poetry on different forums. And, from thence there has no been looking back, she hopes to see an anthology of her work soon.
Mumtaz Khorakiwala’s pieces have received several awards on online forums: Poets Inc., Pen Wonders International, Asian Literary Society, and ArtoonsInn Poetry Parlour, Prose & Poetry January Khan, Soul Craft amongst a few etc. selected and published in several anthologies:
A Clean Slate, Unvoiced Heart, 2020: ISBN:978-8194684800;
Around the World:Landscapes & Cityscapes:200 Poems from Poets Around the World, Sweetycat Press, 2021;
Anklets in My Hands, Ukiyoto Publishing, 2021. ISBN978-93-5490-719-7
Healing Journey
Healing came naturally because Batool combated the stigma of epilepsy from her early teens. Later, as wished to delve deeper into herself and understand what triggered convulsions, she ventured into Alternative Therapies: Yoga, Pranic Healing, Switchwords, EFT & Sujok. Whilst taking charge of herself, she realised that these modalities would benefit family, friends and students battling with disease, loss, grief and trauma.
An enriched journey this proved to be, healing helped her celebrate bringing her life to a full circle. It was primarily her interaction with large groups of healers, that helped her explore the role of Aromatherapy in holistic healing — she crafted organic Bathing Salts, Foot Soaks, & Face Scrubs at home. And soon she experimented with Crystals and Essential oils —here began her journey with Essential Oils and natural Hand Made Soaps.
Notes:
1. Dreamachine: one of the 10 national projects Unboxed UK.