It is the lifelong journey for a poet – for any artist to reach somewhere. Sometimes, it's about the realization at the end of the journey – mostly, it is about the revelations on a daily basis in this journey. A lot of inspirational sermons are being passed off as poetry. They end up sounding familiarly like the advice accompanying those good-morning WhatsApp messages. They might win you awards and acclaim, but how much of it is poetry remains debatable. Mannequin Of Our Times is an effort in that direction.

It is an attempt at embracing the ugly within us and knowing no shame in it. It is only this that will bring us to light. It is also my observation of society in times of heightened isolation that we all feel. The contradictions within us at the personal and societal level are what I am aiming to bring out through this book.