Interview with Harnehmat Kaur, Co-founder of Daakroom

An exclusive interview with Harnehmat Kaur, Co-founder of Daakroom

Harnehmat Kaur, Co-founder, Daakroom hails from Chandigarh. An exhibition and spatial design graduate, she got her degree from National Institute of Design Ahmedabad in 2015 and is currently pursuing her Masters in Design from NID Bangalore in Information Design.

A letter writing enthusiast, prior to giving her heart and soul to the idea of reviving the art of letter writing in India, Harnehmat worked on multi-disciplinary design projects, including the Museum of Socialism (Lucknow). A designer, storyteller and narrative builder, she looks for opportunities in 2D and 3D to do the same.

Her fondness for letter writing and a strong belief in its relevance in today’s digital era, combined with the knowledge of designing spaces, experiences and graphics comes together beautifully for Daakroom.

A film, travel and food enthusiast, when Harnehmat is not exploring avenues to promote Daakroom, she loves spending time with nature, baking and learning hook steps to Bollywood numbers. You are most likely to find her on the road to some place with a book in her bag and a map in hand.

Can you share the inspiration behind Daakroom and the idea of hosting a Letter Writing Carnival?

Harnehmat Kaur: Daakroom was born from our personal love for writing letters, especially in our college days, and the vision to see them becoming a relevant medium of communication in today’s fast digital age. We (co-founders Shivani & Harnehmat) would devise creative ways to inspire people from all walks of life to put pen to paper.

Starting from a small postcard stall in our alma mater, National Institute of Design, on World Post Day, 9th October 2013 to doing large scale events and campaigns across the country, we’ve evolved our strategies to make as many people fall in love with letter writing as possible. We’ve been passionately working since 9 years and have managed to get more than 7 lakh letters written till date! 

Daakroom’s Letter Writing Carnival is a culmination of all our efforts to make people of all age groups and from all walks of life put pen to paper. The city is welcomed to participate in competitions, activities and workshops related to writing and art in an atmosphere of relaxed enjoyment.

Our speciality is creating an authentic postal experience with India Post by having a Post Office, Letterbox, Postman and lots of information and reasons to write! It’s a Family Funday everyone wants and Digital Detox they need.

Letter writing is a traditional form of communication in an age dominated by digital messaging. What motivated you to revive and celebrate this art form?

Harnehmat Kaur: Letter writing may be traditional but still extremely relevant! It is exactly this thought that motivated us to spread the love for letters and make them fun and cool! When instant messaging and video chats took over, communication definitely became faster but not necessarily better!

We do not deny the advantages of quick communication methods but the beauty and personalization of a letter remains unchallenged, more so because they are becoming rarer. We at Daakroom advocate that every means of communication has its own place and must be respected and used for that. If there is ever an opportunity to say something from the depth of your heart to a special someone, then letters are truly the only way.

Daakroom aims to bring people together through letters. How have you seen this initiative foster connections and meaningful communication among participants?

Harnehmat Kaur: We started out by convincing individuals to write to their loved ones on tiny little postcards. Their smiles and stories that they shared of how their friends and families reacted on receiving the cards stands testimony to how the written word brings people closer.

Eventually when we started nation-wide initiatives, we could take this sentiment and experience to thousands of people! Our annual campaign with JK Paper called “Letter to my Supermom” encourages children to write letters to their mothers and the interactions are absolutely heartwarming!

Could you describe the format and activities of the Letter Writing Carnival? When is the event and what can attendees expect from the event?

Harnehmat Kaur: Daakroom’s Letter Writing Carnival is on Sunday, October 29, 2023 at Gandhi Darshan (opposite Rajghat), Delhi. It is a unique carnival designed to re-introduce children & larger audiences to letter writing in innovative, creative and engaging ways.

The name comes from the word ‘Daak’, which means post in Hindi. Among a lot of experiential elements, we even recreate the post office experience with a Post box and a real Postman!

Daakroom hosts competitions, events and workshops around writing and post – like philately, calligraphy, origami, graphology, letter writing, postcard making and so on. It also has music, theatre, dance and interactive demos from the Postal Department, deploying fun ways to get people of all age groups excited about letter writing! It’s the Family Funday people want, and the Digital Detox they need!

Letters often carry emotional weight and personal stories. Can you share any memorable or touching moments from past Letter Writing Carnivals?

Harnehmat Kaur: “Yahaan in sab ko chhitthi likhte dekh ke, mujhe mera bachpan yaad aa gaya!” These were the words of an elderly gentleman at our Delhi Carnival in 2022 which came with a teary smile and a full heart. He spent hours at our carnival, wrote many letters and postcards, appreciated the Indian Postal system and left with a smile. To have been witness to his experience was truly beautiful. 

Also, more often than not we get visitors who reluctantly start by writing one postcard/letter and end up spending a couple of hours writing very many postcards! Those are our favourite kind of people 🙂

In the digital age, how do you see letter writing contributing to mindfulness and well-being, and what role does Daakroom play in promoting these benefits?

Harnehmat Kaur: Writing things by hand is a very tangible process. It fires up your creativity, gives you a lot of freedom – of writing in any language, even doodling in the middle. It helps organise thoughts more efficiently – especially when you don’t have the freedom to cut, copy, paste, delete, you think better before you write, instead of writing and then editing indefinite times afterwards.

It’s almost a therapeutic process, to sit down and write for someone. We at Daakroom promote these by providing workshops like journaling, letter writing, etc. and even work with psychologists to make our experiences wholesome!

Many people may not have written a physical letter in years. How does Daakroom help newcomers or those unfamiliar with letter writing get started and feel comfortable with the process?

Harnehmat Kaur: Daakroom brings the entire convenience and know-how of letter writing with information, guides and trivia. Our products and events even have literal “reasons to write” to inspire people to put pen to paper, some being –  write to the army, write to a celebrity (we’ve collected some public addresses too!), write to the honourable Prime Minister, write to a loved one for their birthday, anniversary, etc.

We believe that pretty stationery also inspires people to write and send, so we design various creatives! But the most important thing we have been able to do, is to bring convenience to people to post by the support of the Department of Post. Their philatelic items and post box make writing & posting irresistible for some people!

The art of letter writing includes choosing the right stationery, crafting words, and personalizing the message. What tips do you offer to participants to make their letters more meaningful and expressive?

Harnehmat Kaur: Here are a few ways to help you put pen to paper and let your words flow:

• Try keeping your phone away while writing, because that’s one of the lovely things about a letter. You can write it without digital distractions. Even if you want to concentrate while writing an email, a ping on whatsapp or a call from someone can very easily disturb your flow.
• The first step is writing your thoughts down, and next comes the delivery. But there are some letters that don’t even need to be delivered to create an impact. Like a letter to yourself (or your future self), to someone you lost, or to someone you’re angry with. Just writing your thoughts down can make a difference. 
• Find your reasons to write! Remember that a digital message will never make the receiver feel as special as a handwritten note can. Collect addresses of your loved ones in your phone contacts and send them a piece of your heart to treasure forever on birthdays, anniversaries, festivals, promotions and even just like that… because why not 🙂

Are there any particular themes or prompts that you often use during the Letter Writing Carnival to spark creativity and meaningful conversations?

Harnehmat Kaur: Absolutely! You are bound to find a reason to write at every corner of our carnival! From fun stationery by brands small and big, to workshops on calligraphy, graphology, diy vintage paper, etc. and even competitions like best handwriting, postcard making and letter writing.

If that’s not enough, there are activities like use a typewriter, get a wax seal, have fun with rubber stamps and so so many more!

What message or advice do you have for those who may be interested in attending a Daakroom event or starting their journey into letter writing?

Harnehmat Kaur: Often, it’s hard to say some things to some people, and your feelings become easier to capture when you open them up to a letter. All you need to write one is a paper, pen and your heart, which are extremely accessible at most times! So here are some tips :

• Don’t get overwhelmed. Letters don’t necessarily have to be several pages long. Even a tiny sticky note saying you love someone, or that you’ll miss them, can do wonders in making someone’s day.
• While slow post and the time it takes adds its own beauty to a letter, if you are a beginner and unsure about when your letter will reach, consider using faster modes like speed post, registered post, or surprise someone simply by slipping your letter under their door, under their pillow, or in their notebook!

Rest, come to our Letter Writing Carnival and we guarantee that you will fall in love with letters and writing 🙂

Finally, tips and avenues to explore making a pen pal in the whatsapp era?

Harnehmat Kaur: Here are some ways to start making a pen pal in the whatsapp era:

• Come to Daakroom’s Letter Writing Carnival: We have a pen pal station that can help you register as a pen pal and even find one!
• Join Pen Pal Websites and Apps: Platforms like InterPals, PenPal World, and Global Penfriends are designed to connect people from different parts of the world interested in exchanging letters.
• Start with Digital, Move to Paper: Begin your connection through digital means like email or messaging apps and, once comfortable, transition to handwritten letters.
• Join Pen Pal Social Media Groups: Platforms such as Facebook and Reddit have groups dedicated to finding and connecting with pen pals. Join these communities and express your interest.

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