REVIEW OF SIDDHARTH CHAUDHARY'S Latest Book

City tales

Abdullah Khan May 10, 2015 Leave a comment

The most enjoyable features of Siddharth’s stories are his expertise to invoke a sense of nostalgia and to write juicy descriptions of places

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There is an oft-quoted saying in the Indian state of Bihar about Biharis living outside their home state and it goes like this: “You can take a Bihari out of Bihar but you can’t take Bihar out of a Bihari.” And this adage perfectly suits Siddharth Chowdhury.

As it happened in his previous two novels, Patna Roughcut andDay Scholar, the historical city of Patna and other cities of Bihar remain to be important settings in many stories of his latest offering also. A collection of interlinked stories, the book is aptly titled The Patna Manual of Style.

The first story of this collection opens in Connaught Place in New Delhi with beautiful descriptions of the locality and its surroundings. The readers are made to walk on the roads around Shivaji Stadium, then made to climb the stairs of Madras Hotel before you are properly introduced to Jai Shanker Sharma aka Jishnu da, the redoubtable character from the author’s previous novel Day Scholar.

Once upon a time, Jishnu da used to be a typical Bihari civil services aspirant. Now, he has become a pimp and importer of Russian and Ukrainian blondes to cater to Indian neo-rich.

Along with Jishnu da we also meet the protagonist of Day Scholar and a budding novelist from Patna, Hriday Thakur, who is the narrator of this story titled ‘The Importer of Blondes’. The meeting between these two unlikely characters are accidental. Hriday has just been thrown out of his current job and trying to think about his future course of actions when Jishnu da bumps into him. Jishnu asks for forgiveness from Hriday for the awful things he did to him in the past. The old scores are settled when Hriday slaps Jishnu. After that, both the men sit down together in a bar to drink.

And here the main plot of story unfolds in Odessa (a city in Ukraine) and we are told the sad story of a Ukranian girl, Anna Kuchma, and learn about her journey from a Ukrainian city to Delhi where she works as a belly dancer. Anna’s story of transformation from an innocent lower class girl to a belly dancer has universal appeal because such things keep happening in all the neo-liberal and capitalist societies where the impoverished and downtrodden have no option but to sell their bodies and souls just to keep themselves alive.

Written in first person, the author has beautifully captured the idiosyncrasies of the characters. 

Jishnu da for whom morality and ethics make little sense is madly in love with Anna, the prettiest girl Jishnu has ever seen and, to everybody’s utter surprise, he is a perfect gentleman with her. The denouement of the story comes as a big surprise when Jishnu does something which is least expected from him.

Written in first person, the author has beautifully captured the idiosyncrasies of the characters. As he always does, Siddharth describes the places and locations in very lucid and interesting manner. Despite the fact that this short story begins in Delhi, travels to Odessa and London, and returns to the Indian Capital as the climax approaches, Patna and Bihar keep making their presence felt throughout the story.

Siddharth’s Patna connection and Bihari identity shape the narrative of another tale titled ‘Death of a Proofreader’. The main character of this story is Samuel Aldington Macaulay Crown, the best known proofreader of Delhi. Son of an Anglo-Indian father and a Bihari mother, Crown is not sure about his identity but feels strongly about his Scottish lineage. What he is sure about is his job as a proofreader as he takes pride in whatever he does. And that is why he is the best in his profession.

Despite his pretensions of being a Scottish, his taste buds are of a Bihari as he has a weakness for a well-known Bihari delicacy called Litti-Chokha. And, on the bench of the famous eatery Yadav Littie Centre in Paharganj, Delhi, he meets Hriday Thakur from Patna. Both of them have been there to enjoy their favourite Bihari dish. They strike a bond in a few minutes of conversation as they discover that they both love litti-chokha and both are the part of the publishing industry. Their relationship continues till the day Crown dies.

Told from the point of view of Hriday Thakur, this story, in fact, starts with Hriday attending the funeral of Crown in a cemetery in Delhi. Crown’s childhood was not easy. He spent his youth in a low paying and demanding job as a proof-reader. In his personal life, too, he couldn’t save his marriage, and had solitude as a companion to him in his post retirement years.

The life story of Crown tells Hriday to re-think of his mission to pursue the path of literary excellence ignoring almost everything in his life. “From Crown’s despair at the loss of his family and his daily pinning for his daughter” makes Hriday realise “the pain he had caused his own parents by cutting himself off” from his family and for not fulfilling the wishes of his parents. And this pondering over his indifference towards his parents brings changes in Hriday’s life as he starts caring about his family which reflects in the increase in the frequency of telephone calls to his parents.

An interesting aspect of the story is that it gives an insider’s view of the Indian publishing industry and we get a chance to meet many eccentric and idiosyncratic editors, writers, publishers, etc. The way the readers feel about the protagonist of this story, Crown, speaks volume of the author’s ability to create a believable character with complexities who is able to garner all the empathy of the readers despite his flaws.

Nestled between these two wonderful stories, there are seven more short stories; each of them makes a fascinating read. The most enjoyable features of Siddharth’s stories are his expertise to invoke a sense of nostalgia and to write juicy descriptions of the places where his stories take place. The time travel as well as travel across the geographies in his stories is so smooth that the readers feel no jerk at all. It is almost like travelling in a Mercedes on Japanese roads.

In short, The Patna Manual of Style is a perfect example of a good fiction book. My only complaint against the author is why on earth does he write books that are so slim. My only request to him is that his next novel should be at least 300 pages long if a magnum opus likeA Suitable Boy is not possible.

The Patna Manual of Style
Author: Siddharth Chowdhury
Publisher: Aleph Book Company, India
Pages: 143
Price: INR 295

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IQBAL by Zafar Anjum

·         Title of the Book:    IQBAL: The Life of a Poet, Philosopher and Politician

·         Author:                    Zafar Anjum

·         Hardcover:              320 pages

·         Publisher:                Random House India

·         Price:                       INR 499

The Legacy of Allama Iqbal

Khudi ko kar bulund itna ke har taqdeer se pahle

Khuda bande se khud poochhe teri raza kya hai

(Exalt thyself so high that before issuing the decree of fate

God may ask what your desire is.)

Years ago, I heard these lines from my father who also explained me the concept of Khudi or selfhood, and it was my first introduction to Allama Iqbal. For many years this couplet adorned the wall next to my study table. Whenever I felt low I would recite it loudly. It made me feel better. Later, I loved his poems which were coloured in patriotism and gave the message of communal harmony and peace. But, at the same time, I also wondered how come a poet who had written Sare Jahan Se Achha Hindustan Hamara became ‘the spiritual father of Pakistan’. The book under review, to some extent, answers my questions about this great poet’s transformation from an Indian nationalist poet to a votary of pan-Islamism.

As a surprise to many of us, Zafar Anjum, the author, is not a scholar of Urdu literature and neither is he connected to the legacy of Iqbal directly or indirectly except that his hostel in his alma mater, Aligarh Muslim University, was called Allma Iqbal Hall. Hailing from a small town in Bihar, India, he, in fact, is a Singapore based journalist who edits technology publications (again no connection with Urdu literature).  Without taking resort to sophistry of a scholar, in this important book, Zafar, relate to us the important turning points in Iqbal’s life which shaped his political views and philosophical thoughts. He doesn’t use heavy texts or complex literary or philosophical theories to explain things. His prose is highly readable and free flow, making this book accessible to the general readers. At the beginning of this meticulously researched book Zafar declares why he chose to write about the poet and the chapter is as interesting as rest of the book.

The beautifully written introduction of  Iqbal: The Life of a Poet Philosopher and Politician begins with an explanation of the contradictions in Iqbal’s personality. It was the same Iqbal who was  called ‘Poet Laureate of Asia’, wrote anthem about the undivided India, called Lord Rama Imam-e-Hind , drew inspiration from legendry Sanskrit poet Bhartrihari and was proud of his Kashmiri Hindu ancestry. Many of his poems also have elements of communism weaved into them. Surprisingly, for many, the same Iqbal is considered to be a person who initially mooted the idea of Pakistan.  Even Iranian thinks that Iqbal’s philosophy was also an inspiration for those who brought Islamic revolution in Iran. Owing to these contrasting views about Iqbal, in 21^st century, he is celebrated, at the one hand, as ‘the Poet of the East’ by the Pakistani rightwing formations and on the other hand he is totally ignored in India.

            Divided into four parts, the first part of the book describes Iqbal’s formative years in his home town. With a modest family background and little means, Iqbal, with his diligence and hardwork, became a famous name in the poetry circle of his city. Iqbal also excelled in his academics and later went to England to pursue higher studies.

 The part two of the book is titled Europe and chronicles Iqbal’s life in England from 1905 to 1908. True to his character, in England he impressed his teachers as well as his fellow students with the philosophical depths of his thoughts. Among his admirers was an Istanbul born girl, Atiya Begum, with whom Iqbal shared a special bond of friendship, They both loved poetry and philosophy. Zafar Anjum has intelligently used Atiya’s works about Iqbal along with other sources to recreate Iqbal’s life in England and Germany during his student days. The chapters on Iqbal-Atiya friendship comes out really well and provokes you to read more about their encounters with each other.

The next part delineates the poet’s life in Lahore as a lawyer and details his struggles in his personal life. We get to know about his relationship with his three wives. The story of his Knighthood by the British government also makes a fascinating read. 

The final part, the fourth one, is about Iqbal’s political life and changes in his views about the idea of the nation state. ‘By 1900, the concept of a Muslim nation was visibly embedded in his poetry.’ This is how he foresaw a change in the fortunes of Muslims in 1907:

The silence of Mecca has proclaimed to the expectant ears at last

That the compact made with the desert-dwellers will made good again

The lion that had emerged out of the wilderness to upset the Empire of Rome

The angels have told me - that lion will awaken once more

It was his trip to Spain that finally made Allama Iqbal a staunch supporter of Islamic revivalism. In Madrid, he visited the legendry mosque of Cordoba and offered Namaz. The mosque-converted church reminded him the past glory of Islamic Spain. That was an emotional as well as spiritual moment for him which later moulded his religious and political beliefs. The concept of a Muslim state he initially thought about, finally came into being in 1947 (almost a decade after his death) after a bloody conflict which is still unmatched in the history of sub-continental India. But, many believe that Pakistan which exists now was not something Iqbal had really wished for. He never asked for a separate country but a state with more autonomy within undivided India.

 In the poet’s vision, the Muslim state was only for the Muslims of Punajb, Sindh, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkha and the entire population of Indian Muslims had never been a part of his agenda.

There are numerous books available on Iqbal. Still, Zafar has managed to impress his readers by looking at the poet’s life from a different and refreshing angle. The quality of prose is exceptionally good with lower fog index. The neutrality of the author’s voice is also an important feature of this book except at places where an admirer in Zafar dominates over the author.

I would like to end this review with a paragraph from the introduction of the book: People may argue about Iqbal’s status as an Indian or Pakistani , as a Muslim poet or communist, or even humanist. But in his own lifetime, Iqbal had outgrown all categories. He is a shared heritage for the whole world and we ought to celebrate him as such.

[Abdullah Khan is a Delhi based writer and literary critic. He can be reached at abdullah71@gmail.com ]

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A BOOK REVIEW IN EARTHEN LAMP JOURNAL

 

·         Title of the Book: The Way Things Were

·         Author: Atish Taseer

·         Hardcover: 563 pages

·         Publisher: Picador India; First edition (4 December 2014)

·         Language: English

·         Price:  INR  699/-

Aatish Taseer’s latest novel, The Way Things Were, is about a strange beast called History. ‘What constitutes history?’ has been a subject of constant discussion in our country since the British left the Indian shores in 1947. Everybody, from the hoi polloi to the intellectuals and the politicians, looks at history through the prism of their particular ideologies and beliefs, especially the politicians, both left and right  manipulate it to suit their ideological necessities.

In Mark Twain words, ‘the very ink with which history is written is merely fluid prejudice.’ But, one of the main characters of this novel, Toby, would never agree with Twain. For him, the word Itihasa which means The Way Things Were is self-explanatory, and mythology and legends are also a part of them.

The question ‘what exactly history is and how it impacts our present and future’ is a major theme in this novel. The book is also about Sanskrit and the genesis of languages across the world. Similar sounding words from different languages with similar meanings but no direct cultural connection indicate that several languages have a common mother. The book tries to convey the message that languages are a shared legacy of human beings. It also tries to assimilate different definitions of Indian culture.  Concerns regarding the rise of right-wing politics run through the entire novel. 

The book opens in Manhattan, New York, with Skanda, a Sanskrit Scholar, who is busy translating the text of Kalidasa’s Kumarasambhava from Sanskrit into English when he receives the news of his father’s death. His mother, Uma, who is separated from his father, Toby, insists that he should take his father’s body to his birthplace in India for the final rites and then he should immerse his father’s ashes in the holy river, Tamasa, as per Hindu traditions.  

Skanda’s trip to India gets him a beautiful girlfriend called Gauri. His journey brings him ‘deep within three generations of his family, whose fractures frailties and toxic legacies Skanda has always sought to elude.’ The important part of family history that matters most to Skanda is the story of his parents’ doomed marriage. As the story of Toby, the Sanskrit Scholar from a royal family, and Uma, the former air-hostess is recounted, we hear the reverberations of the major events of the post-Independence India. It includes the Emergency of 1975, Indira Gandhi’s assassination, the subsequent anti-Sikh pogroms in 1984 and the demolition of the Babari mosque at Ayodhya in 1992.

The exceptional quality of prose has always been the hallmark of Aatish Taseer’s writings. From his memoir-cum- travelogue  Stranger to History to his translation of Manto and then his novels, he plays with language beautifully. His understanding of South Asian history is very deep and that comes out well in his narratives. A close reading of his books reveals that there are similarities among the protagonists of all his novels as each of them is in part influenced by the life of the author. And this fact, somehow, makes the characters predictable. Complex, multidimensional characters connect better with the readers but that doesn't happen with this novel. Both Skanda and Toby are believable and likeable characters but the readers may not be able to make an emotional investment in them. For example, when Toby and Uma separate, the reader feels no pang of separation.

 The major socio-political events like the 1984 riots or the Babari Mosque demolition were supposed to play significant roles in defining the tone and feel of this novel and draw the readers deep in to it. But it doesn't happen since the reader only hears the echoes of these incidents as a bystander who has no stake in it.

Despite these shortcomings it is a novel worth reading.

 To read this review on ELJ , please click here

An Interview with Raza Rumi

 This interview was meant to be published in an international magazine but it couldn't be. So, I am posting here on my BLOG. The interview was conducted just after the release of Raza Rumi's Book in India. 

Raza (Ahmed) Rumi is a Pakistani columnist, writer, journalist, editor, and peace activist. He edits and regularly writes for The Friday Times, Express Tribune and The News on diverse topics such as politics, security, history, arts, literature and society. He is also associated with Aman Ki Asha which a joint initiative by The Jang Group, Pakistan and The Times of India, India to promote peace between India and Pakistan. Recently, he has published a book on Delhi which is getting rave reviews in the media. Here Raza Rumi talks to Abdullah Khan about his Book (Delhi by Heart) and the past and future of Indo-Pak relationship.

The Star: Delhi by Heart is being lapped up by the Indian readers. What are the responses of the Pakistani readers?

Raza Rumi:Quite surprisingly the Pakistani readers have given a great reception. All copies of the book which have come to Pakistan have been sold out. The literary festivals have celebrated it and almost all the Pakistani publications have carried rather favourable reviews. What more can a write ask for? To be honest I did not keep the audience in mind when I wrote the book. There is however a small group of people who have without reading the book criticised it for the fact that it is about Delhi – the enemy capital – and thus raised questions about my patriotism. This is the irony of our predicament: a book which celebrates history becomes a threat for some fragile, ill-informed nationalistic minds.

The Star: You have travelled to many great cities in your home country as well outside Pakistan. But you chose to write about Delhi. Why so?

Raza Rumi:I have explained this partly in the book. It was an accident as I intended to write about something else but visits to Delhi and exploring its past was most exciting and profound – almost as if I was exploring myself, my history and complex, centuries-old heritage.

 

The Star: How do you slot your book? Is it a travelogue? Or is it a book about the social and cultural history of Delhi? Or this is something else?

Raza Rumi: I know such definitions are important for the publishing industry. The book is pitched as a travel-memoir but as a very senior English professor said that DBH defies the necessity of a genre: it is a bit of many things much like my scattered personality – part history, part travel, reportage & commentary. This is why I chose ‘impressions’ in the byline to ensure that there is no overt label. A Pakistani linguist, historian Dr Tariq Rahman has also called it the social history of Muslims in North India, etc etc. However, I would like it to be read as a documentation of a personal journey.

The Star: What aspect of the city you liked the most?

Raza Rumi: As the book shows, Delhi’s past is most fascinating. Also the ability of the city to have withstood the vicissitudes of time.Even as a modern metropolis despite its problems of pollution, overcrowding and disconnectedness it is an intriguing mix of past and present. Its older cultures are apparently dying but in effect trasnmuting into diffterent shapes and sensisibilites.

The Star: During the book launch in Delhi, you said there are many similarities between Lahore and Delhi. Please elaborate.  And what are the differences between these two cities?

Raza Rumi:I wrote in the book that initially the city reminded me of Lahore and hence was immediately familiar and accessible. But overtime I am revising my opinion. Lahore after 1947 turned into a provincial capital and was robbed of its diversity due to huge population transfers. The contemporary Lahore is well developed and thriving as a cutural centre yet it betrays a neglct of its history and heritage. Not too different from Delhi where the old seems to be an inconevenice of sorts.

The Star: You are among selected few South Asian intellectuals who have been striving to improve relationship between Pakistan and India? According to you what are the major hurdles in the way of the lasting peace between these two neighbours?

Raza Rumi: The baggage of history and the young, constructed nationalisms are the greatest barrier. The two states display myopia and utter disregard of public interest. Blame game is almost a policy tool. However, in Pakistan there is an unprecedented moment now – all political forces want normalisation of ties with India and are engaged in a struggle with civil-military bureaucracy to achieve that goal.

The Star: Do you think that the track II diplomacy and initiatives like‘Aman ki Asha’ will make any difference?

Raza Rumi:Track II process is a vital component of larger gamut of diplomacy. On its own it can’t achieve much unless Track I (formal channels) are active and vibrant. I have been and still am a part of many such initiaitves. They are useful but becoming a little repetitive and unimaginative. Aman ki Asha has a distinctive edge of being led by two corporate media houses. It has a huge spillover effect. There is a bit of a schizophrania as well. Media outlets sell jingoism as well whule advocatign peace.

The Star: Whenever we talk about the peace in South Asia, we only discuss the issues between India and Pakistan? Do you think Bangladesh has any role to play when it comes to the issues of peace between India and Pakistan?

Raza Rumi:I think Bangladesh is a very importan country of the region. Also, its creation, memory is central to the fears of Pakistani establishment. Pakistan cannot be at peace with itself until it recognises that it wronged the Bengalis. At the same time, Bangladesh has to be cognizant that Pakistan is not the same as 1971 – its has changed and evolved with generations oblivious of the past acrimony. Having said that, it does not have a direct role in ending Indo-Pak rivalry. The elites of India and Pakistan need to realise that they have been unfair to the people and in waging their power struggles have impoverished the subcontinent. Public opinion is important here but it is also hostage to elite manipulation.

The Star: Where do you see India and Pakistan in next 50 years? Do you believe that the things are going to change for the better?

Raza Rumi:There is no alternative for things to move in the right direction – of regional economic integration, bilateral trust building. The other option of continued conflict will be inimical and suicidal. I foresee a South Asian Union, a desi version of the European Union model in the decades to come. Hopefully before 50 years when I am most likely to be dead.

The Star: When are you going to write your next book?

Raza Rumi:I am already working on a book on Pakistan’s contemporary political events. Having worked as an active journalist since 2008 there is a story to relate. Let’s hope I finish it soon!

(Abdullah Khan is a Delhi (India) based writer and literary critic. He can be reached at abdullah71@gmail.com)