A Letter from Talha Sughlatwala

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry on OPRAH show

Jan. 24, 2001

http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/tows_2002/tows_past_20020124.jhtml?promocode=002

http://www.oprah.com/obc/pastbooks/rohinton_mistry/obc_pb_20011130.jhtml

http://www.oprah.com/obc/pastbooks/rohinton_mistry/obc_20020124_discussion.jhtml

A Fine Balance Discussion

Rohinton Mistry took an unflinching look inside India during The Emergency and brought a new cultural awareness to our lives. Read the highlights from our on-air discussion.

A Fine Balance

by Rohinton Mistry Announced November 30, 2001

The time is 1975; the place is India, in an unnamed city by the sea. The corrupt and brutal government has just declared a State of Emergency, and the country is on the edge of chaos. In these precarious circumstances, four strangers are forced to share one cramped apartment and an uncertain future.

Interview with the Author

Rohinton Mistry

``I`ve been asked why I keep writing about India, and specifically Bombay even though I left 26 years ago. It remains my focus and makes it all worthwhile because of the people…their capacity for laughter, their capacity to endure.``

``Perhaps my main intention in writing this novel was to look at history from the bottom up, from the point of view of people like Ishvar and Om. The dispossessed. The hungry. The homeless. [I wanted to] see what it meant to them to live during this time of The Emergency.``

An Unflinching Look Inside Bombay

``I suppose anyone from the West landing in Bombay would first be hit by the crowds. The density of the population—14 million people in a small city and half of them living on the streets or in slums.

The next thing might perhaps be the great contract between wealth and poverty.

The problem of homelessness is worse now than in 1975, because the population has almost doubled. There must be twice as many people living on pavements, in slums and in rudimentary dwellings. People keep coming every day from villages because there is no prospect, they feel.

The street is controlled by the local gang leader who might extract some kind of token payment from a beggar or a pavement dweller. People lay claims to corners and pieces of the pavements just as they would to a sturdier dwelling.

Traffic in the streets of Bombay is chaotic at best. Riding a bicycle is a dangerous occupation. However, there are hundreds of them on the streets competing with the cars and buses and lorries because it is the poor man`s mode of transport.

The train stations in Bombay are crowded…One needs to be physically fit to do the daily commute by train. People travel hanging out of trains, sitting on top of trains, and there are casualties every day.``

A Fine Balance

by Rohinton Mistry

Announced November 30, 2001

About The Author

Born in Bombay in 1952, Rohinton Mistry immigrated to Canada in 1975 and was employed in a Toronto bank. He began writing stories in 1983 while attending the University of Toronto. He won two Hart House literary prizes and Canadian Fiction Magazine`s annual Contributor`s Prize in 1985. In 1987 he published a collection of 11 short stories, Swimming Lessons, and Other Stories from Firozsha Baag (1987), which describes the daily lives of the inhabitants of a Bombay apartment complex.

Rohinton Mistry`s first novel, Such a Long Journey, creates a vivid picture of Indian family life and culture as well as tells a story rich in subject matter, characterization and symbolism. It is set in 1971 Bombay, when India went to war over what was later to become Bangladesh. Mistry skillfully parallels public events involving Indira Gandhi with the misfortunes of the novel`s principal characters. When Such a Long Journey was published in 1991, it won the Governor General`s Award, the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book, and the W.H. Smith/Books in Canada First Novel Award. It was short listed for the prestigious Booker Prize, and for the Trillium Award. It has been translated into German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Japanese. Such a Long Journey was made into a movie in 2000, starring Om Puri and Roshan Seth.

A Fine Balance won the L.A. Times Book Award for Fiction, the Commonwealth Writer`s Prize, Canada`s prestigious Giller Prize and was a 1996 Booker Prize Finalist.

Mistry lives with his wife in Toronto. His new novel Family Matters, will be released by Knopf in 2002.

VijayAmrit!

Dawn is balanced and liberal.

Monthly newsmagazine ``Herald`` is also very good with mostly previous leftists.

krashid

I thought you are an Indian. I was not trying to teach Pakistan anything. If I form my image of Pakistanis by reading foreign newspaper, it won;t be very good. If you want to form image of India, and the truth, go to www.samachar.com.

I read dawn sometimes. You can tell me of a liberal newspaper in pakistan, which gives the right picture.

India Today, is pretty good for India.

Inspite of all this, I somehow felt your intentions are not good. Anyway hope this ends the chain of conversation we have.

Vijay Amrit# 74

My writings in no way, are going in any direction.

It is just an analysis, which is based on my previous experience and reading.

I might be wrong, in my analysis.

As far as your writing of educational system in Pakistan. It cannot change. If you know the ground realities in Pakistan, you should stop telling secularism to Pakistanis. This word is out of dictionary.

So best way to propose is to take concrete steps to mould education in a proper way without invoking secularism.

Pervez Hoodbhoy might be a good scientist, but does only agitation politics, the only aim is to sow seeds of discord. He has started politics after coming from MIT and is limited to his friends in Quaid-e-Azam University. He has no idea on ground realities in Pakistan.

The only good proposal he gave is to keep beaureaucracy out of education.

A few American cum Pakistani on this board do not represent the intelligentia of Pakistan, moreso the extremely religious attitude of most Pakistanis.

If you don`t agree, you can put the alternative.

What I am reading News on BBC or other media, points only in one direction. Either India has to revert back to secularism or there are many potential threats.

krashid #72

I don`t think you get the point. But I will reply to you one more time. Look at NDA and the percentage of MPs from different region. I understand your motive now, and can only laugh at it. You are the one who wants India divided. You know I won`t care if Indians decide that it is in there interest and they divide. I only can laugh at the way you think. Are you very scared of Hindus or BJP, that is making you think like that? If you are, I feel very sorry, but believe me, BJP lost in Rajasthan, supposed to be a strong hold of BJP. Hindus or anyone won`t just vote for hating anyone. Hope this help.s

As far as India was never one, but neither India was divided based on Religion. It got divided based on religion inspite of secular people. So secularism is not the reason for unity, it is just not. Do you see the point? Wether the rest of India should be united or not is a different question. It depends how far back in histroy you want to go? I can quote from AD where India was united to a greater degree. Go and have a look at Ashoka`s Empire. Go and have a look at different times of Indias kingdom and kings. Many king came and there boundary of kingdom varied, but it was never based on religion or language. You will be surprised how the kingdoms boundary crossed all these factors. It was in west, where the boundary of kingdoms were based on these factors, not in India.

There are many more things I can tell you but I won`t reply to your replies anymore, as I doubt your intentions (or maybe you fear and so your intentions does not seem right, but then we should talk about why you fear). When I cannot trust you, you will not be able to trust me and hence the conversation will be useless.

If you can understand me well and good, if you can`t well and good.

A very good article, but unfortunately, it will fall on deaf ears, blind eyes and closed minds. You can debate all you want, but do you think there will be any damn change in your schools?

It`s very dangerous when one tries to combine religion with education. It`s almost as poisonous as religion and politics. It`s not that I have anything against organized religion, but it is a personal matter and should not be confused with matters of the state.

To those of you who romanticize the blending of religion with education at all levels, think about things here in the US. This is a predominantly Christian country and would you all like your kids to learn about the Bible at school--especially when you`re not Christian? Fortunately we all enjoy the fruits of a secular setting and it is almost cynical to wish for something else for the others.

That`s why they have the parochial schooling structure here where if you`re Jewish or Catholic or Baptist, you can send your kids to a religious school where they inculcate the young minds with all the fine points of organized religion, but also ensure that these kids are given a rounded balanced education. While the local state bodies do not get involved in the administration of the schools, they do play a role in setting the agenda. You could even go to the infamous Bob Jones University in South Carolina to get an education--sure you`ll go for Southern Baptist fundementalism if that`s your cup of tea, you`ll also get education in fields such as economics, engineering and the like. Any thing like that in your madressahs?

Anybody ever heard of the Scopes Monkey trial? Has to do with a challenge to teach so-called biblical evolution in school. Fortunately, the US Supreme Court had the good sense to throw it out. Otherwise, we`d all have our kids tell us that God created earth in a week sort of bs.

Another question to ask yourselves: would you wish to give your kids an education in a madressah or in a secular school? Which sort of education will serve to advance the future prospects of your child? Now, why would you want the others to be inflicted with what you do not want your kids to get in the first place?

Cheers

Vijay Amrit!

Secularism or any concept is related to a stage of development of society. It is obvious (whether) you accept it or not that Indian secularism is only in name, now. It is Hindu Nationalism which BJP represents, with the support of North Indians. Whether it is good or bad is another matter. But it is not secularism.

Secular means in the eyes of state, an individuals religion has no meaning. Considering many reports where state (police) has directly participated in killings or supported it kept a blind eye to the excesses is a testimony to that. The attitude of politicians according to your own newspapers is a testimony to that. Nobody is saying secularism is good or bad. It is a seperate discussion. The point is India has deviated from secularism.

As far as your statement of Indian seperation into Pakistan and India could not be prevented inspite of secularism.

Lets go back to history. India has not been a single entity politically. Even in Mughal empire which was the last local empire before independence, their rule was limited to north India. Punjab and Kashmir was ruled by Ranjit Singh and his progeny. Hyderabad was ruled by Nawab, so does Oudh, Bengal, Jhansi and many many states. From the predominantly Muslim rule, the rule was taken over by British.

For most part, starting from before 1857 onward, the struggle against British was a common struggle of locals Hindu, Muslims, etc against British. The situation continued till in late 20,s and early 30,s Muslims started to realize that their economic interest and culture will not be safeguarded in a united India. This impression was in primitive stage. But when Congress got Govt in 1937, it became further clear by their actions.

You can say it in another way, that although Nehru and few other leaders were secular, but majority of nation was still adherent to ethnicity/ biases and was in a much primitive stage.

Ref:Mohajir #64

I hope you are joking!

The following news item appearing in an Indian newspaper offers one more perspective on the Muslim-Hindu relations in that country.

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Lord Ganesha`s invitation for nikaah ceremony!



Rakesh Dhimer in Surat

A marriage invitation card received by some citizens here has aroused the curiosity of many. The card written in Gujarati has a picture of Lord Ganesha on right and Sai Baba on the left. The card is like that of any Hindu marriage invitation except that it is an invitation to the nikaah ceremony of Shabanabi and Sheikh Rahim.

Shabana is the foster daughter of Gajraben Patel, who runs a tea stall in Ambawadi.

When Shabana was four-months-old, her mother Rabiya died. Her father left her in custody of her maternal grand mother Betunben.

Gajraben and Betunben were friends. When Gajraben saw Shabana he decided to adopt her. Gajraben told rediff.com, ``I had six children at that time. Still when I saw Shabana, when she was just four months old, I decided to adopt her. I have brought her up like my own child for the last 20 years. But I have also given her an Islamic education.``

Gajraben`s elder children would drop Shabana at a madarasa before going to school every day.

When Shabana`s marriage was fixed, Betunben insisted on a special kankotry (marriage invitation card). The card is issued by 14 relatives of Gajraben. None of her Muslim relatives are mentioned.

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#krashid

Inspite of following secularism, India did break and Pakistan was created.As far as I know Gandhi, and Nehru were considered very secular. Secularism is not required for unity, it is required because it is good. It is stupid to be non-secular. We should all respect each other religion. People who preach non-secularism will produce a society which is intolerant. This intolerant society`s intolerance will not be limited to religion, it will grow and that society will break again.

Re: krashid

Rashid, your constant hope in all your posts, about India breaking up, is pathetic. That is all I can say, and, as I wrote sometime ago to another dreamer like you... dream on pal, dream on...

krashid #66

I don`t know much about the content so cannot deny or agree. If you note, what I said was nobody will be winner in this. The only problem I had was his thinking that he felt better after the bombing. That made me angry. It was an emotional outburst on his part, so I reacted emotionally, which perhaps I should not have. What do you mean by ``return to secularism``, India is still secular, I think. There had been riots before, but they don`t make it non-secular. Since your name suggest you might be a muslim, I had a question for you if you are Indian Muslim. He also showed that muslims like Pakistan.

I don`t think Pakistanis are bad. I don`t think that Hindus who support the so called ``non-secular`` parties are bad. Some Pakistanis hate Hindus. Some Hindus hate Muslims. If Indian Muslims can feel for Pakistan, why should not Hindus feel the same way for ``non-secular`` party.

Why Muslims feeling for Pakistan is secular and Hindus feeling for such party is non-secular.

I believe and assume that the people who hate are in minority in each place.

VijayAmrit#65

Since you did not deny the contents.

And the contents clearly depict excesses from both sides (in the name of religion or ethnicity or identity whatever you want to give name).

That means it not only exists, but exists in the worst form.

The solution is what.

Kill the Muslims or kill the Hindus.

Or revert back to secularism, which has kept the India intact against all odds.

Historically, India has a very high centrifugal tendency. And the current trend is only fuelling it. With time when the volcano erupts nobody is going to stop it.

I am a Hindu. I never thought about killing Muslim ever. I always thought that if someone is killing based on religion, I will try to stop at my risk (I am not sure, if I will have the courage or not, but at least I dreamt that way.). After reading your article I feel very angry and think if Muslims feel that by doing the bomb blast they showed that they cannot be messed with, I think Hindus should start a riot in Bombay. I don`t live in Bombay, but certainly your article boils my blood man, and it says if blood flows let it flow.

I don`t think anyone will be winner out of riots, but if Muslim think that they can have an upper hand let us see it. Both Hindus and Muslim will loose. I am sure about that, but that won`t matter if somebody thinks like you to me.

Vijay

http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/jul2000-daily/07-07-2000/oped/o3.htm

EXCELLENT ANALYSIS !!!!

America sees reason- Masud Akhtar Shaikh



Clinton`s distrust of India must have been further reinforced by the Pakistani print media which has been constantly warning America about the proverbial unreliable behaviour of Hindus, both as individuals and as a nation. In the meantime, some insider might have whispered into Clinton`s ears that the famous Urdu proverb ``Baghal mein chhury munh mein Ram Ram`` (professing godliness with a knife concealed in the sleeve) is a true reflection of the Hindu mind and that he better be careful while embracing his Indian friends! Clinton`s conscience must have pricked him for having unjustifiably caused distress to an old ally like Pakistan. Hence a directive to Albright et al to mind their words while talking about Pakistan.

gymnosophist #62:

And did I in any way condone this attitude of theirs? I abhor this attitude of the Taliban as much, if not more, as anyone else. Again, I just gave you the reasons they give. I agree their attitude is discriminatory and criminal. I never said they were being rational about this.

And regarding your complaint about the rest of the Islamic world not doing enough about the plight of Afghan women - most of the Arabs are no less rational than the Afghans. Currently I`m in an Arab country where women still don`t have any suffrage, even though in Islam they have been granted political rights. As far as Pakistan is concerned, I can`t say much about the government`s stance but the print media does highlight these problems all the time. And at the moment we`ve got similar problems of our own which we can`t handle so you can`t really expect us to go out and help them. As for the rest of the Muslim countries, again, I`m in no position to say anything.

- lk