“Dasht-e-Tanhai” wins a Prize for Nadeem Aslam

Ballukhan # 5

(In the villages, more than in the cities, the clergy is also a part of the social elite and helps to influence the politics and customs of the village life.)

I beg to differ on this. In villages, clergy is not madressa-educated Mulla but good old Maulvee. He is treated as a cast just like the Moochi, Kumhar, Taeli, Lohar, Mirasee, Musalee, Julahaa...etc. After every crop, he get his share. He or his son goes to all the houses of the village in the evening and gets a Rotee. He performs religious rituals like Azaan in the ear of newly born, Nikaa, Fateha etc.

His sermon is in Punjabi and it consists of fairy-tale like stories of Islam.

The dangerous guy is the Mulla educated from the Madressa usually located on the outskirts of big cities. Small towns are also notorious for radicle Mullas.

But the run-of-mill village Maulvee is quite harmless and a safe creature.

nhk

Let me also quote Feroz on this Mullahs-On-The-Fringe thesis on which we share similar views:

``Therefore, contary to your claim, the mullah/clergy is an elite group in the context of Pakistan. The clergy of Pakistan which is a minority political group, excersies political power in Pakistan beyond its size and it is able to influence politics to a signficant extent. The clergy has a well defined and established role in the rural areas of Pakistan, where it helps to influence the issues. In the villages, more than in the cities, the clergy is also a part of the social elite and helps to influence the politics and customs of the village life. The clergy, through use of Islam as a tool for cultural expression, is also able to create a very powerful niche for itself in society. When all thse factors are taken into account, the mullah/clery does fit the bill of being an elite in Pakistani society, because of its power base, which is not representative to its numerical percentage as a part of Pakistani society.
........ ``

http://www.chowk.com/show_article.cgi?aid=00004959&channel=civic%20center

Re: # 3
I have not read Aslm`s book but from what I can see :
``This is a story of Pakistani conservatism in a liberated ambience of England, a story of a civilization clash within a family of blended values of liberalism and orthodoxy. ``

Obviously Alam raised the issues about Conservatism within the Pakistani society which draws its sustenance from the mullahs who are definitely not in the fringes but are nearer to the CORE of Pakistani power centres.
It is also a sad fact that to those elites in the `inner most core` these mullahs only appear to be distant (and hence `manageable`) from their vantage position and hence on the `fringes` . But look at this society from a different view and this so called fringe looks NEARER to the core. Stop seeing this Pakistan from the eyes of these elites who do not consider Mullahism as of any pernicious influence to Pakistan- so that they may not make the mistake that the people of Gujrat did when they tolerated BJP and elected Modi.

Re: # 1:

Obsessive-compulsive reaction!

Pakistan too happens to have homeless children (among other disadvantaged groups), so should the author wish to use his royalties he may not fall short of worthy causes to support. Mullahs are the fringe elements. Wonder why no one thinks it fit to wish that Suketu Mehta of Gujarati origin has not chosen to do anything about the other kinds of mullahs in our backyard...

Gill saab:

Thank you for bringing Nadeem Aslam into focus here. I read somewhere that he took almost 13 years to write the novel and would try and stay in areas that had a Paksitani population so that stories leaped out at him at every corner. It is also said that at one point when the novel wasn`t moving fast enough, he shut himself from all outside distractions, including the telephone and internet, and discovered about 9/11 only on the 20th of that month. This is just trivia...

I have not read the book, but I am sure it would be a better understanding of the community than that appalling film `East is East`.

I was particularly struck by your comment when you were conversing with a white woman at a bar and she assumed you were from Bradford...you said, “No, not from that Pakistan.”

The lady`s ignorance notwithstanding, I wonder what went through your mind -- an aversion to `that` Pakistan because it was a ghetto or a greater identification with `this` Pakistan that you had left? Would Bradford qualify as the greater Other for you than Pakistan? If so, then why?

I am intrigued and these queries are posed in good faith and a bit of curiosity!

Regards,
Farzana

``According to kiriyamaprize.org, “..Suketu Mehta .. reportedly plans to use royalties from the sales of the .. book Maximum City to sue India’s government on behalf of the city’s homeless children.” This is a worthy cause and Seketu should be admired for his noble intention.............``

Excellent cause! I am all for it!!! I wonder if the Pakistanin author would do something similar for his mullahdom!!