A Writers Tale: India- of whims and woes

Yann Martel, a writer of Canadian origin, best known for his Man-Booker prize award winning novel, “Life of Pi” was in news recently for apparently to what some might believe for insulting India. This isn’t the first time someone has criticised India, nor would it be the last. But what remains a constant is the sheer vanity with which we rise to an occasion such as this to protect the sacrilegious notion that some uneducated yet enlightened few propagate as mainstream religious sentiments or as in this case national pride.

Martel was first in news in 2002 when his book won the prize, and what did he say of India then?

I have always loved India. It's a wonderful, horrible place. India is all lives in one place, India is all emotions in one place, it's an extraordinary, dazzling place, it's all the wonder and horror of life. There are stories that can be told only in India…There are things that are possible in India that aren't possible anywhere else. It's horrible in the sense that the rule of law is so arbitrary. But the upside is that given the diversity, it's amazing how it still holds itself together. It's a country that dazzles me because it's all of life.

In news recently again as his book has been adapted into a film by the same name:

“You know you can't fall asleep in India both morally and existentially - for better or for worse. In some ways, India is a horrible place. It's corrupt, violent; there are inequities that are disturbing. At the same time, the place gave us Mahatma Gandhi. It's a place of idealism and corruption,”

India is the best and the worst of humanity. There's lot of extremism. Sometimes it gets a little exhausting,” said the 49-year-old, adding, “What India brought to me was that for first time I actually and seriously considered faith. What does it mean to believe in Vishnu and Allah and Buddha and Jesus? Religion in India for better or for worse is still a mainstream thing right? It's worst in the extremism of BJP and Shiv Sena and like that but then it's also positive. Because I was in India, it got me intrigued by religion and that also led me to write Life of Pi and also changed my life,”

I am a proud Indian. I am, and there’s no denying it. I am not ashamed of my country despite its obvious shortcomings, and it does hurt what Yarn Martell said. Not because his views are derogatory or disrespectful, but because they are true. It’s the bitter truth. And Martell deserves some credit that he really sugar coated it. He said all this in a way which wasn’t degrading. He’s an outsider, a foreigner, living in India for say 2 years, the time during which he wrote the book, obviously influenced him deeply to change his life. Whatever his views, they might be influenced by people around him who might be biased, but it’s still the truth.

Ever since the comments surfaced, the country has been in a furore where talks have been to boycott the film or perhaps even ban it altogether. This, in a country where every religion teaches forbearance. The Bhagavad Gita is practically based on forbearance. So is Koran, and Bible. Something as sacred as Religion in India; does it actually take a dent in its armour, if some people chose to ridicule? If yes, is it really as strong as it was projected? And if not, is it really worth protecting then?

Most times people who are rioting don’t even know what they are there for. Talk to any seasoned Indian politician who loves his theatrics. And it’s the truth.

People are offended when an outsider calls India a corrupt nation. Don’t we ourselves do that every day? The current Congress government’s rule has been full of scandals, scams and controversies. I don’t side with BJP either. Given the power of opposition, had they been resolute they could have brought down the government. The scams which reached even the Indian Army, were not just gun powder, but nuclear fissible material. But no. They (BJP) failed even as an opposition.

Arvind Kejriwal, the new face of the Aam Aadmi- the Mango People, has constantly been branded as an agent of Congress when he defiles BJP, and vice versa when it’s Congress at the receiving end. I on the other hand believe he’s a Pakistani, ISI spy, and Anna Hazare the secret head of ISI, who has infiltrated India in disguise.

We can either keep denying it or fix it. Apple did it with their disastrous Maps. Why can’t we?