Inaugurating the literary festival, Lekhi praised the efforts of the J&K administration for organising a festival of this kind and said that such festivals inspire youth to explore their inherent creativity and also attract literati from across the country…reports Asian Lite News.
The first-ever literary festival in J&K was inaugurated on Wednesday by Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi at ski resort Gulmarg.
The literary festival, organised by the Union Territory administration, has brought many literary personalities from across the country to mark the 75 years of independence, and is part of the ‘Iconic Week Celebrations’ under the Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM).
In this festival, known writers, emerging poets and intellectuals will discuss and analyse several aspects of literary traditions.
Inaugurating the literary festival, Lekhi praised the efforts of the J&K administration for organising a festival of this kind and said that such festivals inspire youth to explore their inherent creativity and also attract literati from across the country.
She emphasised that literary festivals provide a platform to the budding writers and young enthusiasts to express their ideas and feelings.
Kashmir has been a seat of learning and culture since ancient times and maintained that these literary festivals can play a part in maintaining that harmony and co-existence, she said, adding that such festivals definitely protect our culture, heritage and also play a role in celebrating ‘Unity in Diversity’.
In the morning session moderated by writer Arjun Gaind, famous writers Kanchana Banerjee, Anuja Chandramouli, Koral Dasgupta, and Neil D’Silva participated.
In another session moderated by Siddhartha Gigoo, meant for the budding writers from Jammu and Kashmir, four young poets and writers, Anushka Dhar, Manpreet Kour, Mahpara Khan and famous Urdu poet and DC Srinagar, Mohammad Aijaz Asad (IAS) participated.
In this session, Asad who is a recipient of Rashtriya Gaurav Award, 2019 for his book “Barf Zaar”, presented some of the famous couplets from his book.
Happy to inaugurate the 1st Gulmarg Literary Festival today. It will celebrate writing from authors all over India & provide a wonderful platform to budding writers. Kashmir has rich literature & organisation of such events further promote our rich culture & traditions. pic.twitter.com/y2vV2CS8vC
In another session, in conversation with Geetika Kohli, celebrated poet and famous Bollywood lyricist Irshad Kamil threw light on his literary journey.
Kohli’s songs have appeared in famous Bollywood movies like “Sultan”, “Jab We Met”, “Highway” and “Love Aaj Kal”.
Other sessions with themes “Writing and Reporting in a Fractured World”, and on mythology, romance, memoir, history, fantasy, and folklore were also held.
In the afternoon session, Indra Basu had conversation with Dolly Thakur on the theme, “Many Languages of Belonging”.
Chiragi Solanki is conducting workshops and classes for the elderly communities to keep them healthy. She also helps children with special needs in school, for their well-being through dance activities … reports Asian Lite News
Mayor of an English province honours Bollywood choreographer and dancer Chragi Solanki. The Lord Mayor of Leeds lauds the contribution of Chiragi to popularise Indian dance forms among the communities in the region.
The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Asghar Khan presented Chiragi with the community award in recognition of her work. Chiragi is promoting Indian dance forms through her forum British Indian Bollywood Arts (BiBa). She is also working as Cultural Secretary at Leeds Hindu Temple; Artistic Coordinator at Haqooq: Aspire for More.
Chiragi is conducting workshops and classes for the elderly communities to keep them healthy. She also helps children with special needs in school, for their well-being through dance activities.
She is also organising, afternoon tea in the civic hall to raise money for Lord mayor’s charity.
The Lord mayor asked about Chiragi’s works as a dance teacher and fitness enthusiast. She has been conducting classes and workshops for over 26 years. These classes lead to the physical and mental well-being of all age groups, including the elderly.
Lord Mayor of Leeds Counsellor Asghar Khan with Chiragi Solanki
Leeds Mayor Honours Indian-origin dancer Chiragi Solanki
Indian-origin dancer Chiragi Solanki with her dance team
Chiragi Solanki with the elderly students
Chiragi Solanki with students
Leeds Mayor Honours Indian-origin dancer Chiragi Solanki
Lord Mayor of Leeds Counsellor Asghar Khan with Chiragi Solanki
Lord Mayor of Leeds Counsellor Asghar Khan with Chiragi Solanki
Chiragi Solanki with Bollywood enthusiasts
Lord Mayor of Leeds Counsellor Asghar Khan with Chiragi Solanki
Thrice featured on the Booker Prize shortlist, she taught for many years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she is now an Emerita Professor…reports Asian Lite News.
Anita Desai, one of India’s best-known authors, has been conferred with the Tata Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award for 2021.
Desai’s authorship has spanned more than 50 years, with memorable works such as ‘Fire On The Mountain’, ‘Cry The Peacock’, ‘A Village By The Sea’, ‘The Clear Light Of Day’, ‘Baumgartner’s Bombay’, and ‘In Custody’, which was made into a Merchant Ivory film starring Shashi Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, and Amrish Puri.
Desai’s blend of lyrical style, ease with different cultures, and a clear-eyed examination and confrontation of realistic truths about society and relationships, made for a unique reading experience that fast led her to occupy a leading place among her peers.
She has received several awards and honours in the course of her long-spanning literary career, including the Padma Bhushan, Sahitya Akademi Award and later Fellowship, and the Benson Medal of the Royal Society of Literature. Thrice featured on the Booker Prize shortlist, she taught for many years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she is now an Emerita Professor.
Anita Desai’s Book Covers (Wikipedia)
On receiving news of the award, Desai said: “An award given for a lifetime’s work is a great honour and I am deeply grateful to Tata Literature Live! for conferring it on me. I was convinced that I and my work belong to a distant past and my presence here is the presence of a ghost. To find one’s books are still read and remembered in such a changed world fills me with both amazement and gratitude.”
Director of the Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest, Amy Fernandes said: “Anita Desai’s well-thumbed books line the bookshelves of lakhs of homes in India where novels in English are read. They are testaments to the pioneering works of an author who took Indian writing in English to new heights, earning international recognition as well. Their universal themes, delicate prose, and deep insight ensure her novels are always relevant and topical, gently leading the reader to new avenues of thought. It is a privilege and honour for us to acknowledge her marvelous contribution to literature in this way.”
The minister said that excavations in Korkai with guidance from oceanographic experts are necessary to prove the town’s age and its rich heritage and culture as well as the trade relations it has had with foreign countries…reports Asian Lite News.
The Tamil Nadu government is reaching out to Oceanographers of repute to assist the government in the archaeological excavation process at Korkai, the ancient port city of the Pandyan empire.
In a statement on Tuesday, the state minister for Industries, Tamil Culture, and archaeology, Thangam Tenarasu said that several artefacts were recovered from the ancient port city of Korkai showing its maritime connect with Rome, China, and Egypt.
The minister said that excavations in Korkai with guidance from oceanographic experts are necessary to prove the town’s age and its rich heritage and culture as well as the trade relations it has had with foreign countries.
Thangam Thenarasu in the statement also said that the earlier excavations from the Pandyan port town has proved beyond doubt the maritime connections it has had with other countries and that a scientific excavation with the able guidance of expert oceanographers would open new vistas on the town and its maritime history.
He said that several remains unearthed from the site including drainage pipes remains of old houses, baked tiles, conch bangles, iron coins, and pots, prove that it has had a rich heritage and culture even in 785 BCE.
The minister stated that excavations in Korkai are required to show the town's age, legacy, culture, and trading connections with foreign nations. https://t.co/Lp7iFs7ZG1
The minister also said that the materials unearthed from Korkai during excavations would be on display at the Porunai (Thamaribarani) museum coming up in Tirunelveli. He also said that the government is also considering the creation of an onsite museum at Korkai.
The minister in the statement said that the department is also in the process of preparing an integrated document on Sivakalai, Korkai, and Adichanallur civilisations.
The inaugural ceremony this year will have poetry of Prince Moazzam Jah read by Mohammad Ali Baig and sung by Mala Bararia…reports Asian Lite News.
The 16th edition of Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival, one of India’s most significant theatre events, will be held here from October 21 to 24.
Host of eminent names like Ila Arun, K.K. Raina, Denzil Smith, Heeba Shah and others will play in this internationally-reputed festival.
It was the only festival of its scale that was conducted live last year despite Covid-19 pandemic.
Curated by eminent theatre personality and Padma Shri awardee Mohammad Ali Baig, the festival presents the pick of Indian theatre actors and world-renowned playwrights.
It is an annual tribute to Hindustani theatre legend late Qadir Ali Baig, held in association with the Government of Telangana every year.
Another important aspect of the festival is that it is launched from historically significant locations. For the second year in a row, the festival will be launched at Moazzam Jahi Market, a city landmark which has been restored by authorities.
In the past the festival was launched at Falaknuma Palace, Taramati Baradari and Raj Bhavan.
The inaugural ceremony this year will have poetry of Prince Moazzam Jah read by Mohammad Ali Baig and sung by Mala Bararia.
Moazzam Jah was the son of Mir Osman Ali Khan, seventh and last Nizam or ruler of erstwhile Hyderabad State. Moazzam Jahi Market, inaugurated in 1935, is named after him.
Minister for municipal administration and urban development K.T. Rama Rao will release the festival brochure. This will be followed by staging of the play ‘Guards at the Taj’.
Written by Rajiv Joseph and directed by Shishir Singh Chauhan, the play features Shishir Singh Chauhan and Gautam Sharma.
‘Guards at the Taj’ is a dark comedy written by Pulitzer Prize-nominated American playwright Rajiv Joseph about two average men swept by the beauty, carnage and injustice surrounding one of the most famous wonders of the world.
The other plays in the festival will be staged at Raddison Blue Plaza. They include ‘Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar ke’ written and directed by Ila Arun and featuring Ila Arun, K.K. Raina and Avinash Ujjain; ‘Out at Sea’, written by Slawomir Mrozek, directed by Heeba Shah; ‘Checkmate’ written by Ganesh Patro and directed by Dr Kotla Hanumantha Rao; and ‘Bombay Jazz’ written by Ramu Ramanathan and directed by Etienne Coutinho.
The festival features a workshop on physical theatre by Heeba Shah, master class on play writing by Ramu Ramanathan and master class by Mohammad Ali Baig on ‘Integrating heritage and theatre;.
Like last year, the festival this year will be conducted in accordance with pandemic safety protocols.
‘400 Days’ is the third book from the Keshav-Saurabh series and revolves the story of a missing girl ‘Siya’ and her mother’s determination to bring back her daughter even when everyone in the family has given up…Chetan Bhagat speaks with Sukant Deepak.
When you talk to him about the trolling he is subjected to on social media, he smiles that it has stopped bothering him now.
“Anybody who is relevant gets trolled. Come on, people do not spare the Prime Minister even. What can you do? You need to be someone to get trolled. But honestly, if you ask me, I feel pretty sad for those who spend all their time and energy on trolling. Worst part being, they are so predictable that it is not even funny anymore. I really have sympathy for them, all they are doing is giving celebrities great engagement,” he tells.
Bestselling author Chetan Bhagat, whose latest book ‘400 Days’ (Westland Publications) recently hit the stands is certain that this is best work ever. For someone who has written around nine novels and three non-fiction titles, many of which have been made into Hindi films, the lockdowns provided an opportunity to focus like never before.
“In the pre-Covid era, besides writing, there were a host of activities that I would regularly undertake — events, motivational talks and travelling extensively.
There were times when I would be on the road, and then in the middle, would come back to finish a chapter of a new book. In short, a lot of distractions. However, the lockdowns forced me to be at home. There was nothing else I could do apart from writing,” Bhagat says.
‘400 Days’ is the third book from the Keshav-Saurabh series and revolves the story of a missing girl ‘Siya’ and her mother’s determination to bring back her daughter even when everyone in the family has given up.
The author says that during his travels and motivational talks, he gets a pulse of modern India and what the young are looking for, something that helps him make better stories which are relatable. “Right from my first book in 2004, I have been picking up contemporary issues facing the country.”
Adding while a story should have multiple ingredients to ensure that it is unputdownable, the author says that his books always have a “certain message”. “That, plus an entertaining story — be it about romance, friendship or mystery. Even though the package is entertaining, there is a certain message in every book I write.Well, this is the tenth one, so I guess the combination has worked.
Talking about his motivational talks which he gives across the country, and now also on his YouTube channel, the author recalls that during book launches and other events, people would often ask him questions related to living a fruitful life etc. “And slowly, I became a motivational speaker. And it kind of helped me learn about India, as I would travel across the country for them. These talks have become an indispensable part of me now.”
While multiple ideas with potential for a book may keep striking him, Bhagat says that many dissolve after a few days but there are some that keep coming back. “It is like — okay, this one has potential. Let me carry this for one more week in my mind and see if it can grow further, just like a little plant if it grows more trees. It is also about what will challenge me? Murder mysteries are hard to write — how do you get the perfect suspense, trust etc. It is difficult. Thus, it was interesting to dive into them — I wrote two. And then I asked myself — what is the next level of challenge? And then I thought, okay, a missing child’s story. Can it be made interesting, fun, thrilling… Everything?” says the author who prefers to work on one book at a time.
Fondly recalling his experience in the Hindi film industry, Bhagat on whose books films like ‘2 States’, ‘3 Idiots’, ‘Half Girlfriend’ and several others have been made, asserts the author says that he has always had the clarity that he wanted to reach as many people as possible, and what could be a better medium than films? “I would love to do more work there but Covid has kind of slowed down things, and there is a huge backlog in the industry.”
Post writing two books back to back, he now wants to pause and start travelling again. “I have been missing going to different parts of the country. One does not really have to work so much all the time. It is ok,” he concludes.
This book distills our observations of habitual entrepreneurs. It shows you how they think, how they behave, and exactly what it is that they do so well…writes Siddhi Jain.
A good read, a cup of hot coffee and a cosy couch is the best way to enjoy the monsoons. If you plan on tackling the rainy season here are our suggestions for what you pick.
Myla: Insurrection By Arjun Rao
Malaika Menon, aka Agent Myla returns home to Calicut, Kerala to find her entire family brutally murdered. Being the tip of the spear in India’s fight against terrorism, she is no stranger to killing and death. However, the savage killings leave her shaken to her very core. On leave from her position in the Indian Army, Myla discovers a sinister plot. It appears that the murders were all aimed at flushing her out from the natural protection of the Indian Army. With her on the streets of Calicut, the perpetrators appear to have got what they wanted. Myla, alone and grieving, far from her lethal best. Best of all, she is now unprotected. Myla unearths clues that point to a conspiracy perpetrated by a far larger enemy than she has ever encountered before. A criminal enterprise so large, and so pervasive, that it has invaded every level of Indian society. Shattered by her loss, enraged by her inability to protect her loved ones, Myla decides to go after the truth. Find out what really happened, and why. She does the only thing she knows how to. The one thing that she is a master at. She picks up her gun and decides to investigate. Will she survive against the largest menace known to India? Or will they achieve what they wanted along? To put a bullet in Myla’s head. Myla’s dangerous game of cat and mouse takes her from Calicut, to Chennai, where she faces the head of the snake in a shattering frontal attack that she cannot possibly survive.
‘The Code of Manavas’ by Arpit Bakshi
‘The Code of Manavas’, is set some two million years past ad 2050, when earth as we know it ceased to exist, and so did mankind. A new race, the Manavas, now exists on Bhoomi, the erstwhile Earth, which is divided into two cities-Madhavpur and Ayudhpur. In the quiet and peaceful city of Madhavpur, a reclusive Krishna is busy with an immense task. He has to prepare a new abode for the Manavas before an impending apocalypse destroys them. He knows something that nobody else does-the Manavas are running out of time faster than they can imagine, and there are no inhabitable planets to escape to. To make matters worse, there is someone in Madhavpur who wants to destroy Krishna and subjugate each Manava. The Manavas, it seems, are doomed. Yet Krishna knows there is a slim chance of survival for the Manavas, although there is a huge price to be paid for it. Will the various factions of the Manavas unite for the greater good? Will Krishna, who saved them during the turn of the last Yuga, be able to save them now? What will be the price to pay? Enter the mythical world of Maha Vishnu and get swept up in a fast-paced suspenseful narrative.
‘Beyond a Love Story’ by Chitkala Mulye
Sameer seduced by his elder cousin, gets carried away in a physical relationship with him. Preeti, Sameer’s childhood tutor and best friend, finds solace in her bond with Sameer, which has ripened over years. However, when Sameer who is gay, finds his soul mate Abhijeet, Preeti goes through an intense emotional turmoil. This beginning in Sameer’s life, exposes him to a canvas of suffering; revealing the true meaning of love, companionship, family and sacrifice while turning the tables and bringing a twist in the tale! The story explores how true love transcends the boundaries of gender, age, and sexuality questioning the perceived notions about relationships, thus challenging the typical conventions of family system.
‘Happily Frustrated’ by Ritiqa Pachauri
Shelly (the protagonist) becomes an alcoholic after discovering that her husband of ten years (Saurabh) was gay. He had left her for another man, and it had left her heartbroken. Because of her addiction, Shelly loses her job, her friends, her sister’s support and even her parents sympathy. However, her mother did feel her pain and asks her to go on a vacation to Goa. Here, Shelly meets her aunt Polly, who slowly a d steadily tries to bring Shelly back on track. Another character who is a tarot card reader also plays an important role in Shelly’s life. However, the twist comes when Shelly returns from Goa and tells her family about aunt Polly. What’s the twist? Will Shelly overcome her pain? Will she ever be happy?
‘The Mindset of a Growing Entrepreneur’ by Harsh Joshi
What is new to you in this book is that uncertainty can be used tp your benefit if you create and deploy an entrepreneurial mindset a way of thinking about your business that captures the benefits of uncertainty. This book distils our observations of habitual entrepreneurs. It shows you how they think, how they behave, and exactly what it is that they do so well.
‘Meri Arzoo’ by Rajeev Kumar
“Meri Arzoo” has 13 different sweet stories that depict the state of mind of a human being in different circumstances of life. The Character is from a middle class family and he has to deal with many daily life problems. He has to face different phases of his life. All 13 stories are different from each other yet they all have one thing in common: A middle class person. The protagonist want to do/become something and he ends up doing something. Each story was well thought-out; you can tell that the author felt connected to each story and you can feel his presence in the narrative. The narrative maintains a steady pace throughout the book. Stories are backed with elements of failure, destiny, love, lie, truth, success and failure. Each story relates to daily life of people, while reading those stories readers will feels like it is my experience of my own journey.
Saurabh Bagaria’s Money Gone’
Capturing the intricacies of a fictional high-profile offshore money diversion scheme shrouded in secrecy and an equally high-on-action chase by Indian tax authorities, ‘Money Gone’, is a thriller novel by author and advocate Saurabh Bagaria that takes readers through overseas indulgence, tense courtrooms, and even the dark web.
Fascinated by the Bhil tribe during his journeys to Rajasthan, the artist discovered many lotus ponds which he continued to visit for decades and paint. Now only one or two have remained while the others have been converted into bathing ghats…writes Sukant Deepak.
He has been sketching and drawing all his life, picking up notes from around him, working and re- working on these forms to integrate them into his personal style and using them as his reference points for paintings and sculptures.
From the large body of A. Ramachandran drawings and sketches, Vadehra Art Gallery in the capital selected works from 1965 to the present day for the exhibition ‘A Lifetime of Lines’. “They are testimonies of how I think, talk to myself and express different emotions according to different subjects. I consider my drawings as my conversational language and not the more restrained and disciplined language of my paintings and sculptures,” said major contemporary artist A. Ramachandran.
Recipient of the Padma Bhushan honour, Ramachandran, who started his career with realism, which reflected the angst of urban life, but shifted to myths in the 80’s admits, “While in my early days, I was influenced by the Mexican artists whose works I felt were closer to ours than other European artists, there was also a realisation that myth was a part of collective consciousness of the people which could be effectively used to interpret one’s world without imitating any artist. My ‘Yayati’, the monumental work I did for Ebrahim Alkazi is one of the finest examples of that,” said the artist who did his doctoral thesis on Kerala mural painting.
Stressing that his education at Santiniketan has been instrumental in shaping him in multiple ways, and ‘A Lifetime of Lines’ is a testimony to that, the artist, who designed the granite bas-relief sculpture at the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial at Sriperumbudur, near Chennai which extends for 125 feet and has a height of nearly 20 feet remembers that right from the first year, students are asked to go out and study from nature and the sketching process is much different from western traditions.
“Nandalal developed a concept of structural drawings. Benode Behari and Ramkinkar developed that further. Unlike in the western tradition, students at Santiniketan are encouraged to look at the structure of an object rather than the externals. Everything in nature is in fact based on this principle. From the main stem, the number of veins that spread out decides the shape of the leaf. It can be one central vein which makes an oval shape or three veins of a leaf bifurcate like a leaf of a cotton plant. In short, the external shape depends on the structure of the vein of the leaf. Same is with the human body. The skeletal system determines the shape of human beings, animals or birds. These understandings give you a complete knowledge of structure rather than the external skin surface. This is the most important lesson I learnt from Santiniketan which I use as the grammar of my art practice.”
For someone who completed his Master’s degree in Malayalam and also studied classical Carnatic music from the age of five to sixteen, Ramachandran, who has also written and illustrated numerous picture books for children published in India, Japan, Britain and the United States feels the evolution of the language from neo- classical to modern literature gave him an indication how Indian art could also develop from the grass root level to become an authentic language of our time instead of just borrowing from Europe. “Similarly, music must have given me an inherent rhythm and pattern to enrich my pictorial language,” feels the artist, a major retrospective of whose work was organised by the National Gallery of Modern Art (New Delhi) in 2003.
Lamenting the failure of developing an Indian tradition of imparting art education, which is still heavily dependent on the western model, except at Santiniketan, he says that European art, generally being realistic has definite principles like perspective, caste shadow and Chiaroscuro to create shapes and forms from a realistic point of view. “It is high time that we devise a new system of art education in India. The way Santiniketan masters experimented by introducing traditional techniques, understanding our classical art by taking students to Ajanta, Ellora, Mahabalipuram, Konark and other important places to make them understand not only the political history of India, but also the artistic values of our ancestors and imbibe their qualities in our present-day expressions.”
The artist, who unlike many of his contemporaries, did not go abroad after his education but decided to teach at Jamia Jamia Millia Islamia in the capital says that like Nandalal Bose, Ramkinkar Baij and Benode Behari Mukherjee, he had no desire to learn any further than learning on his own. “I also went back to Kerala to continue my research on Kerala murals. All these contributed to my development as an Indian artist.”
Fascinated by the Bhil tribe during his journeys to Rajasthan, the artist discovered many lotus ponds which he continued to visit for decades and paint. Now only one or two have remained while the others have been converted into bathing ghats.
“The idea of making places of tourist attraction is based on cleaning up the wild ponds of lotus which contain a complete life system of birds, insects, snakes, fishes, and many other forms of life which are destroyed when you clean them up and ugly concrete structures come up in its place. My paintings are testimony of the disappearance of that beautiful piece of nature from the world.”
Even now working from 10 am till evening in his studio, and going to Rajasthan whenever he can, Ramachandran smiles that he never has to wait for any ‘inspiration’ to work. “I am forever charged to do my work — be it paintings, sculptures, drawings or sketches. No partying, no socialising — only planning for the next exhibition,” says the artist who is currently working on a complete set of eight ‘lotus pond’ paintings, some measuring 40′ X 6′.
It looks deeply into the challenges before her for being a flag bearer of secularism which is despised by the religious bigots…reports Asian Lite News.
‘From Nazneen to Naina’, a book on 20 years of actress Kareena Kapoor Khan in Bollywood, was officially launched here.
Authored by Canadian journalist Gurpreet Singh, the book is based on her film career.
Kareena has been under constant backlash for marrying a Muslim man, adopting Khan as her last name, and naming two of her sons — Taimur and Jeh, which have been interpreted as an affront by the self-styled defenders of religion.
“This is a reflection of the growing intolerance in a toxic political environment created by those in power both within and outside the Indian film industry,” said the author virtually in the book launch on Tuesday.
The book talks about Kareena’s work and goes into the details of her performance as an actor, and as an activist and philanthropist, trying to make connections between the present political situation and its impact on the cinema.
It looks deeply into the challenges before her for being a flag bearer of secularism which is despised by the religious bigots.
Her significant screen roles, as someone who stands up against hate, have been underlined in the book, which also attempts to make a critical assessment of her position on issues, such as racism, feminism, environment and state violence.
The author, who has been mostly using mobile phones to photograph, recalls that when he recently met his friend, Don McCullin, considered Britain’s greatest living photographer, he too was bowled over by the results…writes Sukant Deepak.
Historian, author and photographer William Dalrymple believes that it is imperative that political forces do not interfere with either literature, the arts or writing of history — and that goes for any government in power — right, left or centrist.
While he does not see anything wrong with re-writing of history as every generation does that and it happens to be an ongoing process, the author of books like ‘The Anarchy’, ‘The Last Mughal’, ‘The White Mughals’ and ‘Return of a King’ among others, feels that when it done with particular end in mind rather than by impartial looking at the evidence, the same can be very damaging.
“You have to make a fair judgment based on available evidence, and then write as impartially as you can. Frankly, no one is completely impartial, we all come to any given situation with the biases and ideas we were brought up with. And so the writing of history will never be ‘complete’,” he tells.
Talk to him about the dominance of Marxist left in many history departments in the post war period, and he feels that it is inevitable that there be a reaction against that.
“There is a historiography emphasising economical and social forces at the expense of biography and human agency. Yes, very few biographies have been written by Indian history departments until recently. I support some form of re-balancing, particularly towards more biographically led history and that is what I have been doing in my work already. It makes history much more interesting and accessible. Many Marxist historians researching early India, often ignored the importance of religion as a motivating force in human history,” he says.
Dalrymple, whose latest series of photographs ‘In Search of Ancient India’ is being exhibited (October 8-November 3) at Vadehra Art Gallery in the capital says it is a byproduct of his new book project – ‘The Golden Road’. “As you know, for the past 20 years I have written about early colonialism in India by the East India Company, and my four books on that, has now appeared as a box set — ‘The Company Quartet’. Now I am back to my first love which is early Buddhist Art, art history and Archaeology.”
Even as a a teenager, the author would spend most of his time at digs. Most of his summer holidays would be spent at various archaeological sites, first in Scotland and then in England. “When I left school I wanted to go and dig in Iraq and arranged to take on an ancient Syrian site, but at the last minute the dig was cancelled by Saddam Hussain and I ended up coming to India.
“The stuff that used to interest me in those days was very early history- Indus Valley, Ashoka, Ajanta, Sanchi. Some of the first things I ever wrote about India was on that very early history. The various travels that I made in the course of researching my book The Anarchy, led me to pick up this subject as my next book. Stuff that I have been longing to write about for years but never dealt with it at book length.”
The book is essentially a story of Indian culture around Asia and has three parts — the first is the northwards thrust through Pakistan and Afghanistan and Xinhang, Western China. The route that Buddhism took up through there, to eventually become by the 7th century, the state religion in China.
“Today, when India and China are at loggerheads, it is important to remember that India once culturally colonised China. When it became the state religion under the emperor Wu Zeitian in the 660’s, with it came a bunch of Indian learning — Indian Geography, ideas of astronomy, astrology and mathematics. For a brief period there was a very wholesale Indian culture colonization of China. It was never actually complete since Chinese culture is very strong and very ancient, but all sorts of Indian ideas were grafted onto Chinese culture and that was the first part of the book.
The second part of the book is south and eastwards, the story of Buddhism and Hinduism heading through the maritime silk route. Particularly the Pallava’s from Bay of Bengal to Java, Indonesia via Vietnam. The third part of the story is on Indian mathematics and astronomy heading west-wards.”
Talk to him about his fascination with photography, and the author says that it goes well with his work, and allows him to see the history that he has read and written about. It a very satisfactory thing to have a record of travelling. The first thing I do when I arrive at an amazing temple or site, is to photograph it. In a sense it helps you focus. Obviously, the photographs are a wonderful thing in themselves if you get them right.”
The author, who has been mostly using mobile phones to photograph, recalls that when he recently met his friend, Don McCullin, considered Britain’s greatest living photographer, he too was bowled over by the results.
Just like the current one, even his last exhibition, ‘Historian’s Eye’ boasted of black & white photographs. Ask him why he prefers that over colour, and the author asserts, “Some of the works that I most admire are from Bill Bryant, Cartier-Bresson, Don McCullin and Sebastian Salgago. These are photographers who have always shown how black to white could be a much stronger medium than color in the hands of a real master. I think it reduces and it adds to the strangeness. Also, it reduces familiarity. If you can get it right, it makes for much more powerful and moody images. It emphasizes signal, patterns and form.”
This author of ‘City of Djinns’ — a love letter to Delhi, who made an entire generation rediscover the country with works like ‘In the Age of Kali’ ‘Nine Lives’ is not really missing writing in that genre. “I still do long magazine pieces. However, history is my real love in which I try to channel all my love for archaeology and art history. It is much more difficult to write about early cities. After all, we are trying to rebuild entire civilizations from a few scripts, archaeological digs and records of a few Chinese pilgrims.
For someone who has written extensively on Afghanistan, it is hard not to ask him about his take on the situation there now. “A tragedy and completely avoidable situation. There was a folly on the part of the US to withdraw like that. Such a major setback for everyone. Obviously, first and foremost for the Afghans, but also a major setback for America, Britain, Australia and India. India has lost a lot of influence in that region. The only people who really win from this I think are the Chinese. Obviously, the Pakistanis have been triumphant. I think the real winners are China and Pakistan. There were actually very few American troops in Afghanistan and it was not costing huge amounts of money, by American standards. There was no anti war movement like with Vietnam. It could easily have been maintained.”
