Being an avid reader / writer can have its own share of prejudices and bias. Seems like writers and their audience are born that way. Its in their blood, so to say. One may hence always argue that the literary genius of Tharoor beats the Best of International Authors. I would argue that Tharoor comes nowhere close to the simplicity and elegance with which Narayan presented himself in his book. Apparently a few years ago, Tharoor had outsmarted Narayan (or so it seemed) by proving his wit to his audience. Where he claimed that Narayan was too simple in his prose, and in India, Narayan could not equate what Jane Austen stood for English (British) Literature.
Okay for beginner’s, what Mr. Shashi Tharoor exactly stated was that R K Narayan, the author of "Malgudi" was more banal, confined, monotonous, clichéd, predictive with his prose and repetitive with his literary skills. Rather to some extent Shashi Tharoor almost questions R K Narayan's literature as to whether he deserves the place that Narayan occupies in Indian Literature today.
Hmm...One may see valid arguments in this scheme of things. But really is that so? I doubt it. For one, the essence in Indian literary strokes is not to complicate things like British fiction does. Primarily, that is one reason why many mortal souls like us do not quite understand or prefer the book: The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. Too much jargon wasted in a sense of overtly painted prose. Something similar to a deliberately choked language. Where half of the time is spent in reading and understanding the meanings of every second word literally. One has to probably sit with a Dictionary to understand what those words in her book means. Pretty similar to what Tharoor does as well. Call it the trait of our Author's today. Maybe to show the western world how ahead we are or maybe just to gain literary acclaim. Again I may not doubt Tharoor's excellence or literary skills in any way. But, here in India one has to look from an ordinary mortal’s perspective. Would be prefer choked books which stifle your imagination as well? And why would one do that especially when Books are supposed to break free from the rigid. Why would you want to be more disciplined, when the idea of reading is to enter a whole new world? Keep it Simple, Stupid!!!
Narayan touches everyone's heart with his not so elaborate yet simplistic and touching 'STORIES'. Stories of hope, Passion, Broken Hearts, endurance, enigma ...you name it. Narayan depicts it. Stories than surpass expectations through their simplicity and reality. The stories may be happening to anyone anywhere without much change. Maybe the script and its shade might be archaic for some, maybe its no longer progressive, but then who says progressive is better. As the old adage goes...."Old is Gold", so are Narayan's books. Timeless and Deep in their own special way. But for the likes of Tharoor who would judge those like a School Teacher would judge his pupils, with a cane in hand. Tharoor may be a great author for some but he has no right to denounce or demean someone like Narayan, who even after his death continues to draw us away from our robotic and routine city life. Maybe one fine day we would all look forward to being another Swami playing with his friends in the lovely woods of rural India....
Somewhere that's why a romantic and imaginary city like Malgudi can make every common Indian or even foreigner (considering Non Indians too form a sizeable fan base) seek the same, regardless of clearly understanding the fact that the village is of course imaginary. Can Shashi Tharoor do that? I guess not. Why? Because he is rigid and focuses too much on the style and depth, prose & grammar. Maybe someday when I am old and aged, I would rather recite Malgudi stories to my kids & grandchildren than explain about Tharoor's "India". On a personal note, I would find that more gratifying and the kids too may find it more pleasurable. After all, somehow Imagination is always greater than Materialism....Maybe someday I would still continue my elusive search of the town of Malgudi, knowing well that it may never exist anywhere in this world...
Okay for beginner’s, what Mr. Shashi Tharoor exactly stated was that R K Narayan, the author of "Malgudi" was more banal, confined, monotonous, clichéd, predictive with his prose and repetitive with his literary skills. Rather to some extent Shashi Tharoor almost questions R K Narayan's literature as to whether he deserves the place that Narayan occupies in Indian Literature today.
Hmm...One may see valid arguments in this scheme of things. But really is that so? I doubt it. For one, the essence in Indian literary strokes is not to complicate things like British fiction does. Primarily, that is one reason why many mortal souls like us do not quite understand or prefer the book: The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. Too much jargon wasted in a sense of overtly painted prose. Something similar to a deliberately choked language. Where half of the time is spent in reading and understanding the meanings of every second word literally. One has to probably sit with a Dictionary to understand what those words in her book means. Pretty similar to what Tharoor does as well. Call it the trait of our Author's today. Maybe to show the western world how ahead we are or maybe just to gain literary acclaim. Again I may not doubt Tharoor's excellence or literary skills in any way. But, here in India one has to look from an ordinary mortal’s perspective. Would be prefer choked books which stifle your imagination as well? And why would one do that especially when Books are supposed to break free from the rigid. Why would you want to be more disciplined, when the idea of reading is to enter a whole new world? Keep it Simple, Stupid!!!
Narayan touches everyone's heart with his not so elaborate yet simplistic and touching 'STORIES'. Stories of hope, Passion, Broken Hearts, endurance, enigma ...you name it. Narayan depicts it. Stories than surpass expectations through their simplicity and reality. The stories may be happening to anyone anywhere without much change. Maybe the script and its shade might be archaic for some, maybe its no longer progressive, but then who says progressive is better. As the old adage goes...."Old is Gold", so are Narayan's books. Timeless and Deep in their own special way. But for the likes of Tharoor who would judge those like a School Teacher would judge his pupils, with a cane in hand. Tharoor may be a great author for some but he has no right to denounce or demean someone like Narayan, who even after his death continues to draw us away from our robotic and routine city life. Maybe one fine day we would all look forward to being another Swami playing with his friends in the lovely woods of rural India....
Somewhere that's why a romantic and imaginary city like Malgudi can make every common Indian or even foreigner (considering Non Indians too form a sizeable fan base) seek the same, regardless of clearly understanding the fact that the village is of course imaginary. Can Shashi Tharoor do that? I guess not. Why? Because he is rigid and focuses too much on the style and depth, prose & grammar. Maybe someday when I am old and aged, I would rather recite Malgudi stories to my kids & grandchildren than explain about Tharoor's "India". On a personal note, I would find that more gratifying and the kids too may find it more pleasurable. After all, somehow Imagination is always greater than Materialism....Maybe someday I would still continue my elusive search of the town of Malgudi, knowing well that it may never exist anywhere in this world...
I agree with you Steephie boy.... :)
ReplyDeletebut if you consider the diverse background of both these gentlemen, you would not be surprised by the criticism that Mr. Tharoor bestows upon our very own favourite Mr. Malgudi...
Malgudi to us is more than just sotries, by a renowned author, who also got a "sahitya Academy" award by Govt. of India for his work of fiction "Guide" later made into a blockbuster.
Malgudi for me and people of my generation is something that strikes a chord that stimulates nostalgia.
I believe Shri Narayan never intended to write for Mr. Tharoor or his generation when he wrote about malgudi. im sure he wanted to enshrine that india which was getting lost or was already lost while he was writing it.
it was a legacy that he wanted to leave behind for fresh minds of future yet to be impressioned by the india of Mr. Tharoor.
Malgudi is what acts as an anchor to take us back reminding of what india was then and what it is today, it gives us food for thought to decide and look at hindsight to see where we started from and where have we ended up.
its narration of a simple, honest, uncomplicated and beautiful india personified by Swamy and his life as a kid.
we can imagine what swamy would be like when he grew up in today's India which is represented and advocated by Mr. Tharoor.....
Hmm true...your views can be depicted as the other side of the story. Maybe as I said in line 1, we as writers and readers often tend to be biased to some extent, sometimes a large extent. As of now though I guess I can only wish Mr. Tharoor luck to win his seat in kerala.
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