This Book is not worth of all. Arvind complained about the situation in India. destroying the image of India is praised by London and USA. so they felt happy that IN India, this happens more. poor situation is shown to world for 200 years not developing the country. Arvind Write good book not worst
Just because he got Booke prize for it let us not redicule it. There have been books written on the same theme by Indian authors like Mulk Raj Anand and Prem chand. This is the truth. Any novel even if it is written by a western author about the west that is a best seller has lot of dark side in them. People empathise with the weak and powerless. Such books need to be written so that we dont lose sight of reality. I loved God of small things also by Arundathi Roy. Though I dont care for her political views.
Re: quo vadis
by Srinivas vishnu on Oct 17, 2008 03:27 PM Permalink
It is the view that you set your sight on that is visible, madhava. Whether poor or rich the vision carries the person. Of course, the poor may not have the right contacts to get set into the businesses he chooses, but if he tries, he will have his clients - and remember, at lower levels - it is low value and high volume, and so he will have his day. I see so many enterpreneurs in mumbai making dosas and pav bhajis in mumbai taking their days work home - satisfied.
Mr Adiga mentions that the idea came from the seemingly lack of connectedness between poverty and crime.And ,in 300 pages, he goes on to describe how it may not be true in near future. When I look back on my understanding of India thro' my coloured vision of western-Nehruvian standards or thro' deep understanding of Indian philosophy, one thing that cannot remain at bay is my set of experiences of India. In short, it is the story of a highly spiritually developed civilization coming in grips with evolutionary stages of other civilizations. The people who look out for mind,spirit,purpose of life,karmic laws,higher metaphysics etc find that India is a natural home and a natural resort of excellence.The world today has little time for all this bullshit(!). Mr Adiga does not say so nor does he state the oppsite in his novel. What I am really afraid of is the possibility of India losing what it stands for in its progress to be more like industrial economies. Could Mr Adiga bring out an equally compelling sequel where the protagonist transends this gloomy possibility?
Re: To weave a novel out of contemporary India is easy...what is difficult is to retain the essence of India!
by Srinivas vishnu on Oct 17, 2008 03:29 PM Permalink
Well said - I agree with you
It is a weakness of Indians that they give too much importance to Western recognition and approval. This mental conditioning is nothing but a residue of colonialism and the kind of Nehruvian "modern" education that the Indians get in an impressionalbe age which prevents them from taking pride in their civilisation. The Goras have exploited this shrewdly by making their awards a strategic tool for their political agenda of subverting Indian native nationalism. The Western awards are strategically given to either the leftist / communist writers (Romila Thapar and Arundhati Roy types) and "social workers" who are hostile to Indian right wing and thus pursue western agendas (Medha Patkar types) or to those who peddle Indian poverty through their works (Mira Nair types of "Salaam Bombay" fame). The profile of the first group is raised as a counter-balance to Indian nationalists, and of the other group to shame Indians and create a low-self esteem in them about everything that they hold dear. This problem will be solved the day Indians learn to flush Western awards down the toilet, and ridicule people who owe their "stature" exlusive due to to White Man's recognition. Goras have begun to give awards to Indians at a feverish pace. You will find that in the last five years, Indians account for 90 percent of all Asians combined who have recieved White Man's award. Either Indians have become exceptionally bright overnight, or there is something else behind the rain of awards
Re: aha
by Madhwa on Oct 16, 2008 12:26 AM Permalink
So you still say in the end that by getting these awards, one possibility being Indians being very bright? Why do you contradict yourself? BTW, I am against anything that denigrates India. But literature can not always be flattering to a people or a culture. You will be taking away the freedom of an artist to record his views of a country or society as he sees it. Dumb asses like you don't simply understand the nuances of literature! Get a life!
Re: aha
by Guest on Oct 16, 2008 01:38 AM Permalink
I have to agree with iceberg, even though I am not an Indian. There is no need to put so much emphasis on western awards. Dear Madhwa, you need not to be aggressive or personal when making a point. That is a problem with most deshis. We can't take a constructive criticism.
Another alarming thing is, most awards in the last few years are only given to the Indians who criticizes or belittles the land. No awards are given to the ones who champions the humanity or heritage of India.
I am yet to see a real Indian, who has been raised, educated and worked in India and writes in non-English language and who does not sell the poverty and disparity of India - getting a Western award.
Re: aha
by Guest on Jun 06, 2009 02:46 AM Permalink
Indians may have become bright overnight, hence so many literary awards! Colonized minds find that idea difficult to accept!
Re: aha
by Aditya on Oct 16, 2008 03:14 AM Permalink
It seems u have a problem with the West. English is a western language and recognition from the west for a english author be it indian or otherwise is somethign that worth its weight in gold. For you to think West gives awards to strategically balance indian natinalists is conspiracy theory at its best.. so now u seem to be blaming the west for the so called nationalists not being able to write good books..
Why is it that the only people who pretend to be "cool" with a clean shaven head are those with a receding hairline?!! LOL. Talk about masking inferiority complexes...
Re: With all due respect
by Madhwa on Oct 15, 2008 11:33 AM Permalink
It is not inferiority complex but an insecurity with all men ;-) Every one wants to look good. DOn't you too? Don't women use botax to firm up their wrinkly faces, silicon to make bazookas out of their sagging u know what... ;-)
Re: With all due respect
by ice berg on Oct 15, 2008 02:10 PM Permalink
dumbass! athena's statement was a vieled reference to something else..u r not smart enuf to get it.
Re: With all due respect
by Madhwa on Oct 16, 2008 12:22 AM Permalink
pray ice berg "genious", what is so deep about athena's overtly sexist remarks? Where are you thinking from btw?
Re: Get Mayawati on Board
by Robin Mitra on Oct 15, 2008 08:15 AM Permalink
Loads, do u live or have lived in UP in recent times? A CM whose ego index is so high that she has scant respect for the poor(witness her expressions the day the bridge collapsed in lucknow killing 3 ppl and injuring others), her invasion of the state treasury for building her massive statues in the name of public works, her refusal to grant land to railways for the coach factory so that she could steal the thunder from Sonia...these are just a few points which go a long way to show how callous her attitude is...and u want her to sit in that august chair?
Re: Re: Get Mayawati on Board
by Akash Pillai on Oct 15, 2008 05:22 PM Permalink
bakwaas..... he is easily the most egoistic person and most of her statements are highly contradictory. pls do not write this kind of atrocious things
