Parsis form a dwindling community of fewer than 1,25,000 people worldwide, most of whom are concentrated around Bombay. (Vinodhini, 1) During the 7th century, they had fled Iran to avoid conversion to Islam. India had offered them a home free from religious persecution. Most of the small community rose to affluence by working as tradespeople. Under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s first term (1971-1977), India remained their safe haven, but they were marginalized as nationalized banks seized their enormous share of the banking industry. During this time period, Gustad Noble from Such a Long Journey finds the Parsi cultural identity intensifying his community’s problems, adding to the already anxious and insecure mood of pre-war India. Nevertheless, it remained the community’s great source of pride, with their strong devotion to Zoroastrianism guiding them through arduous times. The atmosphere in Bombay during the time of the novel was a cauldron of emotions. Bombayites were cantankerous, impatient with the municipality’s decision to ignore their complaints. The mood was tense as Indians prepared for the Second Indo-Pakistani War. The atmosphere in the Parsi community was insecure and anxious as ever under the political turmoil. “Gustard identified Shiv Sena and Indira Gandhi's authoritarian politics and anti-minority policies as two major threats that his community had to deal with.” (Sadhath, 5). Shiv Sena is a federal political party, previously a supporter of fascism and anti-minority policies. In the novel, they were portrayed as an over-confident party ignoring the verbal onslaught directed at them by minorities. They were openly racist, bribing Tehmul to hand out pamphlet targeting minorities in Bombay. Meanwhile, Indira... ... middle of paper ... ...cal authorities (Indira Gandhi and Shiv Sena) made Parsi characters in Such A Long Journey unwilling to advertise their unique identity. Regardless, their fervent pride was evident. Untranslated Gujarati terms are scattered in the novel, Gustad firmly defends his religion, and he expresses stupefaction and admiration during special cultural rituals. Throughout Gustad’s lowest points in life, Zoroastrianism is the ever-present sun guiding him uphill towards better times. His firm belief ultimately led to the Noble family’s happy ending. Works Cited Mistry, Rohinton. Such a Long Journey Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2001. Print. Sadhath, Anvar. "The Agony of a Cultural Outsider: Rohinton Mistry's Such a Long Journey."The Criteron 12 (2013): 1-8. Print. Srinivas, Sunitha.C. Funtionalism and Indian English Fiction. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers, 2010, 147. Print.
To begin with, one must find a peaceful approach to defeat discrimination. According to the text, on “from Letter to Viceroy, Lord Irwin”, Gandhi stated “My ambition is no less than to convert the British through non-violence and thus make them see the wrong they have done to India.” This evidence shows that Gandhi wants to be heard without using violence. Another example is on lines 17-24 which says “It has impoverished the dumb millions by a system of progressive exploitation…reduced politically to serfdom…sapped foundations of our culture…degraded us spiritually.” This evidence reveals that Gandhi is showing the effect the British is having a right now in India.
This paper discusses two post-classical regions/societies (the post-classical Islamic and Indian society), and will draw upon the class lectures and readings to discuss the similarities and differences between the Islamic World and the Indian region during the post-classical era. The post-classical era refers to the historical period after the Iron Age, and falls between 200 CE and 1500 CE (Stearns, 79). During this period, there existed no enduring imperial authority, but the Indian society came to have a profound influence on the southern Asian cultures. During this time, it was also the norm to have regional kingdoms, and as a result, there were Indian forms of politics, economies and, religion all over the region, which was made possible by the extensive trade network within the Indian Ocean basin. As such, by the 13th c. C.E., there existed flourishing Muslim communities and emerging Sultanates from the Southern region of India to the Western Pacific Rim (Lecture 16).
In Nehru’s India, women were victims of a “passive revolution” that subtly advanced bourgeoisie men of higher castes under a guise of parliamentary democracy. Though women have presided over the Indian National Congress, served as a prime minister, and represent a large part of India’s la...
As a living human being we are in a constant state of flux, life events constantly change us. From the smallest thing like a flat tire on the way to work on a raining Monday morning or a compliment a kind person gave you last year that still rings in your ear, all these events change you and shape you. Catherine Latterell points to assumptions about identity and how it is created in her book titled “Remix”, assumptions about identity and how it is created. The three assumptions being: identity is something we are born with, identity is shaped by culture and identity is shaped by personal choices. The assumption that environment has a role in who we are and who we become, as well as what we are born with or without – including our culture, all play a part in bringing together the mosaic of a whole person. Yet it is never fully complete, for it is always reshaping and growing. Mrigaa Sethi discusses these issues in
“Children begin to develop a sense of identity as individuals and as members of groups from their earliest interactions with others” (Trumbull and Pacheco 9). People start to develop their cultural identities as a young child, unknowingly, by their interactions with other people. Though, what is a person’s cultural identity? According to one source, cultural identity can be described as “one of the most basic type of identity is ethnic identity, which entails an awareness of one’s membership in a social group that has a common culture” (Trumbull and Pacheco 9). Considering this definition, I see now that my cultural identity can be best represented by my language because I can speak both English and Spanish and I use both languages on a daily
Nicholas B. Dirks. (2011). Castes of Mind: Colonialism and the Making of Modern India. Princeton University Press
Pandey, T. N., 2014. Lecture 1/9/14: Culture of India: Aryan and Indigenous Population. Cultures of India. U.C. Santa Cruz.
Malak, Amin. "The Shahrazadic Tradition: Rohinton Mistry's Such a Long Journey and the Art of Storytelling." Journal of Commonwealth Literature 28.2 (1993): 108-118.
In her magnum opus River of Fire, Qurratulain Hyder annexes over twenty five centuries of history, tracing the formation, development, evolution and the subsequent partition of culture resulting into the journey of India from a civilisation to nation(s). The integrated vision of India is the one held up by its syncretic culture which transcends history. The wonderful tale that flows through time shows India in its splendour, in its conflict-ridden times as a fabric which absorbed the colours of other cultures that have seeped into it, exposing a design which has been enriched with time. With the task of constructing the amalgamated identity of India, she brings together the history and heritage for her purpose. This paper intends
In the novel A Passage to India, written by Forster, he is bias towards the women in the novel. The society when Forster wrote the novel in the 1920’s had different views on women than it has today a...
The partition of Indian in 1947 created the separate countries of India and Pakistan, consequently ripping families apart. The partition, initiated by India’s independence from Britain, attempted to accommodate irreconcilable religious differences between Muslims and Hindus by forming the Islamic Pakistan. In Clear Light of Day, the Das children’s relationship with their parents causes lasting sibling conflict that mirrors this social and political upheaval of India. The Das parents’ negligent relationship with their children in Clear Light of Day mirrors India’s independence from Britain.
Rohinton Mistry’s “Such A Long Journey” is the story of turbulent life of Gustad Noble and his family, who lives in Khodadad Building north of Bombay. The story portrays the series of events such as his son Sohrab’s refusal to attend Indian Institution of Technology, hardships faced by his friends and family, political turmoil and chaos caused by the war between India and Pakistan. Gustad transforms from a stubborn, materialistic and awful person to an open-minded and more adaptive to circumstantial changes in his life. Ultimately, Gustad Noble journeys to a greater understanding of his role as a father, friend and citizen of India.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian Spiritual leader once said “In this context religion means the religion of love. This is the only religion in the world. There is only one caste, the caste of humanity.” he has highlighted one of the main problems in the Indian culture. Guru Nanak, an Indian Spiritual leader has also said “I am neither a child, a young man, nor an ancient; nor am I of any caste.” This system is suffocated the people that are trapped in it. The caste system is a way to categorize people without their authorization. For example, if a young boy’s father is a servant, the boy too must be a servant. In other words it is your destiny that is picked from birth. That the caste is part of their culture. In this novel a young man discovers
In this short story the protagonist is a newly married Indian woman who is attending a party with her husband’s western friends. Throughout the short story the reader senses her anxiety of being introduced to people who are not as conservative as her. “She longed for the sanctuary of the walled home from which marriage had promised an adventurous escape. Each restricting rule became a guiding stone marking a safe path through unknown dangers” ("The First Party"). In this quote, the narrator explains how the Indian woman did not feel comfortable or at ease with this new world she had been introduced too. She fiend to be back home but because of her tie that she made to this man through marriage she is in her mind, stuck with him. In addition to her anxiety of being with non-conservative woman, who drank, smoked, dressed provocatively, and had painted nails, the protagonist grew angry in her own head. “She had been so sure of herself in her contempt and her anger, confident of the righteousness of her beliefs, deep-based on generations-old foundations” ("The First Party"). Is this the way that the Indian people reacted to British colonialism? The things that western people found normal, was this disrespectful to the Indian people. The protagonist surely thought it was and was certain that her anger was not misplaced. She felt as her anger was a sign of her strong faith. She came to the realization that her husband was someone who would challenge her beliefs but above all she knew that her beliefs state that her life must be one with his (“The First Party”). This realization must be heartbreaking, to realize that one 's comfort is not found in their life partner. The protagonist was raised to believe that her life must be one with her husband, that she is
...shown through Lenny’s point of view. Prior the partition, Lahore was a place of tolerance that enjoyed a secular state. Tension before the partition suggested the division of India was imminent, and that this would result in a religious. 1947 is a year marked by human convulsion, as 1 million people are reported dead because of the partition. Moreover, the children of Lahore elucidate the silences Butalia seeks in her novel. The silence of survivors is rooted to the nature of the partition itself; there is no clear distinction as to who were the antagonists. The distinction is ambiguous, the victims were Sikhs, Hindus, and Muslims, and moreover these groups were the aggressors, the violent. The minority in this communal violence amongst these groups was the one out-numbered. This epiphany of blame is embarked in silence, and roots from the embodiment of violence.