No Full Stops In India

Title: No Full Stops In India

Author: Mark Tully

Publisher: Penguin 1992 (First published: 1991)

ISBN: 978-0-140-10480-6

Pages: 336

Another good book from an Indophile Englishman. Mark Tully was born in Calcutta, and went on to become the bureau-chief of BBC at New Delhi. With his extensive knowledge of India, its customs, politics and social chores, he had travelled widely in India and it is safe to assume that he has intimate knowledge of what drives India forward. That mastery is shone through the delightful collection of ten essays on various aspects of Indian life. The author’s most important argument is that the elite, which has acquired modern education through English consider themselves alien to the ethos of the country and is completely out of touch with the masses. Their frequencies of thought doesn’t resonate with the common people and the difference makes them think that they represent the true India. However the author asserts that there are no such full stops here and only commas exist. Every one of his essays in this book drives this point home. From a general discussion of the story, Tully reaches the conclusion that the outlook of the elitist Indian is completely out of touch with the masses.

He starts with a real-life example of his aide Ram Chander, who is a Dalit and still faces some of the nastier side of discrimination. Though written in a condescending style, it nicely brings out the difficulties in the life of a manual labourer who has to undergo numerous hurdles even in a cosmopolitan city such as New Delhi. The author attends the wedding ceremony of his daughter in a village in Uttar Pradesh and comes to know of the social life in remote villages. Tully attacks the cultural imperialism which comes with the mask of social exchange programs organised from England. Instead of identifying themselves with the artistes, these Britishers generally tend to stick to their own brand of expertise which causes friction among the participants. He takes a sharp dig on the practice of discrimination of converted Christians who were Dalits, inside the church. There are practically no bishops from the community and the number of ordained priests are also very small to ensure that there would not be any contender in the near term.

The author personally participated in the Kumbh Mela of 1989 and gives a vivid sketch of the proceedings. This was the fair in which VHP masterminded their propaganda to establish a temple at Ayodhya which was disputed property. The arrogance, militancy and selfishness of many of the monks and ascetics are described in gory detail. In the end, he praises the much maligned Indian administration for a job well done, to peacefully organise such a huge assembly with the minimum investment while maximising participation and satisfaction of the pilgrims. The arrangements go about methodically and the millions offering prayers on the banks of the Ganga find it fulfilling to have attended the mela. While examining the religious sensitivities of the country, Tully straightaway goes to the shooting sets of Ramanand Sagar’s popular TV serial, Ramayan which captivated the audience of the 1980s. The program became a huge success, even surpassing the wildest expectations of all alike. The entire affair was a low-cost initiative, the actors being the marginal players of Bollywood and the site often re-using material like flowers used in earlier scenes.

The most interesting essay in the book is the reminiscences of Operation Black Thunder in 1988 when the Punjab police flushed out Sikh militants who had taken the Golden Temple by force and made it their hideout to collect arms, do extortion and torture. Unlike repeating the blunder of Operation Blue Star in 1984 when the army moved in and did extensive damage to the temple, for which the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had to pay with her life, in 1988 the government played it safe and superb. The police was put in charge and by effective siege, the terrorists holed up inside the shrine was driven out after some days. The immense fire power of the government agencies forced tens of the most hardcore terrorists to meekly surrender which was telecast widely. Tully claims that this was the moment at which the Khalistan sentiments took the most severe beating in Punjab.

From Punjab straight to Bengal, which is diametrically opposite to it. Communism is very popular in Bengal and Kerala, and in the former state, they are continuously in power since 1977. The author makes some in-depth analysis of the political and social situations in Calcutta and the rural half of the state. Contrary to expectations, he doesn’t pass judgement on the Communists. Religious notions among the common folk has not suffered an iota even with decades of Marxist rule, with animal sacrifices still going strong at Kalighat temple in the capital city. In fact, they have kept a watchful and safe distance from the religious beliefs of the people they govern. Bengal is industrially backward after Independence, but the author claims that the communists are not to blame, but goes on a congratulatory note by surveying the countryside and coming up with ideas of economic upliftment of the rural people during their three-decade long rule.

The incident of Sati at Deorala village in Rajastan in 1987 was an incident which shook the whole of India and earned us much ridicule internationally. Tully gives a differing perspective in which even the possibility of a voluntary suicide by the victim cannot be entirely ruled out. Even after reading the chapter in full, we are not enlightened of the real opinion of the author on this point. He plays the perfect journalist here, give both sides of the argument and don’t pass verdict on any of it! From Rajastan, he moves south to Gujarat where communal riots were daily occurrences in the 1980s and 90s. The picture of the commoner trying utmost to stay afloat in the turbulent social waters is beautifully drawn by the author who was also a master journalist.

The book is an excellent read for all classes of readers. The author’s deft maneuvers of his pen are made delightfully appealing to the reader in the light of his deep love for India, her people and her culture. However, there is some condescension seeping in now and then in the stories. We can however pardon him for his overarching assumption of the BBC’s credibility in India. No doubt it was very dependable and somewhat impartial during the days when private TV channels had still not established base. But Tully’s argument that the Indians often circulate rumours with the remark that they had had heard it on BBC is surely stretching the point a bit.

The book is highly recommended.

Rating: 3 Star

Rebellion 1857

Title: Rebellion 1857

Editor: P C Joshi

Publisher: National Book Trust, India 2009 (First NBT Edition 2007)

ISBN: 978-81-237-4935-8

Pages: 381

The rebellion in 1857 against the British, variously termed Sepoy Mutiny and the First War of Independence was a landmark event in the history of India. Her definite separation from medieval era and mindset can be traced back to this war which raged in North India, particularly in today’s UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. The sepoys, recruited by the British to serve in their native forces rebelled against their commanders, marched on to Delhi, made the old Moghul, Bahadur Shah emperor of India and ruled the land under their dominion. The British eventually defeated them and subjected them to inhuman punishments like blowing from the mouths of cannon. However, the incident created a furore in England and reform measures were immediately taken. India was put directly under the administration of the Crown in 1858. On the home turf, it encouraged nationalist movements, resulting finally in independence in 1947.

This book is a compilation of essays published to mark the centenary of the rebellion in 1957. It so happened that the compendium contains articles sponsored by the Communist Party of India. The editor, P C Joshi was its Secretary General and the authors, both Indian and foreign are leftists, as evidenced by frequent and often irrelevant quotations from Marx. Noted historian, Prof. Irfan Habib has written a foreword to the book. Satinder Singh, writing under the pseudonym of Talmiz Khaldun has put the events in a succinct way. He argues that though the war was termed a mutiny by the British, their rule had vanished from most of the provinces. On the other hand, the war, termed the first war of independence affected only 1/6^th of its area and 1/10^th of the population. The suppression forces also figured Indians among them. Hence the terminology is not appropriate on both sides. The seeds of mutiny was sown deep by the actions of the East India Company like alienating of the peasants by excessive land measures, replacement of zamindars by absentee landlords and strict enforcement of land revenue. The forceful annexation of Oudh in 1856 caused resentment among the company’s soldiers themselves, as most of them were natives of that province. Wherever the land was annexed by the British, the old nobles and courtiers lost all livelihood and acted as captains of insurgency. Abolition of Persian as the official language and the introduction of competitive exams for public appointments prevented the Muslim nobles from reaching out to the establishment. Adding to the woes of the people, the economic depression in 1825-54 caused sharp decline in prices rendering the farmers exposed to severe financial burden. The English, who had won all battles in India, lost heavily in the Sikh and Afghan wars, thereby losing the sheen of invincibility in the minds of the people. They thought it possible to defeat their white masters in a properly drawn out battle. When Sindh and Punjab were attached to the company’s empire, foreign service allowance earlier granted to the soldiers had to be stopped, causing much resentment among the ranks. The company’s religious reforms like the abolition of Sati, killing of girl child and the 1850 law which ensured paternal inheritance to converted sons evoked opposition from a large section of the society still steeped in a medieval mindset. The government’s open support to Christian missionaries, often providing them with police protection and who indulged in uncharacteristically nasty and tactless propaganda against the people’s beliefs and gods infuriated them. The trigger for the revolt came in the form of Enfield rifles, whose cartridges had to be torn out of the envelopes by mouth was believed to be greased with the lard of cow and the pig. Such an affront on the religious sentiments of the Hindus and Muslims was bound to evoke repercussions of the most horrifying kind.

When the mutiny broke out on 11 May 1857, the soldiers marched on to Delhi and crowned the aged Bahadur Shah, the emperor of India (shahen-shah-e-Hind). This was their greatest mistake. By crowning a Mughal, they alienated the sympathies of the Rajputs who had to eke out a humiliating existence under the Mughals in the past. They absolutely had no interest to continue like slaves as had been their lot in the last two centuries. The Sikhs and the Nizam were also against them for similar reasons. Punjab proved to be the stronghold of the British.

The rebels established democratic procedures for administering the country under their rule. A court of administration was set up at Delhi with ten members, with a president (Sadr-e-Jalsa). The emperor’s seal of approval was mandatory for every decision of the court to become law. However, the weak emperor was more of a puppet than a sovereign as shown by the spineless confession put forward by Bahadur Shah when he was conquered by the British. He said, “The mutinous soldiers has established a Court in which all matters were deliberated upon, and decisions taken. But I never took any part in their conferences…As regards the orders under my seal and under my signatures, the facts are that from the day soldiery came and killed the European officers, and made me a prisoner, I remained so thereafter. They caused to be prepared papers they thought fit, brought them to me and compelled me to affix my seal. Sometimes they brought the rough draft orders and had their copies in my office. Hence several rough drafts in many different hands have been filed in the proceedings. Frequently, they had my seal fixed on empty unaddressed envelopes. I neither knew the contents of the letters nor as to whom they were being sent” (p.43-44). Indifference and actual opposition of the propertied classes, namely new landlords (zamindars), merchants, money lenders and educated middle classes ensured British dominance over them.

The effects of the rebellion and its after-effects were far reaching. The British stopped the practice of actively involving in the religious affairs of the people. Even rightful and just reforms were sidelined. Indians adopted English education in a big way, which prompted a nationalist movement to be born. Muslims were sidelined by the government after the mutiny. Imperial consolidation in India took place, with railways reaching out to a large portion of the land.

K M Ashraf discusses the Islamic revivalism which was also a source of dissent. Tipu’s war in Mysore was termed a jihad and radical Muslims answered the call. Shah Abdul Aziz, a Wahabi leader proclaimed British India, dar-ul-Harb (enemy territory) in early 19^th century. Pious Muslims had no other way than to wage a holy war against the rulers of such an enemy territory. However, conservative Muslims’ rage was not solely against the British. They declared a jihad against the Sikh regime in Punjab in 1826! Ashraf also examines the role of the noted Urdu poet, Ghalib (Mirza Asadullah Khan) in the court of Bahadur Shah who stayed in Delhi during the mutiny and promptly turned coats when the British overpowered the capital.

Benoy Ghosh’s account of the role of Bengali intelligentsia and Gopal Haldar’s review of Bengali literature during this period brings out the province’s educated mindset clearly. The educated middle class in Bengal opposed the rebellion. They had no sympathy to the rebel’s demands which were prompted by religious fanaticism, ignorance and outdated moral precepts. They had no role in a regime organized by the rebels, as there were no middle classes in a feudal society which the rebels sought to establish. P C Joshi’s articles on ‘1857 in our History’ is nothing but propaganda. He liberally quotes from Marx with the exclusion of all historians. His essay contains one remark by a British priest, who harbours the most incendiary feeling towards India and its people. The reverend speaks, “Whatever misfortunes come on us as long as our empire in India continues, so long let us not forget that our chief work is the propagation of Christianity in the land. Until Hindustan from Cape Comorin to the Himalayas embrace the religion of Christ and until it condemns the Hindu and Muslim religions, our efforts must continue persistently” (p.167). P C Joshi asserts that the sepoys didn’t establish feudal order back, as the Court was working above the emperor. Also peasants and dispossessed landlords were in the forefront of the riots. P C Gupta, S Ehtesham Husain, K M Ashraf, Gopal Haldar and P C Joshi examines the waves caused by the rebellion in the literature of Hindi,Urdu, and Bengali languages and folk songs.

Another part of the book is dedicated to demonstrate the level of awareness, support and popular mindset of the peoples of Britain, France, Italy, Russia and China. Unfortunately, all these articles are written by prominent leftists, particularly from China in which the authors resort to emotional tirade against the British calling them robbers, pirates, killers etc. The responses in these countries were subservient to their own national prejudices. Britain’s enemies naturally supported the Indian cause. A large portion of the French people sided with the British due to common colonial interests and racial prejudices.

The book is indeed a good effort to piece together various aspects of the struggle as reflected in people’s minds working in varied fields like literature, folk songs and press. Such books are essential to bring out in colourful detail, a forgotten but important chapter of India’s history. However, such efforts should ensure a level-headed and unpartisan approach not displayed by this book, which is a purely one-sided narration based on the leftist point of view.

The book is recommended, however.

Rating: 2 Star

What On Earth Evolved…in Brief

Title: What On Earth Evolved…in Brief

Author: Christopher Lloyd

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2010 (First published: 2009)

ISBN: 978-1-4088-0289-2

Pages: 445

This book is a must-read and must-possess for popular science enthusiasts. Brief descriptions of 100 of the world’s most influential life forms - animals and plants alike – are given in 3 to 4 pages each, succinctly tucking it down to clearly demarcated niches for easy retrieval. The author read history at Cambridge and later became a technology correspondent for the Sunday Times. In 1994, he won the Texaco award for the Science Journalist of the year. Another of his best-seller is the similarly titled What on Earth Happened? Being a successful journalist, the author knows the right mix of hard scientific jargon and easy readability which he has put to good use in compiling this excellent volume.

The book categorizes and lists the species who have impacted the world most. It is divided into two main sub-divisions, Before Humans and After Humans. The first part describes viruses such as Influenza, HIV/AIDS, Potyvirus and others, simple cells such as cyanobacteria, anthrax, symbiotic life forms like slime mould, water mould and algae, sea life like stony coral, roundworm, pioneers of land such as prototaxites, on biodiversity, on fish that came ashore and on the rise of reason. The second part narrates agricultural plants like wheat, sugarcane, drugs, life forms providing material wealth like horse, camel, etc. All the species are ranked on preset criteria and listed at the end of the book based on their overall rank.

The Earthworm comes first in the table of 100 species judged on its evolutionary impact, impact on human history, environmental impact, global reach and longevity. According to Charles Darwin, no living thing has had such a profound impact on history as the earthworm. These were first evolved during the Cambrian Explosion, c.530 million years ago whose descendants rapidly spread in all continents. Five mass extinctions have occurred over the last 500 million years, some of which devastated up to 96 per cent of all marine species and 70 per cent of all land species, but none of them ever touched these creatures (p.94). Earthworms till the ground, keeping them aerated and fit for further agriculture. Without these crawlers, the land becomes exhausted and some historians even suggest this to be the cause of the downfall of the Sumerian civilization.

The book is a real page turner providing so much infotainment and is irresistible to put down. The wealth of data which abounds in these pages is ming boggling. Some very interesting details and anecdotes also adds further flavour to the already delicious serving. Some form of algae is about to transform the world, as “Some algae, including Botryococcus, have the potential to help save the modern world from a global warming catastrophe by weaning us off our dependancy on fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. Algaculture, the practice of farming algae for oil production, has ancient natural origins. Kerogen is a mixture of organic compounds buried deep underground that is made up of decomposed marine algae, cyanobacteria and other protoctists. When it is heated to the right temperature in the Earth’s crusts, it releases crude oil or natural gas” (p.46). Also, elephants are among the strongest, most emotional and highly intelligent creatures on earth, with a brain larger than even humans with a typical weight of just over five kilograms. Such a large brain is also useful for the creature to make primitive wooden tools for food gathering. Elephants learn from experience and captive animals are known to remove their shackles and make their escape.

World’s largest cultivated crops – sugar, wheat, rice, maize and potato (in that order) all find place in this collection. Orange, one of the most widely grown fruit is particularly important to all mammals as they are a rich source of the much needed vitamin C, which is not produced automatically by mammals, unlike vitamin D, which is synthesized by the skin with nothing more than sunlight. Mammals, including humans lost the capability of making vitamin C somewhere in the evolutionary pathway.

Although the book is terribly appealing, some contentions of the author is a bit grating on the nerves. The conclusion that elephants mourn their dead from the fact that they have a large brain does not seem to be cause-and-effect. Another point is the rise in treatment of open wounds infected by anti-biotic resistant bacteria with maggots of fruit flies goes counter to established scientific wisdom. Readers are advised to treat such arguments with scepticism until proved right from other more reliable sources. On the some topics, it was felt that a little more attention should have been paid. However, the author may be pardoned on the basis that he had to squeeze all these in, in about 450 pages giving a maximum of 5 pages for each topic.

The book is highly recommended.

Rating: 4 Star