Gujarat Files : Anatomy Of A Cover Up - Rana Ayyub

One hell of a book. I have read many reports on Gujarat riots but this one is chilling and to think of how a group of people can control everything in the state is scary.  The author Rana Ayyub has done some wonderful reporting about Gujarat Riots at Tehelka and she is the main reason for the arrest of Amit Shah ,then home minister of Gujarat.

The author went undercover for eight months to investigate about the riots and encounter killings. The author along with her friends conducted sting operations on most of the officers who were involved. All are high profile officers. Most of the details are well known - discussed and written widely. These sting operations confirms many of the details came out after riots. The common thread in that connects all these officers testimonial was Amit Shah.

“You know this Haren Pandya case is like a volcano. Once the truth is out, Modi will go home. He will be jailed, not go home. He will be in prison.”

One of the highlight of this book is the exposure of  how the government used Dalit officers for 'fake' encounters and threw them out after -like "use and throw". Officer Priyadarshi  says “I mean a Dalit officer can be asked to commit cold-blooded murder because he (apparently) has no self-respect, no ideals. Upper castes in the Gujarat police are the ones in (everyone’s) good books.”  Another officer Pandey says "there were riots in 85, 87, 89, 92 and most of the times the Hindus got a beating. And the Muslims got an upperhand. So this time in 2002, it had to happen, it was the retaliation of Hindus."  The book clearly shows the communal divide among the police departments.

Its remarkable for a Muslim woman to pretend like a Hindu girl (Maithili Tyagi) , wearing all those dresses with hidden cameras and asking some uncomfortable questions to those high profile officers - an ode to investigative journalism.  Rana Ayyub says she will handover the materials collected to investigators if asked.

Muslims were more dominant. In 2002, more Muslims were killed. See with Muslims it’s like this. Especially in 2002 it was like this, Muslims were killing Hindus all these years so whatever happened in 2002 was a retaliation for all those years of being beaten by Muslims. And everybody across the world created havoc. They did not see the situation in which the Hindus were killed.

I finished the book in less than three hours, it was like reading a crime thriller. The language is simple and engaging.  I felt very sad for those courageous police officers who were put in a moral dilemma- those who toed the line were rewarded and others were thrown out. Its like in movies -complete disregard to law and order by the top police and government officials.

The book does not give any idea on which those unfortunate events happened, rather it gives thoughts of those who involved in it -in their own words and leave the readers to judge. Definitely things were not as clear as one would like to believe in events during and after the riots and encounters. I believe the author may have some more information which she do not want reveal at this point of time ? Also anyone working behind this author because one cannot ask all the questions without some kind of backup? Whatever it may be this is a brilliant book.

A chilling read ! 

Signs Preceding the End of the World - Yuri Herrera

Very short book with so much emotion. This is the journey of a sister searching for his brother.  The journey is through different geographical plains. She is from Mexico crossing the border illegally to USA . She is observant,curious and street smart. The first line "I’m dead, Makina said to herself when everything lurched"  sets the tone for story. That line gives lots to think even before one proceed further.

Makina, who runs the only switchboard in miles was asked by her mother to deliver the letter and bring his son back . She had a way to fix everything and readily talks to anyone and she knew three languages. She helped many in her village in their relationship through her work.  She knows how to to stay in the correct side of the local gangsters ,she meets a gangster who gave her a package to deliver. Will she return back ? or does she have any intention to return ?

You are the door, not the one who walks through it.

She is the door, she knew it and she cannot go through it, that's the reason why she was able to gain access to any where.She is a conduit , everyone relies on her. She journeys from Village to little town to big Chilango . Her plan was to come back as soon as she meet her brother. After meeting her brother she realized that she cannot go back and she remains there.

Makina risks her life in search of her brother using all her skills in fighting the immigrants and security forces. She also understood the life of her brother after her brother explained his complex life in  United States. She also realizes there is no escaping from the reality that she will stay in the unknown land may be forever as her brother. The end is inevitable.

“All families had started off in some mysterious waay: to repopulate the earth, or by accident, or by force, or out of boredom; and it's all a mystery what each will become.” 

This is a strange story but memorable.The crossing of border is a allegory.The writing is poetic. Lots of overlapping words in a sentence - rain and snow ,anglo and latin . The journey itself moving in two ways -forward and backward sort of Inferno and Paradise. The contradiction is explained beautifully in this passages - "They speak an intermediary tongue that Makina instantly warms to because it’s like her: malleable, erasable, permeable; a hinge pivoting between two like but distant souls, and then two more, and then two more, never exactly the same ones; something that serves as a link. . . . More than the midpoint between home grown and anglo their tongue is a nebulous territory between what is dying out and what is not yet born. . . . In it brims nostalgia for the land they left or never knew when they use the words with which they name objects; while actions are alluded to with an anglo verb conjugated latin-style, pinning on a sonorous tail from back there."

The sinkhole which devours a man, a cat and a dog is a sign at the beginning of the story which talks about the end. The names of each chapters describes how the places looks like and it geographical features "The Place Where The Wind Cuts Like A Knife," , “The Place Where People’s Hearts Are Eaten.” and "The Place Where Flags Wave" etc.The author also highlights the need of some kind of paper whether its for crossing or for marriage of any sorts - "perhaps they just want the papers, she said to herself, any kind of papers, even if it’s only to fit in" . 

Below quote is a very powerful message and this is the only lengthy monologue by Makina which explores anti-immigration and xenophobia. 

We are to blame for this destruction, we who don’t speak your tongue and don’t know how to keep quiet either. We who didn’t come by boat, who dirty up your doorsteps with our dust, who break your barbed wire. We who came to take your jobs, who dream of wiping your shit, who long to work all hours. We who fill your shiny clean streets with the smell of food, who brought you violence you’d never known, who deliver your dope, who deserve to be chained by neck and feet. We who are happy to die for you, what else could we do? We, the ones who are waiting for who knows what. We, the dark, the short, the greasy, the shifty, the fat, the anemic. We the barbarians.

I'm reading "Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari , in this book the author describes the eternal differences of "us" and "them", the above quote confirms that. I think the translator did a very good job in bringing the essence of the original. 

Read the book for its language and the sense of hope and kindness.

எங்கதே - இமையம்

I have to admit I'm a big fan of Imaiyam's writing. He writes as it is.  This story is one such narrated in a typical slang often one can find in Imaiyam's writing . This is the story of Vinayakam and kamala.  Vinayakam is unmarried and Kamala is widowed with two children. Their relationship is the story.

Vinayakam falls in love with Kamala. The love is told through the eye of a man. Vinayakam being the first born male, has lot of responsibilities but everything comes after Kamala. The sisters initially outraged and treat Kamala badly. But they too accepted their brother's decision and did not ask much. The family set up is typical - ever loving mother and questioning father and lovable sisters and a cousin who supports him .

எஜமானியம்மா போனா , அவுங்க நாயும் கூடத்தான் ஓடும் .

This novel brings the exact mindset of a man possessed by love. He knew that his "illegal" relationship is not good for him and his family , and the society will never accept it but he cannot do much, he persists in it and suffer. He is the one who started not her. He is the one who suffers most not her. kamala did not say much about herself in this story .Her reply for everything is "அப்படியா ".   Vinayakam could not understand her behaviour. In spite of everything Kamala is the one who occupies him entirely and he believes he can live with her in future.

மண் புழுவால நெளியத்தான முடியும்.? சீற முடியாதுல்ல?

This story is nothing new but the native language and the rawness made this story something which the reader cannot forget easily. Though mostly guessable one cannot stop feel for Vinayakam. Vinayakam thoughts on Kamala mirrors most male's - expecting women to respect and obey.

After many struggles , Vinayakam decided to murder Kamala and kill himself . But he thought of all the things that "female body" taught him and the effect of death on Kamala herself- after death she cannot feel anything. He thinks "சாவுன்னா என்னா ? தெரியல ..... நான் கழுத்தறுத்தா அவளுக்கு தெரியுமா? தெரியாது.....கமலாங்கிறது வெறும் ஓடம்பு .."

The author about the book:

எங்கதே நாவல் உங்க்ள் நாவல்களில் சற்று வித்தியாசமானது.. ஆனால் முழுக்க முழுக்க ஆண் பார்வையிலான நாவல் என்ற விம்ர்சனம் குறித்து ?

             சங்க காலத்திலிருந்து இன்றைய காலம்வரை காதலால், காதலின் ஏமாற்றத்தால், காதல் கைக்கூடாததால், பெண்கள்தான் ஏங்குவார்கள், அழுவார்கள், காத்திருப்பார்கள் என்று இலக்கியங்களின் வழியே கற்பிக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. அதை சமூகமும் முழுமையாக நம்பி வந்திருக்கிறது. இலக்கியங்கள் உருவாக்கிக்காட்டுகிற துயரமும், சமூக நம்பிக்கையும் முழுஉண்மை அல்ல என்பதை சொல்கிறது          "எங் கதெ" நாவல். காலம்காலமாக இலக்கியப் படைப்புகள் கட்டமைத்த மதிப்பீட்டிற்கு, சமூகம் உருவாக்கி வைத்திருக்கும் நம்பிக்கைக்கு எதிராக எழுதப்பட்டிருப்பது "எங் கதெ". மரபை உடைத்திருக்கிறது இந்த நாவல். காதலில் ஆணும் ஏமாற்றப்படலாம், துயரப்படலாம், கண்ணீர் சிந்தலாம், ஏங்கலாம், காத்திருக்கலாம், அவஸ்தைப்படலாம் இதுவும் சாத்தியம்தான், உண்மைதான் என்பதை சொல்கிறது எங் கதெ நாவல். ஆணின் வலியை அழுகையை, ஆணினுடைய பார்வையில் சொல்வதுதானே பொருத்தம்?

This is a very short book with only 110 pages. The cover design by Manivannan is simply superb - that cover speaks volume.
Definitely worth read !! 

The Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes

 I heard about this book after it received Man Booker Prize but I knew Julian Barnes and his writings before. This book is like a novella - short one but precise and clear. With a sense of urgency I read this book and I was not disappointed.

History is that certainty produced at the point where the imperfections of memory meet the inadequacies of documentation.

The story has two parts "One" and "Two" narrated by Tony Webster.The Part One begins in 1960's during their school days and the narrator explains his friendship specially with Adrian and his romantic (?) relationship with Veronica. Veronica was his first serious girlfriend and he was serious about it. But Veronica seems like holding back a little in everything they do  that was what Tony thought. Even though he is in 60's he thinks like in 50's .

What you end up remembering isn't always the same as what you have witnessed.

He went with Veronica to her house one weekend. It was an awkward weekend.The stay made him to rethink his relationship with Veronica , in fact he felt inferior to them. He liked only her mother who was gentle and lovable. Tony and Veronica split soon. To add salt to the wound Tony came to know about Adrian's relationship with Veronica through a letter sent by Adrian. He wrote back a letter full of vengeance and sort of jealous too. This letter will haunt him later which the narrator deals in part two. Tony's letter should have hurt Veronica a lot. The letter was unjustifiable. After returning from his trip he received a letter informing about the suicide of Adrian.  Tony was shocked but he believes that the reasoning of Adrian for his suicide makes sense.

And yet it takes only the smallest pleasure or pain to teach us time’s malleability.

Tony moves on with his life.He forgot(??!!) Veronica. He married and divorced with a child. Though it was dull, he lives on.  Without him expecting, a letter from a lawyer informing him about the amount bequeathed and two documents to him by Veronica's mother . He follows up with the lawyer and tries his best to collect the documents but everything fails as Veronica  do not want to share it. Few times he meets her but every time meeting ends abruptly with Veronica saying "You just don't get it, you never did".  Veronica was hostile to him and one time said "Blood Money which confuses Tony even more. Veronica should have felt betrayed specially by her own mother and that too keeping Adrian's diary for so long.

That's one of the central problems of history, isn't it, sir? The question of subjective versus objective interpretation, the fact that we need to know the history of the historian in order to understand the version that is being put in front of us.

The memory places a vital role in this story. Every time Tony wants to remember something he re-tracks and find some missing link , at least that's what he himself believes. His memories helps him to overcome all the pain of different relationships and the opportunities missed. Tony was betrayed by everyone.

It strikes me that this may be one of the differences between youth and age: when we are young, we invent different futures for ourselves; when we are old, we invent different pasts for others.

Ending - that's what confused me a bit in this story. There are lots of questions Who is the junior Adrin?  Many possibilities but I think the logical conclusion will be  Adrian had affair with Veronica's mother and borne a son.  There is a clue in the letter written by the Veronica's mother stating that Adrian was happy in his last few months. But Tony never understood the link . I don't think Tony is  responsible for Adrian's suicide.  After knowing that Veronica is a sister of that handicapped boy , Tony realizes that the equation written by Adrian makes sense. There are some suspicion about Veronica's mother's stay at London after her husbands death.

The more you learn, the less you fear. "Learn" not in the sense of academic study, but in the practical understanding of life.

This novel says many thing about the life including our actions without thinking about the reaction and how memories shapes our life specially during old age. By abruptly ending the novel the author makes the reader to re-evaluate each characters - Tony, Adrian, Veonica and Sarah.

 We thought we were being mature when we were only being safe. We imagined we were being responsible but were only being cowardly. What we called realism turned out to be a way of avoiding things rather than facing them.

A wonderful read..!!

A General Theory Of Oblivion - Jose Eduardo Agualusa

Any one of us, over the course of our lives, can know many different existences. Not many, however, are given the opportunity to wear a different skin.

This is the story of  a woman named Ludo, born in Portugal who locks herself alone for more than thirty years.  As civil war erupts outside her door, Ludo slowly starts her solitary life with her own way of finding food and water. The author beautifully describes that house - most luxurious building in Luanda ,  neighbour with big swimming pool and outside trees with water ways. The premise itself set for a good story.

The story is set during Angola's freedom struggle. It was the time that upheaval of Carnation Revolution spilt over to Angola. Ludo came to Luanda, the capital city of Angola, unwillingly after her sister Odete married to a Angolan man, Orlando.

Her brother-in-law Orlando left pouch of diamonds when he and Odete went for a farewell party. The diamonds plays a crucial role in this story. She kept herself occupied with reading , writing and cooking. By writing, she records her story for the future and for the memory. She killed a burglar who tried to steal the diamonds. She buried him in the terrace flowerbed.  For Ludo writing is important she kept on writing till there was no charcoal. Ludo survives with whatever left over . Her survival bit unrealistic but likeable.

There are lots of stories intermingled in this narration. Everyone has their own stories, some wants to be remembered and some do not wants to forget, as the one character says "A man with a good story is practically a king."  Angolans loves telling stories.As the story progress one can see the changes in Luanda , from the city of revolutions to civil war and at last the growth of capitalism. On the other hand Ludo herself changed  from hating the "black savages of Angola" to accept Angaola as her home .

Many memorable characters makes the life of Ludo more interesting and colourful. Subalu , an young boy who stays with Ludo lately, Little Chief  a businessman and a prison escapee, the Monkey named Che Guevara and the street thug Biaca. All their stories are interconnected with one another without they themselves knowing it.

The fact that Ludo is a agoraphoic woman and she was raped by his father's friend and gave birth to female baby is revealed only at the end but one can easily find out that something was wrong happened to Ludo earlier itself as she points out "the accident".

The book is mixture of  diary entries ,poems and at points looks like a documentary, the author beautifully made it like a montage and gives us a good story. Because of many connected lives , there is a constant state of mystery in the story which augurs well for the reader. The story is neatly crafted with simple language. The titles of each chapter itself speaks volumes of the author. kudos the translator for not missing the essence of the story with the language.This story talks about love, pain , bondage and freedom -also the impact of rape.

A minor classic!