THETESTIMONYOFMYGRANDFATHER'S

BOOKCASE
DateofPublication:19980000
PlaceofPublication:KunapipiAJournalofPostColonialWriting(U.K.)
Language:English
AmitavGhoshwona1999PushcartPrizeforthefollowingessay,whichhasbeenpublishedin
severalpublications.
PublishedinKunapipiAJournalofPostColonialWriting(U.K.),Vol.XIX,No.3,KenyonReview,
Vol.XX,No.2,Spring1998Desh,PujaIssue,1998asas'KathashilperMayayGathaEiBasundhara'
AsachildIspentmyholidaysinmygrandfather'shouseinCalcuttaanditwastherethatIbegantoread.My
grandfather'shousewasachaoticandnoisyplace,populatedbyalargenumberofuncles,aunts,cousinsand
dependents,someofthembizarre,somemerelyeccentric,butalmostallexcitableintheextreme.YetIlearnedmuch
moreaboutreadinginthishousethanIeverdidinschool.
Thewallsofmygrandfather'shousewerelinedwithrowsofbooks,neatlystackedinglassfrontedbookcases.The
bookcaseswereprominentlydisplayedinalargehallthatserved,amongstinnumerableotherfunctions,alsothoseof
playground,sittingroomandhallway.Thebookcasestoweredaboveus,lookingdown,eavesdroppingonevery
conversation,keepingtrackoffamilygossip,gloweringuponquarrelingchildren.Veryrarelywerethebookcases
stirredoutoftheirsilentvigil:Iwasperhapstheonlypersoninthehousewhoraidedthemregularly,andIwasin
Calcuttafornomorethanacoupleofmonthseveryyear.Whenthebookcasesweredisturbedinmyabsence,itwas
usuallynotfortheircontentsbutbecausesomespecialoccasionrequiredtheircleaning.Iftheimpendingevent
happenedtoconcernaweightymatter,likeadelicatemaritalnegotiation,thebookcasesgotaverythorough
scrubbingindeed.Andwelltheydeservedit,foratsuchtimestheywereimportantpropsinthelittleplaysthatwere
enactedintheirpresence.Theyletthevisitorknowthatthiswasahouseinwhichbookswerevaluedinotherwords
thatwewerecultivatedpeople.ThisisalwaysimportantinCalcutta,forCalcuttaisabookishcity.
Wereweindeedcultivatedpeople?Iwonder.OnthewholeIdon'tthinkso.Inmymemorymygrandfather'shouseis
alwaysfullofaunts,uncles,cousins.IamastonishedsometimeswhenIthinkofhowmanypeopleithoused,fed,
entertained,educated.Butmyuncleswerebusy,practical,andonthewholesuccessfulprofessionals,withlittletime
tospendonbooks.
Onlyoneofmyuncleswasarealreader.Hewasashyandratherretiringmannotthekindofpersonwhotakesit
uponhimselftoeducatehissiblingsorimprovehisrelatives'taste.Thebooksinthebookcaseswerealmostallhis.He
wastooquietamantocarrymuchweightinfamilymatters,andhisviewsnevercountedformuchwhentheelders
soughteachother'scouncil.Yetdespitethefullnessofthehouseandthefiercecompetitionforspace,itwastakenfor
grantedthathisbookcaseswouldoccupytheplaceofhonorinthehall.Eventually,tiringofhisnoisyrelatives,my
booklovinguncledecidedtomovetoahouseofhisowninadistantanduncharacteristicallyquietpartofthecity.But
oddlyenoughthebookcasesstayedbythistimethefamilywassoattachedtothemthattheywerelessdispensable
thanmyuncle.
Intheyearsthatfollowed,thehousepassedintothehandsofabranchofthefamilythatwasdefinitelyveryfarfrom
bookish.Yettheirattachmenttothebookcasesseemedtoincreaseinverselytotheirloveofreading.Ihadbeen
engagedinasecretpillagingofthebookcasesforaverylongtime.Underthenewregimemydepredationscametoa
suddenhaltattheslightestsqueakofanhinge,hordesofcousinswouldmaterializesuddenlyaroundmyankles,
snappingdirethreats.

Itservednopurposetotellthemthatthebookswerebeingconsumedbymaggotsandmildewthatbooksrottedwhen
theywerenotread.Argumentssuchastheseinterestedthemnotatall:asfarastheywereconcernedthebookcases
andtheircontentswereaspeciesofpropertyandweresubjecttothesamelaws.
Thisattitudemademeimpatient,evencontemptuousatthetime.Booksweremeanttoberead,Ithought,bypeople
whovaluedandunderstoodthem:Ifeltnottheslightestremorseformylongyearsofthievery.Itseemedtomea
terriblewaste,aninjusticethatnonreadersshouldsucceedinappropriatingmyuncle'slibrary.TodayIamnotsosure.
Perhapsthosecousinswereteachingmealessonthatwasimportantonitsownterms:theywereteachingmerespect,
theywereteachingmetovaluetheprintedword.Wouldanyonewhohadnotlearnedtheselessonsbefoolhardy
enoughtoimaginethatalivingcouldbemadefromwords?Idoubtit.
Inanotherwaytheywerealsoteachingmewhatabookis,aproperbookthatis,notjustprintedpapergathered
betweencovers.HowevermuchImayhavechafedagainsttheregimethatstoodbetweenmeandthebookcases,Ihave
notforgottenthoselessons.Forme,tothisday,abook,aproperbook,isandalwayswillbethekindofbookthatwas
onthosebookshelves.
Andwhatexactlywasthiskindofbook?
Althoughnoonehadeverarticulatedanyguidelinesaboutthem,sofarasIknow,therewereinfactsomefairlystrict
rulesaboutthebooksthatwereallowedontothoseshelves.Textbooksandschoolbookswereneverallowednorwere
booksofatechnicalorprofessionalnaturenothingtodowithengineering,ormedicineorlaw,orindeedanyofthe
callingsthataffordedmyunclestheirlivings.Infactthegreatmajorityofthebookswereofasinglekindtheywere
novels.Therewassomepoetrytoobutnovelsweredefinitelythemainstay.Therewereafewworksofanthropology
andpsychologybooksthathadinsomewayfilteredintotheliteraryconsciousnessofthetime:TheGolden
Boughforexample,aswellastheCollectedWorksofSigmundFreud,MarxandEngels'Manifesto,Havelock
EllisandMalinowskionsexualbehaviorandsoon.
Butwithoutadoubtitwasthenovelthatweighedmostheavilyonthefloorsofmygrandfather'shouse.TothisdayI
amunabletoplaceatextbookoracomputermanualuponabookshelfwithoutatwingeofembarrassment.
ThisishowNiradChaudhuri,thaterstwhileCalcuttan,accountsforthepositionthatnovelsoccupyinBengalicultural
life:"IthastobepointedoutthatinthelatterhalfofthenineteenthcenturyBengalilifeandBengaliliteraturehad
becomeverycloselyconnectedandliteraturewasbringingintothelifeofeducatedBengalissomethingwhichthey
couldnotgetfromanyothersource.Whetherinthecitiesandtownsorinthevillages,wheretheBengaligentrystill
hadthepermanentbaseoftheirlife,itwasthemainstayoftheirlifeoffeeling,sentimentandpassion.Bothemotional
capacityandidealismweresustainedbyit....whenmysisterwasmarriedin1916,acollegefriendofminepresented
herwithfifteenofthelatestnovelsbytheforemostwritersandmysistercertainlydidnotprizethemlessthatherfar
morecostlyclothesandjewelry.Infact,salesoffictionandpoetryasweddingpresentswereasurestandbyoftheir
publishers."[i]
Aboutaquarterofthenovelsinmyuncle'sbookcaseswereinBengaliarepresentativeselectionofthemainstream
traditionofBengaliliterature.ProminentamongtheseweretheworksofBankimChandra,SaratChandra,Tagore,
BibhutiBhushan,Bonophul&SyedMustafaAli.TherestwereinEnglish.Butoftheseonlyasmallproportion
consistedofbooksthathadbeenoriginallywritteninEnglish.Theothersweretranslationsfromanumberofother
languages,mostofthemEuropean:Russianhadpriceofplace,followedbyFrench,Italian,GermanandDanish.The
greatmasterpiecesofthe19thcenturyweredutifullyrepresented:thenovelsofDostoevsky,TolstoyandTurgenev,of
VictorHugo,Flaubert,Stendhal,Maupassantandothers.Butthesewerethedustiestbooksofall,placedonshelves
thatwereloftybutremote.

Thebooksthatwereprominentlydisplayedwereanoddlydisparatelotorsotheyseemtoday.Someofthosetitles
canstillbeseenonbookshelveseverywhere:Joyce,Faulknerandsoon.Butmanyothershavelongsincebeen
forgotten.MarieCorelliandGraziaDeleddaforinstance,namesthataresolittleknowntoday,eveninItaly,thatthey
havebecomeakindofsecretincantationforme,apasswordthatallowsentryintothebrotherhoodofremembered
bookcases.KnutHamsun,too,wasonceapartofthisincantation,butunliketheothershisreputationhassincehadan
immenserevivalandwithgoodreason.
Othernamesfromthoseshelveshavebecome,inthisageofresurgentcapitalism,symbolsofacertainkindof
embarrassmentoruneasethesocialrealistsforexample.Butonmyuncle'sshelvestheystoodtallandproud,
RussiansandAmericansalike:MaximGorky,MikhailSholokov,JohnSteinbeck,UptonSinclair.Thereweremany
otherstoo,whoseplacesnexttoeachotherseemhardtoaccountforatfirstglance:Sienkiewicz(ofQuoVadis),
MauriceMaeterlinck,Bergson.Recently,lookingthroughthemildewedremnantsofthoseshelvesIcameuponwhat
musthavebeenthelastadditiontothatcollection.ItwasIvoAndric'sBridgeontheDrina,publishedinthesixties.
ForalongtimeIwasatalosstoaccountformyuncle'soddassortmentofbooks.Iknewtheireclecticismcouldn't
reallybeascribedtopersonalidiosyncrasiesoftaste.Myunclewasakeenreaderbuthewasnot,Isuspect,thekindof
personwhoallowshisowntastetosteerhimthroughlibrariesandbookshops.Onthecontraryhewasareaderofthe
kindwhosetasteisguidedlargelybyprevalentopinion.ThisuncleImightadd,wasawriterhimself,inamodestway.
HewroteplaysinanepicveinwithcharactersborrowedfromtheSanskritclassics.HeneverleftIndiaandindeed
rarelyventuredoutofhishomestateofWestBengal.
Theprinciplesthatguidedmyuncle'stastewouldhavebeenmuchclearertomehadIeverhadaninterestintrivia.To
thequizshowadeptthelinkbetweenGraziaDeledda,Gorky,Hamsun,Sholokov,SienkiewiczandAndricwillbeclear
atonce:itistheNobelPrizeforLiterature.
WritingabouttheCalcuttaofthetwentiesandthirtiesNiradChaudhuriwrites:"Tobeuptodateaboutliterary
fashionswasagreatercrazeamongusthattobeuptodateinclothesiswithsocietywomen,andthisdesirebecame
keenerwiththeintroductionoftheNobelPrizeforliterature.NottobeabletoshowatleastonebookbyaNobel
Laureatewasregardedalmostasbeingilliterate."[ii]
ButofcoursetheNobelPrizewasitselfbothsymptomandcatalystofawidercondition:theemergenceofanotionof
auniversal'literature',aformofartisticexpressionthatembodiesdifferencesinplaceandculture,emotionand
aspiration,butinsuchawayastorenderthemcommunicable.ThisideamaywellhavehaditsbirthinEuropebutI
suspectitmetwithamuchmoreenthusiasticreceptionoutside.IspentacoupleofyearsstudyinginEnglandinthe
lateseventiesandearlyeighties.Idon'tremembereverhavingcomeacrossabookshelflikemyuncle's:onethathad
beenlargelyformedbythisvisionofliterature,byadeliberatesearchforbooksfromawidearrayofothercountries.
Ihavehowevercomeacrossmanysuchelsewhere,mostmemorably,inBurma,inthehouseofthelateMyaThanTint
widelyregardedasoneofthemostimportantBurmesewritersofthe20thcentury.
MyaThanTintwasanamazingman.Hespentmorethanadecadeasapoliticalprisoner.Forpartofthattimehewas
incarceratedintheBritishfoundedpenalcolonyofCocosIsland,aninfamousoutcropofrockwhereprisonershadto
foragetosurvive.Onhisreleasehebegantopublishsketchesandstoriesthatwonhimawidereadershipandgreat
popularesteeminBurma.ThesepieceswonderfullywarmandvividpieceshaverecentlybeentranslatedintoEnglish
andpublishedunderthetitleTalesofEverydayPeople.
ImetMyaThanTintin1995,athishomeinRangoon.Thefirstthinghesaidtomewas,'I'veseenyourname
somewhere.'Iwastakenaback.SuchistheferocityofBurma'scensorshipregimethatitseemedhardlypossiblethat
hecouldhavecomeacrossmybooksorarticlesinRangoon.

"Waitaminute",MyaThanTintsaid.Hewenttohisstudy,fetchedatatteredoldcopyofGrantaandpointedtomy
nameonthecontentspage.
"Wheredidyougetit?"Iasked,openmouthed.Heexplained,smiling,thathehadkepthislibrarygoingbybefriending
theragpickersandpapertraderswhopickthroughtherubbishdiscardedbydiplomats.
LookingthroughMyaThanTint'sbookshelves,Isoondiscoveredthatthisdeterminedrefusaltobebeateninto
parochialismhaditsgenesisinabookcasethatwasstartlinglysimilartomyuncle's.KnutHamsun,MaximGorky,
Sholokov,allthoseoncefamiliarnamescameechoingbacktome,fromCalcutta,aswesattalkinginthatbright,cool
roominRangoon.
IalsooncehadoccasiontomeettheIndonesiannovelist,PramoedyaAnantaToer,anotherwriterofastonishing
fortitudeandcourage.OfthesamegenerationasMyaThanTint,Pramoedyahaslivedthroughsimilarexperiencesof
imprisonmentandpersecution.UnlikeMyaThanTint,Pramoedyaworksinalanguagethathasonlyrecentlybecome
avehicleofliteraryexpression,BahasaIndonesia.Pramoedyaisthuswidelythoughtofasthefoundingfigureina
nationalliterarytradition.
AtsomepointIaskedwhathisprincipalliteraryinfluenceswere.IdonotknowwhatIhadexpectedtohearbutitwas
nottheanswerIgot.IshouldnothavebeensurprisedhoweverthenameswerefamiliaronesMaximGorkyand
JohnSteinbeck.
Overthelastfewyears,unbeknownsttoitselftheworldhascaughtupwithMyaThanTintandPramoedyaAnanta
Toer.Todaythehabitsofreadingthattheyandotherslikethempioneeredaremandatoryamongreaderseverywhere.
WhereverIgotoday,thenamesthatIseeonseriousbookshelvesarealwaysthesame:GarciaMarquez,VargasLlosa,
NadineGordimer,MichaelOndaatje,MargueriteYourcenar,GunterGrass,SalmanRushdie.Thatthisisevermore
trueisselfevident:literarycurrentsarenowinstantlytransmittedaroundtheworldandinstantlyabsorbed,like
everythingelse.Tomentionthisistociteajadedcommonplace.
Butthetruthisthatfictionhasbeenthoroughlyinternationalformorethanacentury.InIndia,Burma,Egypt,
Indonesiaandelsewherethishaslongbeenselfevident.Yetcuriouslythistruthhasnowherebeenmorestoutly
deniedthaninEurope,wherethenovelhasitsdeepestroots:indeeditcouldbesaidthatthisdenialisthecondition
thatmadetheEuropeannovelpossible.
Thenovelasaformhasbeenvigorouslyinternationalfromthestart:weknowthatSpanish,English,Frenchand
Russiannovelistshavereadeachother'sworkavidlysincetheeighteenthcentury.Andyet,theparadoxofthenovelas
aform,isthatitisfoundeduponamythofparochiality,intheexactsenseofaparishaplacenamedandcharted,a
definitelocation.Anovel,inotherwords,mustalwaysbesetsomewhere:itmusthaveitssetting,andwithinthe
evolutionofthenarrativethissettingmust,classically,playapartalmostasimportantasthoseofthecharacters
themselves.Locationisthusintrinsictoanovel:weareatalosstoimagineitsabsencenomatterwhetherthatplacebe
Mrs.Gaskell'sCranfordorJoyce'sDublin.Apoemcancreateitssettingandatmosphereoutofverbaltexturealone:
notsoanovel.
Wecarrytheseassumptionswithusinmuchthesamethatweassumethepresenceofactorsandlightsinaplay.They
arebothsocommonplaceandsodeeplyrootedthattheypreemptusfromreflectingonhowverystrangethey
actuallyare.Considerthattheconceptionsoflocationthatmadethenovelpossiblecameintobeingatexactlythetime
whentheworldwasbeginningtoexperiencethegreatestdislocationithaseverknown.WhenwereadMiddlemarchor
MadameBovarywehavenotthefaintestinklingthatthelivesdepictedinthemaremadepossiblebyglobalempires
(considerthecontrastwiththatseminalworkofPortugueseliterature,CamoensLusiads).Considerthatwhenweread
HawthornewehavetolookverycarefullybetweenthelinestoseethattheNewEnglandportshewritesaboutare
sustainedbyafarflungnetworkoftrade.Considerthatnowherearetheliteraryconventionsoflocationmore

powerfulthanintheliteratureoftheUnitedStates:itselftheproductofseveralepicdislocations.
Howsharplythiscontrastswithtraditionsoffictionthatpredatethenovel!Itistrueforexample,thatthecityof
BaghdadprovidesanotionallocationfortheOneThousandandOneNights.ButtheBaghdadofScheherazadeismore
atalisman,anincantation,thanasetting.Thestoriescouldhappenanywheresolongasourmindshaveroomforan
enchantedcity.
OrthinkofthatamazingcollectionofstoriesknownasthePanchatantraorFiveChapters.Thesestoriestoohaveno
settingstospeakof,exceptthenotionofaforest.YetthePanchatantraisreckonedbysometobesecondonlytothe
Bibleintheextentofitsglobaldiffusion.CompiledinIndiaearlyinthefirstmillennium,itpassedintoArabicthrough
asixthcenturyPersiantranslation,engenderingsomeofthebestknownofmiddleeasternfables,includingpartsof
theTheThousandandOneNights.ThestorieswerehandedontotheSlaviclanguagesthroughGreek,thenfrom
HebrewtoLatin,aversioninthelatterappearingin1270.ThroughLatintheypassedintoGermanandItalian.From
theItalianversioncamethefamousElizabethanrenditionofSirHenryNorth,TheMorallPhilosophyofDoni(1570).
ThesestorieslefttheirmarkoncollectionsasdifferentasthoseofLaFontaineandtheGrimmbrothers,andtoday
theyareinseparablypartofaglobalheritage.[iii]
Equally,thestoriescalledtheJatakas,originallycompiledinIndia,cametobediffusedthroughoutsouthernand
easternAsiaandevenfurtherwiththespreadofBuddhism.Thestory,bothinitsepicformaswellasitsshorter
version,wasvitalinthecreationoftheremarkableculturalauthoritythatIndiaenjoyedintheAsiaofthemiddleages:
notuntiltheadventofHollywoodwasnarrativeagaintoplaysoimportantapartinthediffusionofacivilization.
Everywherethesestorieswenttheywerefreelyandfluentlyadaptedtolocalcircumstances.Indeedinasensethe
wholepointthestorieswastheirtranslatabilitythedispensableandinessentialnatureoftheirlocations.Whatheld
themtogetherandgavethemtheirappealwasnotwheretheyhappenedbuthowthenarrativeinotherwords.Or,to
takeanotherexample,considerthatEuropeannarrativetraditionthatwasperhapstheimmediateprecursorofthe
novel:thestoryofTristanandIsolde.BythelatemiddleagesthisCelticnarrative,whichappearstohavehadits
originsinCornwallandBrittany,hadbeentranslatedandadaptedintoseveralmajorEuropeanlanguages.
EverywhereitwentthestoryofTristanandIsoldewasimmediatelyadaptedtonewlocationsandnewsettings.The
questionsofitsoriginsanditsoriginallocationsareatbestmattersofpedanticinterest.
Inthesewaysofstorytelling,itisthestorythatgivesplacestheirmeaning.ThatiswhyHomerleapsatusfromsigns
ontheNewYorkturnpike,fromexitsmarkedIthacaandTroythatiswhytheAyodhyaoftheRamayanalendsits
nameequallytoastreetinBanarasandatowninThailand.
Thisstyleoffictionalnarrativeisnotextinct:farfromit.Itlivesveryvividlyinthespiritthatanimatespopularcinema
inIndiaandmanyotherplaces.InaHindifilm,asinakungfumovie,thedetailsthatconstitutethesettingare
profoundlyunimportant,incidentalalmost.InHindifilms,thesettingofasinglesongcantakeusthroughanumberof
changesofcostume,eachinadifferentlocation.Thesefilms,Ineedhardlypointout,commandhugeaudienceson
severalcontinentsandmaywellbethemostwidelycirculatedculturalartifactstheworldhaseverknown.When
Indonesianstreetsandvillagessuddenlyemptyatfourintheafternoon,itisnotbecauseofMaximGorkyorJohn
Steinbeck:itisbecauseofthetimingofadailybroadcastofaHindifilm.
Suchisthecontinuedvitalityofthisstyleofnarrativethatiteventuallysucceededinweaningmyunclefromhis
bookcases.Towardtheendofhislifemybooklovinguncleabandonedallhisoldfriends,GorkyandSholokovand
Hamsun,andbecameacompletedevoteeofBombayfilms.HewouldseedozensofHindifilms:sometimeswewent
together,onlazyafternoons.Onthewayhomehewouldstoptobuyfanmagazines.Throughmuchofhislifehe'd
beenaforbidding,distantman,anintellectualintheclassic,Westernsense:inhislastyearshewasutterly
transformed,warm,loving,thoughtful.Hisbrothersandsistersscarcelyrecognizedhim.

Once,whenwewerewatchingafilmtogether,hewhisperedinmyearthatthestar,thenBombay'sreigningfemale
deity,hadrecentlycontractedasevereinfestationoflice.
"Howdoyouknow?",Iasked.
"Ireadaninterviewwithherhairdresser,"hesaid."InStardust".
Thiswasthemanwho'dhandedmeacopyofAndQuietFlowstheDonwhenIwasnotquitetwelve.
Myuncle'sjourneyisevidencethatmattersarenotyetdecidedbetweendifferentwaysoftellingstories:thatif
Literature,ledbyaflagshipcalledtheNovel,hasdeclaredvictory,theotherside,ifthereisone,hasnotnecessarily
concededdefeat.Butwhatexactlyisatstakehere?Whatisbeingcontested?Ortonarrowthequestion:whatisthe
differencebetweenthewaysinwhichplaceandlocationarethoughtofbynovelistsandstorytellersofotherkinds?
Thecontrastisbestseen,Ithink,whereitismostapparent:thatisinsituationsoutsideEuropeandtheAmericas,
wherethenovelisarelativelyrecentimport.Asanexample,Iwouldliketoexamineforamoment,anovelfrommy
ownpartoftheworldBengal.ThisnoveliscalledRajmohun'sWifeanditwaswrittenintheearly1860sbythewriter
BankimChandraChatterjee.
BankimChandraChatterjeewasamanofmanyparts.Hewasacivilservant,ascholar,anovelistandatalented
polemicist.Hewasalsoverywidelyread,inEnglishaswellasBengaliandSanskrit.Inasensehiswasthebookcase
thatwastheancestorofmyuncle's.
BankimplayednosmallpartintheextraordinaryefflorescenceofBengaliliteratureinthesecondhalfofthe19th
century.HewroteseveralmajornovelsinBengali,allofwhichwerequicklytranslatedintootherIndianlanguages.He
wasperhapsthefirsttruly'Indian'writerofmoderntimesinthesensethathisliteraryinfluenceextendedthroughout
thesubcontinent.NiradChaudhuridescribeshimas'thecreatorofBengalifictionand...thegreatestnovelistinthe
Bengalilanguage'.BankimisalsowidelyregardedasoneoftheintellectualprogenitorsofIndiannationalism.
BankimChandrawasnothingifnotapioneerandheselfconsciouslysethimselfthetaskofbringingtheBengalinovel
intobeingbyattackingwhathecalled'theSanskritSchool.'Itishardtoday,lookingbackfromapointoftimewhenthe
novelsailsasLiterature'sflagship,toimaginewhatitmeanttochampionsuchaforminnineteenthcenturyIndia.The
traditionsoffictionthatBankimwasseekingtodisplacewerepowerfulenoughtoaweitscriticsintosilence.Theystill
are:whatmodernwriterforexample,couldeverhopetoachievethesuccessofthePanchatantra?Itrequiredtrue
couragetoseektoreplacethisstyleofnarrativewithaformsoartificialandarbitraryasthenovel:theendeavour
musthaveseemedhopelessatthetime.NordidthesocalledSanskritSchoollackfordefendants.Bankim,andmany
otherswhotookonthetaskofdomesticatingthenovel,wereimmediatelyderidedasmonkeylikeimitatorsofthe
West.
Bankimrespondedbycallingforafullscaleinsurrection.Imitation,hewrotewasthelawofprogressnocivilization
wasselfcontainedorselfgenerated,nonecouldadvancewithoutborrowing.Hewrote:"Thosewhoarefamiliarwith
thepresentwritersinBengali,willreadilyadmitthattheyall,goodandbadalike,maybeclassedundertwoheads,the
SanskritandtheEnglishschools.TheformerrepresentsSanskritscholarshipandtheancientliteratureofthecountry
thelatteristhefruitofWesternknowledgeandideas.ByfarthegreaternumberofBengaliwritersbelongtothe
Sanskritschoolbutbyfarthegreaternumberofgoodwritersbelongtotheother...Itmaybesaidthatthereisnotat
thepresentdayanythinglikeanindigenousschoolofwriters,owingnothingeithertoSanskritwritersortothoseof
Europe."
Howpoignantlyironicthispassageseemsahundredyearslater,aftergenerationsofexpatriateIndians,working
mainlyinEngland,havestrivensohardtounlearnthelessonstaughtbyBankimandhissuccessorsinIndia.So
successfullywerenovelisticconventionsdomesticatedinthelatenineteenthandearlytwentiethcenturiesthatmany

Indianreadersnowthinkofthemassomehowlocal,homegrown,comfortingintheirnaturalisticsimplicity,whilethe
workofsuchwritersasG.V.Desani,ZulfikarGhose,SalmanRushdie,AdamZameenzad,ShashiTharoorandothers
appears,bythesametoken,stylizedandexperimental.
YetBankim'sopinionsaboutthedistinctivenessofIndianliteratureweremuchmoreextremethanthoseofhis
apocryphalSanskritSchool.In1882Bankimfoundhimselfembroiledinaveryinterestingcontroversywitha
Protestantmissionary,W.Hastie.TheexchangebeganafterHastiehadpublishedacoupleoflettersinaCalcutta
newspaper,TheStatesman.Icannotresistquotingfromoneofthese:"Notwithstandingallthathasbeenwritten
aboutthemyriotheisticidolatryofIndia,nopenhasyetadequatelydepictedthehideousnessandgrossnessofthe
monstroussystem.Ithasbeenwelldescribedbyonewhoknewitas'Satan'smasterpiece...themoststupendous
fortressandcitadelofancienterrorandidolatrynowintheworld'...Withmuchthatwasnobleandhealthyinitsearly
stages,theSanskritliteraturebecameinfectedbyamoralleprosywhichgraduallyspreadlikeacorruptingdisease
throughalmostallitsfibresandorgans.ThegreatSanskritscholarsofBengalknowtoowellwhatImean...Onlyto
thinkthatthishasbeentheprincipalpabulumofthespirituallifeoftheHindusforaboutathousandyears,andthe
loudlyboastedloreoftheirsemideifiedpriests!Needweseekelsewhereforthefouldiseasethathasbeenpreying
uponthevitalsofthenationallife,andreducingthepeopletowhattheyare?'Shewmeyourgods,'criedanancient
Greekapologist,'andIwillshowyouyourmen.'TheHinduisjustwhathisidolgodshavemadehim.Hisownidolatry,
andnotforeignconquerorshasbeenthecurseofhishistory.Nopeoplewaseverdegradedexceptbyitself,andthisis
mostliterallysowiththeHindus."[iv]
BankimrespondedbyadvisingMr.Hastieto"obtainsomeknowledgeofSanskritscripturesintheoriginal'...(for)no
translationfromtheSanskritintoaEuropeanlanguagecantrulyorevenapproximatelyrepresenttheoriginal...The
EnglishortheGermanlanguagecanpossessnowordsorexpressionstodenoteideasorconceptionswhichhavenever
enteredintoaTeutonicbrain...ApeoplesothoroughlyunconnectedwithEnglandorGermanyastheoldSanskrit
speakingpeopleofIndia,anddevelopingacivilizationandaliteraturepeculiarlytheirown,hadnecessarilyavast
storeofideasandconceptionsutterlyforeigntotheEnglishmanortheGerman,justastheEnglishmanortheGerman
boastsastillvasternumberofideasutterlyforeigntotheHindu...(Mr.Hastie'sposition)isthelogicaloutcomeof
thatmonstrousclaimtoomniscience,whichcertainEuropeans...putforwardforthemselves...Yetnothingisamore
commonsubjectofmerrimentamongthenativesofIndiathantheEuropeans'ignoranceofallthatrelatestoIndia...A
navvywhohadstrayedintothecountry...askedforsomefoodfromanative...Thenativegavehimacocoanut.The
hungrysailor...bitthehusk,chewedit...andflungthefruitattheheadoftheunhappydonor...Thesailorcarriedaway
withhimanopinionofIndianfruitsparalleltothatofMr.Hastieandothers,whomerelybiteatthehuskofSanskrit
learning,butdonotknowtheirwaytothekernelwithin..."Headded:"Icheerfullyadmittheintellectualsuperiorityof
Europe.Ideny,however...thatintellectualsuperioritycanenabletheblindtoseeorthedeaftohear".
BythetimehewrotethepassagesIhavequotedaboveBankimwasalreadyanacclaimednovelistandamajorfigurein
theBengaliliteraryworld.ButBankim'sexperimentswiththenovelhadbegunsometwentyyearsbeforeandhis
earliesteffortsatnovelwritingwereconductedinEnglish.Rajmohun'sWifeisthefirstknownfictionalworkwritten
byBankimanditwaswrittenintheearly1860s.
Itwillbeevidentfromtheabovepassages,abbreviatedthoughtheyare,thatBankimwroteexcellentEnglish:his
essaysandlettersarewritteninastylethatissupple,lighthandedandeffective.ThestyleofRajmohun'sWifeonthe
otherhandisdeliberate,uncertainandoftenponderous.Whatintriguesmemostaboutthisbookhoweverarethe
longpassagesofdescriptionthatprefaceseveralofthechapters,bookending,asitwere,someextremely
melodramaticscenes.
Herearesomeexamples:
'ThehouseofMathurGhosewasagenuinespecimenofmofussilmagnificenceunitedwithamofussilwantof
cleanliness.

'Fromthefaroffpaddyfieldsyoucoulddescrythroughtheinterveningfoliage,itshighpalisadesandblackenedwalls.
Onanearerviewmightbeseenpiecesofplasterofavenerableantiquitypreparedtobidfarewelltotheiroldand
weatherbeatentenement....
'Amazysuiteofdarkanddampapartmentsledfromacornerofthispartofthebuildingtotheinnermahal,another
quadrangle,onallfoursidesofwhichtowereddoublestoriedverandahsasbefore...Thewallsofallthechambers
aboveandbelowwerewellstripedwithnumerousstreaksofred,white,black,green,allcoloursoftherainbow,
causedbythespittlesofsuchashadfoundtheirmoutstoomuchencumberedwithpaan,orbysomeimprovident
womanservantwhohadbrokenthegolahandiwhileitwasfullofitsmuddycontents...Numeroussketchesin
charcoal,whichshowed,wefear,nothingoftheconceptionof(Michael)AngeloorthetintingofGuido(Reni),attested
theartoridlenessofthewickedboysandingeniousgirlswhohadcontrivedtowhileawayhungryhoursbyessaysin
theartsofdesigningandofdefacingwall...
'Athickandmassivedoorledtothe'godown'asthemahalwascalledbythemalesdirectlyfromoutside...'(Bankim
ChandraChatterjee,Rajmohun'sWife,inBankimRachanavali,ed.JogeshChandraBagal,SahityaSamsad,Calcutta,
pp.523)
AKitchenScene:
'Madhavthereforeimmediatelyhurriedintotheinnerapartmentswherehefounditnoveryeasytasktomakehimself
heardinthatbusyhourofzenanalife.Therewasaservantwoman,black,rotund,andeloquent,demandingthe
transmissiontoherhandofsundryarticlesofdomesticuse,withouthowevermakingitatallintelligibletowhomher
demandswereaddressed.Therewasanotherwhoboastedsimilarblessedcorporaldimensions,butwhothoughtit
beneathherdignitytoshelterthemfromviewandwasbusilyemployedbroomstickinhand,indemolishingthelittle
mountainsoftheskinsandstemsofsundryculinaryvegetableswhichdecoratedthefloors,andagainstwhichthehalf
nakeddameneveraimedablowbutcoupleditwithacurseonthosewhosedutyithadbeentopreparethesaid
vegetablesfordressing.(Ibid.17)"
ThequestionsthatstrikemewhenIreadtheselengthyandlaboureddescriptionsis:whataretheyfor?Whoarethey
intendedfor?Whydidhebothertowritethem?Bankimmusthaveknownthathisbookwasveryunlikelytoberead
byanyonewhodidnotknowwhattheaverageBengalilandowner'shouselookedlikesincebyfarthelargestpartof
theliteratepopulationofCalcuttaatthattimeconsistedoflandownersandtheirfamilies.Similarlyanyonewhohad
visitedtheBengalofhistime,fornomatterhowbriefaperiod,wouldalmostinevitablyhavebeenfamiliarwiththe
othersightshedescribes:fishermenatwork,cranesfishingandsoon.
WhythendidBankimgotothetroubleofwritingthesepassages?Didhethinkhisbookmightbereadbysomeone
whowasentirelyunfamiliarwithBengal?Thequestionisanaturalandinevitableone,butIdonotthinkitleads
anywhere.ForthefactofthematteristhatIdon'tthinkBankimwaswritingforanyonebuthimself.Isuspectthat
BankimneverreallyintendedtopublishRajmohun'sWife:thenovelhasthemostcursoryofendingsasthoughhe'd
writtenitasanexerciseandthenthrownitasideonceithadserveditspurpose.Thebookwasnotactuallypublished
untiladecadeorsoafterhe'dstoppedworkingonit.ForBankimRajmohun'sWifewasclearlyarehearsal,a
preparationforsomethingelse.
Itishere,Ithink,thattheanswerslie.Thepassagesofdescriptioninthebookarenotinfactintendedtodescribe.
Theironlyfunctionisthattheyarethereatall:theyareBankim'sattempttolayclaimtotherhetoricoflocation,of
placetomountaspringboardthatwouldallowhimtovaultthegapbetweentwoentirelydifferentconventionof
narrative.
ItisforarelatedreasonIthinkthatBankimconductedhisrehearsalinEnglishratherthanBengali.Towriteabout

one'ssurroundingisanythingbutnatural:toevenperceiveone'simmediateenvironmentonemustsomehowdistance
oneselffromittodescribeitonemustassumeacertainposture,aformofaddress.Inotherwords,tolocateoneself
throughprose,onemustbeginwithanactofdislocation.ItwasthisperhapsthatEnglishprovidedforBankim:akind
ofdisconnectedsoapboxonwhichhecouldtestacertainformofaddressbeforetryingitoutinBengali.
Thisstillleavesaquestion.Everyformofaddressassumesalistener,asilentparticipant.Whowasthelistenerin
Bankim'smindwhenhewasworkingonRajmohun'sWife?Theanswer,Ithink,isthebookcase.Itistheveryvastness
andcosmopolitanismofthefictionalbookcasethatrequiresnoveliststolocatethemselvesinrelationtoitthat
demandsoftheirworkthatitcarrymarkstoestablishtheirlocation.
Thisthenisthepeculiarparadoxofthenovel:thoseofuswholovenovelsoftenreadthembecauseoftheeloquence
withwhichtheycommunicatea'senseofplace'.Yetthetruthisthatitistheverylossofalivedsenseofplacethat
makestheirfictionalrepresentationpossible.

Publishedin:KunapipiAJournalofPostColonialWriting(U.K.),Vol.XIX,No.3,KenyonReview,Vol.XX,No.2,
Spring1998PushcartPrize,1999Desh,PujaIssue,1998asas'KathashilperMayayGathaEiBasundhara'
Footnotes:
i]NiradChaudhuri,ThyHandGreatAnarch,AddisonWesley,NewYork,1987,pp.1556.
[ii]ibid.
[iii]From:TheLiteraturesofIndia,AnIntroduction,EdwardC.Dimock,EdwinGerow,C.M.Naim,A.K.Ramanujam,
GordonRoadarmel,J.A.B.vanBuitenen.UnivofChicagoPress,Chicago,1974).
[iv]BankimChandraChatterjee,EssaysandLetters,inBankimRachanavali,SahityaSamsad,Calcutta(1923).