When I read articles by the mainstream media about Aavarana I am struck by how illiberal the liberal media continues to be. In this review Mr. Kulkarni accuses of Dr. Bhyrappa of 'falsifying the enriching interactions between Hindus and Muslims'. I am amazed at the power of negativism that has taken hold of the Hindu as well as the Muslim populace. Let me elaborate. If indeed there was such enrichment, there would be no need to create a separate Muslim nation for the Muslims of the subcontinent. Also, if indeed there was such an understanding between Hindus and Muslims there would be no need to obfuscate the historical truth.
If you just look at the way conversions to Islam take place, you will see that the past of a person is completely obliterated. There is no more connection with your family and friends. Your name is also changed. With this your long standing continuities with your past are almost cruelly severed. You will have to actively research history to know that a Mughal prince might very well have been a first generation spawn of a defeated Rajput, who might have been an ardent worshiper of Eklingji.
Take another example from the recent book, Tipu Sultan, the Tyrant of Mysore by Sandeep Balakrishna. He speaks of the Beda boys taken into the army of Tipu Sultan as boy soldiers after their families were killed right in front of their eyes. During their training and indoctrination they were brought up completely devoid of female company to bring out their raw combativeness and cruelty. Put yourself in the position of those boys that are fighting to destroy the same culture that their parents so ardently fought to defend.
I admit these are wounds that are hard to heal. For both Hindus it is the loss of their own brethren that had fought to protect them. For Muslims it is a bigger loss - the loss of their own past, their identity and their way of thinking. To obfuscate this truth is tantamount to denying an opportunity for both Muslims and Hindus to heal wounds and mend amends. More importantly, Muslims who are in fact genetically own own, but have had no chance to face that truth will have an opportunity to face the truth and have a chance to revisit their roots. If there was no violence and/or enticement of sorts conversion to Islam would never happen. In a perfect world then, the Muslims too, should have a chance to acknowledge their past and potentially have a chance to accept their heritage.
The reviewer also talks of the rich contribution of the Muslim culture. I would love specifics! When, where? The Hindustani music is ours and ours alone. Look at how Pakistani culture is focused on eradicating that aspect of 'their' culture. Talk about literature - people with unbroken continuities can contribute literature in a richer way. Food and dress are constantly evolving - are they a significant part of culture? Perhaps! The reviewer also should note that before Mughals we were a rich and vibrant economy and after they came and created a plutocracy of a miniscule percentage of the super rich and an entire nation of serfs, that economy was practically destroyed.
I have always admired Dr. Bhyrappa for basing his novel on historical truth. He has held steadfast to his value system unlike a host of others who fictionalize it to the point where it blurs the truth. What is more, he empathetic and he feels the pain of the defeated while delineating the character of the castrated Rajput prince. Like the reviewer himself says, he has brought out the pain that Lakshmi/ Razia feels. She has lost a father, a husband and a son. The Muslim society is close minded - they can't be otherwise. They don't have a past other than that of aligning themselves with the aggressor to the Indian society - something they have to do to keep their pride intact. It is harder to see yourself as a defeated race that was kept consciously inferior to the invaders and perhaps shunned by the very people that you had fought for.
Dr. Bhyrappa is a master at his craft. A story within a story as a technique to draw parallels between the now and the historical past is nothing short of masterful. It is high time for the 'liberal' media got honest and faced the truth.
'
Dr
If you just look at the way conversions to Islam take place, you will see that the past of a person is completely obliterated. There is no more connection with your family and friends. Your name is also changed. With this your long standing continuities with your past are almost cruelly severed. You will have to actively research history to know that a Mughal prince might very well have been a first generation spawn of a defeated Rajput, who might have been an ardent worshiper of Eklingji.
Take another example from the recent book, Tipu Sultan, the Tyrant of Mysore by Sandeep Balakrishna. He speaks of the Beda boys taken into the army of Tipu Sultan as boy soldiers after their families were killed right in front of their eyes. During their training and indoctrination they were brought up completely devoid of female company to bring out their raw combativeness and cruelty. Put yourself in the position of those boys that are fighting to destroy the same culture that their parents so ardently fought to defend.
I admit these are wounds that are hard to heal. For both Hindus it is the loss of their own brethren that had fought to protect them. For Muslims it is a bigger loss - the loss of their own past, their identity and their way of thinking. To obfuscate this truth is tantamount to denying an opportunity for both Muslims and Hindus to heal wounds and mend amends. More importantly, Muslims who are in fact genetically own own, but have had no chance to face that truth will have an opportunity to face the truth and have a chance to revisit their roots. If there was no violence and/or enticement of sorts conversion to Islam would never happen. In a perfect world then, the Muslims too, should have a chance to acknowledge their past and potentially have a chance to accept their heritage.
The reviewer also talks of the rich contribution of the Muslim culture. I would love specifics! When, where? The Hindustani music is ours and ours alone. Look at how Pakistani culture is focused on eradicating that aspect of 'their' culture. Talk about literature - people with unbroken continuities can contribute literature in a richer way. Food and dress are constantly evolving - are they a significant part of culture? Perhaps! The reviewer also should note that before Mughals we were a rich and vibrant economy and after they came and created a plutocracy of a miniscule percentage of the super rich and an entire nation of serfs, that economy was practically destroyed.
I have always admired Dr. Bhyrappa for basing his novel on historical truth. He has held steadfast to his value system unlike a host of others who fictionalize it to the point where it blurs the truth. What is more, he empathetic and he feels the pain of the defeated while delineating the character of the castrated Rajput prince. Like the reviewer himself says, he has brought out the pain that Lakshmi/ Razia feels. She has lost a father, a husband and a son. The Muslim society is close minded - they can't be otherwise. They don't have a past other than that of aligning themselves with the aggressor to the Indian society - something they have to do to keep their pride intact. It is harder to see yourself as a defeated race that was kept consciously inferior to the invaders and perhaps shunned by the very people that you had fought for.
Dr. Bhyrappa is a master at his craft. A story within a story as a technique to draw parallels between the now and the historical past is nothing short of masterful. It is high time for the 'liberal' media got honest and faced the truth.
'
Dr
