Thriving Under Political Turmoil

With works dating as early as 1500 BCE, Indian literature is certainly one of the oldest literature in the world. One of the earliest forms of literature from the subcontinent is the Veda, a collection of canonical Hindu sacred writings composed in archaic Sanskrit. The Vedas dated as far back as 1500–1200 BCE and were divided into four different Vedas: Rigveda (Knowledge of the Verses), Yajurveda (Knowledge of the Sacrifice), Samaveda (Knowledge of the Chants), and Atharvaveda (Knowledge of the Fire Priest). Subsequently incorporated into the Vedas were prose commentaries such as the Brahmanas and the Upanishads. From the Vedas emerged two Sanskrit epic poems, the Vyasa’s Mahābhārata and Valmiki’s Ramayana which are considered the two most important epics of Hinduism (Itihasas). In the succeeding periods, Indian literature, spanning an eclectic mix of languages and cultures, has developed into one of the world’s richest and most complex literature, integrating various elements from its diverse cultural backdrop.

Contemporary Indian writers continued to build on the legacy of those who came before them. They continued the subcontinent’s rich literary tradition by producing some of the world’s beloved literary masterpieces that earned classic status. Many of them earned various recognitions and awards around the globe. For his collection of poems, Gitanjali, Rabindranath Tagore earned the distinction of being the first non-European and the first lyricist to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. Trinidad-born, Indian writer Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul was also named a Nobel Laureate in Literature in 2001. They are flanked by equally highly-regarded writers such as Salman Rushdie, R.K. Narayan, Arundhati Roy, Jhumpa Lahiri, Mulk Raj Anand, Amitav Ghosh, Anita Desai, and Khushwant Singh, among others. Their works, such as Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children, Seth’s A Suitable Boy, Roy’s The God of Small Things, and Narayan’s The Guide are modern classics and also hallmarks of contemporary Indian literature.

Another titan in contemporary Indian literature is Rohinton Mistry; while he is Canadian by nationality but was born in Mumbai, India. He is the recipient of various literary awards, including the prestigious Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 2012. He made his literary debut in 1987 with the publication of his collection of short stories, Tales from Firozsha Baag. His first novel, Long Journey, was published in 1991 and immediately catapulted Mistry to global recognition. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and received the Governor-General’s Award, the W.H. Smith/Books in Canada First Novel Award, and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for best book. Mistry consolidated his stranglehold as a highly-heralded writer with the publication of his sophomore and most renowned novel, A Fine Balance in 1995. It earned Mistry a second shortlisting for the Booker Prize and a string of literary prizes.

What an unreliable thing is time – when I want it to fly, the hours stick to me like glue. And what a changeable thing, too. Time is the twine to tie our lives into parcels of years and months. Or a rubber band stretched to suit our fancy. Time can be the pretty ribbon in a little girl’s hair. Or the lines in your face, stealing your youthful colour and your hair. But in the end, time is a noose around the neck, strangling slowly

  Rohinton Mistry, A Fine Balance

Anyway, A Fine Balance is set in mid-1970s India and charts the fortunes of four main characters. Ishvar Darji and his nephew Omprakash, or Om for short, were traveling on a train to a big city – interestingly, the city where the characters converged remained anonymous and in a country with bustling metropolises like Mumbai, Madras, Kolkata, Delhi, and Lucknow, among others, it could be anywhere – after escaping from their village. They belonged to the untouchable Chamaar caste who learned how to sew from a Muslim man named Ashraf. In their countryside village, the lower castes were constantly oppressed by the upper caste. Ishvar’s brother Narayan, for instance, was killed when he challenged a powerful upper-caste villager named Thakur Dharamsi who oversaw voting in the area. In reprisal for Narayan’s irreverence, Thakur nearly decimated the Dharji clan, with only Ishvar and Om the only survivors.

While on the train to the city, the uncle and nephew tandem came across Maneck Kohlah, a college student. Maneck was on his way to the city to pursue his studies. Unlike Ishvar and Om, Maneck was born into a more affluent family in a mountain town in the Kashmir Valley. However, his father, Farokh’s once successful soda business has struggled to compete in a modern industrialized India. Maneck, the only child born to his family, did not want to be separated from his parents and felt betrayed when he was sent to boarding school. Farokh sent his son to university to gain a new trade. At the city college, he chose refrigeration and air-conditioning. In the city, he stayed at the student hostel and became friends with Avinash, who is also the student president. With Maneck struggling to fit in with the other boys at college, Avinash was his only friend.

Maneck’s condition was exacerbated by the conditions of the filthy student housing. This made him want to go home. Further, following a humiliating ragging session with fellow hostel students, he was forced to move out of the student hostel. Instead of taking their son back into their fold, Maneck’s parents had other ideas. His mother arranged for their son to rent a room from Dina Dalal who completed the novel’s quartet of main characters; Dina was a friend of Maneck’s mother. Like Maneck, Dina was born to an affluent background; her father was a doctor. Following her father’s death when she was just twelve and the gradual withdrawal of her mother from life, her brother Nusswan took over family affairs, including looking after his sister. Nusswan was abusive to her sister, making her do all the household chores and even drop out of school. Nusswan also hits his sister when he feels his authority is being questioned by his sister.

Dina, however, was not one to back down. She challenged her brother at every turn. He did not let his abuses dampen her spirits. Of the possible suitors Nusswan lined up for her, Dina did not choose one and instead married Rustom Dalal, a chemist. However, after three years of marriage, Rustom was killed in a bicycling accident. Nusswan again tried to take the role of the older brother but Dina refused to take any assistance from her brother; she was cognizant that it came with a price. As such, Dina became a tailor under the guidance of Rustom’s surrogate parents. Two decades later, her eyesight gave, leaving her unemployed. Fate still smiled at her after she met Mrs. Gupta, a lady from a company called Au Revoir Exports. She agreed to let Dina sew the patterns on ready-made dresses. Unfortunately, Dina’s life is still under threat from outside forces, prompting her to take radical steps.

The boy emerged out of the earth, clinging to the end of the rope. He was covered in slippery sewer sludge, and when he stood up, he shone and shimmered in the sun with a terrible beauty. His hair, stiffened by the muck, flared from his head like a crown of black flames. Behind him, the slum smoke curled towards the sky, and the hellishness of the place was complete.

  Rohinton Mistry, A Fine Balance

It was at this juncture that the paths of the four characters converged. Concerned about her weekly Au Revoir Exports quota, she hired Ishvar and Om. She also took them in as renters in her apartment, with Ishvar and Om earning Dina and them money. Their presence also served to waylay her landlord who kept harassing her. To supplement her income and keep her financially stable and independent, thus keeping her prying brother away, she rented her apartment to Maneck. It was all serendipitous how their lives came together. Their individual threads were woven together by circumstances and together, they managed to thrive despite these circumstances living together under the roof of Dina’s apartment. They formed an unbreakable bond and, in the company of each other, the quartet formed a semblance of a family despite their palpable differences. Interestingly, to ward off her landlord and keep the rent collector at bay, Dina presented Ishvar as her husband and Om and Maneck as their sons.

The crux of the story, however, was the declaration of a state of emergency (popularity referred to as the Emergency) by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi; it is this seminal historic event in modern Indian history that the story was juxtaposed. To justify the declaration, Gandhi cited internal and external factors that threatened the country. It was put into effect on June 25 29175 and ended on March 21, 1977. The effects of the Emergency were immediate and far-reaching. The impact of the Emergency, however, was far from its original design. Civil liberties were suspended and the elections were cancelled. Political and social upheaval soon ensued and, without ado, encroached into the characters’ lives. Political activism was stymied, prompting political activists – including Avinash – to go into hiding; Avinash’s political activism was the antithesis of Maneck’s lack of interest in politics. Gandhi’s political opponents were imprisoned and the press was censored; over the course of the Emergency, over 100,000 political opponents, journalists, and dissenters were imprisoned.

On top of the suppression of civil liberties, Gandhi’s regime imposed forced sterilization through vasectomy; the campaign was spearheaded by Gandhi’s son, Sanjay. Political and moral corruption were also widespread. The regime used the state’s resources to instill fear rather than discipline among its denizens. Policemen like Sergeant Kesar were vessels used to harass the poor and the people belonging to the lower castes; class and India’s caste system were subjects the novel explored and vividly depicted. Sergeant Kasar led a team that demolished the hut originally occupied by Ishvar and Omprakash during a slum “beautification.” This underlines how the government oppressed and exploited people belonging to the lower rungs of society. The slums also highlighted one of the looming challenges to modern India: the diaspora from the countryside to Indian metropolises to seek employment and promises of greener pastures. They tried to earn a decent living but government policies kept them from doing so. They are trapped in a cycle of poverty and abuse.

During the demolition, trucks were sent to round up the people from the slums. As a result, Ishvar and Omprakash were forced to work as unpaid laborers on an irrigation project. Uncle and nephew were only saved from the dire strait they found themselves through the help of a man called Beggarmaster; the intersection of their paths was yet another serendipitous meeting. In a way, characters like Beggarmaster, Sergeant Kesar, and Ibrahim, the rent collector, provide moral ambiguities. The former was known for protecting beggars – and even Dina when her landlord kept harassing her – and helping them. Ironically, he was taking a share of the beggars’ earnings. Sergeant Kasar and Ibrahim, on the other hand, felt pangs of regret for the role they played in the oppression of their fellows. They felt helpless because they were under the same system. These side characters, like the main characters, are also seeking means to survive during a tumultuous period fraught with uncertainties and even violence.

But nobody ever forgot anything, not really, though sometimes they pretended, when it suited them. Memories were permanent. Sorrowful ones remained sad even with the passing of time, yet happy ones could never be recreated – not with the same joy. Remembering bred its own peculiar sorrow. It seemed so unfair: that time should render both sadness and happiness into a source of pain.

  Rohinton Mistry, A Fine Balance

Beyond the despair and losses that permeate the story – the story features deaths and even the dismantling of some institutions in India – A Fine Balance strikes a proverbial balance with its stories of resilience. With the Emergency in effect and the political and social upheaval that ensued, the Indians, as captured in the novel, were forced into a dire situation where they had to learn how to survive. The strain of the Emergency was more palpable on the lower classes but it also affected those in the middle class. Despite their misfortunes – Dina survived the death of her husband while Ishvar and Om experienced several instances of abuse and exploitation – they still see the brighter side of life. One character lost his leg while another was castrated, effectively ending his family’s lineage, but they managed to muster strength and push through despite the odds. Their resilience strikes a fine balance with the tumult that surrounded them. Despite the bleak atmosphere that hovered during the Emergency, the characters found hope and managed to rebuild their lives, underscoring the triumph of the human spirit.

Various situations pushed the characters to their brink but they were unfazed, exhibiting silent strengths of character. The losses, betrayals, and unfulfilled dreams that riddled their lives made them stronger individuals. They also learned from each other. But they did not just do it on their own. They were supported by the other characters. The quartet at the heart of the novel found comfort in each other. They created a semblance of family. The novel, in a way, is an exploration of the dynamics of families in modern Indian society. Different kinds of families proliferate the story; as changes seize India, so does the definition of families. Ishvar took on the role of a father to Om. In Om, Maneck found a brother. The story also underscored the pressure Indian culture puts on young men to get married. Families, however, can sometimes be oppressive, like in the case of Dina. Nevertheless, families – both blood and the connections we make we make with other people – provide support in the face of adversities.

Various layers of Indian culture and tradition were captured in the story. It also highlights how some of these are outdated and are being dismantled. Take the case of Dina. Historically, women are subservient to the wishes of the men in their lives. However, she had no scruples going against the desires of her brother was an allegory of the patriarchy. She fought against the patriarchy and seized her own destiny. Her yearning for financial independence and making it happen also sets her apart; it was, however, glaring how she was the only prominent female voice in the story. Another interesting element in the story is the coming-of-age of both Om and Maneck. They are of the same age but come from different backgrounds. Om’s uncle was fixated on finding his nephew a wife – it was even a contentious part of the story – while Maneck’s concern was different. They do, however, share some experiences, such as their sexual awakening.

Through his sophomore novel, Mistry gifted the world with a masterpiece of contemporary literature. The story naturally flows, complimented by Mistry’s storytelling and writing. In this lush tapestry that casts a net over a vast territory, Mistry probed into one of the most tumultuous periods in modern Indian history. The Emergency incited suppression of rights and the harassment of the lower classes and castes. It was a challenging time and any form of dissent is muted and censored. But despite the adversities, Dina, Maneck, Ishvar, and Om demonstrated resilience and strength of character. Brought together by circumstances, they thrived in their makeshift family setup. Amid the despair, losses, heartbreaks, and defeats, they were able to find hope. They did not let the circumstances shackle them to the ground. Despite the adversities, they flourished and found beauty in the tumult. Multilayered, and complex, A Fine Balance vividly captures the resilience of the human spirit.

What an unreliable thing is time- when I want to fly, the hours stick to me like a glue. And what changeable thing, too. Time is the twine to tie our lives into parcels of years and months. Or a rubber band stretched to suit our fancy. Time can be the pretty ribbon in a little girl’s hair. Or the lines in your face, stealing your youthful colour and your hair. But in the end, time is a noose around the neck, strangling slowly

  Rohinton Mistry, A Fine Balance
Book Specs

Author: Rohinton Mistry
Publisher: Emblem Editions
Publishing Date: 1997
No. of Pages: 713
Genre: Historical, Literary

Synopsis

Winner of The Giller Prize, the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction, The Royal Society of Literature’s Winifred Holtby Award, and shortlisted for the Booker Prize, the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, and the Irish Times International Prize.

A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry’s stunning internationally acclaimed bestseller, is set in mid-1970s India. It tells the story of four unlikely people whose lives come together during a time of political turmoil soon after the government declares a “State of Internal Emergency.” Through days of bleakness and hope, their circumstances – and their fates – become inextricably linked in ways no one could have foreseen. Mistry’s prose is alive with enduring images and a cast of unforgettable characters. Written with compassion, humour, and insight, A Fine Balance is a vivid, richly textured, and powerful novel written by one of the most gifted writers of our time.

About the Author

Rohinton Mistry was born on July 3, 1952, in Bombay (now Mumbai), India to a Parsi family. His brother is the playwright and author Cyrus Mistry. He earned a BA in Mathematics and Economics from the University of Bombay (now the University of Mumbai) before moving to Canada with his wife-to-be Freny Elavia in 1975. He initially worked in a bank before pursuing his studies at the University of Toronto where he obtained a BA in English and Philosophy. While attending the University of Toronto (Woodsworth College), Mistry became the first to win two Hart House literary prizes for stories published in the Hart House Review, and Canadian Fiction Magazine‘s annual Contributor’s Prize for 1985.

Mistry’s first published book was Tales from Firozsha Baag (1987; also published as Swimming Lessons and Other Stories from Firozsha Baag). a collection of short stories. He followed it up with the publication of his first novel, Such a Long Journey, in 1991. The novel was well-received by literary pundits, earning Mistry the Governor-General’s Award, the W.H. Smith/Books in Canada First Novel Award, and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for best book. It was also shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the Trillium Award. Mistry became a household name with the publication of his second novel, A Fine Balance. It received the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize as well as the Giller Prize for best Canadian novel. It was also shortlisted for the Booker Prize. His most recent novel, Family Matters (2002), was as well-received as its predecessors. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and the International Dublin Literary Award. For his body of work, Mistry was awarded the Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 2012.