Freedom from the Known

History is who we are and why we are the way we are 

David McCullough 

                                       

                                         

                         Nandini B Panda 

                                                           

Some years ago, there was an advert ran by the Star network suggesting how August 15 should be celebrated as birthday of India as a nation,  like how we celebrate birthdays of our dear ones. One of the best ways to celebrate a nation's birthday is to revisit her past, learn from the mistakes made and widen our perspectives to usher a progressive future. Hence my today's guest is a woman, an accomplished historian, wisened by education and experience. Meet Dr. Nandini Bhattacharyya-Panda who on the eve of India's 77th year of independence that falls on August 15, 2023, talks about her reservations on freedom as a woman, raises discomforting pointers on History and Manipur and throws fresh insight on casteism and reservation and analyses why the Indians are more into rights than duties.  

Born and brought up in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, Nandini B Panda is not another successful working woman. Because her achievements cannot be measured in terms of pay packet and perks. An acclaimed academician, her educational qualifications and written works earned her a status that few Indian women could master. That too, when she had to wade through a not-so-happy family life. She is also a mother to a daughter who too is a brilliant academician.

Dr. Nandini B Panda, 65, was born and brought up in the then Calcutta (Kolkata), West Bengal, India. She had graduated with History from Brabourne College, then did her post graduation in Modern History from Calcutta University and then left for UK to do her doctorate from Oxford University. 

A distinguished author -researcher, Dr. Panda has worked on law, ethnicity and culture in the Eastern Himalayas, Northeast India in addition to her expertise on Hindu law. She is writing an article on Moirang, near Imphal, where the Indian National Army (INA) hoisted the first flag declaring the liberation of India on April 14, 1944. She is also writing a foreward for a book titled, 'Colonial Law and Trial of the Nationalist Leaders'. Recently, she has been awarded a project by the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) to write on the Colonial History of Manipur and its repercussions for India that we see today.

My questions center around these aspects and some more. Primarily, over an online written interview, Dr. Nandini Bhattacharyya-Panda responded with elan while negotiating the googlies thrown by yours sincerely, Sudeshna Chatterjee. 

1)      As an educated woman, what sort of freedom you see around and what sort you had envisaged? Are you happy, disappointed or annoyed? Kindly explain.

NBP: Freedom is an elusive word for women, irrespective of any classification and place of living across the world. For Indian women, the word 'freedom' is weighed more stringently, thanks to cultural appropriation.  As a woman born in a post-colonial country, we have been grown up with specific notions of selfhood. It combines a vague consciousness about ‘modernity’ (modernity - within quote as the term cannot be easily defined) with deeply entrenched traditional moorings. This duality is embedded in the mentality of vast majority of Indian women irrespective of their class, educational and professional background. The Indian patriarchy largely inhabits in this consciousness and nourishes it through various channels. This duality has double edge: (a) the patriarchal fraternity in contemporary India attempts to overpower the voices of women in the name of tradition and the evils of ‘modernity’ (by modernity, they usually imply independent status and voice  – occasionally empowered by professional jobs), (b) the culture of silence that still prevails among majority of Indian women.

Therefore, for majority of women in India across all classes, freedom is not a choice per se even if they are earning money. They have to struggle against discrimination at home and in the professional sphere in terms of attitude and pay packet. Sexual harassment and abuse is another issue which is addressed by law; yet it is difficult to claim that law has changed the objective scenario on any fundamental level. I am an optimist- nevertheless. World is definitely changing in favour of women's liberation albeit the pace is slow and often interrupted by negative forces.       

 

2)      Manipur is now in the news because of intense ethnic strife. Kindly explain the importance of Manipur vis-à-vis the Pre-British and Post-British India. What will be your focus when you write its history?

NBP: The Kingdom of Manipur was a Princely state under the suzerain status of the British Empire. Like any other territory in Northeast India, Manipur was a strategic and resource frontier for the British Raj. The entire passage of colonial rule in Manipur was marked by volatile anti-colonial struggle between the British rulers and the native subjects in Manipur. The Independent India inherited an unstable and largely volatile state after the merger of the Kingdom of Manipur with India in 1949. The Indian government has been deploying several policy measures to ensure socio-political stability in Manipur. The objectives are yet to be fulfilled.

Manipur was the confluence of different languages, religious faith and aesthetic practices in the precolonial period and a thriving centre of trade and commerce. With the advent of the British rule the entire region emerged as a site of violence, contestation and conflict. The colonial rule introduced new dynamics that altered the prevalent structures in the spheres of economy and polity leading to the formation of a ‘princely state’ within suzerain status. For example, with the introduction of the British rule, Manipur had been introduced to a complex administrative structure under the British sovereignty while the Kings of Manipur remained a titular head especially in the administrative, legal and economic affairs. In the process, the people in the state had been drawn within a dual framework of native and colonial systems leading to the uneven development of the society. More than two centuries of British rule produced widespread discontent within different layers in the society which frequently resulted in armed encounters between the rulers and the subjects. Manipur earned the attribute of an “unquiet valley” due to recurrent insurgency, ethnic dissension and volatile ethno-state relationship. The postcolonial Indian state inherited the legacy of restoring peace and stability in Manipur (as also in other Northeastern states). It is evident from the current contestation and conflict that  Manipur is still a critical challenge for the governments in dealing with backwardness, political instability, distrust of the ethnic communities against the unitary ‘nation-state’ model, diversity in ethnicity, ecology, cultural and above all strategic vulnerability.

My study will undertake a critical examination of the administrative, legal and cultural policies of the colonial rulers in Manipur to understand as to what extent the current governing structures are historically linked with the colonial past. It will locate the areas, for example land holding, religion among others in which there are the necessity to revisit the existing policy structures which have remained as the sources of conflict from the colonial past.

3)      What is your take on the present- day violence in Manipur? Here, kindly comment whether you feel casteism is the biggest bane for the country? Yes/no, is reservation the answer? What would have been your solution?

NBP: There are many writings and expert comments on the roots of present day conflict in Manipur. I am not going into the whataboutery and dissecting who is responsible for what. The root of the present day conflict is extremely complex and embedded with the issues of land, religion, ethno-state estrangement, ethnic rivalry and deep-seated economic crisis that dates back to the colonial time.

Casteism is indeed the greatest bane in India. It is the root of economic, social and cultural oppression. It is extremely unfortunate that caste hierarchy still prevail among the educated people. The caste consciousness and even racism is vivid in the matrimonial column in the newspapers. Casteism dominates the psyche of many in all the institutions for higher education, professional institutions and even schools although it is covered with rhetoric.

I am not very sure whether reservation is THE answer to address Casteism. It is a necessary tool to provide equality and justice for the depressed and oppressed people. There is a big question mark however as to what extent the privileges reach the underprivileged both in the rural and urban area. It is frequently alleged that the more privileged section among the scheduled people enjoy the privileges offered by reservation. At present it is politically incorrect to define by someone under the category of ‘lower caste’ or ‘upper caste’. I am not very sure how would one defines a person marginalised by both economic and social factors. I really am not competent to comment on the likely solution to this malignant social problem. It is present over centuries. Earlier though, manifestation of the caste hierarchy was different. In the contemporary period the educational facilities and privileges offered through reservation have produced different kinds of mind set and antagonistic sentiment on both sides of the margin.  

4)      How important is studying History? Which is your favourite chapter in History- national and international, and why? How accurate you think is the Indian History as written by the scholars through the years? Also, would you recommend books on historical fiction?

NBP: It is a very tricky question. I think that History is the mother of all subjects. It shapes the imagination, consciousness and entity of an individual in a given society. At the same time History is not a TRUTH per se at what one reads in a book. History is generated and catered through filtered knowledge in many instances. For example, in the postcolonial history book, the landmark event in Moirang which recorded the hoisting of national flag of independent India in 1944 is not mentioned.  History books record many other events, which could be of lesser significance. One may question, why this extremely important chapter in the history of national movement in India is a forgotten page in the history book. I will try to find an answer and write about this in my forthcoming article.

There are long lists of historical fictions across the world. We have grown up with Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay and Saradindu Bandopadhyay (Bengali), Charles Dickens (English) and other translated classic works by writers like Munshi Premchand (Hindi) and Romain Rolland (French), Fyodor Dostoevsky ( Russian) et al. These are classics which provide essential imagination to be a sensitive citizen in a given society. So, yes, I do respect  historical fictions as they fill up an important space in the making of a good citizen.  

5)      What would you advise the now generation about their duties (an integral part of Indian Constitution) and rights? Do you feel Indians are more focused on their Fundamental Rights than their Fundamental Duties, the latter, unfortunately is not even binding upon its subjects though?

NBP: Well, charity begins at home. I mean a child becomes aware of his/her rights and duties initially from the families. School plays a formidable role thereafter. Children in this world and in my country are not too fortunate either way. The privileged ones are looking out for the best bargains while pursuing their dreams, in India or abroad. The less privileged ones are struggling to make both ends meet.

 I do agree that Indians are extremely conscious of their rights rather than duties. I wonder whether there is a historical link with the anti-colonial struggle and the politics of agitation. Yes, it may be a colonial legacy.

Nevertheless, the current generation must pay heed to climate change and food shortage which threaten to ruin our Mother Earth. Therefore, they cannot and should not ignore their Fundamental Duties towards their nation and the world at large.

                                                      

        

 #History#Moirang#Manipur#BankimchandraChattopadhyay#SaradinduBandopadhyay#CharlesDickens#MunshiPremchand#RomanRolland#NandiniBhattacharyyaPanda#SudeshnaChatterjee#freedom                                                        

 

                                               

F. R. I. E. N. D. S

  If you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything. Muhammad Ali

 

                      Reunion

             Pic courtesy: Aditi Banerjee

It was beautifully coincidental. As I prepare to write my current piece, a dear friend of mine forwarded me a news item that talks of the result of a study on friendship. Yes, Friendship! It says a few good friends can usher a marked difference to our well-being. Specially among older adults, it is a stronger influencer on a person’s health and happiness compared to relationships with his/her family. I could not agree more. Though there were some pointers among some of my preferred people. A pertinent pointer was that in Asian families, friends take a back seat unless it is also a nuclear family. But then, how many joint families are there? Rising mental issues among people of all ages including children is said to be a direct result of increasing nuclear families where often both husband and wife are working out and/or children settling elsewhere in later years. Whatever the situation, I still feel, having few good friends is a must as they only enrich and thus empower our lives. 

Although the United Nations has designated July 30 as the International Friendship Day, India continues to celebrate this special day on the first Sunday of August every year. It falls on August 6 this year. But I guess, for most of us, friendship is honoured every day. As my friend, Suhasini Ahluwalia Mehta, today, wrote in a group chat, "Friendship is such a pure feeling of love, of acceptance, of reflecting each other's light, of gentleness and care. Laughing together. Crying together. Lending a shoulder. A hug. Being with each other. Standing by each other always. You know you are loved..." 

Recently, I was part of a school reunion with few friends. Once more, I went through a whirlwind tour of all these emotions and more over a span of four hours.

Meeting many of them after decades. I was overjoyed and realised even after so many years, the affection is deep and palpable. Here, of course, being part of a few friends helped, else I would have been lost in the crowd. We talked, discussed, joked, laughed…. In Bengali parlance, it is called adda- that evergreen, unadulterated, time consuming, bantering. Four glorious hours just wafted by.

We were at a café in muggy Kolkata. It was 4 pm. My school friends were mostly teachers – school/college. Which means they left home early after completing the necessary domestic chores, worked through the day and then hailed a cab to be on time. Some others chose to get their personal car. Other days, they would have commuted by local transport. One of my friend’s daughter pushed a classy pearl ear ring into her mother’s bag, been repeatedly tutored to wear the pair for the occasion. Most were in their chosen sarees, nicely tucked and pinned. There was Aditi Banerjee who set the mood, looking cheery and ever smiling ! Soma Chatterjee was looking resplendent in mauve; Sanchita Gupta, coy, in her pearly ear rings. Malini Ghosh looked radiant. When I asked her the reason – Love or Dove?(Remember that famous advert), she quipped without winking, “My husband would only be home on weekends as he worked outstation. So I got the much - needed space, the joy of which reflects in my face”. Whoever said or believe relationship does not need any space is a jerk. In one of the recently concluded popular tele-serial on Zee Bangla, Mithai, there was a debate on requirement of this space. Even psychologists recommend some 'me time' in every relationship. Perhaps, that is one reason, why the very busy, college professor, Jayeta Ghoshal Roy never misses a meet. Yes, to let her hair down. This is her 'Me Time'.  So straight from her college, Jayeta looked harried but happy too. Beside yours sincerely, the more spirited one was of course the comparatively slender Surupa Mukherjee. Actually, she was the heart throb of the party as she left us all in splits with her narratives of yester years! In the gender-neutral world that we thrive in, I guess this male chauvinistic epithet gets neutralised too! 

But despite our constant chattering, we didn’t miss out on the lovely ambience of our venue, Pancham er Adday - A Music Cafe  at Hindustan Park (Gariahat), Kolkata. People of all ages throng this cafe though Generation Y rules the roost. This is the city of my birth. I continued living here till my early twenties. But I didn’t see so many cafes then like now. In those days, meaning 80s and mid 90s, we would rather visit each other’s house. Our mothers would dish out our favourite finger foods and beverages. Now, across the board, I see people meeting out. So be it. We particularly enjoyed live music where a singer crooned RD Burman’s evergreen songs. The singer too was good. We swayed to the tunes, even lip-syncing, oblivious of the cool surroundings. I particularly enjoyed because the last time, I savoured live music was ages ago in megapolis Mumbai.

However, the food I find not so great for my palate. And worse, prices are steep. As one of my friends, pointed out, at Rs 400, a glass of Frappe, two fish fingers and a few honey ginger chicken nuggets is a bit steep and comparatively the quality is disappointing. The bill including our tips came to Rs 2800. We went Dutch. Even their shakes are a bit shaky. So amidst lovely live music, it does leave a sour note. Still if you need to order, we loved their piping hot and crunchy fish fingers and one of my friends found their cafe latte nice. 

As we proceeded to leave with happy but heavy hearts, what we took back was experience, something that is even peddled these days at hefty prices. To me, it was a bundle of priceless joy that I would savour in years to come.  Yes, the best takeaway meal we could ever havePancham er Adday- A Music Cafe.

                                

          

      Pancham er  Adday - A Music Cafe

      Pic courtesy : Sudeshna Chatterjee 

#reunion#PanchamerAdday#cafe#friendship#livemusic#fishfingers#ZeeBanglaMithai

An Inconvenient Truth

Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.

Mahatma Gandhi

                                   

                                     

                         Ganga S Rautela

That climate change is happening and that too drastically can be fathomed even by a commoner. You just need to walk barely for five minutes at 11 am in Mumbai, the sweltering heat will walk the talk. You sweat profusely and consequently get exhausted faster than you can manage to take out that handkerchief! No tissues/wipes for me. 

 Anyways, such humid heat was almost non-existent even few years ago. Yet, is the public perturbed?  Looking at the indiscriminate and extensive use of single-use plastic, the signs are ominous. Let's hope, the UN focus on plastic menace this year will yield some benefits in the long run. 

Deliberately, I let the World Environment Day ( June 5) pass by, to see if people honour nature at least on that day and/or the following days. Newspapers still feature some stories and reminders. Lip service was missing this time in the social media. Even at schools too, there seem to be less murmur on nature. On one hand, some responsible companies like Godrej offers free disposal of electronic wastes, public of course feel little for the Mother Earth, filling up and creating new landfills. I spoke to Ganga S Rautela, former Director General, National Council of Science Museums (Ministry of Culture, Government of India). He comes from a generation who played in the fields and forests and therefore perhaps nurture nature more than the 'now' generation who takes pride in exhibiting their PlayStations and Bonsais', love nature in documentary films, stack holders with tissue rolls, use elevator/escalator to and from the gym ...the list goes on ...No, they don't believe in reducing usage of single-use plastic or re-using left-over food or recycling used water/wood/plastic etc. 

However, there are some inspiring voices from this generation as well who are sincere eco-warriors.Two years ago, in 2021, when I interviewed young, award- winning photographer and green activist, Aishwarya Sridhar, I got to know about her fight to save Panje- The Last Wetland in the form of her debut documentary film. Here goes my blog link.  

(http://scchangetheworld.blogspot.com/2021/06/the-chronicles-of-wandering-mind.html)

The introductory lines in her documentary film are still sad reflection of the time we struggle to live in.  

Losing our environment is not like losing an election. It means losing our entire future. No amount of money can buy that. It is very important that we preserve whatever we have left of our green and blue planet before it is too late....

 Rautela was clear when he observed that climate change cannot be reversed. "To mitigate or reduce impact of climate change (it cannot be reversed) we need to reduce emission of greenhouse gases, reduce consumption of high carbon foot-print material, practice low consumption lifestyle and adopt green lifestyle to reduce burden on Earth's resources", he observed. 

I wonder the reason behind public apathy. Even the public properties for some years now have been designed to win attention in prioritising climate care. Few years ago, I saw some thought-provoking graffiti on the railway platform bridges in suburban Mumbai. One of them left such an indelible impression on me that I went back and took this picture on June 6, 2023. Now, it is a bit worn-out, but the message is loud and clear and of course so alarming!! 

 

   Photo courtesy: Sudeshna Chatterjee 

Once you read the lurking threats, may be, just may be and hopefully, you, my dear  readers, who still feign ignorance, could turn into another eco-warrior and make your first new year resolution, never mind six months down the line. Small but consistent remedial measures can go a long way in keeping our Earth habitat for the longest period of time. 

Sudeshna Chatterjee in conversation with Ganga S Rautela on the perils of modern-day living. 

Questionnaire

1)Ramon Magsaysay award winner Sonam Wangchuk, founder, Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh and co- founder SECMOL, said: "We hear about war among countries, but the impact of the war on nature is much worse. Today, lot more people are dying in calamities that occur due to the changing environment".

What is your views on this observation? 

It is true that there is a war on nature, that is destroying it and making irreversible changes. These changes are putting our own life into danger. For example, snow is melting earlier compared to long-term average. Just scan the factsheet below to understand the gravity of the situation.

 

Global temperatures rose about 1.8°F (1°C) from 1901 to 2020.

Global sea-level rise rates have accelerated from 1.7 mm/year during the 20th century to 3.2 mm/year since the beginning of the present century.

Glaciers are shrinking: average thickness of 30 well-studied glaciers have decreased more than 60 feet since 1980.

The area covered by sea ice in the Arctic at the end of summer has shrunk by about 40% since 1979.

The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen by 25% since 1958, and by about 40% since the Industrial Revolution.

Our food supply depends on climate and weather conditions. Although farmers and researchers may be able to adapt some agricultural techniques and technologies or develop new ones, some changes will be difficult to manage. Like, increased temperature, drought, water shortage and diseases. Weather extremes create challenges for the farmers who put food on our tables. 

Climate change is already impacting human health. Changes in weather and climate patterns can put lives at risk. Heat is one of the most deadly weather phenomena. As ocean temperatures rise, hurricanes are getting stronger and wetter, which can cause direct and indirect deaths. Dry conditions lead to more wildfires, which bring many health risks. Higher incidences of flooding can lead to the spread of waterborne diseases, injuries, and chemical hazards. As geographic ranges of mosquitoes and ticks expand, they can carry diseases to new locations.

The most vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, people with pre-existing health conditions, outdoor workers, people of colour and people with low income, are at an even higher risk because of the compounding factors from climate change. 

Fresh water mostly comes from melting snow caps. Due to climate change, less snow is available, hence less water. This will turn water short society to water starved society in next 25 years or so.

2)Dalai Lama once said that unlike science, the religious tradition teaches the concept of forgiveness, tolerance and compassion. Scientists cannot help you change your emotion, only religion can. Do you agree? 

I personally believe that science and religion can have a meeting point when we talk of ultimate truth i.e. knowledge that explains the origin of universe, life forms or the phenomenona that happen in the universe or within our own Earth. You can define the ultimate truth by various names i.e. God or knowledge. Religion on the other hand is governed by faith. If you go back in history, there were no religion for several centuries, but there was an universe or life on earth. However, religion is indeed necessary for ensuring order, tolerance and compassion in society.

3)Many years ago, a birdwatcher told me that our feathered friends always keep themselves busy, even if it means idle talking in shrill notes! Over the years, I have been watching and feeding them and was floored by their discipline and community living. Something we, humans, are increasingly drifting away from.Your opinion?

Drifting from community living is inevitable and has happened since the Industrial Revolution which gave birth to industrial society or nuclear society. Animal world had no such revolution and will perhaps not have in future as well. So long the population keeps growing, industrial development is lopsided (centered in some geographical pockets) this phenomenon will keep happening as people will move or migrate in search of livelihood/employment.

                                                      

4)"The only thing greater than the power of the mind is the courage of the heart", says noted American mathematician, John Nash. Do you agree?

Power of mind is responsible for new ideas/innovations that transform society or make our lives easier. Power of the heart with its own intelligence is capable of transforming our views of money, health, relationships and success. There is definitely an interrelationship.                                                

                                                               

#UN#EnvironmentComesFirst#WorldEnvironmentDay#JohnNash#DalaiLama#SonamWangchuk#RamonMagsaysay#mumbaisuburban #GangaSRautela#AishwaryaSridhar#SudeshnaChatterjee#Plasticmenace#singleuseplastic#birdwatcher 

The grey matter

Never argue with someone whose tv is bigger than their bookshelf. 

Emilia Clark

                     

                    Poster of Roktokorobi 

It is now years that television has lived up to its alter ego, i.e., tubelight. Specially, the serials are extremely regressive and/or illogical. It's fancy cousin, the web series, seem to be a better option. At least, they have plots which they try to hold onto with reasonable clarity and some rationality. Of course, crime seems to be a favourite haunt and shockingly, happily indulged by characters echoing friends and relatives in the serials like a pro. But, web series still fare better. And few have been exceptional. Here, I select one that is shown on Zee5. And yes, while I am talking about Bengali serials and series, it holds true for Hindi serials and series as well.

  

Remember Hostage or Aarya web series on Disney Hotstar? Specially the mind games that made the plots so engaging. If you have enjoyed those, chances are you will celebrate this one. Roktokorobi. Mature, spine-chilling, captivating, nuanced and more. 

A taut Bengali psycho thriller.  Loved the screenplay. The mind games expanding on sexual abuse and class exploitation are a class apart. A strange sway of nari shakti  ( woman power ) here despite the presence of a male protagonist. One of Raima Sen's best performances. Vikram Chatterjee, Haridas Chatterjee and Laboni Sarkar are also superlatives. So is the background score. The use of Rabindrasangeet ( Tagore songs ) are intelligent as they hold clues to the mystery. Ditto is the apt title, named after a Tagore classic. Incidentally, in a week's time, on May 9, we will be celebrating the birthday of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, whose creation of female characters in his writings is a celebration by itself.

NB: The series is reviewed at the writer's own interest and expense.

They can not hear a woman's voice

  

A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.

Diane Mariechild 

                       

                                                                                                       Gajra Kottary

                                                                           

They cannot hear a woman's voice...

That is what an award-winning scriptwriter and author feels vis-à-vis contemporary hindi tele-serials and even films. “Over the last two decades that I have been writing for television, it is becoming more and more tough to show real women and their struggle on television. For one, there is pressure to keep the women looking glamorous, which is the manageable part. The difficult part is surviving the unreasonable pressure to have them fit into boxes”, observes Gajra Kottary, 57,  two-times recepient of the Apsara awards (Guild Awards) for story writing. 

Daughter of the famous classical musician, late Pandit Amarnath Chawla of the Indore Gharana, Gajra was born in Delhi and a topper at the PG (Dip)course in Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. While she was working for several well-known newspapers, what touched me is her choice to work for United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a freelancer, that too when she was pregnant with her second child. Working for CHOICES means walking for miles, often on kucca roads, in the interiors of Maharashtra and Rajasthan to write on projects that would empower common people, specially women and children. Perhaps, that is why her serials like  Balika Vadhu (Colors) could talk about several uncomfortable issues so convincingly. For example, I still remember Anandi Singh's first experience of menstruation. Despite a movie like Padman, those Balika Vadhu scenes are still etched in my memory.  A woman's fear and discomfort were featured prominently and strongly in the teleserial.  Her serials hit at several such taboo issues. Another example is the protagonist's (Dr Simran Mathur) choices in Astitva-Ek Prem Kahaani (Zee TV). Even today and post actor Priyanka Chopra’s celebrity marriage, people still talk in hushed tones about older woman marrying a much younger man. 

Still, it is difficult to bracket her. Given a choice, she would rather be a nonconformist and gender-inclusive than a feminist with its foibles. Herein goes the interpretation from a curious and a courageous woman about being a woman in challenging situations, be it in reel or real life. 

Sudeshna Chatterjee in conversation with Gajra Kottary

     

The Questionnaire 

 You started of as a journalist in a newspaper, later moved in an UN sponsored magazine, CHOICES. Then a script writer and a television writer. Finally you became an author as well. At which stage, you could put up women's issues most prominently, freely and convincingly? Also, where could you see maximum results in terms of manifestation of that empowerment? And yet, would you describe yourself as a crusader or a writer or simply put, a rebel with a cause?

  Now that you analyse it this way, I see the pattern myself. There has always been a certain restlessness in me to express myself and give an audible voice to my opinions, to share my take on women's lives in all their complexity.

  Growing up in Delhi of the 70's and 80's, the only avenue available in writing was journalism. So, even while doing my journalism course at the IIMC, I had already started writing actively for Hindustan Times and The Statesman, as well as long distance for Eve's Weekly and The Times of India, based in Mumbai. I was never inclined towards writing about politics and the economy. It was always social issue for me. I did worry about sustainability since I chose to write about women in terms of a career in writing.

  Marriage and a shift to Mumbai, opened up new avenues to give vent to my urge for speaking up. Writing for CHOICES-the magazine brought out by UNDP was done in the phase when I had chosen to be a freelancer because my son was a kid and I was pregnant with my second child. It helped me get an exposure to rural India and its women. The women were also very receptive to me. It is a learning that really helped me in my understanding of the lives of real women in the interiors of India. But I yearned to speak to a larger audience and through a medium that could make a stronger impact. So scriptwriting it was. Parallel to this of course was this aspiration to become an author.

  But to answer your question about which medium I could put up women's issues most prominently, freely and convincingly, like life itself, there is no one perfect medium for all this. While TV gives one's voice prominence, it is not very free, nor is it a solo speak. And while being an author gave one true freedom of speech, it isn't as prominent and mass appealing as TV. So I keep alternating between the two expressions to keep myself satisfied.

   TV of course is the most impactful medium out of those that I have worked in, for the empowerment of women. But I still don't see myself as a crusader. A rebel with a cause might be a better description of me, as I just want to tell women's stories with empathy and sympathy so I could help sensitise both genders towards what needs to change.

 

You have been a writer now for over two decades. Among others, you have been a part of that archetypical tele-serial Balika Vadhu, writing 2175 episodes. How do you find the changing role of a woman in reel and real life in India? Also, how much do you see reality in the contemporary tele-serials and films? 

 Over the last two decades that I have been writing for television, it is becoming more and more tough to show real women and their struggles on television. For one, there is pressure to keep the women looking glamorous, which is the manageable part. The difficult terrain is surviving the unreasonable pressure to have them fit into boxes. Consequently, the  'real woman' is becoming quite a myth in Indian soaps. 

Layering of women characters, showing their grey shades, is challenging. They have to be either black or white if they are the prominent characters. I have often tried to manage the situation by giving interesting shades to other characters, making their stories compelling and real while having the main characters react to them. That was the pattern in Balika Vadhu, where the young and impressionable Anandi watched, for example how her Tauji lost his first wife to her multiple pregnancies due to a weak womb (a proven phenomenon linked to early marriage or child marriage). And then, how he married again and the struggle of his poor, young and mismatched wife. All this while, Anandi  did not fully realise how her life was going to be impacted by giving up the studies that she was so good at. But eventually when it all added up, Anandi was impacted and had to evolve. Ditto with Kalyani, the matriarch and Dadisaas of Anandi. How the sheer goodness of Anandi slowly transformed her (most important  character to me and my team) from being conservative to enlightened. 

 

                           

                                                         

                                                                                                 Balika Vadhu                                                                      

                                                 

These days, the TV industry is no longer a very sustainable model, with intensive competition from other mediums as well as from within. So there is desperation to succeed which is not healthy, creatively speaking. Hence, in that process, we, writers, do not have the luxury to take a realistic look at stories and characters, which I do miss. But I am trying my best to keep up with the times and yet not losing my voice.

 

You are a mother to a son and a daughter. Do you believe that the lessons that a child gets from a mother since his/her impressionistic years can go a long way in creating less of chauvinism among guys and more of empowerment among girls? Pl elaborate.  

Absolutely. Very well put. I have tried to be conscious and practice what I preach when it came to bringing up my son, Advait, and daughter, Aastha. If anything, my son sometimes feels that both of us have been stricter with him than with his sister. But that could also be because of the older and younger syndrome as he is the older one, and she was sickly as a child so the indulgent streak about her has continued to date!

I still remember how I would make my son help with the household chores and run errands for me when he was young. One of my neighbours, a Punjabi lady, told me that I was a bad mother for making my son do so much work and pampering my daughter.

But the result is that today my son, 32, is a fantastic cook and perfect at running his house anywhere in the world. My daughter, 29,  in sheer competition with him is slowly getting there! 

 

Why is it that even today and increasingly so, female child/ girl/woman harassment/torture instances do not create a stir like a racial/ religious divide across different media platforms, whether it is press, radio, television and/or social media?

 I wish I could tell you why Sudeshna, as it really bothers me a lot. I suppose it is because women are not present in numbers as big as men are in places that matter, where they can determine coverage about women. But it is also about men, not just women, deciding about that coverage - influencing what is important and what is not. 

 It is for this reason that I am always trying to underline the importance of being gender inclusive. While women can and should increase their physical presence in media and entertainment, we also need to have the men's hearts in the right places.

I have been very fortunate and personally met, worked and lived with men who are truly egalitarian, but I know that it is not the norm. I have also sadly seen women who are not humanists--though I know that saying this might not be politically correct.

 The whole issue of gender sensitisation is a chicken and egg syndrome. Once more people are sensitised, especially in media, they will work towards influencing others and it will have the desired ripple effect. So we all have to work towards it and I feel that when that happens, gender parity can be a reality.      

                                                                     

To speed up progress at all fronts,  inclusion of women in decision-making is a must. This is also the reflection from the President of India, Droupadi Murmu. Do you agree? Yes/ no, please elaborate and also clarify how much of gender equity/equality and sensitivity do you see among Indian men and women today?

The reflection from the President is bang on. It is absolutely imperative that women get to play an equal part in decision making. And this has to begin from within our families and in our homes.

 The family is truly the crucible of society and it is not enough nor practical that women can only work towards their cause if they are working outside or in positions of power. In fact it is okay for women to choose to be home makers for certain phases of their lives or even their entire lives. But in that case, they should not be treated with discrimination because they aren't bringing in the money--that should not be the arbiter. Women should be empowered enough to make their own choices, whichever way they want to go.

Things are much better now than they were a few decades ago, thanks to the information explosion. There is definitely more awareness and there are also more laws that are in place for the cause of women.

However and unfortunately, while we struggle for parity, we also over-objectify our women in the way they are often projected in cinema and TV.

The hyping up of the woman's physical form to titilate men runs the risk of reducing her stature from being a sensitive being to a sensuous object.

Not only that, objectification also influences women to conform to unreasonable pressures of always looking glamourous, even if they are not feeling good or comfortable inwardly. This is what I definitely think needs to change.    

The good thing I see in my children's generation is that there is a constant questioning and counter-questioning process at work with both genders, which is fine as a process. So I am hoping that gender parity will emerge as a result of this.    

                                                                                

                                                                                                        Book cover

                                                         

#iimc#choices#genderparity#undp#gajrakottary#sudeshnachatterjee#BalikaVadhu#Aastitvaekpremkahani#Padman   

                                                                     

Eat Pray Love

 We think too much and feel too little.

Charlie Chaplin

                                      

          Suhasini Mehta in one of her 'alone' trips

                                                      

                                                                               Pic courtesy: Suhasini Mehta 

Love is a magical word, that subsumes a world of meanings - reverence, faith, courage, passion, endurance, understanding, trust etc that can turn the tide in any relationship. However, It is no longer deemed necessary to see love only through the prism of an unilateral relationship. It could be much more holistic whether one has a spouse/ partner or not. Yes, love need not be only mushy. In today's world, like everything else, love gets reinvented  through solitary souls and that too almost daily and often by choice!

Simply put, There are two types of solitary souls. One, where the mate is missing. And two, where people, whether married or in relationship, looking for me-time or struggling to retain their individuality. In both instances, do the souls still seek out love and get it as well? I think so, going by my experience and people I spoke to.

 Because, no matter how happy or secured you are in your life, there is always a demand for personal space  and self-worth where you only want to be with yourself and/or with people other than your spouse/partner. Hence, to be in love, you need to love yourself first. 

Talented photographer, Sarika Nerurkar, 27, chucked a decade-long relationship because she would not like to lose her individuality to be loved, voiced her views that could resonate with yours. 

                                              

           Sarika Nerurkar in a sublime mood

                                             

                                                                                 Pic courtesy: Sarika Nerurkar

It took me years to understand that love is not only the love you receive from someone. I always equated my worth and esteem by how much I was loved. When I understood that the greatest form of love is the one you have for yourself and that every other form of love you receive is an extension of that, it was like an epiphany. It made me walk out of an almost decade-long relationship. 

It allowed me to reflect on who I am as a person. I ensured that I made myself happy instead of waiting for someone else to come and do it. I found love in other forms - which were nothing like the ever-so obvious romantic love. 

Like, going on walks, travelling solo, listening to music, taking myself to art shows. I spend a lot lot of time with inanimate objects that give me happiness like books, shooting with my camera and listening to podcasts.

Suhasini Ahluwalia Mehta, a stunner at 52 and blissfully wedded since the last 21 years, still loves her solitary trips and soiree with friends. And then, there are people across the age group that falls in my category where the mate is missing. For all of us, the idea of love is unlimited and can be happily partnered alone or with someone else other than a boyfriend/husband. 

Here are some of my lovey-dovey stuff. Quirky, intense, varied and fun.

 I discovered love, often,  in the dead of night, as I stare at the  NASA updates, specially when they release pictures of our Blue planet, The Earth. It was actually a dot of vibrant blue when  I saw last. It was a picture taken from the moon.

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I also get poetic when I  listen to Richard Clayderman and Rahul Sharma instrumentals or Rabindrasangeet under the star-studded cobalt blue sky amidst liberal swigs of my favourite coconut -malai drink. 

When I see artists like Raquel Rodrigo taking humble embroidery (forget wall graffitis and murals)to the street, I get a high because art can truly stir emotions. And cross-stitch has been my love since my pinafore days. Photography and cinema are two other creative arts that move me intensely. 

Are these not elements of love? According to Oxford  Dictionary, love is a very strong feeling that you have when you like someone/something very much. Going by this definition, I love so many such elements  in my life that my solitude becomes my soulitude almost every day.

Have you ever hugged a tree and felt good. I did. Of course, hugging a human being leads to a different emotion!! But that's another story. My point here is how small things in life often gets us the biggest happiness. The main thing is connection with someone and/or something. 

Ditto, when I visit the iconic Kolkata book fair/ Kalaghoda arts festival (Mumbai) and get lost in the narratives strewn all around. Or, watch a movie in the grandeur of an inox theatre in South City mall,  Kolkata or at Sterling, Mumbai. The happiness is so infectious here that the engagement with the subject precedes the presence/ absence of a partner, at least for me. In the same manner, I relish a freshly grilled trout at a farm in Manali with my family, stands mesmerised as the Golden temple in Amritsar glows in the evening, light a diya on the banks of the holy Ganga amidst the chanting of Ganga aarti on the auspicious night of Dev Deepavali in Varanasi, along with two close people and  take few peaceful dips in the Sangam, Allahabad, at the crack of dawn!! As I amble through Bannerghatta National  Park and Lalbagh Botanical  Garden in Bengaluru with an animated aunt or connect with a dear friend after almost two decades at our favourite Fabcafe at Kala Ghoda, Mumbai over baked samosa with root vegetables and multi grain chat, we don't look out for any male counterparts. Just enjoy each others company. 

                     

                 Live to eat or Eat to live? 

                                                               

             Pic courtesy: Suhasini Mehta                                        

 The list can go on but I am signing off with the following that happens periodically. When I did Reiki with music on and still do chanting. When I enter the Siddhivinayak temple, Mumbai, my walk becomes sprint.  Gorging on  two unputdownable  fictions/films back-to-back at home while simultaneously lapping up plates of sweet pancakes (patishapta) made of jaggery, kheer, coconut and flour and/or bowls of  piping-hot butter-grilled sweet corns to be washed off with another bowl of cold cucumber soup, I feel lived. And then years later, rediscover that same love as I scroll through the photographs. 

For camera when clicks a moment, it becomes an immersive  experience sealed in memory!! Memory, to be nursed and nurtured for years to come... 

So keep walking, clicking and making your love life happier!! 

 Happy Valentine's Day!! 

NB, Coming soon, another chapter on love that catch you unfailingly at a time when you need most....Stay tuned!! And do share your thoughts on what love means to you. 

Thank you!