Literary icons: from Naipaul to Gulzar

By Humra Quraishi. Dated: 8/17/2018 11:07:59 AM

"Are you planning to switch over to politics? I ask because you aired, rather too blatantly, some Right -wing views recently?"
"No, no politics." - V.S. Naipaul
V.S. Naipaul gone. Memories left back…I had met him on several occasions at Khushwant Singh's home and then the last time in 2004 at another friend's home. I had then written about it, but today writing once again as it relays the political streak in Naipaul.
Around the take-off time for the 2004 elections , V.S. Naipaul and spouse Nadira were camping in New Delhi ( even visiting the BJP headquarters ). A common friend had invited him and several others for supper ... And as Naipaul and Nadira strode in, I began looking for an opportunity to begin throwing queries at him, but Nadira took charge. Of filling up his plate! And then making sure that he'd eat all that she'd piled up. Putting daal and fried bhindi into a bowl together with salad and curd on his plate, she hovered around.
And as our - his and mine - conversation had just begun to flow she saw to it that it wouldn't gain momentum. With women being blessed with a sixth sense Nadira took hold of the chair placed next to him, and in spite of the host trying to make her sit elsewhere she shook her head and immediately took on the mothering act …distracting him.
But the journalist in me wouldn't let go of that opportunity. I had to interview him for a publication …The fact that I had met him and Nadira before, at Khushwant Singh's home, didn't make things any easier for me, for the lady made sure that her controlling powers over her husband were at their best….But no sooner she'd got up to fetch a drink I started the conversation with him -commenting on how little he was eating.
"After a certain age, one shouldn't eat much. I have begun to eat little," he said, sounding rather sad and depressed.
"And what are you writing these days?" I asked.
"Nothing, really…after a certain age it gets difficult to write."
"But isn't writing an ongoing exercise?"
"No, it gets difficult to write after a certain age. I suppose if I was doing business, I would have carried on, but with writing it isn't easy."
"Are you planning to switch over to politics? I ask because you aired, rather too blatantly, some Right -wing views recently?"
"No, no politics."
"But didn't you travel to Nashik? …And it is said that your longish stay at the Maurya Sheraton's luxury suite was sponsored by a political Right -Wing party?"
"Yes, I did travel to Nashik…and here in New Delhi, I did go to the BJP office headquarters. What's wrong if a writer goes to a political party's office and interacts with their workers and leaders?"
"Shouldn't a writer not support blatant destruction? Of structures, human or otherwise?" Why did you recently do the unthinkable - at least, unthinkable to the sane and sound of mind in this country. From some semi-political platform, you gave a clean chit of sorts to the destruction of the Babri Masjid?
He'd looked rattled, cornered. And as if out of force of habit, he started looking around for an escape route, somebody to pamper and protect him from fresh onslaughts. And the escape route appeared just then - Nadira was back and seated in the chair she had briefly vacated. Any further queries directed at Naipaul were then answered by the 'Back off' look on her face.
He couldn't answer any more questions, giving in completely to her ministrations with a lopsided smile. I stared with amazement as she overstretched herself, putting up a big show of protecting her husband in a laughably pretentious way.
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GULZAR SAAB - This poet with a personality, is all set to celebrate his birthday on August 18
It's rare to come across a poet whose eyes relay poetry. Look towards Gulzar saab's emotion laden eyes , there's poetry dripping from those eyes Yes, there's something about his eyes, his very personality that strikes and leaves an impact.
I'm left amazed by the expanse of his works; that sheer emotional sensitivity laden in his verse and short stories. He has the capacity to offload an entire philosophy through the simplest of ways and last evening as I sat re-reading his verse, I kept thinking of the very first time when I had met Gulzar saab. It was an experience in itself. I had first met him around the summer of 2005, for an interview for a national daily. He was putting up at the New Delhi situated India International Centre , so it was decided that I meet him over breakfast at IIC's tea lounge . And there was something about his eyes that struck. Nah, no ordinary eyes but laden with emotions. And within the next couple of minutes as our conversation moved towards the Kashmir Valley, tears trickled down … Gulzar saab was crying and getting emotional. Telling me , " The Kashmir Valley always fascinated me to such an extent that Raakhee and I had decided to go to Srinagar for our honeymoon …Raakhee and I often tease our daughter Bosky that she was conceived there …In Srinagar we'd stayed at the Oberoi hotel. Its garden had two majestic Chinars, I called them Badshah and Begum, or Jehangir and Noorjehan,... I saw them again in these recent years and they looked so forlorn …Kashmir is an integral part of my emotions, it's a region which is close to the region of my heart. Was earlier even planning to make a film on the Valley .I'd even named the film - it was to be titled 'Is Vaadi Mein' and it was based on Krishna Chander's short story collection 'Kitaab Ka Kafan'- and it dealt with two lovers in the two parts of the Valley and how they try to overcome the military barriers . Sadly, the film could not be made as the Kargil war had broken out."
Today, Gulzar saab is focusing on writing. "There are several books in my head and I want to complete them. In fact, writing is very important .It is a shock absorber. It has the capacity to absorb all upheavals, shocks, pains, all the conditions you're going through. It is like driving along a road which could be uneven or bumpy. Writing then becomes your vehicle, it takes you along and you go atop it, as though you were riding a tiger. …I have been witnessing some stark realities since my childhood. When the Partition took place, I was very young but I could see and sense the pain around me, how thousands of people went through that upheaval. I have been witnessing realities and I have been writing on them all along."
And Gulzar saab is one of those Bollywood personalities who till date writes , reads and converses in Urdu.With that in the background I'd asked him - In the times we are living in, is it tough to be Urdu speaking ? Did you ever suffer from a complex on account of this?
"No, never. I have always been very comfortable with Urdu .In fact, the only time I've suffered from a complex was from the fact I couldn't complete my graduation. For a long time this bothered me as in those days a Degree meant a lot, but I couldn't complete my graduation because of financial conditions /constraints. And, perhaps, to make up on that front I took to reading and writing .In fact, reading has been my passion right form childhood."
With this focus on childhood and children, Gulzar had told me that he is translating Rabindranath Tagore books for children. Also talked of the importance of Tagore's writings in his own life - "After the Partition, our family shifted to old Delhi's Subzi Mandi locality. Somehow, very early on, I took to reading and became a voracious reader, borrowing books from a local shop. One day, I got hold of Tagore's Gardener. Reading that changed the entire course of my life and thinking - it could be called the turning point of my life." Added, "I love writing for children and find it very fulfilling."
He added yet another rather vital input which young parents of this country ought to take note of, "Today we are snatching away childhood of our children , by putting children too early into formal education, we are shrinking that crucial phase of life. My worry is that in the coming years, children could get extremely lonely, especially in urban locations."
To the 'why' he does not look changed in these years; in fact, still looking intensely attractive, he'd smiled in that subdued way, and then in that very spontaneous way put his hands on his head and said , 'the hair is thinning …I have changed."
Nah.The face and eyes so very unchanging. "If you insist then the reason is the joy brought in my life by my grandson, Samay. Every evening I play with him ,take him to the park and being with him is so very rejuvenating, so very joyful."
LEAVING YOU, WITH THESE LINES OF GULZAR SAAB
' Kuchh bhi qayam nahin hai kuchh bhi nahin /
Raat-din gir rahe hain chausar par/
Aundhi -seedhi -si kaudiyon ki tarah /
Mah-o- saal haath lagte hain/
Ungliyon se phisalte rahte hain /
Kuchh bhi qayam nahin hai kuchh bhi nahin /
Aur jo qayam hai ek bus main hoon/
Main jo har pal badalta rahta hoon.'
('Nothing is permanent, nothing at all /
Days and nights fall on the chausar board /
Like kauri shells ,some face up others down /
The months and years dealt out to you /
Slip through your fingers /
Nothing is permanent, nothing at all /
And what is permanent is me /
I, who is changing at every instant.)
*(Humra Quraishi is a freelance columnist based in Delhi and is currently a visiting Professor in the Academy of Third World Studies in Jamia Milia University).

 

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