Reviewers are not supposed to have emotions. They are supposed to be neutral in their evaluation of any book. Sometimes they are required to be brutal, to be unforgiving in their judgement of the book that they review.
I am generally neutral while reviewing any book. But it was difficult in this case!
The subject of the book was the rise of the Maratha power in the 18th Century and its reaching its peak – flying the Saffron high from the walls of the Attock fort! This was a subject very, very close to my heart and I would be very ruthless if someone messed up this book. Hardly any good English novel has been written about the Maratha history. This young author was doing something I had been longing to do, to write Maratha history in English and place it in front of the world!
And by God’s Grace, he succeeded in doing that!!
Sahyadris to Hindukush starts off fast like the Blitzkrieg Cavalry of the Marathas and takes you as the Saffron treads the barren lands of Central India, the fertile Gangetic plains, the lush fields of Punjab and finally the rocky terrain of the Indus Valley – the very cradle of the Hindu Civilization!
The author’s command over the English language used in the novel is what impressed (and inspired) me the most. The flow of the language is superb and the construction of the sentences to make them sound like they were spoken in the local dialects in the Medieval times. Attention to detail in various parts of the novel – including the Geographical accuracies – will surely take the reader on a roller coaster ride of the Indian sub-continent!
It is very clear that the author has toiled very hard and has studied and researched thoroughly before sitting down and penning the novel. Even the smallest habits and customs of the Marathas and also the Pashtun tribes seem to have been studied in great detail! I congratulate the author for completing this mammoth task!
However, in my personal opinion I would have been greatly pleased had the author increased the size of the novel. The novel is an odd 187 pages and I would have loved if the author had made it 500 pages!
Inspite of its small size, Sahyadris to Hindukush dazzles you! It makes you imagine each and every scene and battle depicted in its words. You wince at the dirty politics played in the Mughal court and also rejoice when the Maratha banner flutters on top of the Attock Fort walls!
A must read for any one who is interested in the happenings in India in the 18th Century. A sure fire engaging novel, I will surely recommend this one!
- Pranjal Wagh
30 Apr 2013
This work by Pranjal A. Wagh is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License
Usually, I do not read travel books. Although I have read some across English and Marathi but those that I have read would be rated as one of the best in their category. I would definitely classify ‘In the Hot Unconscious’ in those ranks.
You feel this book. You feel you are in the same place where Charles Foster is. When you read it, Charles Foster ensures that he takes you with him on his travels to find something. He himself claims that sometimes he does not know what he was looking for. Foster is in India supposedly to collect and study leeches. But as he travels the nation, his experiences from the southern and northern extremities of India ensure that he finds something more as well.
Foster is initially in remote area of North India, stuck in a lodge due to the world famous red-tape of the Indian Babudom – The Bureaucracy of the Post-Raj India. Stuck inside the lodge he continues his work of collecting leeches and has a few encounters with the deadly diarrhea. Foster’s travels take him across North India as far as the Nepalese border. He meets various people on his travels, makes friends with few of them, despises some of them and goes on moving across the Indian lands.
Foster’s enchanting yet lucid narrative is laced with cynicism and followed by an honest opinion. The humor in his writings and also the lessons that we learn as a reader are based on the Zen philosophy. Foster does not view India like the rest of the West does. Foster dissects each situation and puts it and the people involved in it to the test of his sharp sarcasm and crisp cynicism. It is only after that he takes us to the opinion he forms about them.
As an Indian his cynical view of looking at things stings us at first. All of the West always raves about the mystical land that is India and never in any travels have I heard anyone take up this critical view – may it be related to religion, the people or the cultural aspects of life here. But as you proceed you indeed find out that what Foster observes is true!
Soon enough, the leeches disappear from his writings and the he takes us on a wild ride across India and allows us to discover it once again. He tells us true stories of Bob, the guru who detests Foster at first sight but who weeps because he can only assure his devotees and not actually rid them of this misery and then makes an attempt to like Foster later on. He tells us about his Sikh Friend of a Cheese farmer Jagjit, a true patriot who accompanies the author initially in the book but later gets bored of constant company of Foster. His writings also tell us horrifying stories of people losing their lives in search of Nirvana – the tale of an engineer who ties his hands and legs and drowns in a river is particularly chilling.
As T.S. Elliot has quoted –
The end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time
- Foster explores India and finds spiritual essence of the land and of himself. As the author himself says, sometimes he himself does not know what he was looking for.
नर्मदेच्या भयाण वाळवंटात फिरून फिरून अगदी वैतागून गेलो होतो आम्ही… रणरणत ऊन भाजून काढत होतं…उष्ण हवा तर सतत वाहत होती…कुठे निवाऱ्याला सावली सापडत नव्हती…आमच्या गाडीचा ड्रायव्हर मूळचा इंदोरचा पण त्याने देखील कधी गाडी इतक्या आत आणली नव्हती… शोध होतं तो एकच गोष्टीचा…पण ती देखील कुठे आहे कोणालाच माहित नव्हती… आणि ही अशी परिस्थिती फक्त ‘हिंदुस्तानातच’ आपल्यावर येऊ शकते..
१५ मे २००९ च्या लोकमत मधील एका लेखाने खाड्कन डोळे उघडले आमचे… शिवाजी शिवाजी करत बसणारे आम्ही ….मराठ्यांच्या पूर्ण इतिहासाला शिवाजी पुरताच मर्यादित करून बसलो होतो! हा लेख होता श्रीमंत बाजीराव पेशव्यांवर, त्या लढवय्या पेशव्याच्या समाधीच्या अस्तित्वाचा!
बाजीराव पेशव्यांचा अकाली मृत्यू आम्हाला माहित होतं…पण त्यांची समाधी कुठे असेल हा साधा विचारच आम्ही केला नाही! कसा करणार? आपलं सरकार तरी कुठे मान्यता देतं? शिवाजी महाराजांचे समुद्रात पुतळे उभारतील, पण त्यांचे गड किल्ले भाग्नावास्तेत पडू देतील, असलं हे विचित्र सरकार! शाळेतील इतिहासाच्या पुस्तकात दोन पानात संपवलेला बाजीराव खरोखर किती मोठा होता हे आम्हाला कोण सांगणार? ‘लढवय्या पेशवा’ पेक्षा ‘बाजीराव – मस्तानी’ ह्या प्रकरणाला जास्त महत्व देऊन महाराष्ट्रातील जनतेनेच ह्या पेशव्याच्या कर्तृत्वाला दाबून टाकले!
ह्या मर्द गड्याचा पराक्रम सांगावा तो तरी किती!
"जो गती भयी गजेंद्र की, वही गती हमरी आज बाजी जात बुंदेल की , बाजी रखियो लाज!"
बुन्देलखंडचा राजा छत्रसाल ह्याने मोहम्मद बंगश ह्या मोगल सरदाराखिलाफ बाजीरावाची मदत मागितली. संदेश पोहोचला तेव्हा बाजीराव जेवत होते. असे म्हणतात की हातातला घास तसाच ठेवून बाजीराव उठले आणि थेट घोड्यावरून मोजक्या स्वारानिशी निघाले. बाकीचे सैन्य त्यांना नंतर येऊन मिळाले.
“ उशीर केल्यामुळे छत्रसाल पराजित झाले तर इतिहास हेच म्हणेल की बाजीराव जेवत होते म्हणून उशीर झाला!"
ह्याला म्हणतात मराठी बाणा! मैत्रीचं राजकारण खेळावं तर ते असं! पोकळ दंडावर फुकटचे षड्डू थोपटत बसणाऱ्या राजकारण्यांनी आणि सरकारी यंत्रणेने काहीतरी शिकावे ह्यातून!! ह्या कृत्यानंतर बाजीरावाने बंगाशाला पराभूत तर केलेच, पण छात्रासालाच्या राज्याचा १/३ हिस्सा जहागीर म्हणून मिळवला…आणि मराठी तितुका बुन्देल्खंडी फडकला!!
अशा ह्या पराक्रमी पेशव्याची समाधी रावेरखेडी नावाच्या एका गावात आहे असे आम्हाला कळते काय आणि ती लवकरच नर्मदेच्या पाण्याखाली जाणार असल्याचे कळते आणि तिचा शेवटचा दर्शन घ्यावा म्हणून आम्ही लगेच निघतो काय…सगळं अगदी घाईघाईत घडलं…
इंदोरहून गाडी घेऊन आम्ही निघालो ते थेट सनावादला नर्मदा ओलांडली…मनात एक विचार येऊन गेला.. जेव्हा मराठ्यांनी नर्मदा ओलांडली तेव्हा नावांचा पूल बांधून ओलांडली होती…आज आम्ही सिमेंटच्या पुलावरून ती ओलांडली…घोड्यांच्या टापांनी हादरून उठणारा हा परिसर आज रेल्वे आणि गाड्यांच्या आवाजाने भरून गेला होता!
बडवाह! मध्य प्रदेशातील एक छोटासा जिल्हा! ह्या जिल्ह्यात कुठेतरी लपल होत रावेरखेड़ी! सुमारे पंधरा मिनिटे एक खडबडीत रस्त्यावरून आमच्या इंडिका आम्ही बलजबरी नेली तेव्हा एक कच्चा रास्ता लागला….आणि नंतर लागल ते एक छोट गाव! हेच रावेरखेड़ी असणार असा आम्ही एक अंदाज़ बांधून घेतला! अगदी कोणीही न सांगता चुकीचे अंदाज़ बांधणे व ते बरोबर आहेत अशी स्वतःची समजूत घालण्यात आम्ही पटाईत! गावात आम्ही आमच्या अस्खलीत हिंदी मध्ये विचारल,
"इधर कोई समाधी है क्या?"
" सचिन तेंडुलकर १००वी सेंच्युरी कधी मारणार?" असा प्रश्न विचारल्यावर समोरचा कसा क्लीन बोल्ड होतो अगदी तशीच अवस्था तिथल्या ग्रामस्थांची झाली! कोणालाच माहित नहीं! मग मूळ मुद्द्यावर आलो,
"ये रावेरखेड़ी किधर है? ये नहीं है क्या?"
रावेरखेड़ी हे गाव समोरचा नाला ओलांडून पलिकडे आहे असे कळले व आम्ही पुढे निघालो…पण पुढच्या गावी देखील हेच चित्र…समाधी कुठे आहे कुणालाच ठाऊक नहीं…आता करायचे काय… मग विचारले की बाबा नदी किधर है? आणि त्या दिशेने आम्ही कूच केली…
ह्या गावातून जाताना एक गोष्ट मात्र ध्यानी आली… गावातील घरांचे दरवाजे एकदम जुन्या पद्धतीचे…भक्कम लाकडाची बांधणी आणि सुन्दर नक्षीकाम…जणू बाजीराव पेशव्यांच्या काळी बांधलेली घर असावीत! सुमारे ३०० वर्षांपूर्वी ते देखिल ह्याच रस्त्याने घोड़दौड़ करीत नर्मदा तीरी आपल्या छावणीत गेले असतील! अचानक अवतीभवती सेना सागर उभा राहिला, सरदारांचे डेरे, सैनिकांची चाललेली धावपळ आणि आपल्या डेरयात मसलती करीत बसलेला एक दिमाखदार मराठी तरुण! महाराष्ट्राला महाराष्ट्राबाहेर नेणारा हाच तो!
बाजीराव!
गरुडाची भेदक नजर, पिळदार मिश्या, तोंडावर किंचित स्मित, कमावलेल मजबूत शरीर आणि तितकीच मजबूत विचारशक्ती!
कुशल व्यवस्थापक, अजिंक्य योद्धा आणि आकर्षक व्यक्तिमत्व असा हा सर्वगुणसम्पन्न मराठ्यांचा पंतप्रधान! (नाहीतर आजकालचे पंतप्रधान!)
असो!
तर आम्ही समाधी शोध चालू ठेवला..असे करता करता गाव संपल! पुढे नुसता सपाट जमीन! डोक्यावर अंड फोडल असता तर त्याचा हाफ-फ्राय तयार होइल इतकी भाजून काढणार ऊन!! आता काय करायच ह्या विचारत असताना एक उजवीकडे शेड दिसली! शेतीच्या कामासाठी वापरली जात होती बहुदा! म्हट्ल पहु इथे विचारून! भात्यातील शेवटचा बाण उरले तो मारून पाहू! असे म्हटले आणि मी गाडीतुन उतरलो!
पुढे लिहिण्या अगोदर एक वस्तुस्थिति सांगतो! ह्याची जाणीव त्या दिवशी झाली!
आपल्या मध्ये का कोण जाणे आपल्याच इतिहासाबद्दल एक कमालीचा न्यूनगंड असतो! आणि त्याच्या जोडीला असते ती कमालीची उदासीनता!
आपल्यालाच आपला इतिहास माहित नसतो आणि आपण तो जाणूनदेखील घेत नहीं! भारताबाहेर कोणाला इथले पराक्रमी माहित असेल आपण अपेक्षा ठेवत नहीं! तीच गोष्ट आमच्याबाबतीत खरी ठरली!
महाराष्ट्राबाहेर मराठ्याला ओळखत कोण? म्हणून आम्ही कधीच, "पेशवा बाजीराव की समाधी कहा है? " असे विचारले नाही! का कोण जाणे! अगदी नकळत ही गोष्ट घडली खरी!
असो!
मग मी त्या शेड पाशी गेलो आणि एक माणसाला विचारल, "इधर कोई समाधी है क्या?"
"मुझे पता नाही साहब, दादासाहब से पूछो!", असे म्हणताच एक माणूस आतून बाहेर आला! हा माणूस म्हणजे दादासाहब! नाव दादासाहब पण त्याच दिसण अगदी उलट! एकदम बारीक, दाढ़ीची खुंट वाढलेली आणि साधारण उंचीचा हा माणूस ‘दादासाहब’ ह्या खिताबाला साजेसा बिलकुल नव्हता!
मी म्हट्ल, " दादासाहब, इधर कोई समाधी है क्या?"
आपल्या लुंगीला हाथ पुसत त्याने उत्तर दिले, "समाधी? पेशवा सरकार की समाधी? वो….."
पुढचे शब्द मी ऐकलेच नाहीत जणू!!
पेशवा सरकार!
पेशवा सरकार!!!
इतका मान! इतका आदर!! ते देखील पुण्याहून शेकडो मैल दूर ह्या उजाड़ रावेरखेड़ी मध्ये!!
आश्चर्य!
मी अक्षरशः बावरुन गेलो आणि नकळत डोळ्याच्या कडा पाणवल्या!
ज्या महाराष्ट्र देशासाठी हा बाजीराव लढ़ला तिथे देखील त्याला इतका मान नाही!
महाराष्ट्रात बाजीराव कोण आहे हे देखील माहित नसलेली लोक राहतात आणि माहीत असला तरी "अरे तो का बाजीराव – मस्तानी वाला?" असे प्रश्न विचारणारे महारथी देखील आहेत!
आपल्या इतिहासाची काय किम्मत करतो आपण हे निर्लज्जपणे सांगणारे आपण कुठे आणी ह्या नर्मदेच्या वाळवंटात उभा असलेला हा गावठी ‘दादासाहब’ कुठे !
मन विषण्ण झालं! आपल्या मराठीपणाची थोडी का असेना लाज वाटली! जणू ह्या ‘दादासाहब’ ने नकळत आमच्या अस्मितेचा पोकळ फुगा त्याच्या दोन शब्दांनी फोडला होता. एक सणसणीत चपराकच गालावर पडली होती!
कोण कुठली इंग्लंडची राणी पण तिला आपली लोकं, क्वीन एलीझबेथ म्हणतात. अमेरिकेसारखा स्वार्थी देश, पण त्याच्या राष्ट्रपतीला आपण प्रेसिडेंट ओबामा म्हणतो! जसं कि हा भारताचाच प्रेसिडेंट आहे! पण जेव्हा आपल्याच देशातील वीरांना आदर देण्याची पाळी येते तेव्हा आपली जीभ जड होते! शिवाजी, संभाजी, बाजीराव अशी राजरोस पाने आपण नवे घेतो! तेव्हा कुठे जातो हा मराठीचा अभिमान? कुठे जाते आपली मराठी अस्मिता? आणि हा कोण कुठला ‘दादासाहब’! त्याला काय घेणं देणं नसताना इतका आदर करतो!
पेशवा सरकार!!
ह्या नंतर आम्हाला समाधी सापडली देखील आणि आम्ही ती पाहून देखील आलो! महाराष्ट्राच्या पुत्राला वंदन केले आणि नर्मदेच्या पात्रातील जुन्या घाटावर जाऊन स्नान करून आलो!
तिथे काही अवशेष आहेत ते पाहिले, ३०० वर्षे मागे जाण्याचा एक छोटासा प्रयत्न केला आणि परत निघालो!
परत येताना मी विचारांच्या अधीन झालो होतो! ते नर्मदेच निळ पात्र, एका सच्च्या पण विस्मरणात गेलेल्या योद्ध्याची, त्याच्या नावाला न साजेशी अशी दुर्लक्षित समाधी आणि त्या वाळवंटात उभा असलेला तो ‘दादासाहब’!
बाहेर वाऱ्यामुळे मातीचे लोळ उठले होते, आकाशात धुरळा उडाला होता. माझ्या मनात देखील असाच कल्लोळ मजला होता. दोनच शब्द मनात परत परत ऐकू येत होते!
The lessons to be learnt by Indians from an American flick………
My sir, Capt. Vanjari says “No movie is bad, all movies have a lesson to teach us!”
I believe it. I do not hate any movie. There is always something that can be learnt from any movie. Be it any ‘B’ grade flick or a high-budget mega project, each and every movie has something or the other to teach. Maybe we already know that lesson, but it does remind us that that lesson has to be revised Look carefully and you’ll learn something from each movie!
Anyway, I’ll go straight to the main topic now.
I saw ‘Remember the Titans’ about 2 years ago. I saw the relevance of that movie to the Indian scenario back then but thought of writing a blog-post about that relevance now.
Remember The Titans (RTT) is a movie based on a true story back in the 70′s when a law indicating co-education for ‘blacks’ and ‘whites’ was passed. The story is set in Alexandria,Virginia where (American) football is a way of life! A new coach is appointed, who is black, Coach Boone (Denzel Washington) by removing the current white coach, Coach Yoast (Will Patton) for the T.C. Williams High School football team (a.k.a The Titans). His job is to integrate both blacks and whites into the Team and make it a force to reckon with, a united team. He has to do this against the wrath of the white townsfolk, the authorities who are against a black-white football team and the mixed education system.
The movie’s ending lines are by Sheryl, daughter of Coach Yoast.
“People say that it can’t work, black and white; well here we make it work, everyday. We have our disagreements, of course, but before we reach for hate, always, always, we remember the Titans. “
Such a simple statement but such deep meaning!
Indian society may look integrated on top. But remove the top layer and you will see the harsh reality in the division of the society.
Religion, Caste, Sub-caste, Region, Language, Appearance. You name it, we got it!
Friends become enemies, unknown and known people are beaten-up,burnt,killed, women are raped. All in the name of caste, religion and other petty factors that differentiate between humans. Two good friends do not hesitate to slit each others throats just because of the difference in their religion.
Two young lovers are not allowed to marry just because inter-caste, inter-religion, inter-region marriages are considered taboo. A pure emotion like love is not allowed to flourish. The ambitions and dreams of the youth which are the life-blood of this nation are dashed to death. People even do not know why they oppose such marriages. It is just because it has been told by their parents to them. Why such blind beliefs? Where is the rational man?
A turning point in the movie, RTT, is this scene where Coach Boone takes the team on a midnight run to a ground where the historical battle of Gettysburg was fought in the American Civil War.
Have a look at this video: The Gettysburg Speech
Coach Boone’s Speech:
“This is where they fought the battle of Gettysburg. Fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fighting the same fight that we are still fighting among ourselves today.
This green field right here, painted red, bubblin’ with the blood of young boys. Smoke and hot lead pouring right through their bodies.
Listen to their souls, men.
I killed my brother with malice in my heart.
Hatred destroyed my family.
You listen, and you take a lesson from the dead.
If we don’t come together right now on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed, just like they were.
I don’t care if you like each other of not, but you will respect each other. And maybe… I don’t know, maybe
we’ll learn to play this game like men. “
This statement is very much relevant to the Indian scenario. It may not look relevant, but go a little deeper, exercise your brain and you’ll see the identical situation. I can see the relation to India can be seen in each and every line! “…fighting the same fight that we are still fighting among ourselves today.”
1947 Hindu Muslim riots 1984 Sikh riots 1993 Mumbai riots 2002 Godhra incident and Gujarat Riots 2008 Anti-Christian violence and still more to come…..
“….I killed my brother with malice in my heart. “
Neighbour killed neighbour. Citizens of the same nation killed each other. Sons of same mother India killed their brothers and raped their sisters.
“Hatred destroyed my family…..”
Countless families were uprooted and destroyed during these religious riots. Houses with entire families locked in them were burnt to ashes. Their screams still echo in the air.
” You listen, and you take a lesson from the dead.
If we don’t come together right now on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed, just like they were. “
If we do not come together as Indians by keeping aside our castes and our religions we shall be destroyed.
History is witness to this!
All the Indian rulers were strong but they were not united. So when an invading force much stronger than them attacked no one helped each other until all of them perished.
If we continue to divide the society on the basis of caste, religion then outsiders and external enemies will destroy us one by one.
Politicians, anti-social elements, religious fanatics are exploiting the nation and its resources by dividing it on the basis of caste, religion, language to satisfy their interests. For their small interests they are destroying the dreams of millions, throwing away lives like a rich man throws pennies for beggars.
They are selling our country to salesmen of terrorism for money. The country is going to the goons, dacoits, thieves.
Fix this in your mind.
No politician today wants to work for the nation. They are only interested in progressing their bank balance, not the country. We are a nation with 54% youth, but it is this youth that is not allowed to grow, their wings are cut even before they can spread them and fly just on the filthy basis of religion, caste ,and language!
When politicians tell you to exercise your right of voting it is not because they want to make you aware of your right or that they care for the nation. It is because there is a possibility that you will vote for them because they have told you about right to vote.
Some great politicians have now started beating up people just because they do not belong to a particular region or do not speak a particular language. All this under the false reason of saving the local culture and such bullshit. Creating a rift among the citizens of the nation and winning favour from a certain section of the society and hence winning their votes is one of their new pass times. And the worse part is, the youth are being attracted to these parties!
A person from the North-East states is teased and is called Chinese just because of his looks resemble the Chinese. Is he not Indian? Does he not love India? Does adrenaline not flow in his veins when he sings “Jana Gana mana…”? Why?
It is high time that we begin to trust and love the soul of a man rather than the look, the religion,the language and the caste of him!
All I can say to my Indian brothers and sisters,
“People say that it can’t work, Religions,Regions,Castes,Colour; well here we should make it work, everyday. We may have our disagreements, of course, but before we reach for hate, always, always, we should remember the Titans. “
One thing we should remember,always.
As Coach Boone says to his players before their first game,
“Tonight we’ve got Hayfield. Like all the other schools in this conference, they’re all white. They don’t have to worry about race. We do. Let me tell you something: you don’t let anyone come between us. Nothing tears us apart. In Greek mythology, the Titans were greater even than the gods. They ruled their universe with absolute power. Well that football field out there, that’s our universe. Let’s rule it like titans. “
India is a diverse land with equal diversity in regions, languages, religions. Keeping all these factors united is a difficult job. We have to do it as the educated youth of this country. Other nations may not have to worry about this diversity.
We do.
We should let nothing come between us.
In Greek Mythology, the Titans were even greater than the gods as they ruled their Universe with absolute power.
That country called India out there is our Universe. Lets rule it like the Titans.
Regards, Pranjal Wagh
PS: 1. Although the movie Chak De India highlights some of the aspects I have mentioned in the post. Remember the Titans is much much closer to my heart and is a much better movie. 2. This is a true story. You can check out the details on the Internet.
Look carefully and you’ll learn something from each movie!
