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Words Matter: Writings against Silence
India prides itself in a rich tradition of diversity, dialogue and debate. Our democracy draws its sustenance from this tradition. Myths, texts and systems of faith and thought have been cherished, revisited and also challenged. They have often inspired imaginative versions through oral retellings and local adaptations. The dynamism of Indian culture has kept it open to influences and has stood the test of time. In Words Matter, edited by eminent poet and scholar K. Satchidanandan, scholars and writers including Romila Thapar, Githa Hariharan, Pankaj Mishra, Salil Tripathi and Ananya Vajpeyi discuss these definitive values from various points of view. The contributors argue that we must nurture critical thinking to fight all kinds of discrimination and insularity. It lies in our interest as a modern nation to preserve our cultural strength and help democracy flourish.
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About the author
K. Satchidanandan
69 books19 followersK. Sachidanandan (Malayalam: കെ സച്ചിദാനന്ദൻ) is a Indian poet and critic writing in Malayalam and English. A pioneer of modern poetry in Malayalam, a bilingual critic , playwright, editor, literary columnist and translator, he is the former Editor of Indian Literature journal and the former Secretary of Sahitya Akademi.He is also a public intellectual of repute upholding secular democratic views, supporting causes like environment, human rights and free software and a well known speaker on issues concerning contemporary Indian literature.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 15, 2016
IN September 2015, an unprecedented movement gained momentum when several writers, joined by artists, scholars and scientists, rose in spontaneous protest, primarily to resist what they believed was a growing culture of intolerance in India. In the following days, while covering the Sahitya Akademi imbroglio (as it later turned out to be) first hand, one witnessed an unpleasant sense of disgust, dilemma and detestation among several prominent as also lesser-known writers.
Apart from the numerous instances of silencing or killing authors and intellectuals, they were also disturbed by the “appointment of obscure figures” as heads of prestigious national cultural institutions, apparently for their “political affiliations” alone. What was also alarming was the “silence of the government and its bodies”, due to which a small section of civil society was “feeling encouraged” to continue indulging in acts of intimidation and violence.
On 22 October, the Sahitya Akademi finally broke its silence and condemned the murder of rational thinkers and pleaded with the authors to reconsider the returning of awards. This resolution, however, came almost two months after the murder of Professor Kalburgi (30 August). The memorandum also failed to explain why “the only autonomous institution of Indian literature in all its diversities” took 54 days to publicly condemn the death of a Sahitya Akademi recipient and other rationalist thinkers. On the day of the emergency meeting to discuss the alarming exodus of literary icons from the fraternity, one witnessed a silent protest by writers, sporting black gags and arm bands from the Sri Ram Centre to the Akademi building in New Delhi. The writers did not take their awards back, some considered it a “staged protest”, motivated by political interest and the entire issue died down with time.
The writers’ protest may have died down with time as more intense and relevant issues demanded attention but has it or will it ever be forgotten? Perhaps not! Every time there is an attack on free speech or the right to dissent, this episode will resurface and call for objectivity, free flow of thoughts and the rich tradition of diversity, dialogue and debate that India prides itself on. This traditional ethos of Indian culture that has remained open to influences and has stood the test of time has been brilliantly captured in a recent offering, Words Matter: Writings Against Silence. It has been edited by eminent poet and scholar K Satchidanandan and prominent scholars and writers like Romila Thapar, Githa Hariharan, Pankaj Mishra, Salil Tripathi, Keki Daruwalla, Nayantara Sahgal and Ananya Vajpeyi discuss these definitive values from various points of view. The contributors argue that we must nurture critical thinking to fight all kinds of discrimination and insularity, that it lies in our interest as a modern nation to preserve our cultural strength and help democracy flourish.
In the introduction to the book, editor K Satchidanandan admits that the idea emerged directly from the critical moment when several Indian writers rose in “spontaneous protest” in 2015. The purpose of this book, according to him, is to “collect sober, democratic voices that wished to speak out against these (the murder of rational thinkers and what was seen as the growing sphere of intolerance) silences, but did not necessarily subscribe to any one outlook or ideology”. These diverse voices, however, are one in defending the Fundamental Rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Thus, this book, Satchidanandan argues, represents “distinct views and opinions, united by a common concern for the future of India’s many-hued culture and democratic policy”.
Divided into three sections, the book makes for a 250-page ride through the very ethos and dynamism of Indian culture. The first section, “Farewell to Reason”, features writers and activists who were silenced forever — Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and MM Kalburgi. Short yet competent essays introduce their lives and works, followed by samples of their writings to provide the reader a glimpse of what they stood for and what led to their “martyrdom”. There can be no denying that the works of all three were distinct from each other, yet there seems to be a common thread where their writings appear to converge — on the issue of faith. They dedicated their lives to evolving a dialogue around received ideas and practices regarding faith, to enable common people to question and to break out from their blinding prisons.
“Thousands of people turned out to march in the funeral processions of these three writers,” Satchidanandan mentions, “revealing how deeply they had touched and transformed people’s lives. In this sense, all three of them could be called martyrs to the cause of reason and sanity against irrationality and insanity.” This section of the book provides readers with ample anecdotes and references from the lives of these three writers and also provides a glimpse into their writings and the themes they explored.
The second part, “Diagnosing the Malady”, carries essays that analyse the contemporary situation from various perspectives. These complement each other as they uphold the ideal of secularism that “presupposes not just ‘tolerance’ but also respect for the ‘other’”. The essays show how authoritarianism and the hegemonic reign of any ideology or person give rise to aggressive intolerance towards dissent; how the struggle for caste supremacy pits one oppressed caste against the other, resulting in the silencing or the distortion of historical narratives; and how the unsolved Dalit question poses a challenge to the idea of a “Hindu” nation, as does the spirit of scientific enquiry. Though different in themes and outlook, the essays are thus linked to one another and raise issues vital for the survival of democracy.
The third section, “Bearing Witness”, carries responses to specific incidents or situations published in newspapers or released as statements. “As this book goes to press,” Satchidanandan reminds many future readers, “many incidents that question the very autonomy of our institutions of higher education — like the ban on the Periyar-Ambedkar Study Circle at IIT, Madras, the expulsion of students belonging to the Ambedkar Students’ Association at the Central University, Hyderabad, leading to Rohit Vemula’s suicide, and the imposition of ‘sedition’ charges on students of JNU, Delhi — have come up, demanding a discussion on the very nature of democracy and freedom.”
Many of the essays are subjective and one may not necessarily agree with each or any of them, but the diverse opinions expressed, the centrality on freedom of expression and the right to dissent make it crucial in order to understand the true spirit of democracy and the way it functions in contemporary times.
First published in 8th Day / The Statesman
http://www.inkstreet.in/2016/07/revie...
Apart from the numerous instances of silencing or killing authors and intellectuals, they were also disturbed by the “appointment of obscure figures” as heads of prestigious national cultural institutions, apparently for their “political affiliations” alone. What was also alarming was the “silence of the government and its bodies”, due to which a small section of civil society was “feeling encouraged” to continue indulging in acts of intimidation and violence.
On 22 October, the Sahitya Akademi finally broke its silence and condemned the murder of rational thinkers and pleaded with the authors to reconsider the returning of awards. This resolution, however, came almost two months after the murder of Professor Kalburgi (30 August). The memorandum also failed to explain why “the only autonomous institution of Indian literature in all its diversities” took 54 days to publicly condemn the death of a Sahitya Akademi recipient and other rationalist thinkers. On the day of the emergency meeting to discuss the alarming exodus of literary icons from the fraternity, one witnessed a silent protest by writers, sporting black gags and arm bands from the Sri Ram Centre to the Akademi building in New Delhi. The writers did not take their awards back, some considered it a “staged protest”, motivated by political interest and the entire issue died down with time.
The writers’ protest may have died down with time as more intense and relevant issues demanded attention but has it or will it ever be forgotten? Perhaps not! Every time there is an attack on free speech or the right to dissent, this episode will resurface and call for objectivity, free flow of thoughts and the rich tradition of diversity, dialogue and debate that India prides itself on. This traditional ethos of Indian culture that has remained open to influences and has stood the test of time has been brilliantly captured in a recent offering, Words Matter: Writings Against Silence. It has been edited by eminent poet and scholar K Satchidanandan and prominent scholars and writers like Romila Thapar, Githa Hariharan, Pankaj Mishra, Salil Tripathi, Keki Daruwalla, Nayantara Sahgal and Ananya Vajpeyi discuss these definitive values from various points of view. The contributors argue that we must nurture critical thinking to fight all kinds of discrimination and insularity, that it lies in our interest as a modern nation to preserve our cultural strength and help democracy flourish.
In the introduction to the book, editor K Satchidanandan admits that the idea emerged directly from the critical moment when several Indian writers rose in “spontaneous protest” in 2015. The purpose of this book, according to him, is to “collect sober, democratic voices that wished to speak out against these (the murder of rational thinkers and what was seen as the growing sphere of intolerance) silences, but did not necessarily subscribe to any one outlook or ideology”. These diverse voices, however, are one in defending the Fundamental Rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Thus, this book, Satchidanandan argues, represents “distinct views and opinions, united by a common concern for the future of India’s many-hued culture and democratic policy”.
Divided into three sections, the book makes for a 250-page ride through the very ethos and dynamism of Indian culture. The first section, “Farewell to Reason”, features writers and activists who were silenced forever — Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and MM Kalburgi. Short yet competent essays introduce their lives and works, followed by samples of their writings to provide the reader a glimpse of what they stood for and what led to their “martyrdom”. There can be no denying that the works of all three were distinct from each other, yet there seems to be a common thread where their writings appear to converge — on the issue of faith. They dedicated their lives to evolving a dialogue around received ideas and practices regarding faith, to enable common people to question and to break out from their blinding prisons.
“Thousands of people turned out to march in the funeral processions of these three writers,” Satchidanandan mentions, “revealing how deeply they had touched and transformed people’s lives. In this sense, all three of them could be called martyrs to the cause of reason and sanity against irrationality and insanity.” This section of the book provides readers with ample anecdotes and references from the lives of these three writers and also provides a glimpse into their writings and the themes they explored.
The second part, “Diagnosing the Malady”, carries essays that analyse the contemporary situation from various perspectives. These complement each other as they uphold the ideal of secularism that “presupposes not just ‘tolerance’ but also respect for the ‘other’”. The essays show how authoritarianism and the hegemonic reign of any ideology or person give rise to aggressive intolerance towards dissent; how the struggle for caste supremacy pits one oppressed caste against the other, resulting in the silencing or the distortion of historical narratives; and how the unsolved Dalit question poses a challenge to the idea of a “Hindu” nation, as does the spirit of scientific enquiry. Though different in themes and outlook, the essays are thus linked to one another and raise issues vital for the survival of democracy.
The third section, “Bearing Witness”, carries responses to specific incidents or situations published in newspapers or released as statements. “As this book goes to press,” Satchidanandan reminds many future readers, “many incidents that question the very autonomy of our institutions of higher education — like the ban on the Periyar-Ambedkar Study Circle at IIT, Madras, the expulsion of students belonging to the Ambedkar Students’ Association at the Central University, Hyderabad, leading to Rohit Vemula’s suicide, and the imposition of ‘sedition’ charges on students of JNU, Delhi — have come up, demanding a discussion on the very nature of democracy and freedom.”
Many of the essays are subjective and one may not necessarily agree with each or any of them, but the diverse opinions expressed, the centrality on freedom of expression and the right to dissent make it crucial in order to understand the true spirit of democracy and the way it functions in contemporary times.
First published in 8th Day / The Statesman
http://www.inkstreet.in/2016/07/revie...
June 1, 2018
A remarkable collection of essays edited and compiled by one of the most prominent Malayalam poets, K. Satchidanandan reveals the changing winds in the Indian subcontinent, especially in India where democratic values of secularism and pluralism have taken a hit after the emergence of the Bharatiya Janta Party as the flag bearer of Indian electoral politics. It covers the entire movement that started near the end of October 2015, when prominent intellectuals, poets, writers, historians, thinkers and actors decided to give away their awards which they had earned for their beautiful and powerful work.
The entire movement picked up pace after the death of three of the most important rationalists and intellectuals namely Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and M.M. Kalburgi, who were gunned down by far-right Hindu fringe groups for their towering work against superstition, blind faith, fascism and a unilateral reading of Indian history. It also describes the length and breadth of their work and the impact that they had in changing the lives of the people.
Those contributing for the essays include Romila Thapar, Ram Puniyani, Markandey Katju, Nayantara Sehgal and Gopal Guru including several others as they discuss the meaning and essence of the modern Indian identity and how history justifies it.
It ends with one of Faiz Ahmad Faiz's most lively couplets ~
Gulon mein Rang Bhare, Baad-e-Nau-Baahaar chale,
Chale bhi aao ki Gulshan ka Karobaar Chale
It asks the Indian intellectuals and those concerned Indian citizens to wake up and become the winds of spring that makes the flowers bloom, so that the country's garden can continue its beautiful business.
A short book of no more than 250 pages, it is a definitive reading experience for any Indian who was born with the constitutional values of liberty, equality and fraternity, markers which are the indispensable conscience giver to an Indian who lives with the idea of India that our forefathers so proudly fought for.
The entire movement picked up pace after the death of three of the most important rationalists and intellectuals namely Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and M.M. Kalburgi, who were gunned down by far-right Hindu fringe groups for their towering work against superstition, blind faith, fascism and a unilateral reading of Indian history. It also describes the length and breadth of their work and the impact that they had in changing the lives of the people.
Those contributing for the essays include Romila Thapar, Ram Puniyani, Markandey Katju, Nayantara Sehgal and Gopal Guru including several others as they discuss the meaning and essence of the modern Indian identity and how history justifies it.
It ends with one of Faiz Ahmad Faiz's most lively couplets ~
Gulon mein Rang Bhare, Baad-e-Nau-Baahaar chale,
Chale bhi aao ki Gulshan ka Karobaar Chale
It asks the Indian intellectuals and those concerned Indian citizens to wake up and become the winds of spring that makes the flowers bloom, so that the country's garden can continue its beautiful business.
A short book of no more than 250 pages, it is a definitive reading experience for any Indian who was born with the constitutional values of liberty, equality and fraternity, markers which are the indispensable conscience giver to an Indian who lives with the idea of India that our forefathers so proudly fought for.
January 2, 2020
A good colection of articles that help the reader to think about the concepts around freedom, democracy ( not democrazy), secularity, fraternity etc in comparison with what is going on around us in India. Definitely a good read for people who think, have a mindset to question everything till they get convincing answers.
April 14, 2019
A really good book. Giving it 5 star for it's idea if not for it's content
July 15, 2020
This is a collection of essays from various Indian activists and intellectuals about Dissent, Freedom of Thought, Scientific Fervor, Political Assassinations etc. All essays feel like they are targeted towards the currently elected, allegedly Right-Wing Pro-Hindutva Government. But, considering the timeline, these are more vigilant observations of heinous crimes against society, committed repeatedly through out the history of this nation. People have always resolved these abnormalities, but these resolutions rarely get engrained into the fabric of the society.
The overall message is clear, there will be atrocities and then there will always be the convenient Silence. The only cure is to raise the voice and spread the word, every time, reminding the citizens what it means to be Indian.
The overall message is clear, there will be atrocities and then there will always be the convenient Silence. The only cure is to raise the voice and spread the word, every time, reminding the citizens what it means to be Indian.
August 10, 2016
A really good book to get an insight into the flip side of the ongoing politics in India, however a lot of the points were repetitive. But nonetheless, unified views against atrocities against secularism, democracy and right to freedom of speech, that have been well written. Hopefully, the words don't just remain words, but change into something a lot meaningful if an action against such ill doings.
December 29, 2019
A good collection of articles by prominent and authoritative figures in the area of culture, civilization. An eye opener for anybody who is concerned about the freedom, fraternity and equality in current I dian context.
August 16, 2016
I liked this, but I expected far more from it.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews