LIFT, A SUDDEN SHIFT IN STORYTELLING
I just finished reading Nastartan Ahsan's latest Urdu novel, "LIFT" and noticed a sudden shift in her storytelling. "Lift" is a reasonable reading in Urdu fiction but when we put it up against the political novels of other languages, the story seems to have gotten lost in favor of Nastaran Ahsan's commentary on current political trend.A NATION BREWING WITH SOCIOPOLITICAL ISSUES - BACKDROP OF THE NOVEL
Modern day India is a nation brewing with sociopolitical issues that threaten to broil over and acidify the nation with its ambitious drive. Moreover, India is a nation with an electrically charged air of change and modernization. Needless to say, the modernized India is not the mirror image of a superpower such as America regardless of prematurely succeeding at acquiring the technology and the intellect to possess nuclear weapons making it the sixth nation to do so in the entire world. India is on the throws of revolutionizing itself from industrializing villages to taking bold steps to liberate itself from the backward unenlightened traditions of the once rural India. Nastaran Ahsan, the author of the contemporary novel Lift skillfully uses the literary tool of characterization in order to take a snap shot of the current environment of India.THE CASTE SYSTEM
A blemish on the Indian cultural and sociopolitical history has been the caste system and its adverse treatment of the untouchables. An otherwise apparent observation regarding the case of untouchables is that it has been the root cause of the degraded and degenerating Indian social order.
For a long period of time, the Indian mindset exerted its entire energy at its disposal to construct a social order based on the principles of purity and pollution, inferior and superior, included and excluded, mental and menial labor, upper and lower castes. The caste system restricted feeding, drinking, social intercourse imposed civil religious disabilities, privileges of marriage and choice of occupation to different sections. The hierarchy of caste fortified the shackles of slavery and subordination.
A BOLD UNCONVENTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION
Despite the sympathetic feelings that one may naturally acquire for the cause of Dalits or the untouchables, the novel dares to portray a Dalit character in the book as a source of treachery and deception in stark contrast to his counterpart who (quiet arguably) is illuminated as the epitome of human kindness and moral ethics.
Upon researching the cause or the current power clash, or the consequences of the rise of Dalits to power, one finds a plethora of research supporting the cause of the Dalits which successfully illustrates them as the goodness at the core of all mankind. For example, a text describes an arguably ruthless and corrupt politician as a leader and spokesperson of the minorities, successfully depicting her as a chivalrous saint in armor cutting defending the victims against their suppressors.
ON REVERSE DISCRIMINATION
Another text sheds light on the prejudice and hostility against the Scheduled Caste claiming that it has not been diminished. Baghwan Das, a director of the Asian Centre for Human Rights and an Advocaate at the Supreme Court of India, claims that through articles and letters published in international dailies, an impression is created that the Schedule Caste employees are mentally and morally inferior.
This might implement a seed of doubt in the minds of Nastaran Ahsan's readers that she too is a criminal in support of this hostile theory. However it will prove to be a difficult task to insinuate Nastaran Ahsan as the inciter of hatred against the Dalits, since Nastaran Ahsan spends equal energy focusing on variety of other issues such the search of woman identity through the character of Meeta, the consequences of modernization in India, the political environment of Indian colleges and universities, and the rift between Muslims and Hindus.
THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHARACTER
After swimming through these stagnant waters of the debate, Nastaran Ahsan uses Ajay Varma as a vehicle through which the reader is exposed to the multi-facet aspects of India's society. Nastaran Ahsan delineates how a Dalit character Nek Raam abuses the reservation policy for Scheduled Castes that allows him to get promotion or employment over possibly more qualified non-Dalit caste members.
Through Nek Raam, Nastaran Ahsan explores the nature of man that entices him to exploit and abuse policies or situations to his own advantage. Through Ajay Varma we are introduced to Nek Raam. With Ajay Varma, the reader first falls in love with the sugar-coated surface of Nek Raam and is eventually introduced to the hypocrite lying within.
NAMING CHARACTERS FOR THEIR CHARACTERISTICS
Nastaran Ahsan uses the literary technique of naming her characters by using simple words that gives insight to their personality. Similarly, Nastaran Ahsan employs this device to first trick her readers and then dramatize the plot. The name Nek Raam in Hindi means a person who is a pious moral man possessing kindness. (Nek in Hindi means saintly or a benefactor, Raam is a name of a Hindu God.) Naming people in such a manner is very common in the Indian culture as well, and it serves as a contradiction of the character that the reader comes to realize as a manipulator. Nek Raam wins his readers and Ajay Varma through his servitude and polite, heart winning behavior.
The seeds of suspicion are first implemented by Varma's pragmatic and loving wife Seema who behaves coldly and abruptly towards him warning her husband against "real" Nek Raam. Later on in the novel, the reader comes to suspect Nek Raam for his involvement in the murder of a university Registrar whose job he gets soon employs after the Registrar's death.
Nek Raam is quite comfortable with using a lift (elevator) to climb up the stairs as opposed to Ajay Varma, claiming that why one must toil and work to achieve something when you can just as easily press a button to attain the same goal. This appears to be his central philosophy and his mantra since we steadily see him rise from a menial worker to the position of Vice-Chancellor of the University, all within a time span of a decade. Meanwhile there are other qualified non-Dalits waiting for their promotion working within the university.
PROBLEMS OF MODERNIZATION AND INDUSTRIALIZATION - EMPTY CLAIMS AND HOPES?
As India copes with the ups and downs of the Reservation Policy by challenging the traditional caste system, it is also in the midst of modernizing and industrializing its nation. Where once you had to suffer a dusty ride of hours to get to your village, the auto-rickshaw (small automobile) can take you to your destination within minutes. There are shining new buildings and lighted stores (which cramp the small streets of the village), selling sweets and variety of food, trying desperately to attract the attention and interest of passerby customers instead of just flies. However, poverty still reins the land, even though the signs of the old-ways and traditions are disappearing.
For instance, as Ajay Varma goes back to his home village, he notices the hungry-eyed look and state of the people and ponders on the state of mal-nutrition and poverty that racks the land of the "modernized" India that's capable of achieving the status of nuclear power nation despite the scenario that he sees before him.
Based on Manlow's pyramid, a man's primary necessity and concern is food - feeding yourself for which you need money. Following that line of thinking, as India mordernizes, the life that was once centered on the farms and village rules is now shifted toward the city where one can capitalize and profit from a variety of city's benefits including education, health care, and, most importantly, employment.
TRADITION AS A BARRIER - LOSS OF ONE'S MOORINGS
The eradication of tradition is explicit in the choices of Ajay Varma, for he chooses not to return after his studies to take up his responsibilities as a farmer and a landlord. Likewise, his son is more "modern" than himself. Ajay Varma likes walking in the open air and reminiscing about the fresh air of his village; on the contrary, his son prefers driving in a fast paced - air conditioned - car. The novel ends with Ajay Varma meeting his only daughter-in-law clad in jeans and a shirt, who didn't feel necessary to change into traditional clothes upon meeting her in-laws for the first time.
Ajay Varma shifts to the city and spends his life going back home to his village during vacations. That too comes to a gradual halt as his parents pass away as an emblem of a death of a legacy and the traditional India. His grand house in his village, a house that was home to his ancestors who spent their lives living amongst the people and, therefore part of his legacy, meets its final fate as well - to be locked forever and eventually forgotten.
WHAT HAPPENS TO WOMEN? - STILL MAINLY A CHILD-BEARER?
Despite the fact that everything is changing and India is being modernized, the role and search of a woman-identity and her role is still a challenge and a quest that the author explores through the character of Meeta, a strong independent woman of the modern age. Meeta is resolute and determined about pursuing her PhD degree and completing her thesis, a classic dissident against the traditional India which has dictated one and only role for a woman - the homemaker - a child-bearer.
Unlike Seema who is portrayed as the perfect wife of Ajay Varma perfectly content taking care of her in-laws, her son and the needs of her husband, Meeta is uninterested in marriage and refuses to accede to her role as decreed by society. This is obvious when Meeta refuses to marry not only her lustful-arrogant suitor chosen by her parents, but also Rajeesh who is a respectful, intelligent, dedicated colleague. Her refusal and failure of being able to strike a compromise with her fiancé regarding her education and possible future employment terminates their engagement. Consequently, Meeta faces cold and hurt faces of her parents and family instead of understanding and consoling.
NASTARAN'S VIEW
Nastaran Ahsan continues to claim that a woman cannot succeed in the society of India in its current treatment toward woman. This is evident when Meeta leaves her home due to the fallout between her parents and herself over the issue of marriage. She eventually leaves her city for security measures, and ultimately the country to a faraway land where she flourishes and has the opportunity to cultivate and nourish her interests.
Nastaran Ahsan continues to explore other issues throughout her novel to paint a clear image of the current day India. Always serving as guidance and a voice of morality, the author speaks through the eyes and writing of Ajay Varma, who allegorically tries to get his fellow Indians to rise to the challenge of improving the state of their nation.
BLUNT AND FORTHRIGHT
Nastaran Ahsan is blunt in regard to the issues that she addresses. She is very clear and doesn't employ too many literary devices except the strong use of characterization. The author at times rampages about moral and ethic issues addressed by Ajay Varma that at times tries to be the ethical Bible of India. Nevertheless, the novel succeeds to critically examine the current state of India that many may overlook.
Whether or not Nastaran Ahsan uses the novel as a pastoral to stand and preach from, the meticulous attention paid to the sociopolitical environment of India achieves the goal of informing its readers and jarring them from their misconceptions and stupor of apathy.
The intent of this essay has not been to provide the final word, but to suggest avenues of practical action and encourage further thinking. Given the wide range of methods and mechanisms for pursuing social and political change today, Indians have plenty of options to choose from, the only challenge may be finding the most productive activities on which to focus one's time and energy. But I leave that as an exercise for the reader.