Delhi - Kushwant Singh

Sometime last year, I bought a kindle edition of a book called "Collected Novels" by Kushwant Singh. My main reason for this purchase was to read "Train to Pakistan"; yet it came bundled with two more books - "I shall not hear the Nightingale" ( which I read last year, soon after Train to Pakistan ) and "Delhi". Delhi was the book which got left behind, and I've read this on and off throughout the year I think. The delay was mostly my own fault, for the book is a fictional re-write, of  possibly true historical accounts, over a period of 700 years - 1265 to1985, given the Kushwant Singh flavour. I am sure for someone who knows Indian history this book will be an absolute treat. I too read Indian history extensively, but  about nine years back ( for an academic purpose ) , and without a revised course, I couldn't recall most of the characters. Why do you think it warrants such accolades if I don't remember the little Indian history I read ? Because the twentieth century  era, with special emphasis on Mahatma Gandhi and Indira Gandhi, is so captivating in the narration, that I can judge how interesting a book it would be for the reader who is knowledgeable about the history of Delhi.  Think about it this way ? Presume we have ten separate narrations, made by Kings, Invaders, poets, Dealers, Soldiers etc. about various stages of our history - say, from the latter stages of Anuradhapura to say, the assassination of President Premadasa.  Think of it being spiced up by the wit of someone like Kushwant Singh. It starts around the time of the building of Mughal Delhi to its consolidation, and how it went over to the Maraths, the Jats, the Sikhs etc.,  up until the British lays hands on it, to Independent India. It will lead to a terrific read - don't forget that we have a master in the craft of wit. For example this is what he has to say about Gandhi;

"Gandhi asks the Muslims to forgive the Hindus and Sikhs for breaking the marble screen. He tells them he has heard some very good news. One-hundred-and-thirty Hindus and Sikhs have been massacred by Mussalmans in Parachinar near Peshawar in Pakistan. He says it is good news because the Hindus and Sikhs showed 'non-violent courage'. I say shabash! Do you need any more evidence of Gandhi being our greatest enemy"

Who is the narrator, you will then ask for this episode? It is a youth member of the RSS! Yet, we cannot discard this allegation against  Gandhi, for opinion about Gandhi is divided in India.

Then we have similar narrations, in the time of Indira ( however I felt the author has held back his punches with regard to Indira Gandhi. If you want to hear the worst of Indira Gandhi, look no further than Salman Rushdie, and Midnight's Children! );

"The next morning there is silence. Papers carry triumphant headlines: 'Tanks of the Indian army blast Bhindranwale's stronghold.' The BBC says well over a thousand including Bhindranwale have been killed. The bullet-ridden corpses women and infants-in-arms float in the sacred pool. What made Indira Gandhi so such a stupid thing?" 

Besides the Historical narration, in this work of fiction, we have "signatures" of Kushwant Singh interspersed - his escapades with English women, his sex-exploits with a hermaphrodite (hijda) prostitute. And the fun is not restricted to sex. Read this, and find out for yourself about the third joy of his life, detailed over no less than two pages:

"The fifth is the noiseless stink bomb, the Pushkin. Since it is unspoken it is best-suited to be planted on a neighbour as a secret gift-gupta daan. The Donor can assume a 'not-I' look on his face or hold his nostrils and turn towards someone else with an accusing look."

Fun and jest aside, this is an enjoyable read, albeit a lengthy one and a demanding one. At another time, I would've read this in parallel referring an Indian history book ( I have quite a few too- yet, the times didn't  offer that luxury; nor am I helping matters with my gluttony of starting far too many books ). All in all its a book to enjoyed and re-read. I know I didn't glean all I could with this first read. Some books make your

retirement twenty years away, something to look forward to.