Being Arundhati Roy

I don’t know how many of you have read the works of Ms. Arundhati Roy other than of course her Booker winning “God of Small Things” GOST.

Now GOST was in a class of its own. I remember it came out in the year 1996-1997 and the moment it was awarded a booker I had the book in my hands. And till date, the story is imprinted on my mind. I can still recall some of the phrases.

Since the novel however, she has dedicated her time to various social causes and lent her scathing criticism on all sorts of topics varying from Indian government conducting Nuclear tests to Narmada Dam to comparing the treatment given to the Naxalites equivalent to genocide.

Since the novel, there have been several books by her, which are essays on socio political issues and all of them have been, hmm..., putting in my very own words, LOADED. Yes, totally loaded. They are so full of acid that it takes a very strong gut to go through the book at a length and after one is finally done with one book, one feels like theres nothing good in this world except the book and some of the martyrs described in those books.

Personally, after I was done with the first one, I had a bout of acidity which lasted a fortnight. Such is the power of her words on me. However being her most ardent admirer and having immense respect for her acrid opinions, the moment her second essay-ish book was announced, I had it in my lap. But this time, I remembered to take an anti acid tablet after every twenty pages.

I used to wonder at length, what is it like, being Arundhati Roy? How does she go through with life being so full of bile, how does she detoxify herself? And I think the answer was quite evident but I was late in arriving at it.

She writes a book, derides the politicians, in general points out each misery of life, highlights how inadequate we are in dealing with the real problems that surround us, how people are suffering and how we the so called educated class stand there watching , doing nothing. And then she is done. Her books are her detox therapy ! She lets it out all on paper and stays quiet for a couple of years till the bile starts building again and voila! there’s a book to write.

PS: I highly recommend “War Talk” and “Listening to grasshoppers”. The latter brought back my migraine.

Order in the Court

Having grown up on a staple diet of Earl Stanley Gardner novels, the courtroom always conjured up images of intrigue and mystery and high-voltage drama.

A couple of days ago I had a personal experience in a court like situation and man I was so excited at the thought of being there. Though I had scaled down my expectations, not expecting to see Perry Mason, yet I was a-flutter.

Reaching at sharp 10.30 a.m , my Lawyer was missing from the scene. Now even with my scaled down expectations, I hadn’t quite figured out a court without a lawyer, but here I was. When I called him on his phone, ha asked me to take a seat in room no. 2 as he would be reaching in a couple of minutes. So I sat down intrigued and mystified, curiosity building in me, why Room no. 2?

Suddenly the room started filling up and there were hush-hush tones and we all got up to welcome “Your Honor” who looked like he had just had too many mirchis and was having trouble with digestion. He was joined by a “Lady Your Honour” who swished in her neatly starched saree and the moment she sat down , expressed her disgust that the chairs had not been dusted well.

The case matter was forgotten and the lawyers there were already taking off their coats to wipe the seats when she settled the matter with a wave of her hands. I spent next three hours listening to the most vivid details of defected cars, insurance companies cheating on claims, delay in delivery of courier, a persons’ fingers being glued because the super glue he purchased did not come with a warning (man really needed a warning? ).After a while it was been there done that. I had heard all possible cases anyways before in papers (except the super glue one)

In between I would get up and call my lawyer who was always just a couple of minutes away and every time I realised it was getting difficult to get back into Room No. 2. At 1.p.m there was a lunch break and while everyone rushed out, my lawyer rushed in !!!!! He said he knew our case would not come up for hearing till 4.pm. but wanted me to hold on to a chair in Room No. 2.
Now I had to ask him. The reason why Room Number 2 was so crowded? Was it because the particular, “Your Honour’s” judgements were famous and people came from far way places to listen to his judgements? Taken aback with my question, he said “don’t you know the secret of fame of Room no. 2? Its the only room with an AC !! and thats why its always full !

Well, Ms. Embarrassment has been a faithful friend for years, and we are particularly known as twins, however, now it was now dripping from me like the water from that AC.

Finally keeping my mouth shut, I waited till our Lawyer was successful in getting us another date for another hearing two months away. Its like Sunny Deol said “tareekh pe tareekh pe tareekh”.

My experience has truly enriched me and now I know when I go for the next hearing, I must find a seat in Room No.2, must carry biscuits and believe me when I say this, “Perry Mason I’m done with you for life”.