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geetswrites's review
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.25
Every page of Singh's brief book of collected essays on the end of secular India echoes with rage, disappointment and desperate hope for a better future. There is some comfort in reading books like this, to know these schools of thought used to exist and remain prevalent in a society that seems to otherwise veer into more gruesome sectarian and majoritarian violence daily.
For any critical reader who either engages frequently with the news or with literature, the conclusions of this book are not new, transformative or revolutionary. It is, instead, a perfect articulation of that everyday oscillation among grief, hopelessness and determination that marks life for anyone who doesn't buy into the majoritarian vision for India. All that rage and despair is given language, quotation, and a place to breathe and resonate.
I don't agree with a lot of Singh's general philosophies undergirding these essays. I found myself frowning and shrugging at many ideas in the last chapter on solutions and religiosity as a composite behemoth. Singh is a staunch Gandhian— even as he, unlike most staunch Gandhians, acknowledges the Mahatma's many personal faults— and perhaps for the length and scope of the book, does not criticise the many pitfalls of Gandhian philosophy. He also has faith in the law and law enforcement as an ideally realised solution, a certain respect for institutions and uniforms. There is a deep well of disappointment in these writings for police complicity in communalism and riots, particularly in the Godhra Massacre, but Singh does not take the opportunity to criticise the police as an establishment, instead philosophising what the police 'should' be. There is an almost naive faith in Nehruvian ideals and Constitutional rhetoric, which I found nostalgic and incomplete in equal measure.
Being an Indian is growing meaningless as an identity that is supposed to bring any kind of nationalistic pride or rooted appreciation in recent times. Where a certain cultural affinity is supposed to be, detachment and dispassion are festering into an urge to up and leave with every passing year. Rage and disappointment are exhausting emotions to live with when one increasingly loses hope that they will ever be productive or transformative. I will always be grateful, to Singh and to this book of upsetting essays, for piercing the descending veil of apathy to remind me I am still a citizen and it is my duty and responsibility to care.
For any critical reader who either engages frequently with the news or with literature, the conclusions of this book are not new, transformative or revolutionary. It is, instead, a perfect articulation of that everyday oscillation among grief, hopelessness and determination that marks life for anyone who doesn't buy into the majoritarian vision for India. All that rage and despair is given language, quotation, and a place to breathe and resonate.
I don't agree with a lot of Singh's general philosophies undergirding these essays. I found myself frowning and shrugging at many ideas in the last chapter on solutions and religiosity as a composite behemoth. Singh is a staunch Gandhian— even as he, unlike most staunch Gandhians, acknowledges the Mahatma's many personal faults— and perhaps for the length and scope of the book, does not criticise the many pitfalls of Gandhian philosophy. He also has faith in the law and law enforcement as an ideally realised solution, a certain respect for institutions and uniforms. There is a deep well of disappointment in these writings for police complicity in communalism and riots, particularly in the Godhra Massacre, but Singh does not take the opportunity to criticise the police as an establishment, instead philosophising what the police 'should' be. There is an almost naive faith in Nehruvian ideals and Constitutional rhetoric, which I found nostalgic and incomplete in equal measure.
Being an Indian is growing meaningless as an identity that is supposed to bring any kind of nationalistic pride or rooted appreciation in recent times. Where a certain cultural affinity is supposed to be, detachment and dispassion are festering into an urge to up and leave with every passing year. Rage and disappointment are exhausting emotions to live with when one increasingly loses hope that they will ever be productive or transformative. I will always be grateful, to Singh and to this book of upsetting essays, for piercing the descending veil of apathy to remind me I am still a citizen and it is my duty and responsibility to care.
veenita98's review
challenging
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Khuswant Singh all writes up Astonishing to every Indian. When I read this book Little shocked. This book is a warning to every citizen for Indian politics. How they spread communalism in the name of casteism, religion, etc. He talks from ancient times to the recent situation of communalism. Firstly, it's started with Buddhism on Hindus to win the war.
Now, it's done by all political parties to win elections. Many other aspects are also cover-up in this book like Nehru's point of view on secularism and Western policies. "The case of Gujarat " his views completely scaring to the reality of that time, how thousands of people die, how brutality they overlook, how women exploit that time.
Every chapter trembles you with unknowable truth after independence faced by Indians in the name of religion. The author used the poetry of that time from different roots when we read those poses feel the pain that time they face.
TBH: I appreciate this book, how simply the author faces us the ground reality of Indian politics.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
Every chapter trembles you with unknowable truth after independence faced by Indians in the name of religion. The author used the poetry of that time from different roots when we read those poses feel the pain that time they face.
TBH: I appreciate this book, how simply the author faces us the ground reality of Indian politics.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
aabha's review
5.0
Here’s the thing, I am kind of a fan of Khuswantji’s personality. He’s smart and witty and self aware and cute and I wish I could be more like him. He truly was an Indian gem.
Now, gushing aside. This book gives a forecast for India before Hindu fundamentalists gained power in the center. What will happen if they do? Oh and by the way they did, and did again. It’s pretty grim. These people idolized Adolf fucking Hitler. So, you can do the math.
This is a must read for every Indian. No biases, no twisting of facts. A request to come back the Nehruvian secularism(or the western definition of secularism). In the end he even proposes a new religion for India to follow. Spoiler: a good life is the only religion. Be scientific, environmentally mindful, kind creative, practical and hard working.
Don’t waste time, time is god.
Now, gushing aside. This book gives a forecast for India before Hindu fundamentalists gained power in the center. What will happen if they do? Oh and by the way they did, and did again. It’s pretty grim. These people idolized Adolf fucking Hitler. So, you can do the math.
This is a must read for every Indian. No biases, no twisting of facts. A request to come back the Nehruvian secularism(or the western definition of secularism). In the end he even proposes a new religion for India to follow. Spoiler: a good life is the only religion. Be scientific, environmentally mindful, kind creative, practical and hard working.
Don’t waste time, time is god.
sudeepta_booksteaandmore's review
4.0
When just the art of being kind is what the sad world needs" I truly think this last line captured the essence of what in our society is missing today. The lack of empathy with a false sense of ego about one's religion, culture, community is what has been the major plague in our world. History has taught us what the concoction of this can do but yet we fail to learn or turn a blind eye to it.
The end of India by Khushwant Singh was written in 2003 just after the Gujarat riots. Kushwant Singh visited Gujarat post the riots and what he witnessed and saw made him reminiscent of the carnage and riots that partition had brought. However what he wrote nearly 16 years ago is relevant today as well.
We live in a world today where fake news is abundant and history is getting distorted, this book can be your guide to truly understanding the foundation of independent India. How strong secular roots were a core essence to maintain India as a democracy and prevent religious fanaticism, how Nehru ensured that our fabric was based on socialism as though Marxism was popular in India just after independence it was not the right model for India.
The book further enables you to understand how Hindu nationalism came to fore. The part in the book which was most interesting was the part on communalism. Very often we think riots in religious grounds happened in India because of the divide and rule policy of British, however Khushwant Singh shows how riots were always happening in India between religions and caste groups.
He further elaborates as to how our leaders post-independence knew that religion and politics were two separate entities and they should not merge. However it was in '80s when religion and politics started to meddle since then our secular fabric has somewhat become notional with racial, linguistic and religious differences being factors on which elections are fought on and leveraged by politicians. Khushwant Singh does this brilliantly by taking us through what transpired in Punjab, the factors in work which lead to the Hindu Sikh riots.While this book educates you on many facet what it successfully does is invoking a sense of looking within oneself
The end of India by Khushwant Singh was written in 2003 just after the Gujarat riots. Kushwant Singh visited Gujarat post the riots and what he witnessed and saw made him reminiscent of the carnage and riots that partition had brought. However what he wrote nearly 16 years ago is relevant today as well.
We live in a world today where fake news is abundant and history is getting distorted, this book can be your guide to truly understanding the foundation of independent India. How strong secular roots were a core essence to maintain India as a democracy and prevent religious fanaticism, how Nehru ensured that our fabric was based on socialism as though Marxism was popular in India just after independence it was not the right model for India.
The book further enables you to understand how Hindu nationalism came to fore. The part in the book which was most interesting was the part on communalism. Very often we think riots in religious grounds happened in India because of the divide and rule policy of British, however Khushwant Singh shows how riots were always happening in India between religions and caste groups.
He further elaborates as to how our leaders post-independence knew that religion and politics were two separate entities and they should not merge. However it was in '80s when religion and politics started to meddle since then our secular fabric has somewhat become notional with racial, linguistic and religious differences being factors on which elections are fought on and leveraged by politicians. Khushwant Singh does this brilliantly by taking us through what transpired in Punjab, the factors in work which lead to the Hindu Sikh riots.While this book educates you on many facet what it successfully does is invoking a sense of looking within oneself
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