Reading Blog – Experiences & Co

A reading blog takes much time which is not available at most school days. That makes it a little bit difficult to continue it constantly and detailed. I normally want to publish only articles in a bearable language which are worked out satisfying. If there is no sufficient time to write such texts it becomes difficult to update often and to be pleased with the work.

There is also a kind of peer pressure which can lead to expanded efforts but also can be sobering and disappointing if you see what good articles are there and do not have an idea of how you should write such ones. Because here is a lot to work on the novel during the course at all I cannot only focus on writing about it in the blog (but have to work with it further).

There are of course positive aspects I recognized, too. To pick out a topic which seems to be interesting might lead to deepened research to achieve knowledge which maybe will be intensified later not only for the blog. For me such one was the topic about the Hijras which I really liked.

To write about the novel instead of having to talk about it can be very useful for pupils who are a little bit shy of speaking publicly in class. They can show a (hopefully) good language and skills which normally would be overlooked or not recovered at all.

Because of the lack of time repeatedly I wrote articles which I first saved unpublished to overhaul it later. As a result there were only a few articles online and I felt forced to update the unpublished ones soon but did not find the time wherefore they remained unpublished at all because I cannot improve them. Finally, I caught up on them now where I had to alter the blog the last time.

In general I like the idea of using a blog for working with topics (here novels) but it should not be exaggerated what means that we should not work too hard on it because as pupils we have to do a lot different things (maybe even a second blog ) which makes it difficult to establish good work.

Suttee

Suttee (also Sati) is a supposed to be voluntary funeral practice where a widowed woman sacrifices herself on her husbands pyre. It was common among some Hindu communities but nowadays it is forbidden and therefore the practice became rare.

The term is derived from the original name of the goddess Sati who immolated herself because she could not bear her father’s humiliation of her husband Shiva.

The term sati (also suttee) is now sometimes interpreted as ‘chaste woman’ and therefore can be seen as a referring to the widow herself.

The Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act of 1987 Part I, Section 2(c) defines Sati as:

The burning or burying alive of – (i) any widow along with the body of her deceased husband or any other relative or with any article, object or thing associated with the husband or such relative; or (ii) any woman along with the body of any of her relatives, irrespective of whether such burning or burying is claimed to be voluntary on the part of the widow or the women or other-wise^[6]

As far as I know the reason for this ceremony was that a widow could expect little of life after her husband’s death, especially if she were childless and because of this social pressures she should immolate herself so that she keeps her dignity and does not have to fall apart. These expectations constitute compulsions were heavily discussed and some wanted to prevent the practice.

Other relgions: The Islam regards the practice as barbaric. The first governmental effort to prevent the practice was done by a Muslim. The Sikh relegion explicitly proscribed the practice, by about 1500 AD. Europeans also showed a change in their attitude towards local customs as they became dominant local powers. The British e.g. in the beginning were indifferent to the local customs but later abolished the practice of suttee.

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The cite in the text is a link from the wikipedia article where I found lots of information.

Amazon Review

Comment on a foreigner’s review:

I think the present review is helping and convincing. At the beginning there is a short introduction about the structure of the book which is very important. Afterwards the author points out the content and characters and in the end there is a concluding general insight linked to an own statement. This structure of the review is quite well and manageable.

In my opinion everything the reviewer wanted to express is clearly pointed out but the content includes too much repetition. Actually I have the feeling it is too often mentioned that there are two women with two different stories. The second time is enough. This is essential because it deepens the introductional part but he or she should not have mentioned it a third time at the end.

Apart from this criticisms I have to admit that I like the review even if it does not fit to my impression of the novel. I do not think that the book is not worth reading at all but the reviewer says “well worth reading” which does not fit to my opinion. It is nice if you have read this book but you must not urgently do it. This is a book that whets the appetite, leaving the reader wanting more than the author is prepared to give. I think the latter expression is correct: The possible hunger is not calmed. I do appreciate this plea of “Lawyeraau” (the reviewer’s nickname).

Alternative Ending

Task: Write an alternative ending for the novel “Heat and Dust”

Comment: I admit that it was difficult for me to develop a senseful idea for a good ending. The original ending maybe is a little bit boring but on the other hand does it fit well.

Given starting sentence: When I left Maji’s hut I felt much better and…

the sun now became brighter and not as torturing anymore as it had been all the days before. I even enjoyed feeling it touching my skin and in this enthusiastic mood I started to run back through the streets. There was no need anymore for recovering a stranger’s life: My child now let me know that there is something else to discover which is my own life with all its ups and downs. It was quite good not to let her abort my baby – yes, now I was sure – and I did not believe that it would be less senseful to leave this thrilling country. India has its advantages and it has its magics but arriving at my room I immediately began to pack my rucksacks certain with the idea of leaving as fast as possible just like Olivia should have done it as well. Maybe London was not the right place to stay as well as India was not but first I would go home just to remain there for a while and think about the best way to bring up my child. That is most important for me now. It will be difficult to find the best place and the best behaviour but I will do my best and maybe there is a chance for my child to have a good life with me as its mother, indeed changed by my experiences but still not a rotten character. Did you know what a curative character is given to sunlight?

Religion in India

There are a lot of hints in the book which point to the Indian religion. Hanuman is mentioned and the shrines, behaviour when blessing or praying. That is why I thought it would be interesting to try to give a short inside view to some points dealing with religion.

Which religions are there at all?

In short: It’s Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. These are the native Indian religions. Nowadays Christianism and Islam are found as well.

Importance

“India, the land of spirituality and philosophy, considers religion as an integral part of its entire tradition. The worship of various religions and its rituals play a significant role in every aspect of human life in the country.” (http://www.webindia123.com/religion/indiafacts.htm)

As you can see: Religion is very important. Most Indians are Hindus (appr. 80 %) and each of them practice their religion individually. Second important religion is the Islam, brought

by the Mughals, which is practiced by about 12% of the Indian population. Sikhism and Buddhism and the other native Indian religions aren’t as distinct (together account for less than 3% ) and are even trumped by Christians who are mostly found on the southwest coastal areas and in the northeast. In modern India Buddhism is nearly extinct and Jainism as well: The above mentioned 3% are mainly assigned to Sikhism which plays a remarkable role because many Sikhs hold an offical office.

Hinduism

As it is the most important religion in India I dedicate an own chapter to it.

Hinduism is the world’s oldest and third biggest religion which is still practiced by over 900 million adherents. Above are only Christianity and Islam. It consists of thousands of different religious groups depending on the fact that there is no single founder or even a specific theological system. But they have a lot of scriptures. „Hinduism is an extremely diverse religion. Although some tenets of the faith are accepted by most Hindus, scholars have found it difficult to identify any doctrines with universal acceptance among all denominations.”^[11]

They recognize single deities, and view other Gods and Goddesses as manifestations or aspects of that supreme God. (based on http://www.religioustolerance.org/hinduism.htm)

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Sources:

http://www.judypat.com/india/temple.htm

http://www.webindia123.com/religion/indiafacts.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_India

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism

http://www.religioustolerance.org/hinduism.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/

Pictures:

http://www.judypat.com/india/hindusym2x.gif

http://www.judypat.com/india/moslsym2x.gif

http://www.judypat.com/india/jainsym2x.gif

http://www.judypat.com/india/sikhsym2x.gif

20 Vocabs

20 useful vocabs for Heat and Dust.

Pages: 101-121

(Remarks to give possibilities for usage concerning the novel!)

be in cahoots with sb (infml) – be doing sth illegal together with sb

(it’s useful if we want to speak about the Nawab and his relationship to the dacoits)

strapping – big, tall, strong

(to describe more precisely the emotions or characteristics)

brusque – using a few words in an abrupt way

unburden oneself – sich etw. von der Seele reden

(if we want to talk about Olivia who writes to Marcia or the scene with the doctor)

compel sb – force sb

(if we talk about the dominant characters who force others to do sth)

severe – intense, strong

(if we want to talk about Olivia’s – or sb else’s – feelings and the character traits of e.g. the Nawab)

destitute – mittellos

(if we want to talk about the beggar or the Indian poverty as a whole)

apprise sb of sth (fml) – inform sb of sth

(Olivia’s letters to Marcia or several different possibilities for usage)

stolid – without emotion or interest

(for describing the changing behaviour of Douglas towards Olivia)

fortitude – courage to face difficulties

(e.g. Olivia’s courage concerning Douglas)

cling to sb/sth – hold on tightly to sb/sth

murky – dark and unpleasant

(if we want to talk about the dacoits)

contempt – Verachtung

deferential – ehrerbietig, respektvoll

give sb the giggles – make sb laugh in a silly way

(the Nawab tries to do so – entertaining)

oblige sb (fml) – do what sb wants as a favor

(Olivia does so when she listens to Douglas’ stories while she didn’t want to tell about the first meeting with the Nawab. The Nawab does so every time he gives his dinner parties and tries to entertain his guests)

obnoxious - offensive, unpleasant

(Changing of moods)

insult – Beleidigung

(if we want to talk about the Nawab: He is often insulted when his friends don’t want to take what he wants to give them and so on)

rotten – bad

(maybe the dacoits? What do we or the British (Minnies) think about the Nawab?)

scent – smell

(the typical smells of India [...] smell because of dirt – poverty and so on)

Nawab

… is the title of a Muslim nobleman or governor in India. Originally the Nawab was the subedar (provincial governor) or viceroy of a subah (province) or region of the Mughal empire. The term is an Urdu word and derived from the Arabic being the honorific plural of naib i.e. ‘deputy’. Most Shia rulers have called themselves Nawab instead of Sultan or King. The term Nawab is often used to refer to any Muslim ruler in north India while the term Nizam is preferred for their counterparts in south India. This is technically imprecise, as the title was also awarded to others but not applied to every Muslim ruler.

There are other duties for Nawabs with different terms like the personal Nawab or a Nawab as a court rank

Homework, April 17th

Task: Parallels between „Heat and Dust“ and the movie “A Passage to India”

Heat plays an important role in the movie, too (the sun was sometimes shown and they mentioned the heat)

They say “India confronts you with yourself”* and somehow this is what the book tells you, too

We can guess that the English Lady who is almost married with an English officer will establish a relationship with the Indian medic – after watching the end of the movie we get to know that Adela accuses him for abuse.

When in the movie they visit the caves there is a whole party with them like it is when the Nawab meets Olivia at home

The main character is somehow a self-confident woman but on the other hand dominated by her future husband (like Olivia because of love but also Douglas’ striking character)

There are two older women and one younger like Olivia, Mrs. Minnies and Mrs. Crawford, maybe? (But the older women in the movie don’t like each other)

 

 

 

Concerning the British colonial society and their attitudes towards the Indians:

There is “the club” where also Indians are invited but like Mrs. Moore says: “It’s only to present power” because the Englishmen treat the Indians badly or in a way showing that they are the masters

Another club is only for British – Indians aren’t allowed to come in

The main character is deranged and an older woman tells her that it’s because of India (*as mentioned before)

When they meet each other (the women as well as men) they talk very contrived as it was said in Heat and Dust: “They played their role very well.”

The main character wants to get to know more about India by meeting Indians, Olivia as well met them – and so does “the narrator”

Letters

12 June

Compare and contrast Chid’s and Olivia’s letters.

 

 

Olivia’s letter

 

seems to have written very fast (just as the thoughts and feelings came to her)

“communing with herself”

intensely personal

more than 50 years old – look as if they were written yesterday

ink is faint (delicate lilac colour)

clear and graceful handwriting

 

Chid’s letter

 

absolutley impersonal

impersonal post office forms (crosses from one end of India to the other)

passed through many hands, absorbing many stains and smells along the way

crumpled

soaked in all the characteristic odours of India (spices, urine, betel)

a lot of philosophy whith somewhere in the middle a couple of factual lines

_____________________________________________________________

 

Like the narrator says in the book: They make strange company together.

The two letters are as different as could be. Olivia is the clear and neat extreme Chid’s letters however are the contrary. Both versions have their advantages and disadavantages:

 

Chid’s letters represent India in an interesting way because they do not only look very hackneyed (which maybe reminds of a poor country) because of the long way but smell very much like the characteristic odours. You get an impression of India in a very strange way. All his philosophy is somehow strange and funny but somehow it’s what a man like him finds in India as spiritual experiences.

On the other hand these letters are very impersonal and therefore of little value for the narrator. His slipslop about the philosophy is very confusing and not very much comprehensible and the factual lines aren’t very informative. She keeps them because they come from an acquaitance from whom she doesn’t expect letters but I don’t think she attaches importance to it.

 

Olivia’s letters are very clean and neat. Therefore you can read them very easily and it’s nice to see them. But this makes them impersonal in look. They don’t give a representantive look of India or it’s lifestyle and thus Olivia’s step by step becoming “Indian”. On the other hand this impression shows Olivia as a very neat person, her handwriting tells a lot about her. And the content of the letters does as well. Especially the content is important, whereas Chid’s letters are important because of their look.

She writes very personal and much so that you can find a lot of information about her and her feelings. You can develop an image of her and – what is especially important for the narrator – you can follow her story very well.

Hijra

At the beginning of the book „Heat and Dust“ the main character and narrator is called a „hijra“ by children who follow her after she had dressed herself in Indian clothes. She didn’t know what that meant until her landlord Inder Lal told her and so I was as well interested in getting to know what this expression means.

Most hijras are physically male or intersex, only a few are women, but they dress and talk like women and are considered as the “third sex” because they are or see themselves as neither male nor female. In English language they are also referred to as “eunuchs” even if only a few have any genital modifications. The hijras shall emphatically be blessed by the god Rama.

A former name for “hijra” is “kinnar” which some hijra-groups use as a more respactable and formal term. On the other hand there are abusive terms for these people like “chhakka”.

How to become a hijra

There are two terms which are important to understand the way of becoming a hijra. “Chela” is a student, the one who wants to become the hijra and who lives with his/her “guru”. The guru at least has 5 chelas and acts like a teacher.

A man often undergoes an operation which however doesn’t already make him a real hijra. Finally, an adoption in a so called “hijra family” does through this relationship of a chela and his guru as mentioned before.

The chela takes a new female forename and will be adopted in the “seven houses” in which the hijra’s communes are subdivided. In Hindu contexts, hijras belong to a special caste. Chelas are expected to give their income (or at least the half of it) to their guru, who manages the household. The income they get from begging or if they are young and nice the guru sometimes make them being a prostitute. You can see that there’s a strong dependency but a chela can threaten his/her guru with changing the mother but then the other one has to pay a replacement to the former guru. Normally, however, the relationship is friendly because the relation isn’t restricted and the new hijra obtains a whole family besides her new mother and that proves very much supporting because lots of hijras are repudiated by their original family.

Bless and Curse

The hijra’s goddess (Bahuchara Mata, and/or Shiva) gives them the power to curse but also and especially to bless. They bless new-born children or just-married couples as well as houses or offices and they bless e.g. merchants from whom they’re begging money. That’s because most hijra’s live at the margins of society with very low status. Therefore the word hijra is sometimes used in a derogatory manner. To bless and curse the hijras act as singers as well as dancers and musicians. In former times they did the traditional chant but nowadays it seems like they feel more attracted to modern styles. Hijra’s blessing is a tradtion but especially the upper-class scoff at them because the hijra’s demand higher tarifs from them. But if there is an occasion the hijras will be there for blessing and if one can’t agree to a well wage they will lift up their skirts because the view of the straightened genitals causes a curse which lasts for 7 years. All Hindus know this fact thus the hijras can exert pressure on them.

Many modern hijras, faced with health concerns and discrimination, have become politically active.

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Hopefully you now got a little inside in this topic. There are lots of other information but to get a short impression I think this text should be enough.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijra_(South_Asia)

http://eva.transgender.at/india/FrauSoli.htm

http://www.transgenderfilmfestival.com/beeld/akhe_hijra%20005.jpg