A quick timeline...

India After Gandhi - The History Of The World's Largest Democracy (2016)
Author: Ramachandra Guha 
(Updated and Expanded) 10th Anniversary version

My knowledge of Indian history is limited to what I was taught in school, which only covered up to the time when MK Gandhi was assassinated in 1948. Since then, for someone from Malaysia, it was patchy, relying on whatever few articles and newsreels managed to reach us. 

This book helps to bridge that gap. It provides a detailed account of the critical events that took place after Nehru’s ‘tryst with destiny’ speech up to circa 2014, when a milestone event emerged. It mainly describes the political landscape and major events during that period. 

All these were penned by one of India’s eminent contemporary historians, Ramachandra Guha. Historically, Indian history throughout the 20th century, both before and after independence, was crafted by left-leaning historians under the influence of the Congress leadership. These historians are said to elevate the Imperial rulers, attempt to gloss over their mistakes, and depict colonial masters as saviours of the nation. On the other side of the rink are the bad boys, as determined as the British and other imperial powers, the members of the Hindutva movements. Guha is classified as a centrist liberal historian. The challenge with such a stance is that he will be criticised by both the left and the right.

The British did not have much hope for India’s future when they left. They predicted that the union would balkanise within ten years along ethnic, religious or linguistic lines. Anyway, towards the latter part of the 20th century, India became too expensive and rebellious to administer. The natives had wised up. The British had to leave to cut their losses. 

While celebrations continue in Delhi with pomp and splendour, chaos reigned in Calcutta at best. The exchange of people between the newly formed Pakistan and India did not proceed in an orderly manner. People were unaware of where the actual demarcation line was. 

From the get-go, India had to confront border skirmishes and the opposition of many princely states to joining the union. In Kashmir, with a Hindu ruler and a Muslim majority, Pakistan wanted Kashmir to cut itself away from India and join Pakistan. Maharajah Hari Singh wished to remain independent, but when Pakistani soldiers disguised as herdsmen infiltrated Kashmir to cause trouble, he abdicated to Jamu and sought assistance from India. 

Instead of deploying troops to take control of the situation, as his team advised, Nehru, in his great wisdom, believed the United Nations should intervene. The consequences of this quick, arguably mistaken decision are still apparent today. 

Then, the princely states had to be coaxed into staying within the coalition. The Nizam of Hyderabad gave India the runaround. Their situation was the opposite of Kashmir — a Muslim monarch and a Hindu majority. The Nizam was reluctant to hand over his wealth to India. Just a few years earlier, the Nizam was crowned the wealthiest man on Earth. He was adamant about either remaining independent or forging a close relationship with Pakistan. The problem was that Hyderabad was a landlocked state. The Islamic fanatics among the ruling class, the Razakkers, went on a killing spree to usurp lands from peasants. At that time, the Communists were also attempting to expand their influence. 

Vallabhai Patel, during Nehru’s absence in the UK, took the bold step of deploying his tanks to annex Hyderabad in a police action codenamed Operation Polo. The Nizam abdicated to Pakistan. It was not called a military action to avoid it being seen as an invasion of a sovereign nation. 

The Portuguese aimed to retain Goa as a Portuguese colony. However, the Goans did not share their sentiments. This prompted India to invade Goa and annex it through Operation Vijay.

 

The states in the North East region also experienced their own resurgence. Conflicts between tribes over land rights and reservations persisted. These conflicts continue in various forms even today. 

 

China and India were not on the best of terms after the Chinese Communist Party took control of China. The writing was on the wall that China posed a threat to India’s sovereignty. Despite the albatross around India's neck, Nehru thought it was wise not to strengthen defence within its borders. China had been encroaching into Tibet. In Nehru's view, after achieving independence through satyagraha (passive resistance), maintaining a large army was inappropriate. Nehru promoted the idea that China was a friend. The slogan of the early 1960s was 'Chinni Chinni Bhai Bhai' (Chinese and Indians are brothers). The Chinese later backstabbed India by attacking and taking over Aksai Chin, west of Nepal.

It was a wake-up call for India. They strengthened their military with help from the Soviet Union. In 1965, Pakistan, supported by the USA, provoked India by claiming a barren piece of land in Gujarat. Through Operation Gibraltar, they infiltrated Kashmir. India, following its humiliating 1962 encounter with China, quickly defeated Pakistan in 22 days, gaining confidence.

States in India underwent division along linguistic and administrative lines. Punjab was divided to form Haryana. Bombay was separated from Maharashtra. Himachal Pradesh was established. Telangana broke away from Andhra Pradesh. Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar, and Uttarakhand from Uttar Pradesh. Earlier, the Madras Presidency was divided into Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Andhra Pradesh attempted to claim Madras as its capital but had to relinquish it.

MK Gandhi once described India's heart as residing in its villages. Farming was the primary livelihood for the majority. Nehru promoted industrialisation, machinery, and the expansion of higher education to help the country progress towards modernity. IITs were established to support this goal. The Soviet Union provided assistance. On the international stage, Nehru, with his Fabian ideology, advocated for the Non-Aligned Movement, which aimed to remain independent of either side of the Iron Curtain. The US was quite agitated when he was seen as influential in the 1955 Bandung Conference, where China participated and its premier, Zhou Enlai, attended.

Nehru died in 1964 and was briefly succeeded by Lal Bahadur Shastri. He was beloved by the public and considered a hero of the common man. His rallying cry, 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' (Hail the Soldier, Hail the Farmer), boosted the nation's morale during India's 1965 war with Pakistan. He mysteriously returned in a body bag after signing a peace treaty in Tashkent to end the conflict.

Indira Gandhi was quickly promoted to the position. Throughout, she had been mentored by Nehru for the role. As with Shastri, Indira’s appointment was supported by a committee led by Kamaraj, a Congress leader. 

One of Indira Gandhi’s legacies must surely be when West Pakistan attacked East Pakistan after Mujibur Rahman’s party won the 1971 elections. Somehow, West Pakistan thought it was not appropriate for them to be governed by dark-skinned Bengalis. They sent in the army, and East Pakistan turned to India for help. 

In a swift and decisive 13-day war, India's security forces compelled West Pakistan to surrender unconditionally. India concluded the conflict before the arrival of US naval ships to support the West Pakistani forces. 

 

On Buddha Purnima, 18th May 1974, India became the sixth nation with nuclear capability, joining the USA, UK, USSR, France, and China, when it tested its nuclear bomb in Pokhran. The operation was named the Smiling Buddha. 

Another indelible event in Indira Gandhi’s leadership is the declaration of the National Emergency in 1975. After being guilty of electoral malpractice for using government machinery in her 1971 elections, the Allahabad Court declared the election invalid. This would automatically disqualify her from appointment and prevent her from holding any political post for 6 years. As the public cries grew louder, Indira Gandhi declared an Emergency. Hundreds of opposition leaders, social activists, student leaders, and journalists were arrested under the MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act), which allows detention without trial. Prominent leaders arrested included JP Narayan, a key icon of the post-Emergency era; Morarji Desai, who became Prime Minister in 1977; LK Advani, later a deputy Prime Minister; Atal B. Vajpayee; and the rebellious George Fernandez. The radio, TV, print media, and cinema were placed under strict government control. 

The Emergency period saw Indira Gandhi preparing her son, Sanjay, in an attempt to ensure dynastic continuity. He was granted extra-constitutional powers to undertake tasks not approved by the cabinet. He gained considerable notoriety through his unsavoury activities. He attempted to promote forced sterilisation and oversaw slum demolitions. There was an effort to mass-produce India’s affordable people’s car, the Maruti, which did not succeed at the time but was revived much later.

When the Emergency was lifted and elections took place, Indra was defeated. A fragile coalition was formed. The Emergency period, in a way, demonstrated to Indians that there is life after the Congress Party. In fact, this period also saw the splitting of the Congress.

The following years saw a few landmark events. The first non-Congress coalition did not remain in power for long. Due to internal conflicts, the government collapsed. Indira Gandhi returned as Prime Minister in 1981. Sadly, her dynastic ambitions of passing her realm to Sanjay Gandhi were shattered when he was killed in a plane crash.

1984 was another sad year when Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguard just months after she ordered Operation Blue Star. In that operation, the Indian Army entered the Golden Temple in Amritsar to suppress arms-wielding Sikh extremists. Rajiv Gandhi, Indira's other son, was promoted to fill the gap. The 1984 elections saw Congress winning a large majority due to Indira's assassination. Rajiv Gandhi became the youngest Prime Minister at 40.

His premiership was marred by a few controversies. First, there was the Bofors scandal, India's disastrous meddling in the Sri Lankan issue with their ethnic Tamils, the Bhopal tragedy, and Shah Bano's Supreme Court decision on her divorce maintenance settlement. He lost the 1989 elections.

For the second time, a non-Congress coalition formed the government under the leadership of VP Singh. Singh's tenure marked the beginning of the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid controversy in Ayodhya. The Mandal Commission, established in 1979 to identify socially or educationally backward classes, had its recommendations implemented in 1990. 27% of government jobs were reserved for backward castes. The Mandal-Mandir issue was not well-received by the citizens and contributed to the coalition's loss in the subsequent election.

1991 was a tragic year for the Nehru dynasty. A suicide bomber from Sri Lanka's LTTE detonated an RDX explosive while Rajiv Gandhi was campaigning in Tamil Nadu. The 1991 elections resulted in Narasimha Rao becoming the Congress' Prime Minister. Rajiv's widow, Sonia Gandhi, was disqualified due to her Italian origin.

The 1996 elections resulted in a hung parliament with no clear majority. The previous Congress government was plagued by the 1992 Bombay stock market scandal. Kashmir experienced renewed violence in 1995. The BJP was invited to form the government. Atal Bihari Vajpayee failed to secure enough support and had to relinquish the premiership after thirteen days. Following a series of appointments, resignations, and splits within parties, the 1998 elections were called. Once again, the results were hung, but Vajpayee became Prime Minister again.

 

The following year, Vajpayee lost a vote of confidence when the AIADMK withdrew its support. Vajpayee had refused to dismantle the Tamil Nadu government led by Karunanidhi. The 1999 elections took place after the Kargil War. With that morale-boosting victory in Kargil and Sonia Gandhi, an Italian by birth, on the opposition side, the BJP won.

There was a surprising leadership change in Congress in 2004. Manmohan Singh led the country for two terms until 2014, after which the BJP, under Narendra Modi's mentorship from Gujarat, has held power to date.

 

India, with its complexities, never fails to fascinate. It is a place to learn about humanity, the evil that men do, a treasure trove of knowledge, and a bottomless pit filled with mysteries of a bygone era. 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

On Nattukottai Chettiars...

Fortune Seekers: A Business History of the Nattukottai Chettiars
Author: Raman Mahadevan(2025)

The Chettys are believed to have been present in the Malay Peninsula as early as the 16th century in the history of the Malacca Empire, according to Portuguese writings, when they arrived on Malacca's shores. The community, known as Chetty or Chitty in Malacca, had its own distinctive way of life, integrating with the local population, establishing places of worship, and holding significant positions in the Sultanate. They are said to originate from the Coromandel (Eastern) Coast of India. Interestingly, their settlement is called 'Gajah Berang' — 'Angry Elephant' in Malay. This might also be a corruption of Kanchipuram's old name, Karca Pidam. Therefore, the Chittys could have originated from Kanchipuram rather than Nattukottai.

In many P Ramlee films, the character of a Chetty frequently appears as the stereotypical moneylender.

It has been said that much of the State lands belonging to the Sultans changed hands to the Chettys in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One particular monarch, who was addicted to booze and gambling and a bad gambler too, lost much of his property by signing it away to obtain loans from Chettys to feed his gambling addiction. Usually, the loans were not repaid, leading to the lands being seized and taken over by the Chettys. Concerned local chiefs approached the British administrators, who proposed the Malay Reserve Land Code to preserve State lands for the Malays, that is, within the control of the Sultans, the protectors of Malay sovereignty.

Many groups within the Indian population are naturally entrepreneurial. These include the Mawaris, Khataris, Multani, Parsi, Baniar, Sindhi, Chetti, and many others. They possess sharp business skills and have an exceptional ability to foresee and grasp future economic trends.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021/11/13/
ethnic-chetty-residents-want-more-effort-to-preserve-village

In my hometown, Penang, the Nattukottai Chettiars are renowned for organising the now world-famous annual three-day Thaipusam celebrations with chariot processions and hundreds of kavadi-bearing devotees. To support these events, they have built a large temple complex along Waterfall Road and a silver chariot to oversee the entire celebration. Historically, the Chettiars owned extensive land in Malaysia for much of the first half of the 20th century. However, following the unrest associated with communists (between 1948 and 1960) and the race riots in 1969 in the newly independent Malaya, the Chettiars chose to liquidate their assets and return lock, stock and barrel back to India.

The history of the Nattukottai Chettiars dates back to 2893 BC. By the late 19th century, they had established themselves around the princely State of Puthukottai in South India. They were also known as Nagarathars. The area they inhabited was not suitable for farming, so they evolved into a mercantile community and small local traders. The rule of the British Raj in India made doing business more difficult, leading the Chettiars to explore overseas opportunities for expanding their money-lending enterprise. 

The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 radically changed global commerce. The plantation economy began to develop in colonies such as Ceylon, Burma, Indochina, and Malaya. The demand for credit surged, and the Chettiars stepped in to meet the need by lending to local planters in these regions. 

70% of all loans in Burma in 1930 were from Chettiars.
https://www.yangontimemachine.com/en/index?id=24&art=chettiar_temple

In Burma and Indochina, rice plantations expanded to meet global demand. Crops such as coffee, tea, and coconut were cultivated on a large scale in Ceylon. Rubber estates flourished in Malaya. Tin mining commenced in Malaya in the early 20th century. Chettiars prospered by doing what they did best—being moneylenders. Their primary activity was an intra-community banking system based on trust and risk-taking. Within the community, they established a support network to ensure that each member received assistance and that disputes between members were resolved internally, without resorting to legal action. Their intra-community bond was powerful. Sadly, the Nagarathars were not particularly friendly with the locals. It was all business. This proved to be an albatross around their neck when the Saya San rebellion broke out in Burma. 

The business was a roaring success for them until 1928, when the world faced the Great Depression. Some had cut their losses and returned home, while others bought large parcels of land when borrowers were unable to repay their loans. The Chettiars became major landowners.

Their businesses faced further difficulties when World War II broke out. The depreciation of local currencies and the switch to Japanese Banana money in Burma and Malaya resulted in overwhelming losses. In Burma, resistance manifested as regional nationalism, such as the Saya San Rebellion, and many of their properties were nationalised. Thousands of Chettiars had to flee on foot as refugees back to India.

Some Chettiars repatriated their capital to India. Many shifted to managing cotton mills, modern industries, education, and banking. A small number of them never recovered from their losses. Over-commitment to money lending and an unwillingness to diversify led to the collapse of their traditional business model.

By 1938, ~25% of Burma's rice-growing areas were in Chettiar hands.
https://www.yangontimemachine.com/en/index?id=24&art=chettiar_temple

Their apparent presence in the modern world, from 1870 onwards, throughout post-independent India, has left an indelible mark. A few figures have secured their place in Indian history.

There was Sir Annamalai Chettiar, an industrialist, banker, philanthropist, and educationist. He is immortalised in the university bearing his name. Another legendary Nattukottai Chettiar is Dr Alagappa Chettiar, one of the first in the community to study English and decide to read Law at the University of London. During his stint in the UK, he worked part-time in the banking sector and acquired a flying licence. Despite completing his course, he was refused permission to practise Law in the UK because he had contracted leprosy, which had slightly disfigured his face. He returned home to found Alagappa University and fund hospitals. Later, he founded Jupiter Airways, which played a crucial role in bringing refugees to India during the Partition. He was the youngest Indian to be knighted in 1946, but he voluntarily renounced the title after India's independence. Alagappa Chettiar's business portfolio included the acquisition of Ayer Manis Rubber Estate in Muar, Johor, in Malaya during the 1920s.

Then there was MCT Chidambaram Chettiar, the founder of Indian Overseas Bank. One of the survivors of the Burma ordeal is the group of AMM Murugappa Chettiar. He relocated to India and ventured into manufacturing cycles, steel tubes, ceramics, sugar, fertilisers, financial services, and more. The Murugappa Group has become a powerhouse of the Indian industry.

Karumuthu Thiagaraja Chettiar was another textile magnate, philanthropist, and supporter of the arts and Tamil language. He was a freedom fighter and a member of the Indian National Congress. This should not be confused with Sir Pitty Theagaraya Chettiar, another notable industrialist and a founding member of the Justice Party. The affluent neighbourhood of T. Nagar in Chennai is named after him. Pitty did not belong to the Nattukottai Chettiar community but to the Telugu-speaking Devanga Chetty community.

AV Meiyappa Chettiar is known for his AVM Studio, AVM Production House and his role as a doyen in Tamil cinema during its golden age.

In Malaysia, the average person might not fully appreciate the business savvy and close-knit qualities of the Nattukottai Chettiars. They might only learn about their black umbrellas, the ash spread on their foreheads, and their money-lending trades after watching several P Ramlee movies. One thing they would not overlook is the Chettinad eateries and their delicious cuisine, which can be found all over town.

(N.B. Over the last decade, a conspiracy has emerged regarding the Nattukottai Chettiar-managed silver chariot used during Penang's Thaipusam procession. It was alleged that the monies offered by the public do not go towards the uplift of Hindus or the maintenance of Hindu temples in Penang. The Chettiars were accused of siphoning off the collection to Chettinadu in Tamil Nadu. The Penang Hindu Endowment Board, in retaliation, introduced a golden chariot in direct competition with its silver counterpart.)

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Just Think!

The Unpublished Letters of Muhammad Asad
Book Launch

https://irfront.org/post/book-launch-of-the-unpublished-l
etters-of-muhammad-asad-14575

It has been more than ten years since I wrote about Muhammad Asad (nee Leopold Weiss), the highly respected Islamic thinker who had carved his name deeply into the history of countries like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. He is credited with the English translation of the Quran and penned many critical thoughts on the day-to-day practice of Islam. Sadly, his twilight years, which he wanted to spend in Morocco and later Spain, were not ceremonious, as people were unhappy with his stance of questioning the status quo. 

My dear friend of 50 years, FM, announced in a common WhatsApp group that he would be launching a book on the unpublished letters of Muhammad Asad and the official launch was to be done by none other than Malaysia's famous centenarian whose as astute mind belies his age by half a century, Tun Dr Mahathir, the two-time and longest serving Prime Minister of Malaysia, and extended the invitation to me. I accepted. 

Now, some would be asking, "What a good Hindu boy by birth will do in a place where the discussion would be everything Islam?" Precisely, the answer is in the question. 

Imagine us as an army of ants perched on a dry leaf which had dropped onto a fast-moving drain, straddling from side to side, oblivious to what lies ahead. The smartest ants amongst the army would try to take heed of the situation and, with their nimble neural tissues, mastermind something to save their comrades. We, humans, are in the same predicament. Left on Earth with no instructions and no GPS to follow, we are all on our own to make sense of things around us. 

If it is the all-encompassing, universal divine consciousness that binds us all, and we are all struggling to understand, more heads are better than one. Any knowledge is good to know. 

The session started with the moderators welcoming the special guests, Tun Dr Mahathir, Dr Farouk Musa (FM) and Dr Azhar Ibrahim. Datuk Seri Meer Habib played host to the event in his premises, Harta, specifically curated to promote local art and intellectual discourses. 

Asad was a man of letters. He did a lot of thinking, and his letters have found their way to many national archives. Through the initiative of the Islamic Renaissance Front, many of these private correspondences were sourced and published. Asad's line of thinking is made aware to everyone.

Sitting through the discussion and Q&A sessions, as an outsider, I learnt a few things. DA, who accompanied me, coming from the heart of the Hindi belt of India, had his own understanding of Muslims revised. 

FM, in confession mode, gave an overview of the difference between an Islamist and a rationalist. Islamism came about as the Ottoman Empire was losing its influence and territory, becoming the sick man of Europe. The nostalgia to recreate the glory of the good old days prompted them to build Islamist movements with unbridled teachings of the Quran as their guide. The rationalists, however, are cognisant that things found in the Quran and hadith need to be thought out rationally to keep with the demands of the present era. Asad was a proponent of this. The religion is more than just following instructions and joining in the rituals. We see this in present-day Malaysia, where less emphasis is placed on personal development.

An interesting question by a listener was the issue of sustenance of life as a religious thinker. He later confessed that, as a teenager, he had told his father that he wanted to be a thinker. Without batting an eyelid, his father gave him a smack across his face and told him, "Don't think, just study your sciences and go to university!" That was the end of the discussion. The panel suggests that Azad probably lived on small royalties from book sales, his stint with the Saudi royalty and other honorariums.

The guest of honour took centre stage when he answered a question on riba (exploitative gains from trades). Tun reiterated that rather than worrying about the nitty-gritty details of conforming to religious practices, one should look at the elephant in the room. Amazingly, this 100-year-old man can string his thoughts so succinctly and enunciate them in crystal clear language, commanding the listening ear of every attendee.

Unlike converts who have the luxury of getting proper training in Islam, Tun Mahathir complained that Malays do not get the appropriate guidance on the religion. Hence, during his tenure as Prime Minister, when the pressure to Islamise mounted upon him, he decided to go back to the Holy Book to understand the stance on many issues. Since he was not well versed in Arabic, he read its English translation. What he found shocked him. He realised that Muslims did not even do the basic things taught in the Quran, like killing a fellow human being.

He chided the act of killing fellow Muslims. It is illogical that some Muslims coerce or get manipulated into attacking their fellow Muslim brothers. The basic teaching of Islam is to acquire knowledge. This, they had failed miserably, and had allowed themselves to be dominated by their enemies. The technologies that they had acquired and improved have been learnt by others and have been further improved upon, while the Muslims stay dependent on the rest of the world. This reminded me of India's case. Many of ancient India's early discoveries and scientific knowledge had been forgotten, only to be found and researched by the colonisers. The colonisers, in turn, used the same expertise to subdue the Indians.

The audience was also informed that Asad did indeed spend a short sojourn, maybe about a month, here in Malaysia, doing his research. In one of his letters, he mentioned that Malaysia was one of the countries where he felt most welcome.

It was an evening well spent.

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Control your senses!

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (German; 1985)
Author: Patrick Süskind

https://www.amazon.com/Perfume-Story-
Murderer-Patrick-Suskind/dp/0375725849

Thank you to MC for introducing this excellent book. It is an engaging read that baffles me how one can write a whole book just based on all descriptions about our olfactory sense and fragrances. It is one book that I think he managed to use all the words in the English language to describe smells.

The olfactory sense is said to be one of humans' most primitive sensations. It is said that even unicellular organisms had this in their most rudimentary form. Unlike other sensory organs, smell is not carried by nerves, but has a direct connection to the brain. 

Perhaps because of its ancient origin in the evolutionary ladder and its close proximity to the brain, it has a profound effect on the human brain. It is not surprising that fragrances can arouse the reptilian part of our suppressed brain, to unleash the beast within. 

Entering many Hindu homes, one would encounter a painting or a metal tooling sculpture of a golden chariot. The chariot would be manned by five horses. The reins would be held firmly by the charioteer against the five prancing horses. It could be a representation of a scene from the Bhagavad Gita.

It could very well be a reference to Plato's Chariot Allegory, where the charioteer (man) needs to balance the power between the two horses (a noble and an unruly one) to lead the charioteer (body) to the path of the Truth. Freud, in his writings, could have referenced it to the eternal struggle between the id (instincts), the ego (reason) and the superego (guiding force).

In the Gita version, the five horses denote our five senses. The rein, with the wisdom (Buddhi) of the charioteer (mind), controls the senses (horses), so that the chariot (body) is not led astray. 

The book, set in pre-Bastille France, follows the tragic life of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. Left to grow up in an orphanage after his mother was guillotined for killing Grenouille's three other siblings, he is unloved. Grenouille somehow escaped his mother's murder attempt, as he likes to think that he is invincible. This thought is reinforced when he recovers from the pox.

After the orphanage, he is sent to work as a tanner. Grenouille has an inborn ability to distinguish a vast range of scents. Paradoxically, he does not have his own individual smell. A diligent and hardy worker, he yearns to be a perfumer.

After capturing the scent of a virginal pubescent girl, he becomes somewhat fixated on the smell. Wanting to keep all the scent to himself, he strangles her and kills her. 

The author further narrates about his self-exile, the discovery, his experimentation with perfumes, his fixation with the extraction of pubescent girls and his obsessive interest in one particular lass, Laure, the fairest of them all. 

A nice book which brings vivid descriptions of various smells and piques into the business of perfumery as it was carried out before.

'The Perfume' is often stated as Kurt Cobain's favourite book. It is even believed to have significantly influenced his song "Scentless Apprentice" from Nirvana's album In Utero. The cautionary lesson from Cobain's life experience is that one should not be tempted away from one's duties by the allure of sensory pleasure. The final outcome is usually undesirable. The only silver lining may be that Cobain departed in a state of bliss.

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Talk they do!

The Argumentative Indian
(Writings on Indian History, Culture and Identity)
Author: Amartya Sen (2005)

https://www.amazon.in/
Argumentative-Indian-
Writings-History-Identity
/dp/0141012110

The teachings of my history teacher, LKK, in Form 3 still ring as clear as a bell to this day. Comparing India's fight for independence to the Opium War in China, he pointed out that the primary difference between China and India was the written language. No doubt, each part of China had their unique dialects, and a person from one end of the country may not be able to communicate with another person at the other end; they could thank Emperor Shih Huang Ti for giving a unified script. 

India's predicament was that it was not only divided by language but also by writing. Each region had its own spoken language and its own scripts as well. The British found it very convenient to employ their 'divide-and-rule' tactic. What LKK failed to mention was that Indians were argumentative, even among themselves. 

They have been arguing about everything for a long time. With scant understanding of the events happening around them, they try to make sense of what they see. Unlike a multiple-choice question, its answers are not fixed; the interpretation of weather, space, and beyond is anyone's guess. For ages, Indians have been dedicated to defending their POV, making it a national pastime. 

Adi Shankara, a sage in the 8th century CE, is said to have travelled to the four corners of India, thereby marking the boundaries of the subcontinent. He engaged in numerous debates with renowned scholars from various philosophical schools to explore unanswered questions about Nature, space, life, and the virtues of daily living. Shankara, from the South, of the Advaita Vedanta tradition, believed that our consciousness is an extension of the concept of God. In other words, our Atma is part of the Great Consciousness, Paramathma. He used to participate in month-long, intense discourses across Bharat. His famous debate was with Vardana Misra. Misra was from the Mimamsa school, which studies the Veda and attempts to interpret the Vedic texts and our actions (karma).

The famous debate between Shankara and Misra was presided over by Misra's wife, Ubhay Bharati. She was also a renowned scholar. When Madana Misra was finally cornered, she took her husband's place to continue the discussion. It is said that both the husband and wife later joined Adi Shankara's school. 

Pattimandram
https://www.flickr.com/photos/50956076@N08/4674835676/

This tradition of debating simple topics related to daily life can often be seen on Tamil cable networks. One of the popular shows here is 'Pattimandram', hosted by scholars fluent in Tamil and various local speakers. Some speakers actually earn a living by speaking at different events in various towns throughout the year. Their mastery of the language is impeccable, and their stage presence is electric. The show leaves everyone in stitches and offers mental nourishment. 

Another example of the argumentative Indian is aptly illustrated by India's Republic TV and, more recently, by most Indian YouTube news channels. It is common to see multiple small screens, each with people shouting loudly to prove their points. It often results in the anchor having the final say, while other viewpoints are simply lost in the noise. 

A debate between a charioteer and a warrior who developed cold feet on the eve of the war, which would pit cousins and uncles against each other, evolved into a lengthy holy scripture on virtue and worldly obligations. It is the Bhagavad Gita. Imagine a single counselling session extending to 700 verses, divided into 18 chapters. Not only that. The Bhagavad Gita is actually part of a larger epic, the Mahabharata, which is seven times longer than the Iliad and the Odyssey put together. It is filled with dialogues, dilemmas, and alternative perspectives. The incessant arguments and counter-arguments spread over volumes of debates and disputes make readers convinced that truth is not a singular concept, but is a spectrum. Arjuna's hesitation about going to war may actually carry some weight, as the post-Kurukshetra era reveals carnage and tragedy that will be remembered by generations to come. The Pandavas and Kauravas were never the same. Even Krishna's descendants became decadent and wayward. There is a case against just 'just doing it' and 'hesitating'.

The humiliation of Draupadi
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When the world discusses India, the favourite bashing is on its perceived injustice based on gender, caste and treatment of its minorities.

When it comes to gender equality, at a time when women in other parts of the world were seen but not heard, Indian women played pivotal roles in their societies. An essential character in the Mahabharata, Draupadi, is not just a pretty figure but a wife to five husbands. The Upanishads tell the story of a sharp, intellectual female interrogator named Gargi. Jhansi Rani and many female warriors fought valiantly against the tyranny of the invaders. In 1925 and 1933, the Indian National Congress Party appointed a female President. For the record, the British had their first woman leader of a major British political party in 1975 with Margaret Thatcher.

India had its own complicated system of labour distribution. It ensured the proper functioning of society. The changes in the world economy and the intrusion of foreign powers, who attempted to simplify the system using their own yardstick, created a cruel caste system. It started a hierarchical system based on one's birth. 

India's internal societal reforms had started addressing the issue. Various offshoots of Hinduism, like Buddhism and Jainism, were reactionary movements against Brahminical orthodoxy. The Hindu Bhakti movement and Sufis tried to break social barriers. Many philosophers, poets, and thinkers were from non-Brahmanical groups. Vyasa was a fisherwoman's son. Vyasa was a reformed thief.

Prolixity is not something alien to Indians, it seems. They love to talk. In one interview, Sadhguru, the new-age guru, was complaining. He was saying that all the chaiwallas (tea sellers) knew about everything. I suppose that applies to all professions too, such as barbers, taxi drivers, and milk sellers. Sadhguru went on to say that they are well-versed in politics, governance, scandals, cricket, Bollywood gossip, and inside information about the world's best-kept secrets. The only thing he did not know too well was how to make good tea!

VK KrishnaMenon
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Another glaring example is how VK Krishna Menon of India delivered the longest speech ever given before the UN Security Council. In 1957, over the course of two days, he delivered two speeches, totalling approximately eight hours, on India's position regarding Kashmir. Even he could not stand his own talk. He soon collapsed after the speech.

Free speech and the freedom to express oneself are not exclusive to the West. It had been part and parcel of Indian and Eastern tradition. The richness of the tradition of argument makes a significant difference to subcontinental lives today. Persistent arguments form an essential part of the people here. Democracy is closely tied to public discussion and interactive reasoning.

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