Depiction Of Indian Culture And Traditions In M.G. Vassanji’S No New Land
It is fundamental for each culture to have its own particular distinguishing identity in a multicultural state. However, when a new identity is forced on the premise of race, colour and religion, the unfeeling brutalities wind up plainly overflowing with reality. The characters of No New land feel that a new identity has been forced on them because of displacement. This burden is extremely hazardous for them and it challenges their original identity. The fierce face of burden of the new identity on them is that it emerges with regards to discrimination. In No New Land the discrimination in light of colour is projected intensely in the following perception, the black kickcd the readersout, now the whites will do the same. Where do we go from here? Through this perception, M. G. Vassanji draws the readers consideration not only to conditions under which the people belonging Indian origin have left Africa, but also to the fact that they have lost their feeling of a secured identity.
Presently they need to receive and adjust to a climate of an unknown, unfamiliar environment. Their identity now has been clubbed together with the people having a place with India. Something that Hazi Lalani, the father of Nurdin, has lost when he has relocated to Zanjibar, East Africa, in the first decade of the twentieth century. He has worked hard to establish himself there. He has realized that it was difficult to come back to the place where there is his introduction to the world. So he has fabricated a home for himself, where he could inhale a quality of security. He felt that his family would never again experience the ill effects of uprootedness. He kicked the bucket "believing he had found a new country for his descendents. "
But, Hazi's hope has been broken. After his death the political situation has changed in East Africa. It has become independent. With the Black coming to control, the period of the white domination has come an end. As Indian people do not belong to have a place either or with both groups - neither whites nor blacks - they have been treated with separation. After the Africans have obtained political sovereignty, superior authority frequently have taken resolution unfavorable to Indians. Their Citizenship has taken away and they have thrown out of the nation. Thus, when Nurdin Lalani and his family have tossed out of Tanzania, he has a choice of going to Canada. In any case, Canada does not show up as new land. The black and shocking face of discrimination is obvious in an incident that happens in the subway tunnel in Canada. This event obviously demonstrates that the discrimination governs the perch here as well. At this tunnel three white youth assault Ismail, an Asians migrant from Dar es Salaam. They euphorically abuse him. Indicating his bundle of meat pies, they yell. "what do you have there. paki? hello, hello'? Paki-Paki-Paki. " They hit him in the stomach the workers may not do anything, Nanji is one of them. The three youths coerce the control over others. They have a feeling of superiority since they are born as whites. They envisage that people around them ought to accept the dominance of their colour. This occurrence incites the migrants for agitations. People gather at Esmail's home. Yet again, they will bound to think about their reality, “What now'? Was this a sign of things to come danger to self and property, to wife and kids? I-lave we come to the right place after all'?. Nanji, a young immigrant professor, also experiences racial discrimination. Frequently coming back from the University by bus, Nanji sits alone on the seat. Numerous passengers stay standing; however do not sit near him and the way Nanji ponders over religion, “Racism, the world kept intruding his mind and kept pushing it back. On what basis is racism? It could be my face, dark, brooding, scowling. and cratered. "
The novel No New Land begins with the two incidents. Both arcs the aftereffects of' racial discriminations. Nurdin's little girl Zera gets admission in arts and science instead of pharmacy, the most prestigious one, Nurdin is blamed for assaulting a while young woman. The later incident sets off fundamental to the novel. Fatima, eventually, admits her situation and chooses that arts and science has not all that bad after all. But, Nurdin needs to confront numerous issues in and out of the family. The white woman, Mrs. Broadbent declines to serve him lunch in the cafeteria. She voices in an antagonistic tone that she is not noisy to serve the rapist. In an African city Dar, Nurdin has to tale vicious racial discriminations. He has been neglected there since he has a more pleasant appearance. He has understood that even the peons in Dar have risen above him merely because of their black skin and in the promotions too he has seen himself ignored and neglected. Indeed, even in Canada he needs to endure a considerable measure because of racial discrimination. Regardless of being adequately qualified, as a merchant of shoes, he stays unemployed for a long time. Indeed, he chases fiercely for the job, but a similar story is rehashed everywhere if he has a Canadian experiences. He is being oppressed in light of his having a different identity. He feels that the job market in Canada is made just for an explicit group of people- the whites, the story of discrimination is at peak in the following perception:"I am afraid, Nurdin, " Mr. Rogers said, "We gave the job to someone else. " Nurdin exploded, "But my experience! I know shoes, I can give references. " "I am sorry, there were many applicants. " "I know I do not have Canadian experience, " he breathed hotly and with emotion on the phone, " but how can I get Canadian experience if you do not give me chance? I have sold shoes for eight years! Eight years. . . " "Perhaps you were overqualified, sir. '' That was a new one. Overqualified. Good for laughs, and it got many.
An idea of delineation and segregation and a sense of identity have dependably been in the writings of writers like M. G. Vassanji. In No New Land, Vassanji talks about the topic of culture. Since Canada has a multicultural ethos, protecting one's own particular culture turns into a crucial issue. Sixty-nine Rosecliff Park, the building situated in Don Mills, in a suburb of Toronto, speaks to cultural identity as a white overall. The macrocosmic viewpoint of this building ventures an amalgamation of various individuals belonging to similar origins. They connect among themselves to secure their culture, traditions and customs. They make a trendy environment through their interactions with each other. 'This friendly air in Sixty-nine Rosecliff Park, affirms to the way that unkeep of a blended cultural milieu among every one of the Canadians is a need. Otherwise the risk of the eventual annihilation of one's own way of life is extremely self-evident. The microcosmic perspective of the Sixty-nine Rosecliff Park, ventures that through the general population abiding there are recognized as Indians. However, in actuality they exist in diversity. They belong to with various parts of India. Some are Goan, some are Madrasi, some Hyderabadi, some Gujarati, and some are Punjabi. There are Indians from not only, but from various parts of the world too. For instance, the Lalani's have a place in East Africa. Slam Deen has a place with the Caribbean Islands. Sheru Mama and his wife Ramju, and, Gulshan Bai belong to India. In spite of the fact that there is a clear depiction of diversified cultures of India, it also stops at the same time a single blend of various identity having a place with an umbrella identity called India. Sixty-nine Rosecliff Park helps one to remember Firozsha Baag created by Rohinton Mistry. This apartment from Tales from Firozsha Bagg includes the show of a unique cultural identity precisely like Sixty-nine Rosecliff Park of No New Land. The existence becomes noticeably imperative for an immigrant in an alienated land. When he is encompassed by an air of unfamiliar, he feels that he does not have an appropriate space to live in. He encounters that he is being greeted as an outsider. He cannot benefit himself of any benefits and experiences in society because he exists as an individual from the minority. This feeling of minority gets rooted in his psyche and soul because of discrimination and inequalities which he faces every moment of his life. Gradually, he requires a space for existence. Such a need agitates Nurdin too Nurdin feels that few individual have formed his existence. He cannot exist on his own. The strength of his father in his early life brings forth an inclination that he has no individual identity, and this being not able to formulate his own voice, Nurdin conceives that he has no space in his family. He is being delineated to a particular domain and someone else is drawing the boundary. The identity that he exists with is being given to him by the family, the society, the community he lives in.
Nanji, the young professor, and Jamal, the lawyer, also endeavour to grapple to question their respective existence. When one is unemployed, one battles for one's vocation. Amid the battle life turns out to be too difficult to live. The existence is obviously questioned. The battle for existence turns out to be complicated to the point that one lives a ridiculous presence:"But suppose I use my free will to decide to go on with this absurd existence, as you call it. . . " "Well, if you really choose that. . . to go on living. . . then you live with that choice facing you every moment of your life. You are truly alive. Most people go or1 mindlessly of course; they don't choose to live. That's because they do what they are told or made to do. . . And think of this: when death comes unasked, when it takes you by surprise, it will rob you of even this free choice. because when you thought you were choosing to live, it was only letting you live. The only way you can exercise free will, defeating it, is by taking your own life. ”
M. G. Vassanji depicts this inquiry of existence through the characters of Jamal and Nanji. Their feeling of survival turns into a central issue. In fact, the question of morality and ethics, of good faith and comprise continue tormenting Nanji. When one is tormented by such inquiry in life, one feels that surviving is not possible in a society where one is being sorted as an individual from the minority group. His existence becomes dangerous, thus to dispose of this problem of life; he likes to live in a world of dreams or illusions. 'Roots' assume an important role in the lives of migrants. Their conduct, disposition, and methods of life, appear to be formulated by their roots. Nurdin has his roots in India, his father has gone to Africa many years ago with certain intrinsic Indian attributes. Nurdin acquired these attributes and has come to Canada with them.
The Indian qualities can be seen through the traditions, convention, typicalities and cooking styles that Vassanji depicts in No New Land. This can be seen in the earliest reference point of the novel, at the point when Fatima gets envelope from some University, which may choose her profession. She turns out to be excitedly control. Becoming nervous might be a human characteristic. But, whispering prays superstitiously because of apprehension, tension and excitement is a typical Indian hallmark. “It did not occur to her that the decision she awaited had already been made a few days before, and she whispered a prayer in much the same as her mother sometimes did” (3)Nurdin's wife Zera demonstrates that typical Indian attributes in her, at the point when the Lalani's moved to Canada. Zera has got with her bunches of souvenirs and memories from Africa. In any case, when they settled down in Sixty-nine Rosecliff Park, the vast majority of the things have been to the dustbin; expect the photo of Hazi Lalani. That has been the first object to go on the walls. One may reach an inference that this kind of regard for father-in-law might be a conventional human attribute yet lighting incense sticks and holding them before the photo is an Indian characteristic of regard and commitment for the father-in-law. Hanif, Nurdin's child, has likewise some inborn Indian attributes. Hanif calls Nanji "Eeyore. " Eeyore is a complemented type of the Indian word for companions. This is a typical way of summoning friends in India. friends are sometimes, called as 'yaar'. Yasmin Ladha, one of the Indo Canadian authors, also utilizes this word 'yaar' in her collection of short stories, Lion's Granddaughter and Other Stories. She tends to her readers as "yaar-readerji. " Not just the Lalanis yet other individuals of Indian roots in the Sixty-nine Rosecliff Park additionally have such natural Indian characteristics. Jamal utilizes the expression "cha cha" to summon an aged individual. It is an Indian word to demonstrate regard for the elderly people. It is an Indian word for uncle.
Through the different characters of No New Land, Vassanji wonderfully depicts some Indian conventions and traditions. Touching the feet of the elderly guests always finishes up the welcoming ceremony in Indian convention. At the point when the Missionary, the religious man, goes to Nurdin's house, there was a conventional welcoming ceremony. As he had entered the room the females, wearing white, have endeavoured an elaborated welcoming ceremony. "with touching of feet and splitting of Knuckles and garlanding. . . " When one visits somebody's home out of the blue, it is an Indian convention to take desserts or natural products along. Nurdin does not overlook his convention. When he and Romesh visit Sushila's home at Kensington Market. they take a few organic products with them. While depicting Indian conventions, traditions and normal qualities. Vassanji discusses the Indian cooking styles. As it is known the food one takes, affirms is the characteristics of a particular place. The sustenance that the Indian staying in Sixty-nine Rosecliff Park eats demonstrates that they have a place with India. For example, chappatis is the staple nourishment of individuals of Northern piece of India. Indians like to take it with pickles. They even tend to put ghee or elucidated spread over the chappatis. Sheru Mama and her better half. Ramju, tend to serve chappatis that way:Sheru Mama makes hundreds of chappatis everyday and baby-sits to toddlers at the same time, while husband Ramju helps with the dishes and puts the required dollop of margarine over every chappati. Her customers tend to be single men who will eat a chappati with a pickle, or butter and jam, or curry canned in the United States.
"Samosas" are one of the most loved snacks of the people of Northern part of India. They get a kick out of the chance to take them with tea, particularly, "Tea would brought and samosas. " (21) Vassanji specifies about having samosas with tea even in one of the short stories in Uhuru Street in the Quiet of a Sunday Afternoon'. Zarina sells samosas to the Indian people living in Uhuru Street, "1 have tea and sit tight for the woman to bring samosas. " Indians are well-known throughout the world for a variety of tied and spicy food. Indeed, even at breakfast, they like to have fried. Whenever Mohan and Lakshmi, the Indians from Guyana have stayed back for a night in Nurdin's flat, Zera has made some "puris. " Uma Parmeswaran, in her Rootless cottage Green are the Boulevard Trees, specifies a few Indian cuisines. One of her characters says, How about puris? I haven't had a good Indian meal in ages. Here. 1-11 get the dough ready. Arun, it is time you wash your eyes. Slice some onions for raita'.
The literary members of the Indian diaspora utilize the names of Indian cuisines intentionally. Through this act, they need to affirm their existence and identity. In fact, the cultural identity that surfaces through food is powerful because it shows the ordinary methods of life. This is the reason why Vassanji mention the names of food in every all of his work. It is not just depictions of about food, but also listing the conventions, traditions and typical Indian characteristics that demonstrate the way that maintainance of culture is an innate quality of migrants. Nurdin and his group of Sixty-nine Rosecliff Park endeavor to keep up their way of life.
The South Asian writing that is encapsulated in the works of M. G. Vassanji, Rohinton Mistry or Ven Begamudre is a recovering of a way of life that is lost forever, with the modernization and advancement of the Third World nations. It is also a socio-social documentation of the historical backdrop of the South Asians as they moved to different countries. The individual histories that are delineated in these narratives are the customer of the author's version of reality of reality as he sees and tasks it through his point of view. Discussing the postmodernist novel, Linda Hutcheon states as takes after: Fiction docs not mirror reality; nor does it reproduce it. It cannot. There is no pretense of simplistic mimesis in historio-graphic meta-fiction. Instead fiction is offered as another of the discourses by which we construct our versions of reality, and both the construction and the need for it are what are forc-grounded in the postmodernist novel.
