"No New Land": Migration, Diaspora and the Idea of a Homeland

No fiction, no myths, no lies, no tangled webs - this is how Irie imagined her homeland. Because homeland is one of the magical fantasy words like unicorn and soul and infinity that have now passed into language. ” - Zadie Smith

The writers of the diaspora are situated in a complex space between two worlds and two cultures: they can neither forget the world/culture they have come out of and which would be different if they returned to it now; nor can they fully incorporate into and be acculturalised by the world/culture they have adopted because they cannot subvert their identities totally. The idea of a homeland is thus the quintessence of Diaspora writing. It involves a displacement from the original homeland, nostalgic for it, a curious attachment to its tradition, religion and language, an inability to return, making of a new home and a crisis of double identification with the original homeland and the new home. The diasporic writers may be writing about their homelands but the problematic of human constructs that they navigate in their post-colonial discourses are very much those of their present situation as migrants. Their work explores the context of the past which actually becomes a metaphor for the present. A reconstruction of the past serves as a source of empowerment for many writers like Rushdie, including M. G. Vassanji. This is observes by Suman Bala in the following lines, "The exiled writer usually benefits from his or her uprooting: what is left behind is seen more clearly from a distance; and the new abode is seen in a sharp focus than can be done by indigenes".

People who have been uprooted and displaced from their primary space inhabit M. G. Vassanji's fictional world. Here displacement is the outcome of migration, either forced or voluntary. In the Key Concepts in Postcolonial Studies the term "dislocation" is defined as "both the occasion of displacement that occurs as a result of imperial occupation and the experiences associated with the event". Dislocation also arises when there is a lack of fit between the language and the land it has to describe. "A sense of displacement, of the lack of fit between language and place, may be experienced by those who possess English as mother tongue and those who speak it as a second language". There are prospering writers embodying the recent disquiet over globalization, cultural assimilation, immigration and multiculturalism. writers like Michael Ondaatje. Bharati Mukherjee, Uma Parameshwaran, Hanif Khureishi, Rohinton Mistry and others exhibit expanded ethnic marvels of countries like America and Canada. Vassanji is one such writer of multiple cultures.

No New Land is Vassanji's second novel. It is an engrossing story of the settler’s experience. It makes a rich picture of a relocated community. Here Vassanji shows up as a sharp observer of lives declared between one world and another. The novel is a fictive writing touching the fields of multicultural Canada providing space for cultural absorption. No New Land birds immigrate Indians who are experiencing ' diaspora' and delineates Canada as a "Shangrila for global displaced people. The Shamsi people group outlined in the novel speaks to the Indian people group moved to Africa during colonial region and later in the postcolonial time, relocated in Canada. The migration to Canada ends up being a venture into the asylum of expectation and life. This is observed by Chelva Kanaganayakam in the following lines, "lf you were to speak of what the novel is about, "lt is about the emigrant population in Toronto, forced to begin a new life in a strange and often unwell land, confronted with obstacles, prejudices and disillusionments. ”

The individuals from this Shamsi group make their first voyage to East Africa in the late nineteenth century as a major aspect of the work versatility inside the British Empire, working functionaries. Beginning as business people and representatives settling on the shoreline of British East Africa and German East Africa. They had the vital linguistic and political insider information to help the colonial administration in decision an out of reach and raucous hinterland. Their part as marginal men bestowed them the adaptability to work as cultural interpreters and function as "a buffer zone between the indigenous Africans and the colonial administration".

At postcolonial times, the position of the Indian community in East Africa wound up plainly untenable. The postcolonial rule underestimated the Asians of East Africa. With the nationalization of rental properties, the Asians of East Africa were constrained into the universal diaspora. The second voyage begins in the sixties from postcolonial Africa to Europe and North America. As Vassanji's narrative shows. this second wave of migration by his characters is provoked by racial strain and socioeconomic changes as the now generally South Asian people group discovers its benefits drastically shortened or intimidated with the ascent of African patriotism. This experience of worldwide uprootedness and shaky relocation is performed in Vassanji's No New Land. Here, the writer delineates the destiny of the Asian Africans in Canada. The characters of this novel endeavour to pursue the illusion of a world that has dividers of gold, mainstays of silver and floors that possess a scent reminiscent of musk. But, the truth they confront is exceptionally cruel and dreadful, and lastly, they understand that Canada can't show up as another land. Like a sharp spectator Vassanji depicts how the immigrants are in treated; still they have no choice but to continue living there and finding something more of Canada, yet at least they feel, “We are but creatures neither of our origins, and however stalwarts we march forward, paving new roads, seeking new worlds, and the ghosts from our pasts stand nor far behind and are not easily shaken off. ”

In No New Land Vassanji depicting diverse incidents has caused by racial segregation, investigates through the characters the mind of rootless, terrified and uncertain minority immigrants who are pitted against the cunning fanatic most. He needs to attract the regard of readers on the topics of exile, alienation, memory, sentimentality, identity, race, culture, tradition and group. The plot spins around the quandary of Lalanis who are migrated to the land that is known for stunning prospects and arduous battle. Nurdin Lalani, the hero of the novel is a model of the immigrant who imagines that Canada is a fair land and the emigrant passport to Canada is the enchantment wand to warm all illnesses. Canada's furnish of social, benevolent subtlety is showed entwined with the lives of Lalanis and different Asians characters who build up the cast of No New Land. It is information about dismembering the Canadian multicultural mosaic relations by elements of migration. Canada has been an asylum to numerous Asians and Africans who have been dislocated amid the colonial period of English. Every single South Asian now lives in Canada are from Pakistan or Sri Lanka; many originated from India, by means of Africa or the Caribbean, where their predecessors has settled in British colonies either in the nineteenth century or the mid twentieth. After the greater part of these colonies have obtained freedom from Britain in the 1960s many of their Indian citizens moved to western nations, for example, Britain, Canada and the assembled States.

The Lalani family in No New Land speaks to the migrated and dislocated Asians and the Britishers have realized that Indians could be reliable administrators, clerks and modest workers. The first wave migration was in vogue during the Asian and African imperial rule. Vassanji has outlined this first wave of migration in all his fictional works and No New Land is no exception to this. In 1906 Haji Lalani arrives from Gujarat and has joined as an apprentice to an Indian firm. Before long by dint of diligent work, he succeeds and sets up his own shop like different Asians who emigrated under the domination of British. Nurdin Lalani, the son of Haji Lalani coasted alongside the current of second wave of migration and anchored and salary in Canada. Arun Singh remarks: "The family of the protagonist Nurdin Lalani is a double immigrant family- Asia to Africa to Canada".

America and Canada were the two countries, rendering sanctuary to the secondary migrating population. No New Land indicates about the ethical deal and it shows genial gathering to all identity sick emigrants. However, there are numerous nations safeguarding various ethnic groups in the world, Canada outstands the other by embedding emigrant accessible situation. Canada, somebody more likely than not whispered the word some place. The novel elucidates Canada as a dream land for individuals from creating nations everywhere throughout the world and particularly Africa and Asia. Nurdin Lalni's family embraces the flight of huge hopes in promising prospect of high living and protected identity. Lalanis are denied financial sustenance in Tanyanyika like different Asians thus leave on their navigation. Nurdin withdraw of his past and play out his practicality of developing another pattern. Another living in Canada arrive with extravagance and in fact headway. The land agreeably respects the Lalanis and different Asians dissimilar to London they are precluded even to liberally walk in the city. Vassanji has facilitated more uncovered the geological climate of Canada in No New land. The collective habitation of the Asians and African is in suburb of Toronto and uncommon shopping roads are very much outfitted the unfold of the montage story of encouraging regular citizens. The Lalani’s house in Toronto speaks to a tiny perspective of the Asian's macrocosm in Canada. The Lalani is live in Rosecliff park, which is a little heterogeneous group constituted by Asians relocated from Africa. This diverse neighbourhood tries to experience an Indian Canadian Asian way. They irrespective of their diverse religious convictions cling to their own particular esteems and carry on with a common life and the tenants of Rosecliffe Park adored tattles, open deliberations and decision piece parties. It can be seen in, At Sixty-nine Rosecliffe Park and its neighbours the new immigrants were beset by hosts of prosely-tizers. They came from several different sects, singly or in packs, using all manner of approaches…. But in the Dar immigrants these missionaries met a litigious lot, for they love to debate, … Zera would be in unmatched form. She could tell of her master. Missionaries' legendary public debates in Dar against sheikhs, Pundits, priests. and scientist. So when the Bibles were produced, they were gratefully accepted.

No New Land discloses that the cultural exercise is converted into another cultural setting. The tiny comestibles kiosk in the Rosecliff Park especially looks like the vernacular tea and dabhas in India. The religious prayers, the Indian celebrations and a couple of other social perceptions led in Rose Cliffe Park affirm the secular and liberal cultural in No New Land examines the impact of the Canadian ethos on the psychological texture of each individual character. Nurdin Lalani, the hero of the novel encapsulates the qualities of a man who has spurned his individual regard and individual personality with the country. He endeavours hard in Toronto to start his acquiring, however, he is dismisses by the employers for the inadequacy of Canadian by women for physically molesting her. His mental changes manifest his continuous burst from the natural enthusiastic connection and deteriorated self. He releases his poise and floats towards the pandemonium of vulnerabilities. Still, he accommodates with hopeless present and thoughtful past. Jamal and Nanji are two intellectuals emigrated from Africa to Canada searching for opportunity openings in the midst of the various shackles. Jamal well to the changing requests to hold his grasp on life, now and again by offering samosas and now and again brag his status by making arrangements to meet. Nanji is a man of standards who finds out indifference in his embraced arrive which is attached with existential apprehensions. Nurudin's kids broadly imbide the Canadian methods for living and even despise their father who does mental occupations. Nurudin's children remain for the changed Asian-Canadians who are not beset by their family or nostalgic memory, which sees: One envies these children, these darlings of their mothers, objects of immigrant sacrifice and labour, who speak better-sounding If not better English: one envies them their memories when they are grown-up… But when she opens her mouth, out flows impeccable Toronto English, indistinguishable from that of any other kid's discussing what?-last night's hockey game. She's on her way to Quran class on the fourteenth floor.

M. G. Vassanji has strikingly clarified the micro Asian community scavenged its moral uniqueness. The Asians who transport themselves to this new region very quickly frame fraternity with their own particular families. Lalani's blend with the new and changed social blanket which grants an uncommon warmth and fragrance to its occupants. They soon find basic get-togethers and comparative way out for themselves, amusement and merriment from their panoptic schedule. Another Asian or African displaced person effortlessly finds new social bonds to share and an outlet to pour his tensions about past and future. The multicultural mosaic of Canada is magnified with other social groups and this is tangible in Vassanji's portrayal. There are other minor characters in the novel that speak to other social and cultural. The young woman who denounces Nurudin for her assault is a Portuguese and she dwells in an alternate territory of fishermen and butchers. Ramesh is likewise a migrated person from different parts of Africa, he and Susheela remain for the Hindu community situated in Toronto. There are individuals of mixed identity living in Canada a country with heritage. The novel, No New Land, opens in Canada, with the Lalani family has shown in the grips of a big apprehension and perturbation in light of the fact that Nurdin Lalani, the leader of the family, has not returned home from work. Nurdin and his family have originated from Africa and settled down in Toronto. The group of the hero Nurdin Lalani is a double migrant family - Asia to Africa to Canada. The novel moves into flashback of episodes and happenings.

After Hazi Lalani has passed away and his business sunk, somebody has whispered the world - Canada. Numerous families were travelling to Canada for better prospects and to end up noticeably rich. Roshan, the sister of Nurdin's significant other, desires the Lalani family to come to Canada. What's more, the family takes a flight to London. The circumstance of Nurdin in the plane turns into an objective correlative also it predicted the quandary the needs to endure in Canada. With his family Nurdin is on the night plane. The plane has magical lights. The magical light of the plane is, however the light of Nurdin's brain and the night fills in as the expectation of the issues he may look in Canada. At the London air terminal, the migration officers smash their fantasy to end and see London. At this Nurdin could do nothing with the exception of calling them "The rats?".

At Toronto airline terminal, Roshan and her better half get the Lalanis. She gives them a pack of biting gum saying, "this is Canada. " In a way, Roshan enlightens all concerning the 'multiculturalism' of Canada emblematically" "You go on struggling against the problems that never come to an end like a chewing gum. If you want to get rid of this chewing gum you cannot throw it out of' your mouth".

After Nurdin comes to these present circumstances multicultural Canada, he battles hard to discover a decent work. In any case, his endeavours end up plainly useless. He stays jobless for quite a while that adds to his wretchedness. Zera, Nurdin's wife gets a job as a secretary in a doctor’s clinic. So to decrease the financial weights they endure the Family of Zera's sister. But, as the children of both of the families land up battling the vast majority of the circumstances, a serious fight between Zera's family and Roshan's family emerged. One Friday evening. at the point when Roshan has been ironing her husband’s jeans, the offspring of Zera and Roshan have begun battling. Both the mothers raced to quiet down the quarrel. Meanwhile, the iron burnt a leg of the pant. Abdul ended up noticeably enraged, and in outrage, slapped his wife. Seeing her sister being slapped by Abdul, Zera couldn't control her fierceness and she lurched at Abdul with the hot iron. Nurdin came in the between to hinder Zera's way and Abdul has spared. A noisy fight followed with dangers and misuse have been exchanged, then two families have been separated. The Lalanis move to sixty-nine Rosecliff Park, in Don Mills, a suburb of Toronto. Through a gathering where new Canadians meet the old, the Lalanis interaction with different occupants of Sixty-nine Rosecliff Park. They meet Jamal, the legal counselor, Esmail, banker. and a few other individuals from the East Indian people group. Slowly, Nanji, a young professor, turns into a decent companion of Lalani children - Fatima and Haniff.