Window Seat. My weekly column in English. 9.10.22

 

Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee |9.10.22 

The Waste Land at 100

This October, The Waste Land, the most well-known poem of T.S. Eliot turns 100. It was first published in October 1922 in the British journal The Criterion, then a month later in the American journal The Dial, before appearing in book form, firstly, in America by Boni and Liverlight in 1922, and then in 1923 by Leonard and Virginia Woolf's Hogarth Press. 

First Edition of The Waste land

It was the most revolutionary poem of its time, offering a devastating vision of modern civilisation. It gave birth to a new form of poetry, breaking away from the conventional styles that existed till the beginning of 20th century.

In its 434 lines, this poem weaves multiple allusions and visions. It shows the waste land that this world has turned to and also shows how the situation could be redeemed. It’s a poem of timeless appeal.

I still remember the way Prof. Frederick Wright used to teach us this poem in our MA English class at Ravenshaw College (now University), Cuttack. It was mesmerizing.   

Post-Puja Problems

For the Bengalis Durga Pujo is almost synonymous with ‘Pet-Pujo’- eating sumptuously, especially non-vegetarian dishes. Many of my non-Bengali friends, especially from North-India are intrigued. How can you eat non-vegetarian food during a Puja?

Here is an answer, however unconvincing it may sound. Please appreciate Durga is viewed simultaneously from two perspectives in Bengal. She is a goddess, a fiery one - ok. But she is also viewed as our ‘gharer meye’- daughter of the house, who has come to visit her parent’s place on her annual sojourn with her children- Kartick, Ganesh, Laxmi and Saraswati with their ‘bahans’. So as it happens when the daughter visits her parental home- she is looked after well, and the feast goes on. Apparently this duality is non-comprehensible and feels almost bizarre. But in Bengal it is accepted and viewed as absolutely normal.

So almost all Bengalis have the post-puja problem with their pet- tummy. During this time they also gain weight. Sugar level goes haywire. But who cares! This is once in a year occasion.

Hanlon's razor

Hanlon's razor is a philosophical principle that says "never attribute to malice that which can be explained by negligence or stupidity. The phrase ‘Hanlon’s razor’ was coined by Robert J. Hanlon, but it has been voiced by many people throughout history, as far back as 1774. 

Let me give you an example of this rather simple principle. If your friend has not invited you to his daughter's marriage, it may not have been with the intention to ignore you. He simply might have forgotten. This has actually happened with me.

Your friend didn't advance you a loan you asked for. May be he was in dire straits himself, but did not share his difficulties.

There can be innumerable such examples from diverse fields. We attribute motives and form adverse opinions about every person/ situation that adversely affects us. We cook up conspiracy theories without a thought and without an iota of evidence justifying such adverse conclusions. In fact, misunderstandings and neglect create more confusion in this world than trickery and malice. At any rate, the last two are certainly much less frequent. 

So next time a friend forgets to invite you or declines to advance a loan take it as an oversight or, at best an aberration.

This principle effectively means people are basically good. It can definitely make us happier, even if, as some will claim, it can make us appear idiotic or at best simpleton. In that case remember, what Napoleon Bonaparte famously declared:

‘Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.’

Chittaranjan Das

If alive, Chittaranjan Das, one of the finest thinkers, essayists and educationists that Odisha has produced would have turned 99 on 3 October last.

Born at Bagalpur village in the undivided Cuttack district in 1923, Das took active part in student movement in Class X. During his student days at Ravenshaw, he was involved with the Communist Party of India. Later in 1942, he joined Quit India Movement and was imprisoned.

Das went on to study at Shantiniketan in 1945 where he was exposed to a world of intellectuals, thinkers and writers. Subsequently, he went to Europe and Asian countries where he studied psychology, sociology and cultural anthropology.  An associate of philosopher Martin Buber and Naba Krushna Chaudhury, he was trained in clinical psychology at the Vienna School, established by Sigmund Freud, who founded the psychoanalytic school of psychiatry.

Das returned to India but instead of taking up a regular job, he joined Jibana Bidyalaya, a school near Angul for basic education inspired by Gandhi’s vision. This was a turning point in his life. He turned to education and throughout his life attempted to provide value and morality based education.

He was proficient in many languages. His vast studies covered many areas of social sciences. He wrote and translated over 250 books, which included anthology of essays, travelogues and a vast body of work on Sri Aurobindo  and   Sri Ma. He was conferred with Sahitya Akademi Award in 1998.

I have had the privilege of meeting him on many occasions. He had a childlike smile. I once told him so. He said and I remember that as a life -mantra: Mrinal Babu, pila hei rahile bhala. It is good to remain a child.

Through the Screen

We live at a strange time. We are more eager to capture the moments for the posterity, without actually relishing it ourselves. And we hardly ever, look at those pictures or videos- later. Even if we do- it never really gives the experience of the time it was actually captured. So we lose the real experience in the elusive hope of capturing it and keeping it to savour as and when we please.

Photo: Mrinal Chatterjee.

Location: A Puja Mandap at a village about 5 km from Jagatsinghpur, Odisha.

In puja pandals I have seen increasingly more people trying to capture the sights of the aarti in their mobile, than actually experiencing it.

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Journalist turned media academician Mrinal Chatterjee lives in Dhenkanal, Odisha. He also writes fiction and plays.

mrinalchatterjeeiimc@gmail.com