I did not know (nor had any interest to know) as to where would Bastar figure in the map of India at the time of buying up the book. I knew that such book existed through my subscription of Open Magazine where its author Rahul Pandita's columns are also published. It was at sale of Strand Book Stall at Sunderbhai hall (near ITO, Mumbai), that i picked up the book among many others.
I, a pseudo-intellectual with an MBA degree in tow didn't had any iota of clue about Naxal movement till now. Whenever any news item regarding killings of CRPF or abduction or fake encounters was played in high pitch on TV or being written cursorily reported in the newpapers, I would feign indifference and switch to pink newspapers/ forecast of profits on TV channels.
Two days back, after completing Sons and Lovers (by D H Lawrence) which is an emotionally heavy book, i looked at the stack of pending books to read and thought to myself, which among these would be most easiest to flip through. Hello Bastar with its 190 odd pages stood out in terms of thinness.
Moreover, my recent trip to Bhilai (in Chattisgarh), which is where my wife was born and grew up, a very knowledgable Shamsher Singhji who works with Bhilai Steel Plant, in a chance conversation about places to visit near Bhilai, made me aware that Bastar lies in driving distance from there. I had a twinge of guilt in my heart on hearing that, as I had not read the book and hence didn't knew anything about it.
So above two reasons conjoined me to start reading Hello, Bastar.
Within few pages of book, i was aghast and asked myself, "Is Naxal movement so big and affects so many people? how come I didn't had any idea about it? Shouldn't I, who himself feels that he reads a lot should have known about this affair which appears so frequently in various forms of media."
In short, I was ashamed of myself and my ignorance. This book has shaken me out of my indifference and made me restless. And I thought this book would be easiest of the lot. Makes me feel sick.
Poring over details on how and why the whole Maoist movement started and chronicling the history of last four decades, this book is best FAQ on the whole movement. I am not sure if there are any other such books, but am sure that this Book could serve as entree before anyone wants to get into the complexities of the whole movement.
Naxal movement is much bigger than this book could cover and at some point you feel that Rahul Pandita is trying to write for them. But this would be a natural, as after spending years with them and understanding their travails, one would empathize with them. Actually the opening credit says it all -- "To Any and her imagined biscuits".
I ask myself, "now what?". After reading and feeling strongly about this issues, will I seek solutions or go back to the drudgery (which pays my bills) life of cubiclist, analyzing companies and their balance sheets, where none of these matters. Would I see whether Monnet or Jindals who are setting up large plants at Angul, have done adequate (what is adequate?) R&R for the lands they have acquired or would it be just glossed over to see the more "meaningful" numbers of their IRR for the project.
Would I wait years before this movement gets its tentacles into the Urban mass or will I like to be a part of the movement. Well, lets accept it, I don't have the balls to join this movement from their side. Yes, I am not motivated enough by the circumstances of my comfortable life.
But would I still not like to help through my own ways the plights of these people to bring them up or fight for their cause. How? I don't know the answer yet. But I am not yet done, for sure.
I, a pseudo-intellectual with an MBA degree in tow didn't had any iota of clue about Naxal movement till now. Whenever any news item regarding killings of CRPF or abduction or fake encounters was played in high pitch on TV or being written cursorily reported in the newpapers, I would feign indifference and switch to pink newspapers/ forecast of profits on TV channels.
Two days back, after completing Sons and Lovers (by D H Lawrence) which is an emotionally heavy book, i looked at the stack of pending books to read and thought to myself, which among these would be most easiest to flip through. Hello Bastar with its 190 odd pages stood out in terms of thinness.
Moreover, my recent trip to Bhilai (in Chattisgarh), which is where my wife was born and grew up, a very knowledgable Shamsher Singhji who works with Bhilai Steel Plant, in a chance conversation about places to visit near Bhilai, made me aware that Bastar lies in driving distance from there. I had a twinge of guilt in my heart on hearing that, as I had not read the book and hence didn't knew anything about it.
So above two reasons conjoined me to start reading Hello, Bastar.
Within few pages of book, i was aghast and asked myself, "Is Naxal movement so big and affects so many people? how come I didn't had any idea about it? Shouldn't I, who himself feels that he reads a lot should have known about this affair which appears so frequently in various forms of media."
In short, I was ashamed of myself and my ignorance. This book has shaken me out of my indifference and made me restless. And I thought this book would be easiest of the lot. Makes me feel sick.
Poring over details on how and why the whole Maoist movement started and chronicling the history of last four decades, this book is best FAQ on the whole movement. I am not sure if there are any other such books, but am sure that this Book could serve as entree before anyone wants to get into the complexities of the whole movement.
Naxal movement is much bigger than this book could cover and at some point you feel that Rahul Pandita is trying to write for them. But this would be a natural, as after spending years with them and understanding their travails, one would empathize with them. Actually the opening credit says it all -- "To Any and her imagined biscuits".
I ask myself, "now what?". After reading and feeling strongly about this issues, will I seek solutions or go back to the drudgery (which pays my bills) life of cubiclist, analyzing companies and their balance sheets, where none of these matters. Would I see whether Monnet or Jindals who are setting up large plants at Angul, have done adequate (what is adequate?) R&R for the lands they have acquired or would it be just glossed over to see the more "meaningful" numbers of their IRR for the project.
Would I wait years before this movement gets its tentacles into the Urban mass or will I like to be a part of the movement. Well, lets accept it, I don't have the balls to join this movement from their side. Yes, I am not motivated enough by the circumstances of my comfortable life.
But would I still not like to help through my own ways the plights of these people to bring them up or fight for their cause. How? I don't know the answer yet. But I am not yet done, for sure.
