Something happened, or rather didn’t happen, back during The London Book Fair that I have been waiting to write about. Well, the time has come…
This year, in a bid for cultural exchange and global understanding within the publishing industry, the British Council arranged to have a group of Indian writers come over to London and hold panel discussions, lectures and readings during the Book Fair. In anticipation, the Council asked for London-based writers to volunteer to “buddy’ one of the Indian writers. So, I did. I was buddied with Bhalchandra Nemade. Here’s his biography
, according to the British Council:
Bhalchandra Nemade’s first novel, Kosala, is considered a modern classic in Marathi literature. His works depict the indigenous lifestyle of the Maharashtra region in India and Marathi culture. Tikasvayavara, a work of literary criticism, won him the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1990. His works have been translated into other Indian languages and English. Nemade is from the village of Sangavi, Maharashtra. With a Ph.D. and D.Litt. from the North Maharashtra University, he taught in many places retiring as Gurudev Tagore Chair of Comparative Literature at the University of Mumbai. He has been a member of the Sahitya Akademi, serving on its Executive Board and General Council from 1998-2002.
Can you guess what my reaction was when I read this? Obviously, I was astonished, petrified and couldn’t, for the life of me, understand why “after careful consideration” they had chosen to pair me with him. Other than buy him lunch, what could I possibly have to offer this incredibly accomplished artist/scholar? But then, I never heard from him. We never made contact. We never met, and when I asked the Council representative about this, she apologized and simply whispered “Actually, this does happen quite often.” To be honest, I was disappointed and a bit put out.
But then, I received an email. Professor Nemade wrote to say that he never received his visa and so never made the trip at all, and that one of the great disappointments was that he and I never had the chance to meet. I was incredibly touched, and now even more disappointed than before.
So I went online and tracked down a copy of one of his novels that had been translated from the Marathi into English. It is called “Kosla” (in English, “Cocoon”) and I finished reading it last night. Although a sometimes awkward translation made it at first frustrating to read, it didn’t take long for me to realize that Nemade had created a character that transcends cultural boundaries and generations of years. It was written in India in 1963, but the struggles that the central character has as he tries to find a meaning for his life within his surrounding economic and familial pressures are quite universal. A young man is sent off to university burdened with the expectations and demands of his family. The novel steers him through a litany of failures and frustrations, only to find him in the end coming to an understanding of himself and his place in the universe.
And so, ultimately, Mr. Nemade and I have had our cultural exchange. Despite the bureaucracy of our two heavily bureaucratic and often suspicious governments, we have managed to come together via a work of literature first written 45 years ago. I call that one small step for mankind.
What a touching story, Sue. How sad you two didn’t meet.
Next year the London Book Fair is doing a similar thing with South African writers. Perhaps you’ll be paired with someone I met this year at Cape Town. Wouldn’t that be so much fun?
I love this. I do hope you will get to meet him at some point, what a sweet email, shame about the visa. Urgh, bureaucracy. But, as you say, literature transcends physical boundaries – and time!
Read quite a few Indian novels. Tho’ only Rohinton Mistry comes to mind. and although its not very relevant I absolutely loved the tv version of Jewel in the Crown.
What a disappointment though not to meet the guy.
What a brilliant story!! You must have been so touched to get his e-mail!! Perhaps the next time he comes to the UK the two of you will get the chance to meet (or your next book could be set in India…I’m thinking research trip :-D)
C x
What a wonderful scheme, blighted by bureaucracy.
I hope you two get to meet one day. He sounds a very interesting chap and I’m sure he would have thought the same about you!
Oh Sue, I’m so glad you’ve found some sort of resolution as I remember your disappointment at the LBF.
Sue, what a lovely post to read and I am glad you got your answer. x
What a wonderful story, Sue! And I’m so glad you could “meet” after all. Despite the frustrations of bureaucracy, at least technology allows us to make these connections. And I feel sure that one day you will meet Prof Nemade for real!
And if you do this again next year with an SA writer, do let me know who it is ahead of time! 😉
Fascinating, Sue. I’m so glad you heard from you and then read the book.
hello! finally I found time to pop over and make contact again.
and how nice that you managed to make some contact with the Professor in the end – its a good story
What a lovely post.
Although it was a shame you didn’t manage to meet, I’m glad you enjoyed his book, and that he contacted you and seemed such a lovely person.
Lauri: I’d love to try again with a S African! Thanks for the heads up.
Tania: Oh Yes, space and time. it always comes back to that 🙂
Glyn: I’m woefully ignorant of Indian lit, except for the stuff that gets a big boost over here. I now realize that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Carol: Reserach trip? Don’t think I haven’t thought about that…hmmm…
Lane: Thanks, though I was petrified when I first read how accomplished he is!
JJ and DJ: Thanks guys. It was a funny, though good experience all in all.
AbVan: Yes, Lauri mentioned next year with South Africans. I’ll definitely contact the Council about it. I’d love to!
Michelle and Debs: And it shows how important it is to find a way to keep books available and in print. You never know, right?
Lettuce: Hi! Thanks for coming by!!
Dear Sue,
You will be glad to know that Bhalachandra Nemade has been selected for one of the prestigious awards in the field of literature in India Jnanapitha award 2014 yesterday.
I am writing an article about him to the vernacular media (Telugu language) to appear on Monday, and I am fascinated by your account of missed chance to meet him at LBF, and ur subsequent reading of the Kosala, in English Translation. I will be quoting your enormously good willed comments and the incident in my article.
I am pleased that while surfing about Nemade, I came to know about you.
Thanks and regards,
Rama Teertha