Afternoon Dispatch & Courier (Bombay)

BOOKLESS IN BAGHDAD: by SHASHI THAR00R Penguin; Rs. 325

The term secularism is one of the most widely bandied about, yet the most misunderstood term in the Indian context. If one takes a classical European stance, it is nothing but the acceptance of the principle that our religious or spiritual life should be separated from our social or political life. Any interference from the religious authority in the matters concerning the day to day life of citizens is abhorred by the proponents of this type of classical secularism. Secularism can also mean equal treatment and not equal irrelevance of different religions. The non-denominational character of the state or political parties and their programmes is, however, crucial to the understanding of the term.In the Indian context, the Hindi equivalent of the term Sarva Dharma Sam Bhava is harped upon. It allows religious heads of different faiths to act as holders of the key to the vote bank politics. It also allows people of different religions to contribute their share to the public disorder, noise and pollution. The state is not supposed to take sides in a religious dispute. It has to act as the impartial arbiter or an umpire in an altercation. Lal Krishna Advani, who has coined the ignoble term pseudo-secularism would like the state to be partisan to the majority community, which the secularists would detest. Shashi Tharoor hits the nail on the head when he talks about the need to promote pluralism. He defines secularism as a profusion of religions, none of which is privileged by the state. Accept everyone, privilege no one; nothing is exceptional, no one is humiliated. For Tharoor, this remains a precious heritage of all Indians.

Bookless in Baghdad is a splendid collection of his essays, which deal with various subjects.

Even though, this is a collection of newspaper columns, it does not appear to be dated. Shashi Tharoor, who holds a top position in the United Nations is one of our leading fiction and non-fiction writers. There are personal recollections like 'Growing Up With Books In India', which give us insights into the mental make-up and outlook of the author. He makes a pertinent observation about the children's literature, which shaped the literary tastes of his generation.

Although colonialism gave us a literature that did not spring from the immediate environment and whose characters and concerns bore no relation to the Bombay children's lives, they did read on and get hooked to Enid Blyton. "Indian children knew how to filter the foreign and how to appreciate the best in things British and not to take the rest seriously, he comments. The essay on Mahabharata is a classic piece. He explains how his much celebrated novel 'The Great Indian Novel' draws upon the Mahabharata. He says without any fear of contradiction that there is no department of Indian life , public or private, which is not materially influenced by the great epic. It has been adapted, interpreted and also interpolated. The elasticity of the epic adds to its timeless appeal, according to the author. His pen portraits of Salman Rushdie, Pushkin, Churchill, Malcom Muggeridge as well as P.G.Woodhouse are delightful and full of subtle and succinct observations. The personal account of the encounter with a Bollywood filmmaker is hilarious and revealing.A good collection of essays, which any serious reader will value.