There’s nobody who cannot write a book if they want to, because it’s a question of dreaming, and we human beings are dreamers...

Recasting the Centre | Ngugi Wa Thiong'o

Towards a New Imagination | 09 Sept 2021

Could you elaborate more on your journey of becoming a writer?

& How did your childhood in Kenya affect your writing process?

I’ve written all about this in my childhood memoir – Dreams in A Time of War!

The idea of writing is like dreams!

My definition of writing is – conscious dreaming in words.

When we dream at night the mind connects lots of things. We see ourselves in different places.

When we wake up, we say, ‘What happened to my wings of flight?’

Artist is one who does conscious dreaming in paint!

Musician is one who does conscious dreaming in music!

I was in Calcutta some years ago – the guest of my publishers Seagull! They published my book, The Upright Revolution which has now been translated into more than one hundred languages in the world.

I also visited the house of one my heroes – Tagore!

Now let me go back to my childhood. 

Well, I come from a large family. I was very lucky to have four mothers! The result is that, my siblings were very many.

We were like a community. Every evening we will go to one of our mother’s houses, where we were told stories. 

So we grew up in a story-telling household.

And that’s how I became interested in story-telling.

But guess what? They could only tell stories in the evening, when all the work was done.

They said that, stories went away in day time, and they only came in the evening, when all the work of the day had been done.

But I and other children wanted stories even in day time!

So while we were able to go to school, we were able to read, and get a book of stories, it was wonderful to be able to read myself stories in daytime as well, by reading books.

So authoring stories began in my childhood!

In 1959-1960 I left Kenya for Makerere College in neighbouring Uganda.

By 1961 I had finished my first novel, The River Between!

So I began writing when I was a student!

This is my belief that, there’s nobody who is a monopoly over the imagination.

Even children can dream! Adults can dream!

There’s nobody who cannot write a book so to speak, if they want to, because it’s a question of dreaming, and we human beings are dreamers.

We have imagination, that makes us humans.

We imagine our gods, we imagine our future!

So imagination makes the invisible visible!

That’s another joy for me, for writing.

As an undergraduate, I didn’t want to be bound by being a student.

I didn’t want someone to say, ‘You’re a student. You cannot be writing books’.

I believed it was possible!

In my second year, I did my second book!

The mystery is in the imagination…

For the full interview, click on the YouTube Link here! 

The 'word' of the past represents the 'world' of the past...

08 September 1995 | ‘Zoom’ in Context! 

#memoriesfromdiaries 💕

From 26 years ago…

Do you agree that, in order to have a richer and fuller understanding of a given ‘text’ we need to ‘recover’ its original context?

Well, let’s demonstrate this argument with the help of my diary entry, jotted down this very same day, 26 years ago, 08 September 1995!

If diaries are read as ‘texts’, then,

this particular text reads,

Got Zoom! (bubble gum)

As we all know, in the present context, the word ‘Zoom’ would connote to mean a popular video teleconferencing software.

However, back then, the word ‘Zoom’ was quite popular among all of us in our HSC days, as one of the famous bubble gums, something like the famous ‘Big Fun’ bubble gum!

So if a reader were to read this particular text today, without a cursory understanding of the context, they may not get the proper meaning at all!

To them, without a grounding in its context, it would connote a completely different meaning altogether!

So yes!

Be it a word or a phrase, an object or an event –

A poem or a play, a novel or a painting – they are all products of a specific time and place! Ain’t it?

That’s hence the New Historicists pay close attention to the historical context of a literary text!

So what then is the difference between the New Historicists and the Old Historicists?

Quite simple!

To the Old Historicists, literature is foregrounded, while history is relegated to the background!

However, to the New Historicists, both literature and history are to be read in a parallel fashion!

That’s because the context in itself becomes a co-text, where –

the word of the past represents the world of the past!

Like in this case, the Zoom of the past, represents the good ol’ bubble gum of the past!

Repeating the question yet again –

Do you agree that, in order to have a richer and fuller understanding of a given ‘text’ we need to ‘recover’ its original context?

The poststructuralists in general, and the New Historicists in particular would answer, ‘Yes’!

That’s because the ‘text’ always has a huge significance for the culture in which it is produced!

That’s hence the poststructuralists would have us believe that all meaning is generated in situ, -

Or in other words –

All meaning that’s attributed to a text, is generated in a particular social milieu - a particular time and place!

New Historicists would want to call a spade a spade!

To this extent, they would use a spade to uncover the sociocultural context that made possible this particular word – Zoom – written down 26 years ago!

One added reason on why the archives matter to the New Historicists, you see!😍

By which means, they try to connect the text to its context! 

What it was to live in that particular period of time! 

To purchase a ‘Zoom’ bubble gum?

To this end, in their quest to uncover the context of a text, the New Historicists then rummage through a whole lot of disciplines including history, sociology, anthropology, economics and lots more!

In short, there is a mash up or a medley of the literary and the non-literary text!

Without this contextual blend or mix up, one cannot in any way arrive at a fuller and richer understanding of a literary text, they feel! 

And so do we! 🤗

'Tinkle, Tintin, Television, Hardy Boys, Satyajit Ray - in that order - were some of the many reasons you see!' 😇

07 Sept 1994 | Hostel Humour 😍

[27 years ago]

#memoriesfromdiaries 💕

Today was a Red-Letter Day for all of us hostelers.

For many reasons.

But first, let me start from the particular to the general! (the inductive method you see…) 😇

Morning jogging, followed by attendance and yes! Coffee! ☕😋

From my personal diary entry, 07 Sept 1994, Part 1

Cleaned up my cubicle, before going for our breakfast – bread & kurma on the menu today!

You see, we hostelers had no chance of bunking classes the way our day-scholar friends kanna pinna did! 😋

So whenever a hosteler wanted to bunk classes, we had just the hobson’s choice on us! 

And that was - 

to promptly feign sickness and ask permission from our Warden to stay in the hostel's sick room!

Why-o-why did we do that?

Well, yes! There was a lovely bubbly reason for that! 😋

You see, we had a sick room that was a literal paradise on earth! 😇🥳

With such comfy beds, a wall-mounted television, magazines [The Week, Gentleman, India Today], comics (Tintin, Tinkle, Asterix etc) and Newspapers all stacked up neat on their respective stacks in the sick room - with the sole aim of helping the hosteler recuperate as quick as possible - what else did a hosteler need? 😍

Yes! The attractions of the sick room were too good to resist! 

Once when I paid a visit to the sick room to see my friend Sunil who was ‘admitted’ there, to my sweet little shock and surprise, I saw at least half a dozen friends of ours, in the sick room, watching cricket match live on TV! 

Impily, some of them had had ice cream with us just last evening, and yes, furtively at that! 

This proved a great lure for pavapetta me! 😍

I asked Sunil if I could also join him on the sick room space! 😋

Tinkle, Tintin, Television, Hardy Boys, Satyajit Ray - in that order - were some of the many reasons you see! 😇

He said since the sick room was almost overflowing, I should ask the HM for permission to ‘join’ him on the fun!

So after summoning up enough courage on me, and after applying the ceremonial Vicks vaporub all over my face - for the intended effect -😋 I went up to the HM - poker faced at that - and asked him for his permission to stay in the sick room!

He looked me up from top to bottom, and turning sideways towards his trusted lieutenant Gopal, he asked him to take me to the doc! 🤭🙈

Gopal - with that totally inscrutable look on him 🙈- asked me to come with him in half an hour’s time! 😋

Ende deivameyyy!

Total damage! 🤭🙈

I hadn't in the least expected this reply from our HM!

So yes! This was my chance to escape! 🤣

And Escape…. I did! 🤣

So yes! with all my attempts at getting myself enrolled in the sick room having been thwarted thus, I quietly got back to my classes!

Part 2

Fifth period, took a nap in class, since the Master was absent! 

Today was an added red-letter day for us, because, 12^th boys were busy going around asking their juniors to join them on a strike!

Part 3

We were caught off guard!

But why on earth did they need a strike?

Well, they had their reasons you see!

For the past three months, the management had introduced a new strategy to ‘condition’ and ‘discipline’ the hostelers by means of levying high fines on them.

If you’re late for your roll call, you were fined five rupees! 🙈

If you’re late for your morning assembly, again five rupees! 🙈

Part 4

So our HSC boys were peeved beyond measure and that's hence they organized a sudden preemptive, massive strike!

All the coaxing and cajoling to withdraw the strike proved of no avail!

Added, all hostelers were locked inside the dormitories without food.

Not to be cowed down, they took to their guitars, and started strumming to the tune of ‘We shall overcome…’ 😎

The whole school was rocking! 

Rocking to the beat of their strumming! 🎸

We from the 11^th Class, we expressed solidarity with our seniors, by skipping our lunch!

But we didn’t abstain from our classes though!

Coming back, 

In the afternoon, Mr. Nedunchezhian, our Physics teacher, (having witnessed the hullaballoo first-hand, for himself) gave us a lot of advice.

First he asked us if any of the hostelers was absent.

We all chorused back, ‘No Sir. All of us are here!’ 😇

Then he narrated an incident that had happened eight years ago! (mentioned on the diary entry)

Coming back,

Since no amount of pacification proved successful, the Principal of MCC Prof. Gladstone came and had talks with all the seniors!

Finally, it was resolved that, there would be no more fines! Students would be caned instead, said the notice from the Headmaster! 🤗

'We knew full well that, the very next year we may not lay claim to the same classroom!'

05 September 1994 | Teacher’s Day 😍

From HSC Days to PG Final year days]

#memoriesfromdiaries 💕

Looking back at my past diary entries on Teacher’s Day over the years helps me reflect on how we as students have evolved in our awe and admiration for our teachers over the years.

Although Teacher’s Day festivities have been part and parcel of our academic life right from our childhood days, I personally feel that, only after we attain to a certain maturity level – let’s say during our College days, - do we really value the importance of our teachers in our lives.

from my personal diary entry, 05 Sept 1994

On how much they shape our values!

On how much they transform our perspectives!

On how much they influence our lives!

On how much they transform our sensibilities!

In our HSC days, [05 Sept 1994, diary] I remember how our school teachers were honoured by our respective class leaders in a grand function hosted at the School’s Auditorium.

During our UG days, having just been initiated into College ways of life, we had a whole lot of academic commitments and activities – that we didn’t even notice the influence of our teachers on us every passing day.

Only during the fag end of our College studies, especially during our final year College life, did we really cherish the presence and the influence of our teachers in our lives – what they mean to us – how we are gonna miss out on their classes from thence on, forever...

I still remember, just a few years ago, one of our past students, by name Steffy (2006 batch) came along with her kids, when our classes were in progress in the Indoor Stage, (Selaiyur Hall days).

[She had come along with her husband and kids to the City, all the way from Kerala on a visit]

Waving her hands from the main entrance, she then asked me a little favour.

Sir, shall I sit at this same desk, and listen to your lecture for this hour?

It was more of the ambience of the classroom, that interested her today! 

Something similar to what Toru Dutt says about the Casuarina Tree! 

Says Toru –

But not because of its magnificence

Dear is the Casuarina to my soul:

Beneath it we have played; though years may roll,

O sweet companions, loved with love intense,

For your sakes, shall the tree be ever dear.

Blent with your images, it shall arise

In memory, till the hot tears blind mine eyes!

That's hence [if you notice the title of the poem], Toru says, 'Our' Casuarina Tree! 

So yes! I gladly consented. 

Her kids were also so well behaved, that they happily allowed their Amma to relive her good ol’ days in her classroom space that was rightfully hers, a decade ago! 

She then went across to the very same place where she used to sit – almost a decade ago – [with her bevy of friends] - through all her classes!

After the class was over, moist in the eyes, with such memories crowding round her, she thanked her teacher for the experience, and proceeded to catch up in similar fashion, with all her lovely teachers!

How true it augurs for all of us, ain’t it?

The beautiful spaces that gave us our knowledge!

That gave us our courage!

That gave us our inspiration!

That has shaped us into what we are today!

That has launched us with confidence into the whole wide world!

So well,

On a similar vein, back during our final year PG days, a few of us in our class were of the same feeling!

We knew full well that, the very next year we may not lay claim to the same classroom!

We may not lay claim to the same professors!

The same college!

A new batch would have surely come in!

And we would have become ‘illustrious alumni’ of the Institution!

So yes!

We marched! Straight to Archies!

Those days, (two decades ago), cell phones were literally unheard of, for most of us, and Gmail was yet to be born!

So Wes & myself, we headed straight to Archies, bought the most beautiful cards for all our teachers [who were present on that day], and we gently handed out our respective cards to each of them, and sought their blessings.

My personal diary entry, 05 September 2001

You should have seen the smile on their faces the moment they received our Teacher’s Day Cards!

The smile said it all, you see!

And their rich blessings that spontaneously followed up on their smile, are the very same blessings that keep guiding us, sustaining us, enriching us and nourishing us every passing day of our lives!

Remembering with gratitude all my dear Teachers who have carved me into what I am, today!

Without you, where would I be?

Pranams to you my dearest teachers.

PS: You may want to read our past blog post in 2007, on Tribute to our Teachers HERE!

Bought 'The Hindu', and read the shocking news of America bombing Iraq with 44 cruise missiles on a single day!

04 Sept 1996 | A Teacher’s Sagely Words

#memoriesfromdiaries 💕

25 years ago 💛

Some Professors - we dote on them for the philosophy they share with us, their students.

Today we had one such class, where we had our teacher Prof. Krishnan giving us valuable nuggets of advice!

Since my favourite character in the Mahabharata happens to be Arjuna, it was all the more lovelier, to listen to our Krishna!

from my personal diary entry, 04 Sept 1996 

Said Prof. Krishna,

See, we should think of all creation as one.

That means I form a part of you, and you form a part of me.

Then there’ll be no fights!

If you find a fault with me, it means that, it is for my edification or correction.

If a teacher teaches a student, it must reach them.

If one’s lecture is realised by a student, that’s what makes them a good lecturer!

But unfortunately, lecturers think that, their students have the same knowledge as they do, and so they go on and on without even realizing if they have understood or not!

But my lectures are mainly for below average students.

What is education?

It is nothing but concentration.

If you concentrate, you are bound to get 90%

It’s the concentration that matters,

he said!

What profound, sagely and stately words!

Nuggets of wisdom for all of one’s life!

Coming back,

Bought The Hindu, and read the shocking news of America bombing Iraq with 44 cruise missiles on a single day!

[Well, exactly 25 years ago, on 03 September 1996, the US Navy and US Air Force launched 27 cruise missiles against Iraqi air defense targets in southern Iraq. This attack was immediately followed by a second wave of 17 missiles launched later that day!]

Shocking and devastating to say the least!

When our Master sensed the ‘hit’, he reprimanded both of them...

02 Sept 1994 | The impulsive ‘hit’

#memoriesfromdiaries 💕

From 27 years ago! 💛

After our usual roll call at 5.30 am, had my rendezvous with the cuppa! ☕

from my personal diary entry, 02 Sept 1994 

Then we had yummy bhooris for breakfast. 😋

Read the day’s newspaper before marching school-ward!

First hour – Botany class, followed by Physics class.

Personally, I should confess that,

Math was not my cup of tea, neither was Chemistry my cuppa Coffee! 😋

And please-o-please don’t ask me why!

But Physics I simply loved! 💛

Again don’t know why! 

So yes! If there were two other subjects on earth that so fascinated me, [apart from English], they’d sure be – Physics and Economics, in that order.

But on this particular day, since it was a snap test, I wasn’t prepared at all! 🤗

And as is the norm with all of us hostelers, you see - after our games & games & games of chess late into the nights - we get to hit the sack only when the rooster wakes up at dawn to say his huskied-hello to the town!

That’s hence with a heavy heart I’d written, ‘I’d get a zero’ in today’s test! 😍

Coming back,

Today something highly unfortunate happened in our class.

Darshan was our class representative. Raymond was our hostel mate and classmate as well!

Today Darshan and Raymond had an altercation in class, and in an impulsive turn of events, Darshan hit Raymond!

When our Master sensed the ‘hit’, he reprimanded both of them, and then gave some words of advice to all of us -

He said,

We should understand our friends, and give each one their due respect.

Everyone has an ego, and when that ego is slightly touched, they become angry.

Something I wouldn’t forget for the rest of my life!