Sunday, June 10, 2007
Aurora Da Gama.....
One of my favourite books is Salman Rushdie's The moor's last sigh. Winner of the 1995 Whitbread novel of the year award. The book tells us about the saga of Moraes Zogoiby. He starts the story at Cochin among spice markets and old villas where the descendants of Vasco da gama live with the child prodigy Aurora Da Gama. The most phenomenal female character I have read till now is Aurora Da Gama. Known for her contentious paintings widely as "chipkali' is Aurora Da Gama. Infamous for her terrible tongue and her spicy romance with the then prime minister of India. Rushdie gives this character a vehement presence. Her admirers literally dance to her tunes and so does Abraham Zogoiby (her spouse). Yet the darker shades of Adam Zogoiby come into picture at the later part of the story. Her love for her son Moor who has a gifted club for a hand and is believed to age twice as fast as normal person is clearly depicted in the Moors paintings. The club indicates strength. and the doubly fast aging deficit is a metaphor for how everyone of us desire to be at a later age and not at the present. Aurora Zogoiby's dances at the Ganapathi festivals every year shows true spirit of the woman. A woman so strongly portrayed can only be created with Rushdie's pen. Even in the present times I wonder if a woman like her would have survived and carried herself with the same dignity as Aurora Zogoiby had. OR have the times changed now?
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I’d think Rushdie’s choice of the da Gama family is particularly interesting. As a descendent of Vasco da Gama, Aurora da Gama’s life might well be a metaphor for the inherent paradoxes and myriad contradictions inexorably enmeshed in our nation’s psyche – be it the chinks in her armor or the incredible forcefulness of her character. I cannot help but think that the last survivors of the da Gama family were chosen with a purpose - to symbolize the last surviving tenacious remnants of our nation’s colonial past as well as the gradual but certain assertion of her true character; a long saga of subjugation followed by her struggle to overcome the overwhelming forces that ruthlessly attempt to rob her of her individuality and spirit and the story of a prodigal son avenging his mother. It expresses the hope that this colonial influence will, slowly but surely, loosen its grip on our countrymen and India’s children, like Aurora’s Moor, will one day help her step out of the shadows inspite of their numerous constraints and handicaps and will eventually manage to triumph in the face of such hardship.
ReplyDeleteoh boy. I should get started with reading Rushdie. Have never read any of his books. I guess this post is the one that makes me pick up that book of his. which one would you suggest to start?
ReplyDeleteBeing a history student Rushdie's choice can be well appreciated. I have observed this affinity towards history in his other novels like 'Mid-night's children' where he talks about 'the' moment of independence and the evolution begins. recently read 'shalimar clown' where the author describes in depth about kashmir and it's various issues involving and also a few episodes of world war II from a survivor of Germany's ruthless attacks on jews.
ReplyDeletegreat post. I would love to follow you on twitter.
ReplyDeleteThat is a very succinct and lucid summary you've got there. I can't help but agree with you about the nature of Aurora Zogoiby's character - one of the most forceful that i've hitherto come across. With the independence and post independence era as the backdrop, the book is a journey into the rise and fall of the fortunes of one family. Though the novel is a first person narrative by Moraes (Moor), it is quite intricately woven around Aurora's character, with her being the virtual lynch pin of the plot.In Aurora Zogoiby are portrayed characteristic traits such as defiance, courage, an almost satirical sense of humour and, an unmistakable death wish which, though dormant in the early stages of the book, gains momentum towards the culmination, much like a tidal wave moving insidiously under the surface; dichotomous in its eerie presence and yet going undetected until the last moment.Aurora Zogoiby also features in 'The Ground Beneath Her Feat', albeit in a brief appearance, just to aid the reader in his reference of the backdrop; a masterly touch indeed. Another of Rushdie's great works, in my opinion happens to be 'The Enchantress Of Florence'; his knowledge of Indian and European History is clearly illustrated in this masterpiece.
ReplyDeleteI am in the middle of this book... kind of dissappointed by its caricatural prespective on his characters. Too easy to help us swallow the pill. Too heavy in the end and weak. But I might change mypoint of view when I reach the end.
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