"The White Tiger" A note to the author

I read a lot of novels, work of fiction mainly, but it’s not that I write a review of each and every book that I read. In fact, this is the first time I’ve got myself to write a book review. I had to do this, I thought right after I completed reading ‘The White Tiger’ by Aravind Adiga yesterday at about 7:30PM. 

It is not that the writer or the name of the book was new to me. I guess every Indian, who is into reading or writing, even a little bit of it; has heard about this book at least once in their life. Even those who are not must have heard the name ‘the white tiger’ somewhere or the other. 

I am not very fond of reading books that have been awarded the ‘MAN BOOKER PRIZE’. I don’t know the reason why, but I never find such books interesting. So why did I end up reading this book? Because over the last 5 years, I’d heard a lot of praises of the book from people who I trust, in their choice I mean. So there I was, on the 29th of March, searching for some good book to read when Amazon showed me ‘the white tiger’. I read the reviews, thought twice but I wasn’t able to decide whether I should actually read it or not. So I asked the person who sits next to me in office and he said, “It’s phenomenal. You should read this book at least once in your life.” And that was it. I hit the ‘buy’ command. 

Now, let’s get to the point directly. I started reading the book with a positive mind and heart. And to be true, I found the beginning very interesting. It kept me gripped, through the first few pages at least. The writer had just started explaining the lifestyle of people of a remote village in India. I did feel bad for a moment. I don’t approve of writing such things about my own country in a book that the world is going to read. But then I corrected myself and asked my heart “Yes, it feels bad to read about such a thing, but aren’t these points true?” Yes, if the points are true, I don’t feel I have the right to stop someone from expressing what he feels. 

Now, I kept on reading, taking in everything that the writer has written about and expecting a beautiful, inspiring ending. After all, it is a MAN BOOKER PRIZE winner. There had to be something knowledgeable, inspiring in it. 

My bad luck, I did not find a single good point in the book. Something that I can talk about, once I’ve completed reading it. NO. 

There is something I wish to tell Mr. Writer. Some points that need to be corrected. Well yes, there are problems of electricity, seepage, water, dowry and bribes in my country. Yes you are right in saying it. But the people of my country are not animals. They are not cruel, cunning and cold-hearted, the way you’ve presented your character ‘Balram’. No, we are not at all like that. 

Yes, the families in the villages of India are huge. There may be 17 people in one family, but there is a love that they share, which keeps them bonded to one another. That’s how they live in a small house, they share a bond that’s immeasurable, unconditional and gets stronger with time. No matter how poverty-stricken they are, the love for their families has nothing to do with money. Unlike what you have written. 

Yes we have 36,000,000Gods and we do pray to the ones we feel are special for us, but then again, what’s the harm in that? I don’t feel that the world has to do anything with the way we pray or the number of Gods we have. If today I say that my God resides in the tree that’s in my garden and I pray to Him daily, is it something that should be made fun of? NO, Mr. Writer, No.

Now, about the dowry part. Yes, dowry is something that’s very common in our country. But you know what Mr. Writer, you’ve only highlighted the negative points of it. Weddings in India are a huge affair and there’s a lot of hard-earned money that gets drained at that time, but that’s the way we Indians celebrate. We spend money because we love living lavish lives and having lavish weddings. And just to make it clear, wedlock in India means togetherness for 7 lives. Unlike yours, that keeps ending with every big turn in life, whether good or bad. I don’t understand why you haven’t highlighted these points as well.

Let’s get to that murder part now. The story that you’ve written makes me feel that the only way of reaching great heights in life for those who are from these remote villages with no money and no support, is to kill your masters, steal his money and get away with it, because you can never get caught in India. Oh yes, if you get caught, you can always bribe the police and you’re free. No Mr. Writer, NO. This is not the real India. 

This point literally shook all the nerves in my body and is the reason why I’m writing this blog. This is one of the most negative and wrong things that I’ve ever heard about my country. Dear foreigners, please read the next few lines very carefully. It is going to change the image of India that you carry in your mind.

The servants, or masters for that matter, in India, are not like Balram at all. Indians are really soft-hearted people who have immense love for their families, neighbors, employers and coworkers. This killing spirit is a rarely-found streak in people who I guess exist in all the countries of the world. Plus, if a person has killed someone and run away, sooner or later, he gets caught by the police. The whole phase of killing-running away-shifting- bribing-becoming an entrepreneur-changing the name process shown in your book is just not something that’s even comprehendible in India. 

We have policemen, crime department, laws and law-abiding people in our country, not just killers who become entrepreneur. Just FYI, Mr. writer, entrepreneurs in our country are learned people who have reached great heights with their strong knowledge base, hard work and great ideas, not by killing their employers. 

Now, about the holy rivers that flow through our country: yes, river Ganga has become dirty, but isn’t it because of us? We, the people. We are the ones who have always dumped our garbage in rivers and now we are the ones who are complaining. Even the character Balram, where do you think he’d have dumped that dead body of his master, if that thought would have occurred to him? 

For all readers, I would like to say that there is place called Haridwar in India and it has unpolluted, clear water, because that place is up on the mountains and people do not dump their garbage in Ganga. There are many such holy places where one can get to see the clear river and people have been taking dips in them since decades- and coming out clean (unlike what you’re suggesting to that prime minister of China). The water is notpolluted everywhere in India, it is just the way it is in all other developing nations. 

I ask one simple question from you Mr. Writer, if a guest is coming over to your place, do you show him the leaking pipe of your house, or that broken cupboard door, or that most dirty corner? Obviously not!! You show him the large sofa that has just been cleaned, your 3D television, your expensive carpet and all the other good things. Right?

Then why are questioning our Prime Minister when he is showing Mr. Jiabao the best parts of our country. Is it not something that we, as citizens of this country should get cleaned and corrected, just the way we clean our house when a guest visits? Is it not an inside-matter, a secret that shouldn’t be let out and made fun of? Why, I don’t understand, have you highlighted all the wrong things about our country and not the good things? As a responsible citizen, is it not your duty to show the good image of your country to outsiders? Or are you just like the main character in your book, deceiving his own master for his self-interest?