By Harish Trivedi
© 2011
According to the PDF copies of news articles and interviews forwarded to friends by Natwar Gandhi, on February 11, 2011 a new collection of his sonnets titled Pennsylvania Avenue was released in Mumbai with much fanfare and aplomb.
(I got the abovementioned forward from a kind friend who keeps me informed about such goings on here as well as in India and even from across the world).
But let’s move on -
Book release parties in the big cities like Mumbai are more or less formulaic – readings from the works of the writer/poet/playwright, speech full of lavish praise by the publisher who also acts as a cheer-leader- in- chief for his client writer/poet what have you… attendance by available writers or client writers of the publishing house, other literati, journalists and hangers on make a large part of audience at such gatherings. The gala event for the release of Pennsylvania Avenue was no exception.
The world renowned Santoor player and the current president of the Indo-American Society (and a good friend) Snehal Mozoomdar (his preferred spelling) made introductory remarks, Bhagwatikumar Sharma, the octogenarian poet – much respected and admired for his Gazals and Sonnets, journalist, past president of the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad presided over the event. Suresh Dalal - a poet, critic, columnist and an impresario who is known for hosting his client writers book-launch parties and the chief honcho at the publishing house Image Publications of Mumbai made incidental and predictable remarks praising Natwar Gandhi to high heavens. (For an alleged 100,000 to 200,000 rupees a book this things don’t come cheap). Incidentally, the Image Publications had also published Natwar Gandhi’s earlier sonnet collections America, America (2004) and India, India (2006).
Noted actors, poets such as Utkarsh Mazumdar, Ankit Trivedi, Chirag Vora, and Panna Naik et al provided dramatic reading of some of the poems by Natwar Gandhi.
At the book release event in Mumbai, everything was great no everything was fantastic. Some may even call it awesome and why not? Every one must have had a jolly good time and satisfaction of having attended a literary event (that it was). Even cynics like me are impressed – I particularly love the amount of the hot air that the speakers blow at such occasions. I was so overjoyed by reading the description of event in Chitralekha (March 7, 2011) and an interview with Natwar Gandhi accompanied by big photos in Mumbai Samachar ((February 26, 2011) that I dashed off an email congratulating Natwarbhai Gandhi. I must say that Natwar Gandhi’s poems make enjoyable reading. So more power to him! May he write many more poems and essays for our enjoyment and entertainment.
So if you are wondering, why am I writing about a month old book release party in Mumbai? Wonder no more…
It is the irony of this whole shindig (the book release party or the Vimochan samaramb for the launching of Pennsylvania Avenue in Mumbai) that I could not miss noticing.
The Image Publications of Mumbai, publishers of the Pennsylvania Avenue is known for being one of the more popular vanity publishers and it thrives on publishing works by NRIs (Non Resident Indians) for big bucks. If your work is published by the Image Publications, pre and post publicity of your work is guaranteed. As the name suggests, these folks are image-makers. This is a business and I am not quarreling with Image Publication’s business practices. But it would be nice if the newspaper that carries Suresh Dalal’s column recognizes the conflict of interest when Suresh Dalal fawns over or indulges in openly apple-polishing every book that his company publishes in his columns. One feels like wiping off the drool after reading such columns.
Having said this, let’s look at some excerpts from the much discussed and much praised essay titled Gujarati Diaspora Writing--A Call for Independence by none other than Natwar Gandhi. He has publicly criticized such events and diaspora writers who seek out approval from Indian critics etc.
‘We look to India to get a Good Housekeeping stamp of approval…’
‘Dependence of Diaspora
‘Gujarati NRI writers look homeward for approval particularly for what they write. They strive to get good reviews and they get them easily in India. A North American return address on the envelope or a call from North America works wonders in India. As long as you are willing to pay, Indian publishers are willing to print and publish any rubbish any one pretending to be a writer comes up with. They would even hold a book party at your expense. Eminent Gujarati writers would show up at book parties to give their blessings. Photographers are at the ready and for the right price the newspapers are eager to publish the “news” of the party with appropriate pictures. Favorable forewords and book reviews can also be bought. NRI doctor, engineer or accountant is now an established novelist or poet! TV and radio interviews soon follow.’
‘This game is mutually satisfactory. The NRI’s long deferred dream of being a writer is realized while the publisher or a promoter makes a fast buck. The promoter’s dream of making an all expense paid trip to the United States might also be realized. A favorable foreword, a follow up column along with a literary prize could make such a trip a reality’.
‘The NRI writer who would happen to be a doctor, an engineer or an accountant is often lauded for his literary interests. He is also applauded for being a good ambassador of Indian culture and literature in the United States. …In short, it is a sham’.
This proves that Natwar Gandhi is no exception to what he so strongly abhors in others. Hypocrisy? Chutzpah (pronounced hutspa)? or just plain audacity of hype - You be the judge.
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