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Waiting For Mahatma – R.K. Narayan

I thought it would be all about Gandhiji but it was not.

Set in the backdrop of freedom struggle, this book is actually the story of a young man, belonging to a fairly well off family, who is abandoning his grandma and going to participate in the satyagraha movement with Gandhiji, only because he could pursue his love interest who happens to be one of Gandhiji’s disciples.

It’s funny if you think about it. But it also reflects on the aimless and impulsive nature of being young. The book is not kind to the protagonist. He is portrayed as this man caught in this web of larger than life things and he doesn’t know how to react to it. He is needy of affection and love. He doesn’t have much principles or idea about what he is doing. Imagine leaving your only living (close)relation, who is an old woman, and walking off to participate in the Freedom Movement, ignoring all the tears and protests of the woman who took care of you for years. That is what the protagonist is actually doing. He is easily persuaded by others and took advantage off. And when he meets someone who sees him for what he is, all the words he memorized and ideas he preach without believing comes to abrupt end. For me it was a reflection of basic student politics of this era. Students participating protests say big words and slogan and believes themselves to be the idealistic leaders of tomorrow, but when they are asked one or two fundamental questions about what they are protesting against they are speechless. i am not talking about the leaders who take effort to arrange these protests but those who free rides them hoping to convince themselves that they are the good and responsible citizens of the nation.  

Book is written in a light fashion using light words, so that anyone with a basic knowledge in English can enjoy it. Even though the book is light hearted in it's presentation, the implications of the book are very strong. Author presents many ideologies and perspectives to the reader without forcing anything down into his throat. All of them are introduced as a part of character development and broadening view of the protagonist. Proving once again that, a well written story automatically includes the political and social aspects of that era, and a deliberate addition of these subjects to the story is really unnecessary.

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