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Such a Long Journey (novel)

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For the film adaptation, see Such a Long Journey (film).
Such a Long Journey
Cover for the 1997 edition
AuthorRohinton Mistry
LanguageEnglish
GenreNovel
PublisherMcClelland and Stewart
Publication date
1 April 1991
Publication placeCanada, India
Media typePrint (Paperback and Hardback)
Pages424 pp (paperback first edition)
ISBNISBN 0-7710-6058-0 (first edition, paperback) Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character
OCLC23652180
Preceded byTales from Firozsha Bag 
Followed byA Fine Balance 

Such a Long Journey is a novel by Rohinton Mistry.

Plot introduction

Such a Long Journey takes place in Bombay, India, in the year 1971. The novel's protagonist is a hard-working bank clerk Gustad Noble, a member of the Parsi community and a devoted family man struggling to keep his wife Dilnavaz, and three children out of poverty. But his family begins to fall apart as his eldest son Sohrab refuses to attend the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology to which he has gained admittance and his youngest daughter, Roshan, falls ill. Other conflicts within the novel involve Gustad's ongoing interactions with his eccentric neighbours and his relationship with his close friend and co-worker, Dinshawji. Tehmul, a seemingly unimportant and mentally retarded character, is essential in Gustad's life, as he brings out the tender side of him and represents the innocence of life. A letter that Gustad receives one day from an old friend, Major Bilimoria, slowly draws him into a government deception involving threats, secrecy and large amounts of money. He then, begins the long journey, that sheds new light on all aspects of Gustad's personal and political life. The novel not only follows Gustad's life, but also India's political turmoil under the leadership of Indira Gandhi.

Reception

When it was published in 1991, it won the Governor General's Award, the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book, and the W.H. Smith/Books in Canada First Novel Award.[1] It was shortlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize and for the Trillium Award. It has been translated into German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Japanese, and has been made into the 1998 film Such a Long Journey.

Withdrawal from University of Mumbai's second year Bachelor of Arts syllabus

Academic freedom was undermined when the book had to be withdrawn from the syllabus on account of political pressure.

Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray's son Aditya, a final-year Arts student at St. Xavier's College, has managed to get Rohinton Mistry's novel "Such A Long Journey" withdrawn from the syllabus.

The book was prescribed for the second year Bachelor of Arts (English) in 2007-08 as an optional text, according to University sources. It was also confirmed that Dr. Rajan Welukar, University of Mumbai's Vice-Chancellor (V-C) used the emergency powers under Section 14 (7) of the Maharashtra Universities Act, 1994, to withdraw the book from the syllabus. Based on a complaint, the Board of Studies (English), which had recommended the book in the first place, resolved that it must be withdrawn with effect from September 15.

[2]

The University maintains that only 15 or 16 colleges opted for this book. On September 14, the Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena (BVS), the Sena's student wing, burnt copies of the book in front of the University gates and demanded that it be withdrawn within 24 hours. President of the BVS Abhijit Panse said that the book contained foul language and derogatory references to the Shiv Sena. Subsequent to a meeting called by Mr. Aditya to discuss the matter, the BVS issued an ultimatum to Dr. Welukar and demanded that those members of the Board of Studies (BOS) who had recommended this book should not be involved with any decisions in future.

[3]

Mr. Panse feels [citation needed] the book is offensive to the people in Maharashtra and has abusive references to dabbawalahs, the mentality of the ‘Marathi manoos' and Pandit Nehru. Much to the consternation of students and professors, the University sent a circular dropping the book from its syllabus just before the first-term examinations.

The manner in which the book was withdrawn has led to criticism. Senior journalist and writer Aroon Tikekar said [citation needed] the issue was how a 20 year-old could go up to the VC and give him a 24-hour ultimatum to withdraw a book? He questioned the use of the emergency powers in the taking of this decision and asked if the issue merited this, adding that what would happen to the book in other Universities in the State remains unanswered.

There is outrage that the VC took a hasty decision.

[4] It was the last year for the syllabus. Dr. Vispi Balaporia, former chairperson of the BOS and former English Literature professor, emphasises that the book was not withdrawn for academic reasons, saying that political parties made a demand that has nothing to do with academics. This book has been studied at the Masters level and in the BA third year for 20 years.

According to Dr. Balaporia, [citation needed] Dr. Welukar has acted in a high-handed manner without giving thought to the academic qualities of the book. The BOS was at liberty to frame syllabi by giving thought to what is being prescribed “The book, which is so obviously based on the Parsi community, is a superb portrayal of the community with all its eccentricities. I don't see the Parsis going up in arms,” she pointed out. “The book is based on an actual event — the Nagarwala case — where he impersonated Indira Gandhi to withdraw sums of money from a bank. This is a work of fiction and you have to be true to the characters you portray. It reflects what the characters think and not what the author thinks. Why can't the protesters understand the difference,” she asked.

[5]

434313
Awards
Preceded by Governor General's Award for English language fiction recipient
1991
 Succeeded by

Release details

  • Such a Long Journey, Toronto: McClelland and Stewart (1991) ISBN 0-7710-6058-0
  • Such a Long Journey, London: Faber (1991) ISBN 0-571-16147-2
  • Such a Long Journey, New York: Knopf (1991) ISBN 0-679-40258-6
  • Such a Long Journey, London: Faber (1992) ISBN 0-571-16525-7
  • Such a Long Journey, New York: Vintage (1992) ISBN 0-679-73871-1
  • Such a Long Journey, Toronto: McClelland and Stewart (1997) ISBN 0-7710-6057-2
  • Such a Long Journey, Toronto: McClelland and Stewart (1999) ISBN 0-7710-6104-8

References

  1. ^ Malieckal, Bindu (2000). "Rohinton Mistry". In Nelson, Emmanuel Sampath (Ed.), Asian American Novelists: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook, pp. 219-28. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0313309116.
  2. ^ http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/12/stories/2010101263421800.htm
  3. ^ http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/12/stories/2010101263421800.htm
  4. ^ http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/12/stories/2010101263421800.htm
  5. ^ http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/12/stories/2010101263421800.htm


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