By Neha Kirpal
Undoubtedly one of the nicer books I’ve read this year, “The Butterfly Generation” is a portrayal of today’s urban Indian youth.
Told through a narrative that’s part fiction and part essay, the author often adds reflections and experiences of his growing up years in India at a time when a multitude of change was taking place. From the evolution of Doordarshan in the eighties and the explosion of satellite television in the nineties {when series like “Bold and the Beautiful” became household names}, to Indian society’s acceptance of western concepts like Valentine’s Day, homosexuality, and the ‘slutwalk’ – phenomena that each of us from this generation can relate to.
The setting of the book shuffles between India’s metropolitan cities and its small towns, its skyscraper multinational offices and narrow rural by-lanes. The author certainly has a way with words – it’s a style that’s simple, yet unique, at times funny, and most usually subtle in its treatment of the subject. We feel familiar with the people in these stories, whether it’s the call-center-working graduate who lives by the mantra of ‘working hard and partying harder,’ or the socialite you recently bumped into at a friend’s party or neighbourhood club.
Sample this extract from a story called ‘Thumbelina on Speed’:
“Aditi is fiercely independent. She’s grown up in North India and knows how to deal with North Indian men. In Gautam Nagar the man who sells her cigarettes acts fresh with her at times. She avoids his shop and starts buying her Goldflakes from elsewhere. But there are times when she also holds her ground.
Aditi likes to wear short dresses and boots with bangles to match. I’m with her one day when a man gets off a bus, starts walking away. The moment he sees her he changes direction. Now he’s walking straight at her. She continues to follow her original trajectory. I’m dreading a head-on collision right here on the footpath between bus sleaze ball and feisty babe. At the last minute the man swerves, he does nothing, doesn’t even leer. His eyes are glued to the ground when he passes her.
Aditi can be warm and affectionate and passionate but she doesn’t believe in falling in love. I think she feels that love and possession would hamper her independence. Her lover might start making demands on her and she’d hate that.
At times, we find it difficult, especially when I’m with someone else and she misses me or the other way round. We don’t lay any claims on each other; still, deep inside, you feel a pang. A wisp of an ache. There is little you can do in such situations but learn to let go.”
Drugs, sex, ragging, money: This book covers possibly all the issues that today’s generation encounters and battles with, strongly voicing our story – and telling it like it is.
Author of “The Butterfly Generation”, Palash, was born in Bombay in 1975. Educated at St. Stephen’s College, the Delhi School of Economics, and Balliol College, Oxford, he lives in New Delhi and Dehradun. This former schoolmaster spoke to me about his writing affair with the city.
Neha | Tell us about some of your best memories of college life in DU.
Palash | DU was fantastic. What made it special was staying on campus, whether it was the Rez in St. Stephen’s, or living with African students in the International Students’ House (when I was doing a Masters at D School).
It was a time of intellectual discovery. We had excellent teachers. There was a whole bunch of us who liked reading and we read a lot, often together, in one room. We edited magazines. One friend led to the next; one book to another. We read indiscriminately and across genres. We stole a lot of books too!
Neha | If you had to choose just one best thing about Delhi, what would it be?
Palash | I like the constant change. Delhi improves everyday. I like that Delhi belongs to no one. No ethnicity or language dominates. It is genuine no-man’s land, a rarity in our country. Also, the lack of moral policing makes this the perfect place to be young and horny.
Neha | Of all the changes in the city over the past few years, which is the one that disturbs you most?
Palash | Violence. Women being raped in moving cars at will. Men being killed in road rage incidents. Most people seem to drive around armed with iron rods. Delhi is a rich and violent city where the rich perpetrate violence. It makes me cringe. It also makes me afraid, both for myself, and for my friends.
Neha | Any particular spot in Delhi that you revisit to find inspiration to write?
Palash | I like walking around Connaught Place. You see and feel the bustle of people, which I like. Otherwise, Delhi is a very car-driven city. You don’t see people for miles on end, until you hit the next market. The pavements are mostly empty.
Neha | Where in Delhi does Palash head most often to get a drink?
Palash | Delhi is a terrible place to drink. Drinking out is horribly expensive; the mark-ups are absurd. It has few dives. 4S in Defence Colony is my favourite watering hole. For one, it’s not a theme bar. That’s a relief. It has no bouncer but an old-fashioned, moustachioed doorman who never loses his temper. Prices are reasonable. The music isn’t loud. An excellent place to racket around.
On Our Reading List |
‘The Butterfly Generation’
Author | Palash Krishna Mehrotra
Publisher | Rupa Rain Tree
Price | Rs. 450
