Hello
Gentle Reader
I
came across Mahasweta Devi only recently, while beginning to do research for my
annual Nobel Speculation list. It is always a real shame when in producing and
researching the list, I know very few Indian writers, and am only capable of
including an embarrassing amount of Indian writers on the list. I know when I
came across Mahasweta Devi that I would be unable to include her on the list,
because of her advanced age; however, I was immediately struck by the social
conscious of the writer. Devi was spearheading movements about tribal life in
India, and how the tribal cultures where continually on the brink of anthropological
extinction in the every encroaching modern and information saturated world. It
wasn’t just the tribal people Devi wrote most about, she also had a sympathetic
and often empathetic view towards all people on the lower caste of the system,
which often made her spokeswomen for equal rights. She openly said in a speech
at the Jaipur literary festival, that all human beings had the divine right to
dream. Publisher Urvashi Bhutalia told the BBC: “I would remember her as one of
the most important writers in India because of the subjects she chose and
remained faithful to them.” Devi indeed was a kind woman, who is known for
remaining completely faithful to her chosen subjects of writing. She fought for
equal rights for all human beings. She died earlier this week, from cardiac
arrest, and multiple organ failure. India and the Bengali language, certainly
lost one of its best writers.
Rest
in Peace, Mahasweta Devi
Thank-you
For Reading Gentle Reader
Take
Care
And
As Always
Stay
Well Read
M.
Mary
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