Madam, I am not exactly King Solomon to be looking into your assertions; but since you pack such a wallop in your intense observations - I wish to take up cudgels in terms of reasoning on behalf of the 24-old nurse. I still do hope that your note was tounge-in-cheek, and that I am wrong in my reading. What I am suggesting here is the relevance of grace - particulary in this case. This issue is not about religion, convictions en masse, science, heuristics and other topics that occassionaly make us proud or despair to be part of this Goanet. Its about telling a small story, and the ability to put it out. That is the way I see it.
Perhaps it may cramp your style but I would be remiss in not pointing it out that the 24-yr old nursing student wrote a piece and in doing so, will earned credit as a writer. Thats is simply the way it is. How far she goes and whether she receives acknowledgement will be another issue. The principal motivation as was quite obvious; although by no means literary as we understand it, was to share - showcase if you will; an experience - hers. The framing of her experience irked your sensibilities in a way that raised questions as to her precise motivation. People are motivated by many catalysts as well as cataclysmic events. Although she in a sense dilineated herself as a Goan - the spirit of Mumbailkars/ Mumbaiites still came through her. The city will always surface in those who live in them. Western philosophies did not develop in the woods. One is a part of it, and innately develops an ability to see the wearing of the city upon itself and its denizens from other perspectives. It is almost an anamorphoses of the being. I am very much a New Yorker (although a citizen of India). I see New York as an insider. Sociologists will attest to this reality of city-dwellers. We should be able to see the Mumbai in her in terms of how she expressed her narrative. She did not have to talk about Mumbai in a linear framework. Its like denying a movie director a certian perspective. Perhaps she should have written a string of articles! But, viewing her missive through the stark lens of narratology and narrative structure is a bit much. We in the west are also quite privideged and have the ability to be amused with the occassional disruption. But this amusement stems from the fact that the general travails we may face are transitory, which upon passing seems miniscule and actually strengthes the spirit (ususllay there is little else aside from the strenth of will), and peculiarly fortifies it. For those who live in India, hardship is a ground reality, with site specifics unique to each locale. One has every right to disdain or have a hearty laugh at seeing the contrary to what the writer has said - if one truly believes it is so. In modernity; we have access to technology and dizzying speeds of delivery - all at a price. Some can trulty partake in it and some may not be able to do so. Others use a broader rustic palette, which may include a letter to the editor or an essay or some other form. Some may make a drawing that few know even exists. Others paint. Some write music. And in the process bring a tiny bit of sanity to thenselves or exuberance (Urba) to distant parts of the family. Its true that she could have phoned her folks in Goa - perhaps they do not have a phone, perhaps its a bit too expensive, perhaps she simply wanted to write; because, its one way to delve into a form that begins with taking the initial step. After that its hard work. But in writing that narrative she embarked on that path for better or for worse as time will reveal. You on the contrary you chose not to write or state your horrors or demons if any, on that eventful day. It takes a certain amount of intellectual effort, and a leap of faith to lay oneself bare - which generally most writing does. ANY KIND OF REFINEMENT COMES LATER THROUGH LIVING THE AESTHETIC. Ex. Carrying oneself well in an A-line dress or a suit for that matter. Perhaps you are of some sophistication- excellent language abilities, flair for a good argument, and a sense of textual spaces. Perhaps you too are 24 years of age but much advanced in writing formalisms and style, diction, erudition, etiquette, and in the good Post-Enlightenment stuff that modernity has on offer. However, you choose to stray into ridicule! Yet maintain a complex balance in your assertions. Give a little, yet take back by virtue of sustaining disbelief. Which reminds me - that, going by the few Menezes' whose posts I have read on Goanet and of two of whom much has appeared on this forum - I speculate that ones who share the surname Menezes' in general are a well heeled and I add without malice - a polished lot. But then you still choose to state the obvious. What motivated such a stance at this juncture? It has been sometime since we read her piece. Was anything vitiated within you by doing so? Its one thing if we take on our journalists, writers, the clergy or others who inform, propagate, debate or debase through language. Its something else when we aggrieve against exuberance on a subject quite liqueous, yet one emoted quite fairly. Stylistically, we ought to remember these things take time for the vast majority of those who pick up the pen, or the camera, or the brush, etc. Yet, others are abundantly blessed. I surmise that you must belong to the latter. In your note, you talk within a logic, where on the one hand you emphatise and yet on the other you emphasize that the article was about promotion. Excerpt: "while I fully emphatise with the writer in her experience , since i too was stuck in a similar situation on Mumbai on my routeback to Ca, but what amuses me is that from the article, despite the writer's pleas to the contrary that she just wanted to inform her extended family back in Goa about her well beiing, the article came across as a means to trying to promote herself ." This young woman is far from usurping the ability to promote herself. Promotion does not occur merely because a piece got printed - unless, you are alluding to some other form of promotion; aside from getting writing assignments or building a track record. This is the normal way people 'progress' and most have imbibed this. This is the crux and the prerogatives of the high born - contacts, networking, showcasing, chest thumping, whatever! Others finally have learnt to adapt, these techniques of those born to the manor. But, yet, I dont believe it to be true in this case. A few proverbs/sayings to further illustrate how I feel. I am staying away from the Konkani on this one. People of culture never use the word culture. Other ways to put it - Lokas Shikve Brahmadnyan aapand korde pashaand. (Old Marathi) One teaches the knowledge of Brahma to the masses but remains as ignornat as a stone or, Chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru. (Japanese) (Dust collected becomes a mountain) Let us not turn this into a mountain which is is not. Our 24- year old (nurse (Voiginn)) could tomorrow become a literary force, albeit because of what your note may most certainly inspire. Or simply turn away from any possibility. Funny how inspiration works. I know a bit about it. Venantius J Pinto ___________________________________________ Roberta >Dear Sir, > >This is in relation to the article 'Goan experiences Mumbaiites spirit during >Monsoon fury'.. Well I read the article with amusement. while I fully >emphatise with the writer in her experience , since i too was stuck in a >similar situation on Mumbai on my routeback to Ca, but what amuses me is that >from the article, despite the writer's pleas to the contrary that she just >wanted to inform her extended family back in Goa about her well beiing, the >article came across as a means to trying to promote herself .. I mean she >says >she supposesdly wrote the article because it would have a greater impact >being >from a "true bred goan" (as she puts it) and while the article's heading >talks >about the mumbaiites spirit, there is little to nothing in the article about >the spirit of the mumbaiites.. its only in the middle of the article that she >mentions that a nun helped her and that too coz she was a classmate and >towards the end she talks about sombody giving her a packet of biscuits.. the > rest of the article revoves around her and her origin, education and her >profession. > >Besides the dismal english,including the irrelevent cliches, all that i got >got from it was a sad tale of a 24 yr old nurse feeling sorry for herself and >trying to win the sympathy of others.. > >While i in no way mean to make light of her experiences in Mumbai >assuming in >all entirety that she has undergone them, she should also realize that if it >is the" Mumbaiites spirit" she wants to write about there should be more of >the "Mumbaiites spirit" in the article and less of her disgruntled moanings >no matter how pounded she felt... > >And in todays age of technology , writing an article in the paper isnt the >only means of informing your family back home how you are... there's >something >called an e-mail or a telephone call.. > >This is in no way to pose a critique to the lady, but simply to point out the >obvious !!! > >Hoping you''l publish this on your website, of which I'm a great fan... Keep >up the good work... >Roberta Menezes. 664 West 163 Street, #57 New York, NY 10032-4527 USA PH/Fax: +1 212.928.3955
