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sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
4.0
“A state with a national religion can easily become a religious state.”
This book has been given by Bangladesh government the highest honor that any government can ever give to any book – a ban. The book follows the story of one Sudhamay and his children Suranjan and Maya. The father and son have both been involved in nationalistic movements of Bangladesh and believe in their country. Sudhamay can’t stand the idea of leaving the country while his friends and relatives have – he even asks those who are about to leave whether they don’t feel ashamed of leaving their country in peril - and hence the title 'Shame'. All his life, he has compromised on his religious identity for sake of national identity.
The novel follows the disillusionment of this father and son about their country. What was born as a secular state has a Department of Religion which has a heavy budget almost all of which goes to promotion of Islam. A very nominal sum is allotted for minority religions – in fact four times that sum goes only to rehabilitation of those who chose to converted to Islam. Hindus in the country have declined from 22 % around 1951 to 8.5% in 2011 - the others, left, got killed or got converted. The schools have special Islamic classes which makes minority kids feel alienated. There is discrimination in job allocation with almost no Hindus ever making to upper steps of hierarchical ladder. Hindus don't get licences to start business except when it is in a partnership with a Muslim. There are several other ways in which the Hindus are discriminated, and both were aware of them, but if you are emotionally invested in some belief you hold on to it against much contrary evidence. To be fair, such discrimination is present in some degree in most of Indian subcontinent countries.
The book is set in the back-drop of riots that followed demolition of Babri Masjid. Nasrin is not afraid to call spades by their names – questioning both destroyers of Mosque (BJP, Hindu Vishav Parishad, RSS etc ) and indifference of ruling Congress. She often gives the death toll of riots in India. And that goes for Bangladeshi spades too - again questioning the communal party who was causing riots and secular ruling party which had maintained silence.
Obviously it was Hindus in India and not Bangladesh who were guilty of destroying mosque, but it has always been a tendency of weak minds to carry out their anger not on those who they are angry at, but on those on whom they can afford to be angry at. There are countless examples - instead of questioning powerful business-people and politicians for not raising wages and jobs, people would rather blame minorities, immigrants and reservation quotas; instead of being angry at police for not providing protection, people will rather blame the women who got raped for being out in the middle of night etc. And so, Bangladeshi Hindus had to suffer - destruction of temples, riots, murders, rapes, forced conversations, black-mail about leaving the country etc.
Suranjan doesn’t think that the word ‘riot’ describes what was happening in Bangladesh. The word ‘riot’ assumes a case of two sides fighting in each-other as in India where Muslims had replied to Hindu violence in kind, but in Bangladesh, Hindus had done nothing in reply and so it wasn’t riots, it was mass-murder.
Nasrin's characters realize that powerful will always oppress the weak – the men will oppress the women, the majority religion people will oppress the minorities, the rich will oppress the poor and so on.
The book sometimes reads like fictionalized non-fiction with arguments and information being the key subject of book and story only getting the second seat. Almost half the book goes to listing every incidence of riot that ever occurred in Bangladesh – naming city and number of people killed, women raped and temples destroyed there. She also lists at least some incidences of India. These longs lists although effective initially in giving the sheer volume of violence, soon gets a bit boring and even skim-able.
Another problem is that this incidences are being mentally listed by characters in their mind and orally recited to each-other, as if they have crammed all this information like news channels reporters do. But that is the problem, the information is not even being broadcast-ed on television – they just seems to know about incidences occurring in distant cities by intuition. It is a minor thing but it keeps occurring again and again. Similarly Surnajan seems to remember sayings of Jinnah and Kalam (okay) as well as the constitution along with the many amendments that have gone in it (not okay). It would have made more sense if the omniscient narrator herself had shared the information and arguments directly instead of giving her characters hard-disk memories.
Regarding disputed land, I've always believed like Suranjan that all religious places should be destroyed and houses for poor, orphanages, hospitals, schools etc- in short something actually useful should be built in their place, and if you have enough land for that already, sell the land and use the money for charitable purposes but am against destruction of worshipping place of one religion for building that of other.
Although I also had an Uncle who had another attractive, practical and secular idea as to what should be done to disputed land and if you were to extend the idea a little, it will solve all religious problems at once - his idea was to build a pub in that place, and both Hindus and Muslims would drink in the pub in complete communal harmony. I would rather make Alcohalism the sole religion for the whole world ... no, I'm not joking, just look at the benifits - conversions will be so far more intresting; every once a year we can line-up and kill all those teetotaller infidels, they are hardly living anyway; and for one month every year, people will drink nothing but drink alcohal. We shall baptise at age of five - by feeding the kid half a glass of Jack Martin, it will still be better than all the funny things religious people keep doing to their children. And if you consider it blasphemous, just look at evidence - Christ turned water into wine and gaveth it to people - I mean what does that tell you? Holy Grail wouldn't have been half as interesting if Jesus had drunk water from it - and what kind of rest you think God was having on seventh day? He obviously didnt go to church. Almost all Sufi poets talk about wine; and what do you think that 'somras' that Hindu dieties loved drinking so much was? Why, friends, it was just your every day Blenders Pride brewed with a lot of sugar at initial stages to give it a sweet taste. And Greeks and Romans actually had Gods of wine - Dionysus and Bacchus; who can easily serve for those into idol worship. Admit it, it is that one God that every religion worship - and being a deeply pious soul myself, it kills me to see how so many people miss the obvious truth. There are other benifits too, including the fact that making confessions are so far easier if you are drunk - and chances are if you are frequently drunk, you will have something real to confess about; wine comes in many brands and chances are you will like one brand or other and so it is far more attractive religion and above all, all religions offer their Utopias (otherwise called 'heavens' or 'paradise') only after death - I mean it's a life time of wait; and even that with a lot of stipulations as to what you can or can not do meanwhile; and they will give you a hell of time if you fail to fulfil them. Alcoholism is only religion that provides services of instant Utopia for price of a few bucks and a bit of hangover. And so, if you are wise enough to adhere my summons, then it is high time we replace priests with bartenders.
jasleeen's review against another edition
3.0
The fictional angle of the story was nice, the only thing that kept things afloat (for me).
bookpup's review against another edition
I can clearly see why this book is banned in Bangladesh. No country wants their faults shown. They don't want to face the reality. But that is what this is. Hindus across Bangladesh were killed (strike) massacred. Their houses looted, the women raped and the men beaten to an inch of their life. Isn't the country theirs as well? They weren't the ones who even burned down that mosque. What a stupid reason. Like I understand being upset that a mosque was burnt but going so far as to kill /harm the Hindus in your own country who weren't even involved in that? They are your own neighbors. The people who helped you in trouble. Why don't people understand that?
I hated Suronjon. Throughout the book, I sympathised a bit with him. After all it's hard to survive in a dog eat dog world. Especially when the whole world seems against you because of your religion. But his actions at the end of the book ruined the characters for me. Rape. Is. Not. The. Solution. To. Your. Problems. How dare you?? She was as innocent as anyone. Eff you.
I feel that the government of Bangladesh failed its citizens. Where is the secularism you promised? The equality? They need to apologize. And soon.
Since I feel like this is a very important read, I won't be rating it.
I hated Suronjon. Throughout the book, I sympathised a bit with him. After all it's hard to survive in a dog eat dog world. Especially when the whole world seems against you because of your religion. But his actions at the end of the book ruined the characters for me. Rape. Is. Not. The. Solution. To. Your. Problems. How dare you?? She was as innocent as anyone. Eff you.
I feel that the government of Bangladesh failed its citizens. Where is the secularism you promised? The equality? They need to apologize. And soon.
Since I feel like this is a very important read, I won't be rating it.
neethuraghavan676's review against another edition
4.0
I still can't believe this book is not a fiction but the struggles a family had to overcome.
When babari masjid was demolished by Hindu fundamentalist it's fallout is most acutely felt in Bangladesh where the Muslims are in majority with a few hindu families there. One among that family is of the Duttas- Sudhamoy, kironmoyee and their children Suranjan and Maya. Suranjan is an atheist and trusts that his motherland will not let him down. But with this incident in 1992, the muslims starts attacking the minority hindu families there.
With all this happening, Sudhamay can't stand the idea of leaving his country and he even asks his people who are leaving that don't they feel ashamed(lajja) of leaving their nation.
Though hindu people there get killed or converted, schools are only for muslim kids, hindus belong to the lowest step in employment opportunity ladders, they can't start a business of their own, for people who always compromised their religion for there nation these were all acceptable.
Through out the book there is this fact that powerful will always oppress the weak :men-women, majority-minority, rich-poor and so on.
I liked how Suranjan believed to destroy all the religious places and instead build houses for the poor, orphanages, hospitals, schools for all etc.
I also likes Suranjans statement that it was not riot that was happening in Bangladesh. It was minorities being destroyed by the majorities.
It took me days to complete the book. There were no rays of hope right from the start. It was struggle throughout. When religion and politics come before him man becomes some other animal and he looses his human nature becoming wild.
When babari masjid was demolished by Hindu fundamentalist it's fallout is most acutely felt in Bangladesh where the Muslims are in majority with a few hindu families there. One among that family is of the Duttas- Sudhamoy, kironmoyee and their children Suranjan and Maya. Suranjan is an atheist and trusts that his motherland will not let him down. But with this incident in 1992, the muslims starts attacking the minority hindu families there.
With all this happening, Sudhamay can't stand the idea of leaving his country and he even asks his people who are leaving that don't they feel ashamed(lajja) of leaving their nation.
Though hindu people there get killed or converted, schools are only for muslim kids, hindus belong to the lowest step in employment opportunity ladders, they can't start a business of their own, for people who always compromised their religion for there nation these were all acceptable.
Through out the book there is this fact that powerful will always oppress the weak :men-women, majority-minority, rich-poor and so on.
I liked how Suranjan believed to destroy all the religious places and instead build houses for the poor, orphanages, hospitals, schools for all etc.
I also likes Suranjans statement that it was not riot that was happening in Bangladesh. It was minorities being destroyed by the majorities.
It took me days to complete the book. There were no rays of hope right from the start. It was struggle throughout. When religion and politics come before him man becomes some other animal and he looses his human nature becoming wild.
chuck9997's review against another edition
4.0
This is not a very well-written book but certainly a brave one, for it checks all the boxes required- being banned, burned and the writer living in exile.
The book focuses on how communalism pushed by political agendas causes people to abandon the places they have been rooted for generations. Its gut wrenching to read the charachters in the book getting chipped away from their idealist principles to finally scumb to despair, not just due to the fear for life, but also the hopelessness arising from the inability to digest the futility of their lifelong high morals and secularist viewpoints.
The book focuses on how communalism pushed by political agendas causes people to abandon the places they have been rooted for generations. Its gut wrenching to read the charachters in the book getting chipped away from their idealist principles to finally scumb to despair, not just due to the fear for life, but also the hopelessness arising from the inability to digest the futility of their lifelong high morals and secularist viewpoints.
misspalah's review against another edition
5.0
“Ironically, all religions point towards one goal - peace. Yet it is in the name of religion that there has been so much unrest and lack of peace. So much blood that has been shed and so many people have sufferred. It is indeed a pity that even at the close of the twentieth century we’ve had to witness such atrocities, all in the name of religion. Flying the flag of the religion has always proved the easiest way to crush to nothingness human beings, as well as the the spirit of humanity”.
- Lajja, Taslima Nasrin.
.
.
First of all, Kudos to Taslima Nasrin for writing this novel to highlight the injustice that has been done towards Hindus Minority in Bangladesh after the demolition of Babri Mosque in Ayodhya on 6 December 1992. Despite having no connection with the VHP, the BJP and 150,000 volunteers (kar sevaks) aside from having the same religion, they have been enduring religious persecution and genocide. I am not surprised to know that After Lajja was published, many Islamic fundamentalists has threatened her life and she was forced to exile her own country and escaped to Sweden. For those who are not familiar with Babri Mosque History, the dispute has begun since the 19th century. Both Hindus and Muslims claimed that it belonged to them. For Hindus, the mosque previously built on the pre-existing temple land and For Muslims, because it was built in 1528 by general Mir Baqi, on the orders of the Mughal emperor Babur. Despite government intervention and order, none managed to stop what happened to Babri Mosque in 1992. This alone sparked a series of communal violence across Indian subcontinent which brought us to the main characters , The Duttas (Sudhamoy, Kironmoyee, Suranjan and Maya) in Bangladesh.
.
.
The book itself was not an easy read. Taslima held nothing back in her writing. Although it was fictional but all the incidents and statisticsl description is real. In chapter 2 alone, Sudhamoy recalled for about 4 pages of real life events of what his community has endured being a minority in his own country. Rape, murder, land takeover, forced exile, you named it, everything was in the list. The same format is repeated by Suranjan, when he recalled how many Hindu temples has been destroyed in communal violence across Bangladesh. All of this is written in details manner as to educate the readers that this has been going for years and no one bats an eye on it. The resemblance of how post 9/11 treated muslims all over the world is similar to what Babri Mosque Demolition done to Hindu Minority across Indian Subcontinent is uncanny. Dicrimination, Racism and Hate crime is simply part of the baggage one must carry due to which religion they belonged to. Before i forget, I would like to thank the translator, Tutul Gupta for translating this gem from Bengali to English. There’s no awkward transition while reading this, at least not that i know of.
.
.
The plot for the book is simple but impactful, brilliant but heart wrenching. It explored the Dutta’s perspectives which is via Sudhamoy , Kironmonyee, Suranjan and Maya. Sudhamoy voices brought us into his own experience, from Bangladesh Independence from Pakistan, Bengali Identity and his undying love and loyalty to his own country. Despite being pushed to move around due to his religion, he is so adamant in staying and possibly die in Bangladesh. Suranjan, on the other hands, grew up among muslims, has a muslim friends and even muslim lover. He sees no differences among his friends and refused to worship the idols. However, Babri Mosque Demolition changed something in him and the way he looked everyone around him. Alternately, Kironmoyee yearned to be reunited with her family in India but decided to obey her husband and stayed in Bangladesh. Maya, on the other hands, saw the true color of her own best friend, Parul when she decided to hide there when people are rioting and hunting the hindus post the Babri Mosque incident. All voices stood out on their own narrating their experience as a second class citizens in their own country.
- Lajja, Taslima Nasrin.
.
.
First of all, Kudos to Taslima Nasrin for writing this novel to highlight the injustice that has been done towards Hindus Minority in Bangladesh after the demolition of Babri Mosque in Ayodhya on 6 December 1992. Despite having no connection with the VHP, the BJP and 150,000 volunteers (kar sevaks) aside from having the same religion, they have been enduring religious persecution and genocide. I am not surprised to know that After Lajja was published, many Islamic fundamentalists has threatened her life and she was forced to exile her own country and escaped to Sweden. For those who are not familiar with Babri Mosque History, the dispute has begun since the 19th century. Both Hindus and Muslims claimed that it belonged to them. For Hindus, the mosque previously built on the pre-existing temple land and For Muslims, because it was built in 1528 by general Mir Baqi, on the orders of the Mughal emperor Babur. Despite government intervention and order, none managed to stop what happened to Babri Mosque in 1992. This alone sparked a series of communal violence across Indian subcontinent which brought us to the main characters , The Duttas (Sudhamoy, Kironmoyee, Suranjan and Maya) in Bangladesh.
.
.
The book itself was not an easy read. Taslima held nothing back in her writing. Although it was fictional but all the incidents and statisticsl description is real. In chapter 2 alone, Sudhamoy recalled for about 4 pages of real life events of what his community has endured being a minority in his own country. Rape, murder, land takeover, forced exile, you named it, everything was in the list. The same format is repeated by Suranjan, when he recalled how many Hindu temples has been destroyed in communal violence across Bangladesh. All of this is written in details manner as to educate the readers that this has been going for years and no one bats an eye on it. The resemblance of how post 9/11 treated muslims all over the world is similar to what Babri Mosque Demolition done to Hindu Minority across Indian Subcontinent is uncanny. Dicrimination, Racism and Hate crime is simply part of the baggage one must carry due to which religion they belonged to. Before i forget, I would like to thank the translator, Tutul Gupta for translating this gem from Bengali to English. There’s no awkward transition while reading this, at least not that i know of.
.
.
The plot for the book is simple but impactful, brilliant but heart wrenching. It explored the Dutta’s perspectives which is via Sudhamoy , Kironmonyee, Suranjan and Maya. Sudhamoy voices brought us into his own experience, from Bangladesh Independence from Pakistan, Bengali Identity and his undying love and loyalty to his own country. Despite being pushed to move around due to his religion, he is so adamant in staying and possibly die in Bangladesh. Suranjan, on the other hands, grew up among muslims, has a muslim friends and even muslim lover. He sees no differences among his friends and refused to worship the idols. However, Babri Mosque Demolition changed something in him and the way he looked everyone around him. Alternately, Kironmoyee yearned to be reunited with her family in India but decided to obey her husband and stayed in Bangladesh. Maya, on the other hands, saw the true color of her own best friend, Parul when she decided to hide there when people are rioting and hunting the hindus post the Babri Mosque incident. All voices stood out on their own narrating their experience as a second class citizens in their own country.
solachi's review against another edition
5.0
"I know what you're going to tell me. You'll say all the Hindu temples have been violated and the women raped. If there is anything else, you can tell me."
.
When India razed Babri mosque to the ground in 1992, it put Hindus in a dangerous spot around Muslims dominated places. Taslima Nasreen pens down the real events that happened in Bangladesh after the Babri masjid incident by bringing in the Dutta family of four - Sudhamay Dutta, a doctor who finds a sense of home in the land of Bangladesh; Kiramayee Dutta, the dutiful homemaker who yearns to follow her father to India but stuck with Sudhamay's brassbound nature; Suranjan, the 33 year old MA graduate - unemployed son, choosing nationalism, eventually disappointed & slowly adapting to communalism. Suranjan remains insensitive to the news of demolished temples & young girls raped, but when the horror knocks on his door, he becomes aware of the reality that they're living in. His sister Maya Dutta plays a vital role in Suranjan's realisation of his wasted life. Suranjan is humiliated and ashamed of his incompetency to save his family, his inability to earn for the family & his helplessness to stay a human being rather than a Hindu. What will happen to Dutta family while hiding from the fundamentalists, in the course of thirteen days?
.
The novel gives brief history of the riots in thirteen chapters, on the account of one chapter for one day. The incidents penned down are disturbing & unforgettable because of the grotesque & gruesome actions. Lajja has always been at the centre of controversy; everybody wants to stay human but that simple task is arduous because of religion & politics. In every religion we have fundamentalist fanatics; one needs to understand that this book is not to blame one community but all. All of them are responsible for the people suffering in the name of religion. Nasreen's hidden theme was female oppression but no one is bothered to delve deeper into that. Only in India we say that women are the "izzat" of their families yet men still humiliate them to strip them of their honour. We certainly are hypocrites.
.
Rating: 5/5
.
When India razed Babri mosque to the ground in 1992, it put Hindus in a dangerous spot around Muslims dominated places. Taslima Nasreen pens down the real events that happened in Bangladesh after the Babri masjid incident by bringing in the Dutta family of four - Sudhamay Dutta, a doctor who finds a sense of home in the land of Bangladesh; Kiramayee Dutta, the dutiful homemaker who yearns to follow her father to India but stuck with Sudhamay's brassbound nature; Suranjan, the 33 year old MA graduate - unemployed son, choosing nationalism, eventually disappointed & slowly adapting to communalism. Suranjan remains insensitive to the news of demolished temples & young girls raped, but when the horror knocks on his door, he becomes aware of the reality that they're living in. His sister Maya Dutta plays a vital role in Suranjan's realisation of his wasted life. Suranjan is humiliated and ashamed of his incompetency to save his family, his inability to earn for the family & his helplessness to stay a human being rather than a Hindu. What will happen to Dutta family while hiding from the fundamentalists, in the course of thirteen days?
.
The novel gives brief history of the riots in thirteen chapters, on the account of one chapter for one day. The incidents penned down are disturbing & unforgettable because of the grotesque & gruesome actions. Lajja has always been at the centre of controversy; everybody wants to stay human but that simple task is arduous because of religion & politics. In every religion we have fundamentalist fanatics; one needs to understand that this book is not to blame one community but all. All of them are responsible for the people suffering in the name of religion. Nasreen's hidden theme was female oppression but no one is bothered to delve deeper into that. Only in India we say that women are the "izzat" of their families yet men still humiliate them to strip them of their honour. We certainly are hypocrites.
.
Rating: 5/5
esther_habs's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
pinkballoon100's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
masu_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Complete review
I was impressed by how well Nasrin lets us into the inner worlds of the Dutta family, and how, in such a short book, we get to know them, understand them, and are able to sympathise with each of them albeit their many differences. The only parts I didn't like about Lajja: Shame were the enumerations of violent acts that were committed towards the Hindu communities in Bangladesh - while they are certainly interesting and heart-wrenching through their sheer volume, after a while I skipped over most of them.
I was impressed by how well Nasrin lets us into the inner worlds of the Dutta family, and how, in such a short book, we get to know them, understand them, and are able to sympathise with each of them albeit their many differences. The only parts I didn't like about Lajja: Shame were the enumerations of violent acts that were committed towards the Hindu communities in Bangladesh - while they are certainly interesting and heart-wrenching through their sheer volume, after a while I skipped over most of them.