In
the 1970’s India suffered through a period of social upheaval and political
oppression. Prime Minister Indira Ghandi imposed a State of Emergency on the
country. She did this mainly to retain political power (ruthlessly purging and
arresting opponents and other government officials.) She also tried to forcibly
modernize the country. Her thugs, enforcing her policies, inflicted misery on
the poorest citizens. Often they were forcibly rounded up and bussed to
political rallies to increase crowd size. Men were kidnapped off the streets
and subjected to involuntary vasectomies in appalling conditions. People were
left homeless and even killed in a careless, poorly-planned effort to eradicate
slums. This is the society in which the
four protagonists of
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, struggle to
survive.
Dina,
a widow resisting remarriage, tries to retain her independence and her own home
by starting a dress-making business. To this end, she hires two itinerant
tailors, Ishvar and his nephew Om. They
belong to the Untouchable caste and are fleeing violence in their own state.
Dina also takes a boarder, Maleck, a young student from the north of the
country. At first the arrangement works for all involved. Ishvar and Om are
happy to have work; Maleck is pleased to have a place to live. And Dina is
thrilled to have established a successful business that enables her to maintain
her independence. But their little haven
of tranquility is soon disrupted when corrupt and powerful politics interfere
with their daily lives. Eventually Maleck, unable to coexist with the pervasive
violence in Indian life, leaves the country. But Dina, Ishvar and Om cannot
leave. They must learn to accept the harsh circumstances of their lives.
Despite their suffering, including hunger, homelessness, illness, and
eventually, forced sterilization, the two tailors retain a heart-breaking
acceptance of whatever hardships they must endure. And Dina never allows disappointment destroy
her sense of decency. They have found the fine balance needed to survive in Indira
Ghandi’s India.
