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The Blindness of Superficiality

An Essay on Anees Salim’s novel The Blind Lady’s Descendants

Superficiality is a deadly human vice though most people seldom realise it. It is easy to live on the surface of everything from one’s profession to religion. Anees Salim’s novel, The Blind Lady’s Descendants, tells us a story of superficiality as lived by quite many people.

Amar, the protagonist of the novel, is 26 when he thinks that life is not worth living. He became an atheist at the age of 13. He had become a half-Muslim at the age of 5 when his little penis was circumcised partly since he ran away in pain during the process. Amar’s atheism, however, is as superficial as most believers’ religion is.

What initiated little Amar to atheism is “Dr Ibrahim’s farting fit.” Islamic prayer has to follow many a rule. “If you break wind during namaaz, you break a big rule, and you are to discontinue the prayer then and there, with no second thoughts.” Little Amar was unable to control his giggles as Dr Ibrahim struggled to negotiate between his farts and his namaaz. Unable to attain the discipline and wisdom required to accept farts as inevitable parts of human existence, Amar chooses to stay away from the mosque. That was at the age of 13.

A couple of years later, Amar becomes a confirmed atheist when he is caught eating during the Ramzan fasting. On being questioned why he didn’t follow the canons of his religion, Amar answers with a calm smile, “We are all born with the freedom to do several things. The freedom of speech, the freedom to practise…” His elder sister Jasira mocks him saying, “That’s from his history text.” Okay, then take it in his own words: “I have long stopped believing in Allah.”

Jasira consoles the pained mother, “Don’t worry, Mother. He will come back to the faith once fasting is over.”

Amar’s atheism is more a matter of expediency than any conviction. It is facile to blame Ibrahim’s (or anyone’s, for that matter) farting if you wish to avoid taking the trouble to offer the namaaz. It is more convenient to profess atheism than fast.

Religion is no better a conviction for most people. Akbal, Amar’s elder brother, is very religious.  He knows that the very first sound Neil Armstrong heard when he landed on the moon was “the muezzin’s call” to prayer. Akmal’s religion is founded on all sorts of lies which some believers have converted into a creed. Such people will distort realities to any extent to make them fit their religious perspectives. Neil Armstrong will transmute into Akmal Legstrong in their theology.

In Dec 1992, when Babri Masjid is going to be demolished by some Hindu activists, Akmal the firm believer is convinced that Allah would protect the masjid unscathed. When the masjid actually falls, Akmal refuses to believe it until BBC and the Doordarshan confirm it again and again with video reports. A few days later, Professor Muhammad Nasiruddin, Akmal’s and Amir’s brother-in-law (Jasira’s husband), gives a radio talk on ‘Life after Babri Masjid’. He says in his talk how his wife was busy making a Christmas cake though she was a pious Muslim. Jasira explains that “Islam never stopped anybody from respecting other religions.” The prof extracts the necessary essence of tolerance from Jasira’s cake.

Akmal the religious believer will soon mature into a terrorist.

Amar the atheist will soon lose the little faith he had in the meaning of human life.

Jasira, the most superficial character, will go on being a good Muslim, a good wife, a good daughter… though she is the most selfish and greedy person.

There is hardly any difference between Akmal’s religion and Amar’s atheism and Jasira’s apparent refinement. All of them remain at the surfaces of their respective realities without even feeling the littlest desire to probe beneath.

They are all the blind lady’s descendants. The blind lady of the title is their grandmother who loves to watch the television all the day though she is absolutely blind.

PS. This post is part of the Bookish League blog hop hosted by Bohemian Bibliophile

Comments

  1. Hari OM
    An interesting flow of thought on the shallows of life! It is true; I know many who shy away from the depths... YAM xx

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  2. Most people don't give as much thought to things as they probably should.

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    1. Quite natural, given the nature of humanity. If we do give deeper thoughts, the world would be far better.

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  3. Thanks for the review. I have met quite a few superficial people, so full of attitude. They are so repulsive. I'm sure to meet many more.

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  4. So many books! I'll explore your site!
    All the best and enjoy reading!

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  5. This was so good! On superficiality, it seems to be the least troublesome path to live on this earth. Looking beneath the surface is just so dangerous these days~

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  6. You write extraordinarily well Mr.Matheikal.I know you are a teacher and your students are indeed very lucky.Great review.

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  7. Very interesting, blind lady's descendants! To hear azaan on the moon and to believe an old mosque is impenetrable. (Poor Akmal, to see the masjid turn into a temple now.) How we turn a blind eye to all that doesn't suit us and never look beyond the surface. Sounds like a must read for sure.

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    1. Do read it. It's good entertainment and sufficiently provocative too.

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  8. A very interesting thought. It reminds me of how easily we blame social media (or god for that matter) for everything we fail at.

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    1. Blaming others / anything is a relinquishment of responsibility.

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  9. I love that the post speaks about delving deeper! Especially during times when ruminating about something is labelled “overthinking” without understanding the underlying depth to it. Sure maybe some of it may be overthinking, but not every exploratory thought is.

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    1. Superficiality is a serious problem today. People who remain on the surface of things like religion are dangerous.

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  10. Your review of "The Blind Lady's Descendants " was so poignant and precise and this book seems like a good and stimulating read. Faith is indeed a difficult path open to interpretations and social pressure to conform.

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    1. It is a good and stimulating read for many reasons.

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  11. Wow!! What a fantastic book review!! I loved the writing flow it makes the book appealing to pick it asap. Adding to my march tbr

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  12. I read Anees Salim's "The Odd Book Of Baby Names" and was struck by his writing style. It is so different from what we usually expect from a book, no? He is a master observe, I mean I am sure that the fart in the mosque would have been inspired from real life.
    He uses the human foibiles and spins a story that makes you think.
    I am not sure that I will pick this book or not, but I do think it will keep it on the back-burner

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    1. Yes, he's different. Peculiar humour. I haven't read any other book of his. Maybe I wll by and by.

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  13. Your beginning lines, "Superficiality is a deadly human vice though most people seldom realise it. It is easy to live on the surface of everything from one’s profession to religion." had me hooked from the start. The fact that I see myself and most people around me in Akmal, Amar and Jasira is quite scary! Gotta check this book out now.

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    1. Have a nice time with the unique humor in this book.

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  14. What an insightful piece. I loved this: Amar’s atheism, however, is as superficial as most believers’ religion is. Religion means so many things to people other than what it truly does. Believing in it superficially is just as bad as being an atheist and yet pious people continue to consider themselves above others. Very few people think deeply about their beliefs or the lack of them.

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    1. The worst is when these 'pious' people take upon themselves the duty of moralising the world around them.

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  15. Wow!! Honestly this is the best book review of yours I am reading!! You structured and presented the review in a brilliant way which will make me buy this book for sure. Now its my TBR

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    1. I wrote it more as a thematic essay than a review. Probably that made the difference.

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  16. Superficiality is definitely something that hovers around us. Sadly, people believe they are a certain way when actually they are not. I just cannot get along with such people. Good review.

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    1. Superficiality is a sort of expediency. It makes life a lot easier.

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  17. This was a refreshing way of reading about a book and I felt good that the book leads you on a greater philosophical journey through its characters and historical events.

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  18. I think people have become comfortable living life the superficial way so they don't need to overthink and those who tend to think understand that almost everybody is different and have their perspectives when it comes to religion and beliefs.

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  19. This one is a story about reality and as many people are better at being the superficial level of understanding there are only a few who have a perspective of understanding in depth.

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    1. Plumbing depths has its own risks. Life seems to abhor it.

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  20. This one has definitely piqued my interest. Don't we all live like this... until very late in life, at least.

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    1. Yrs, Sonia, quite many of us are happy on the surfaces.

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  21. those who question or challenge are often silenced which leads the person going with the flow. People don't like when their "ideas" "traditions" are questioned.

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  22. Your insightful essay on Anees Salim's novel, "The Blind Lady’s Descendants," eloquently delves into the theme of superficiality that permeates the characters' lives. The analysis of Amar, the protagonist, and his journey into atheism as a superficial response to inconveniences during Islamic prayer provides a thought-provoking perspective on the nature of beliefs.

    The episode involving Dr Ibrahim's farting fit serves as a catalyst for Amar's atheism, illustrating the fragility of convictions when faced with discomfort or humor. The comparison between Amar's superficial atheism and believers' often superficial adherence to religious practices adds depth to the narrative.

    The portrayal of Akmal, the religious believer, highlights the distortion of reality to fit religious perspectives. The reference to Akmal's reaction to the Babri Masjid demolition and his subsequent transformation into a terrorist underscores the dangerous consequences of rigid and superficial religious beliefs.

    Jasira's character, depicted as superficial in her adherence to societal roles despite underlying selfishness, contributes to the exploration of shallowness within the narrative. The analogy of the characters being the blind lady's descendants, staying on the surface without delving into deeper truths, beautifully encapsulates the theme of superficiality.

    Your essay effectively dissects the characters' motivations, choices, and the overarching theme of living on the surface without exploring profound depths. The use of specific incidents from the novel to illustrate each character's approach enhances the clarity of your analysis. Overall, a well-crafted exploration of the nuanced layers within "The Blind Lady’s Descendants." 👏📖

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  23. What an insightful and well-written essay! Readers get so obsessed with reviewing a book that our thoughts mostly focus on what's good and not so good about the book. You've scratched beyond the superficial! You've spoken about something so important in such simple words and comparisons, it reminded me of the LHS = RHS we did in school! Beautiful!

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    1. Thank you. I didn't mean it to be a review. That's why this post contains spoilers too.

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  24. Anees Salim is one of my favourite authors. Loved reading your review :)

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  25. An insightful post and it seems the book is quite interesting too. Superficiality is an easy escape. As for religion, people will always find a way to justify their actions. We have been seeing it a lot lately.

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