Reading Khushwant Singh, especially his endless and erotic celebration of love, passion and sex, has always been an unforgotten experience.
Few years back when I finished his autobiography: Truth Love and a Little Malice, I developed fresh affection for this writer.
Today, I was rather amused to read former HT editor N C Menon’s piece: Khushwant remembers only what suits him.
Menon tried to tear off claims made by Singh in his weekly column: Pride of a nation.
---------------------------------
Singh: ...I was curious to know what a Birla would offer to the God of auspicious beginnings. He put a silver chavanni — a four-anna piece. I understood why Birlas were the wealthiest family in the country.
Menon:... How, pray, does such a generous man visit Singh’s home and take out his wallet to make a ‘chavanni’ offering to the Ganesh idol at his door? I doubt if such an incident ever took place. I know for a fact that Birla never carried money, least of all small change.
-----------------------------------
Reading both the writers was quite entertaining. Claims, counter claims, and both of them were putting only that was convenient to them.
Both knew, their claims can not be contradicted as Birla is no longer alive.
So, does it really matter it if was chavanni or athanni ?.
Well, good writers do know how to make use of even chavannis.
Disclosure: Khushwant Singh’s The Company of women, Burial at Sea and Truth Love and a Little Malice are all time favourite of mine.
1 comment:
Hmm. Thats why I often wonder where have all the copies of 'The Comany of women' gone from crossword. Nowadays i even wonder why did the crossword management shifted its deccan shop.
BTW, Khushwant Singh is celebrated writer, always close to Gandhis. He's rather obsessed with self praise.
Kicked out from The illustrated Weekly, this man desperately wanted new space to accomodate himself in.So was the sycophancy.And so was the HT job.
S.
Post a Comment