Interviewee: Gunvant Shah – Noted Author and Columnist
Interviewer: Chitra Parmar – PR and Marketing Professional, Theatre Artist, Writer, Social Media Gypsy
OUR VADODARA MEETS PADMA SHRI AWARD WINNER, NOTED THINKER, AUTHOR AND COLUMNIST GUNVANT SHAH
In conversation with Gunvant Shah
1) In today’s time where so much of internet and social media is being used, how much importance does the Gujarati language have?
The importance of mother tongue is reducing day by day. The modern youth is losing two things at the same time, the roots that nourish and allow them to grow, like Narsi Mehta, Jhaverchand Meghani , Kalapi and the wings that allow them to fly, like Robert Frost and Shakespeare… “etle banne gumavya, baawa na bev bagadya em kevay”
He shares his experience of visiting Japan when he went asking people all around for the way to peace memorial and no one could show him the right way as they could not understand his simple English language. By sharing this he wanted to make a point that mother tongue is one’s birth right but lack of basic communication skills is a sad situation for any country, in which case India is far better.
2) Tell us about the youth movement Panchasheel you started in Gujarat long back
Panchasheel, a word from Buddhist philosophy was used by Nehru for developing the country’s foreign policy, so the name. The ten years movement covered five primary concerns. During that time it was a great deal to abstain from alcohol and drugs, to devote time for one’s nation, to not accept dowry and bribe and to strictly follow a two-child policy. They conducted workshops and received about 50,000 pledge letters from across Gujarat. A Pad Yatra was conducted right from Surat till Sabarmati Ashram covering all districts of Kutch.
3) You have explored many subjects with your writing, what message would you like to give about Life?
New generation resorts to lying very naturally, “I love you” are hollow words if you don’t mean them. Love is a very powerful word and one should not play with it. You can lie only when you are in severe trouble, Lord Krishna gives permission for that. Don’t choose lying for practical purposes. If you take a vow to speak truth only for a month, you will realize how much power it has. Truth is more powerful than knowledge. Gandhiji was not an attractive or a likable person or a great learned scholar or a person with a strong built but he had the power of truth and that’s why he succeeded.
4) In your book Man Na Meghdhanush, you have written that women have been labelled in different categories but same is not the case for men. Please share something about that. What do you think about today’s women?
Woman is not an object. Objectification of women hurts me. Anatomy of a female is such that she can be raped, male cannot be raped. This natural arrangement was made for love making and not raping. Women are not responsible for this. A society which does not respect flowering of women is an uncivilized society. Recently, a woman was sentenced in Saudi Arabia, she was dragged by the policemen and her head was cut in public. All men, women and kids saw this and did nothing. Portraying women this way is shameful.
He then quotes Mao Zedong, “Women hold up half the sky” asking the readers to remember it forever.
5) In the name of women empowerment lot of women have taken the wrong road and they believe smoking or alcohol brings freedom. Your comments?
Men and women are equal not identical. There are anatomical, mental, emotional differences. If riots are going on in an area, and in the night at 2 a.m., there is a knock on the door, a husband will not ask his wife to open the door, this difference should be respected. I am not anti-women, I don’t distrust women. In the name of equality, women should not adopt all the bad elements of male chauvinism.
6) What gives you inspiration to write?
Nature inspires me like anything, you can see my surroundings. There are two Mohans, Mohan Gandhi for truth and Mohan Krishna for being a lover of ecstasy.
7) Who is your favorite writer and why?
In Gujarati my favorite is Makarand Dave and in English it is Fritjop Capra. I am truly fascinated by the way they amalgamate science and spiritualism. I see a good mix of western and eastern philosophy. There are many other writers on the same lines. This is my kind of writing, I am popular because I can bring together Narsi Mehta and Burton within a minute. The whole 21st century is for philosophy and that’s why books on it are the most read. Philosophy is my strength.
8) As a writer what is your responsibility towards society?
My responsibility is not to cheat the society. Ordinary people are very vulnerable and they are easily impressed with whatever a writer writes, I have no intention to impress people with false information. I am always frank. I will never be able to deceive anyone. To look better than what I really am is my poignancy.
9) What are you working on right now?
Mahabharata, the epic, is being translated in English but it will take one or two years to publish. Its Hindi version of 750 pages is out and is published by Bharatiya Gyanpeeth, the topmost institution in literary field.
The third edition of my book on Krishna called Symphony of Krishna will be out in a week. My Ramayana is being translated in English and will come out in four to five months.
