ThAct: Flipped Class Activity: The Ministry of Utmost Happiness

 The Ministry of Utmost Happiness

This blog is the part of flipped learning activity of the unit The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. In this blog I am going to provide my understading of the assigned video task. This activity is designed to enhance our understanding of the video content and improve our ability to synthesize and summarize information effectively.  

Opening of the novel by the Roy

Video 1 : 

In this video, a detailed analysis of the 5 main settings of the novel has been given:

1. Khawabgah

2. Jannat- Graveyard

3. Jantar Mantar

4. Kashmir

5. Dankarany

The video begins by giving the example of "what kind of suffering a sapling will feel when they are planted in new land?" This question is connected to how an identity crisis occurs in literature. "Mul sota ukhdi jata manso" what we call in Gujarati. The minority that is marginalized every time.

The very first character was Anjum/Aftlab, child of Mulakat Ali and Jahanara Begam, which means "Mehfil." Jahanara Begam is feeling a series of emotions when she realizes her child is of the third gender. At first, shock, then pain, and finally, a complex mix of emotions, including surprise. She realized that there are no specific words for the third gender in the Urdu language and the only words are Hijra/ Kinnar. The scene starts from the Jannat where Anjum and Ziaudin are having a conversation.

The concept of language is important here as Derrida said that language is inherently disabled from giving meaning. New vocabulary, sentences, and language are needed to define the third gender, and this core question is raised by Arundhati Roy. "Fitrat" means the inherent nature of the human decides the gender of a person, whether they are male or female. Bombay Silk, one of the most beautiful Hijras, becomes the source of attention and motivation for Aftab to go to the Khawabgah. Khawabgah is an entirely different place for the third gender where they have their own world. This name reminded me of the recently released web series Hiramandi, where prostitutes and third-gender people live.

Additionally, we jumped to the next setting of the story, Jantar Mantar, and its connection with Khawabgah. Now this place has a show where the history of the Mughals is depicted. Begam Kulsoombi every year takes the entire community there to show the history of Hijras, while showing the history of the Begams of Mughals, the role of the Hijras is also revealed. However, slowly and steadily, this history is erased by the storyteller. The importance of the story, as Chimamanda Adichie said, and the erosion of history are burning questions touched upon by Roy.

Along with this, the history of Aurangzeb and Hazrat Sarmad-Abhay Chand unfolds. The technique of postmodernity, where even Salman Rushdie did de-doxification with English, similarly, Roy does with the grand narrative of Hazrat Sarmad. The way the head was compared to the helmet and the mockery of the grand narrative have occurred. With this, the lineage of Mulakt Ali and his connection with Temujin, Changez Khan, and Chagtai Mughal unfolds.

Moreover, the connection between religion and the ruler is like two sides of the same coin. It is easier to spread it across the world, whether it is Aryans, Mughals, Britishers, or anyone else. The archetype of the abduction of people on the motif of love or revenge appears. Aftab, now Anjum, adopted Zainab. Gradually, Zainab gets ill, and Anjum accuses Saeeda for this and decides to visit Zakir Miyan, and they went to Ahmedabad. The episode of the Godhra Kand appears where Anjum lost Zakir Miyan. She was saved because killing a Hijra will bring ill omen to the people. It has given trauma and an existential crisis to her.

Video 2 : 

The second video talks about the further story. It started from the Jantar-Mantar. The other side of the Jantar-Mantar, which is often known as a protest site, is revealed. The important character of Saddam Hussein appears. Sangita Madam represents an agency that symbolizes the corruption of the hospital and security guards. The episode of the mob lynching unfolds, and human dignity in behavior is lost. The character of the Sheravat police is introduced, and he symbolizes police corruption. Another character is Tabi, an Old Gandhian, a caricature of Anna Hazare, and Mr. Agrawal as of Kejriwal. These episodes were widely covered by the media, which is known as the saffron parrot, and other incidents were absent. The groups that were there were like:

1. Mothers of the Disappeared - Kashmiris
2. Manipur Nationalists - AFSPA [Armed Forces Special Protection Act]
3. This alludes to the real incident of Irom Sharmila fasting and the naked women protesting.
4. Delhi Kabadiwala
5. Bhopalies - Gas Kand
6. People who want Hindi language as the national language
7. Mr. Azad Bhartiya

This character is interesting to look upon, as the name itself is ironic, and this character delves into various mishappenings. Roy, by giving this description, highlights the role of the media and the absence and presence of coverage.

Video 3 : 

Third video started with the first person narrative of the Biplab Dasgupta who is landlord,Intelligence beurocret. In his family two daughters Ravia and Amiya and wife Chitra is there. The setting of the story is changed to Delhi. All the characters meet at the Jantar Mantar. Aftab, Sadam Husain, and  Mr. Agrwal jump into the quarrel about keeping the suddenly found baby. Meanwhile the baby lost putting the story on the hanger. On the other hand the gruop of characters introduced. Tilo means Tilotamma archetectural programmer  who actually critic says represent the Roy. Nagaraj Hariharn, a journalist later the husband of the Tilo. Musa Yeswer, a terrerist. 

Intresting backstory has been told of his wife Arifa nad daughter Jabeen's death. It was the army who shoot the bullet and that single bullet kills Arifa and Jabben. This became easy cause for Musa to be the terrorist. This is a kind of the archetype which often reveles the sympathetic side of the terrorist. This soft narrative make this problematic because the justification of the terrorist is not always right at the same time silence on the narratives of the Kashmir pandit is also somewaht makes it different. 

Tilotama's mother Mariayam Ibe shares parellel with the mother of the Roy. another character Khadiza Ahezaz also introduced. Jabeen the second, suddenly founded child was mistry in the narrative. Another important character is of the Amrik Singh, the Inspector and his wife Pinky Singh. Amrik singh throughout his life tortured the people and did  atrocity on the people. One of the victim of the Amrik Singh is Musa and that is why he nurtures revenge for him. Another parelle was reveled when the news came that Amrik Singh killed his wife and childeren makes Musa suspecs because he had the fake passport. However, it was he himself who in the guilty conscious did this. This story reveles how the mental truma people had when they as part of their duty tortured other. This reminded me of Frantz Fanon's Wretched of thr Earth where French colonizer had the same truma. 

With this the character of SEP Pinky Sodhy and Balbeer Sodhy introduced. Malik who died in this did the Lal Salam symbolises his connection with Maosit Troup. Anjum said to Ms. JAbben the second that you are the daughter of the six father and three mothers. The last line of it is that, 

"One day Kashmir will make India Self-distruct." 

Video 4 : 

This story comes together at the end because of Dr. Azad Bhartiya. We learn that Saddam got married to Miss Udaya Jebeen, and they now live at the Jannat Guest House. Tilo also teaches at the Jannat Graveyard.

Musa spends his last night at the Jannat Guest House with Tilo, the woman he loves. They are close and know that Musa will soon leave for Kashmir, and this might be their last time together. Tilo talks about her life at the guest house, reads a poem that shows how she thinks differently, and shares her ideas about stories and who we are. Musa is really touched by how special and unique Tilo is. He thinks about a sad story of a young man who died in Kashmir, which reminds him that hope and sadness can exist at the same time.

Meanwhile, Anjum, who is transgender and owns the Jannat Guest House, walks around the graveyard she takes care of and thinks about her life. She takes Miss Udaya Jebeen, a child she looks after, for a late-night walk to show her the city at night. These quiet moments are different from the bigger stories about love, loss, and war that Musa and Tilo are experiencing.

The story ends with a feeling of hope. Anjum is strong and shows that life can go on, even for Miss Jebeen. Even small things, like a dung beetle working hard, show that life continues. Even though there are sad things in the story, there's also a feeling that things will be okay in the end.

Video 5 : 

In this video, thematic concerns are discussed. 

1. The Nature of Paradise:

   

Roy talks about paradise as it is often said, "one has to die for paradise." However, Roy's paradise is a secular place. The novel discusses the binary of Heaven and Hell. Here, heaven is for the marginalized, a contradiction between Duniya (world) and Khawabgah, which itself represents a dreamy, utopian place. More than Khawabgah, it is Jannat Guest House that makes it more like a paradise. But the setting of the Jannat Guest House is a graveyard, making it contrary. This is a place where everyone is welcomed irrespective of their caste, gender, race, or background. Roy's idea here is to create a secular paradise, which is also needed in real life. The way Indian languages live together harmoniously, similarly, the coexistence of people, animals, and so on.

2. The Importance of Ambiguity and Diversity:

The ambiguity first appears in the character of Anjum, where her self-identity is questioned. Anjum and Mr. Agrawal had a quarrel over the child, which is ambiguous. Diverse characters from different parts of India are merged in this novel. Diversity in culture, language, and living is so much necessary, as Shishir Kumar Das argues in his article. These diverse people come to the Jannat Guest House, and it becomes a hub for them. 

3. The Cost of Modernization:

This novel criticizes the idea of Modernization, which can be classified as "development" as P. Sainath said. India is developing, and multinational companies grow all over India, and this works on the idea, as Sainath says, of "St. Growth," "St. Development." Characters like Saddam Hussein became victims of this. Similarly, Anjum, Tilotama, and Mr. Agrawal reveal the side effects of modernization. This growth leads to the displacement of a large group of society. Political parties spread nationalist ideas symbolized as saffron parakeets.

4. The Boundaries Between Death and Life:

The idea of death is connected to the setting of the Jannat Guest House. The second burial ceremony of Musa, Revathy, and other characters marked their forever living. These characters grappled with atrocity and turned out to be real heroes. At the same time, the living characters of the novel somewhere face symbolic death, whether it is Anjum, Tilo, Captain Amrik Singh, and so on.

5. How and Why Stories are Told:

That's what makes Roy different, and it is her postmodern way of storytelling. She tells the story achronologically and in fragments. It is like a shattered mirror where every character tells their own story. As Chimamanda Adichie said, it is important to tell the story, Roy used different people, genders, and caste representatives to tell the story. We are well aware of the champion of history alteration where some stories are added at the same time, some erased. This leads to questioning the way stories are told, especially through the incident of Saddam Hussein and his backstory, the history of the Hijra people, the story of Revathy through letters, and so on.

6. Social Status in Contemporary India:

India has different parameters to decide the status of people. The marginalized group of society often struggles to make their space. India's majority elite class often uses its hegemonic power over this. Characters like Anjum, Tilo, Musa, especially became victims of this. Making space for the third gender, female, or the Chamar is so difficult. Amrik Singh, SEP Pinky, Saffron Parakeets had hegemonic power, so they ruled over that.

7. Corruption, Political Violence, and Capitalism:

Arundhati, in the novel, reveals the corruption lying in society. In the case of the Kashmir conflict, especially where the shrine economy worked, but by portraying it as a terror place, it destroyed the economy of the residents. Politics is very much in the air throughout the novel. Whether it is 9/11, Godhra Kand, Kashmir crisis, or Danakaranaya, most incidents. Capitalism is the driving force for all of this because this ideology works on the idea of profit, neglecting minorities.

8. Resilience and Hope:

The novel's ultimate aim is hope, though it is a postmodernist novel. Arundhati Roy, through the character of Anjum, Saddam Hussein, and Zainab's love, Musa's proud death, Tilo's poetry, Ms. Uadaya Jabeen's birth, and the dung beetle, symbolizes hope throughout.

9. Gender Identity, Social Division, and Coexistence:

Anjum is a transgender woman who was born with both male and female characteristics. This makes her challenge the idea that there are only two genders, male and female. Because Anjum is a Hijra, she can move between being seen as masculine and feminine. This shows that gender is not something fixed but can be more flexible and include different ways of being. Roy compares the struggles of Hijras with the violence that happened when India and Pakistan separated. Both situations show how dividing people into groups based on gender or nationality is wrong and unnecessary. Through Anjum's story, Roy argues that we should embrace our differences instead of dividing ourselves. Anjum's identity as a Hijra becomes a symbol for how different groups, like Hindus and Muslims, and even countries like India and Pakistan, can live peacefully together.

10. Social Hierarchy vs. Social Inclusivity:

This novel challenges the idea of hierarchy. Jannat Guest House becomes the place where people lived together irrespective of their hierarchy. This inclusion makes the characters of Anjum, Tilo, Musa, and Saddam Hussein different.

11. Religion and Power:

We witnessed that religion and power often go hand in hand. The character of Gujarat ka Lalla misused religion, rather manipulated it, to threaten the majority and to be in power. Roy argues the agenda of Marx that religion is an opium which helps political leaders and evokes mistrust, constant danger in the people.

Video 6 : 

• Hazrat Sarmad Shaheed: This person was originally Jewish but became Muslim to be with the person they loved. They were killed for questioning their beliefs. Even though many people don't know the full story, their shrine represents love that goes beyond differences and celebrates spirituality and love. Roy attempted to mock this character by comparing his action of taking up his head as helmet. 

• The Old Man-Baby: This man becomes a symbol of hope when he goes on hunger strike to protest corruption. But his protest, led by wealthy people, becomes more about the excitement of protesting than actually making real change. He also starts to align with Hindu nationalists, showing the conflict between good intentions and real-world problems.

• The Shiraz Cinema: This cinema in Kashmir was first closed by people who saw it as a symbol of outside influence. But then the Indian Army turned it into an interrogation center, showing how cultural and military control are connected. This shows that extreme actions can sometimes lead to even worse problems.

• Jannat Guest House and Funeral Parlor:
  
  
  This place, built by Anjum in a Muslim cemetery, is a symbol of welcoming people from all backgrounds. It represents an ideal India where everyone is accepted. But it's also near death, reminding us that life is fragile. The name "Jannat" (heaven) suggests a perfect place beyond our world.

• Duniya and Jannat: In the book, "Duniya" (world) and "Jannat" (heaven) are different but sometimes blend together. Places like the Khwabgah offer escape from the real world, but other examples show that paradise and reality can exist together.

• Motherhood: The book shows that motherhood is complex. Characters like Anjum and Tilo face challenges and difficulties. It criticizes the idea of a perfect "Mother India" and shows that motherhood can be different and inclusive.

• Bodies, Refuse, and Internal Organs: In the book, bodies and waste represent resistance against the caste system. People from lower castes often have to deal with waste. Waste can also be a way to protest. The "Sound and Light Show" shows how history is changed to fit political goals. Vultures, who are endangered, symbolize groups that are threatened by social and economic changes.

• Gujarat ka Lalla: This character represents Narendra Modi, a politician who supports Hindu nationalism. His actions foreshadow the growing threat of this ideology.

• The Color Saffron: Saffron is a color associated with Hindu nationalist groups, representing violence and aggression. It reminds us of the violence these groups can cause.

• Vulture:
  
  
  The book compares the death of vultures to the silencing of artists and thinkers who question the government. When a country focuses too much on power and the military, people who question things are suppressed. This shows the decline of different voices and ideas.

• Guih Kyom, the Dung Beetle: The book ends with hope, symbolized by the dung beetle. It shows that even small, insignificant things can play a vital role in the environment. This teaches us that we need to protect the earth and avoid destroying it.

Thank You. 

I would like to acknowledge the chatbots for correcting the grammar and generating the images.

References : 

DoE-MKBU. (2021a, December 28). Part 1 | Khwabgah | The Ministry of Utmost Happiness | Arundhati Roy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-29vE53apGs

DoE-MKBU. (2021b, December 28). Part 2 | Jantar Mantar | The Ministry of Utmost Happiness | Arundhati Roy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr1z1AEXPBU

DoE-MKBU. (2021c, December 28). Part 3 | Kashmir and Dandakaranyak | The Ministry of Utmost Happiness | Arundhati Roy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIKH_89rML0

DoE-MKBU. (2021d, December 28). Part 4 | Udaya Jebeen & Dung Beetle | The Ministry of Utmost Happiness | Arundhati Roy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH5EULOFP4g

DoE-MKBU. (2021e, December 30). Symbols and Motifs | The Ministry of Utmost Happiness | Arundhati Roy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbBOqLB487U

DoE-MKBU. (2021f, December 30). Thematic Study | The Ministry of Utmost Happiness | Arundhati Roy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NYSTUTBoSs

Penguin Books South Africa. (2018, August 13). The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JAOmFlMlMc