The Ministry of Utmost Happiness

Utmost Happiness, a phrase that appealed midst of chaos and search for tranquility.

Sighs.

Ever since I finished this book I have tried to pen down how amazingly rich it is. But every time I failed. Failed to express in right words, in utter disappointment of how incompetent our words and language are!

But amidst of this confusion, I somehow came to the realization of why it cannot be expressed rightly and why this book is so phenomenal. Arudhati Roy has masterfully played beyond language in her work and it is her magic of taking into account the; feelings, appearances, nuisances, times which exists but are not acknowledged altogether. Were it not for the limitations of language, the account of Anjum a hijra would not have been so ambiguous. All the stories in this book were twisted around this focal figure who owned and created the Jannat Guest House, a sanctuary build on gravestones and graveyard. Ironic as it might seem, but this was what happiness meant to the abandoned and betrayed protagonists.

But that’s not the only thing!

We live in an illusion where partition narratives are romanticized as independence stories and the brutalities that were committed are masqueraded by the label of sacrifice. Roy has depicted the true

picture of horrors of partition; the unfathomable struggle of Kashmiris over a territory that is disputed till this day. 'Where war is peace and peace is war.'

As she writes; "Death was everywhere. Death was everything. Career. Desire. Dream. Poetry. Love. Youth itself. Dying became just another way of living…"

Weaved into complex narrative of Anjum who was born as Aftab- a boy but later became the free lady, is the mysterious story of Tilo. Living in the constant struggle of love- friendship and sacrifice, Tilo's story began with a college theatre play Norman, Is That You? which never happened but made her friends and lover to people who'd meet her decades later. Again and Again. Tilo's life struggles made her witness the Indo-Pak brutalities and while articulating her experiences, Roy has masterfully exposed the Politics of time.

Appearances of new characters is quite overwhelming but each person comes with a hidden purpose and a new perspective to give. As I kept moving forward with the story and fall trapped between the complexities, it all started to become connected and more meaningful. Continuing with her art of storytelling, Roy concluded the book in a very composed and complete manner.

In an era, where we see books with happy endings, speculations about future or tragedy and melancholy. This books stands unique in creating questions about history, politics and the matters of present.

Why is it a Ministry of Utmost Happiness? I still do not have an answer.

But I guess, that’s the point!