Review: Shadows at Noon by Joya Chatterji – A Revisionist Look at South Asia

History Indian History

Posted by NewAdmin on 2025-02-07 09:10:28 |

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A Revisionist History of South Asia
Shadows at Noon by Joya Chatterji offers a revisionist account of South Asia’s 20th century, departing from the triumphalist narrative often associated with India’s democracy. Chatterji, a member of the Bengali bhadralok, provides an erudite, eclectic, and sometimes gossipy history that touches on everything from textbook reforms to travel advice. Unlike Ramachandra Guha’s more conventional take in India After Gandhi, Chatterji's work acknowledges the illiberal turn in India, exploring the developments leading the country to its current political state. While the book focuses on India, it briefly covers Pakistan and Bangladesh, with Bengal being given top billing.

Critical of India’s Nationalism and Leadership
Chatterji’s approach is refreshingly candid, especially in her treatment of Gandhi and the Congress. She dismantles the Mahatma's saintly image, suggesting that Gandhi was more an ally of capitalists and patriarchy than a radical force for change. Furthermore, she argues that the Congress Party’s actions played a pivotal role in the Partition of India, which could have been avoided if not for the party's neglect of Muslim concerns. Jawaharlal Nehru also comes under scrutiny, with Chatterji criticising his tolerance of the Hindu Right while suppressing the secular Left, especially regarding the treatment of Muslims in post-independence India.

The Parallels Between India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh
Chatterji attempts to trace the similar trajectories of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, noting the shared challenges like poverty, caste systems, and a duplicitous socialist rhetoric. While she highlights the commonalities, some of her claims about these nations are overly sweeping. For example, India’s democracy, despite its flaws, has avoided the military coups that plagued its neighbors, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The comparative analysis is thought-provoking but at times undermines the distinct paths each nation has taken since independence.

Chatterji’s Self-Awareness and Class Markers
While Shadows at Noon is an insightful and engaging read, it is not without its flaws. Chatterji occasionally reveals a self-awareness about her privileged position, particularly her exemption from Britain’s immigration laws due to her British ancestry. However, this privilege sometimes slips into pretension, with casual references to her connections with the upper class and the business elite, which some readers may find off-putting. Despite these moments, the book remains a critical and thought-provoking analysis of South Asia’s turbulent history.

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