SATANIC VERSES by SALMAN RUSHDIE

There is no one story in Rushdie’s Satanic Verses. There are surely 4 or even more. Chapters II & VI carry the legend of the Prophet and the birth of Islam. We have no idea whether Rushdie writes an imaginary, based on legends or real happenings. The images seem to be real for those times. Abu Simbal the chief and his wife Hind, the poets and the festivals find places in the legend. The Prophet & his followers though a motley minority in the land were strong in their faith in one and only God. They were persecuted and oppressed by the ruling chieftain. The tribal gods & goddesses were large in number. One against the many. There might see some blasphemy (what?) in the narration. Gibreel acts both saithan & angel but this is not the central theme. One cannot envisage a situation that reading Satanic Verses will make Islam disappear from earth. May be some like Rushdie himself might loose their faith. The fatwa of death was issued against Rushdie for demeaning the people who believe in the divine revelation of their Book. It in fact perverted the faith and perverted the minds of faithful, to prepare for and perpetrate mindless violence against their own as well as other innocents not involved. There might be some precedents from the lifetime of the Prophet himself..

On pages 363-4 there is a concise summing up of religious rules revealed. It seems too bizarre but there are religions with more or less similarly framed rules to be followed strictly by their faithful at personal as well as at group levels. The Arabian Peninsula that was steeped in primitive believes, gods & rituals found the Prophets religion one better since the destruction of their greatest goddess’s temple. What is strange is the fact that all countries around the peninsula such as Iran, Egypt, Turkey. Their people were at an advances level of civilizations still they all succumbed to the lure of Islam that could not be conceived anything but lesser. The desecration and destruction of temples and abodes of gods of other religions seems to be one of the basic acts of conquest of people and lands by all religions. The Christian colonialists did it all over Latin America, Africa as well as the pacific lands. The Islamic conquest of Europe & Africa followed. According to some accounts some 3 thousand temples were demolished and or converted into mosques in India. Even as late as last days of 20^th century saw the blasting of Bamiyan Budhas an ancient and priceless tradition. If other gods did not bring retribution to those who destroyed their abodes, there are enough episodes of destruction of mosques without the Islamic god coming to their rescue. The latest is the demolition of Babri Masjid. It just confirms that no one god is capable or interested in saving his/her sacred abodes in earth however ancient and revered.

In chapter IV there are two stories not exactly connected. The Ayesha is the empress (of Iran under the Shah) as the tribal goddess Al Lat.. The imam portrayed as exiled seems to the Ayathulla. The fall of the rule of Shah and Khomeini taking over. Iranian revolution (sic) propelled by the rage of fanatical priestly class was in fact supported by the entire Iranian nation. But their hopes for liberation from tyranny was belied. Another type of irrational tyranny took over in the name of purifying their religion from the corrupt influences of the west. There are 2 telling quotes from pages 210 & 211 “History is deviation from the path, knowledge is a delusion, because of the sum of the knowledge was complete on the day Allah finished his revelations to Mahaund.” “Burn the books and trust the Book, shred the papers and hear the Word.”

The 2^nd Ayesha is an Indian in a remote zamindari village. A village of devout Muslims .They follows a crazy & epileptic orphaned girl as a new messiah inspite of the strenuous efforts of the zamindar. People rush to the modern day prophet for delivery from earthly sins. She imparts a message from god itself that the whole village men, women, children and animals had to undertake a pilgrimage to Mecca on their foot. The miracle was the appearance butterflies (therefore Titlipur) Butterflies became a covering to the orphan girl. A new convert who questioned the message was branded as faithless. The prophet girl tells the villagers that the sea will part for them to walk thru to Mecca. The whole village including the unbelieving zamindar & one Srinivas who thou a Hindu did believe in the miracle girl participate in the pilgrimage. There were other miracles. Here is the full picture of the blinds following a blind belief. Fanaticism & mumbo-jumbo carried the villagers of Titlipur to walking pilgrimage from India to Mecca. In the route of their pilgrimage, they encounter many adverse situations including threat to life from Hindu fanatics. A miracle rain intervened to save the situation. During their walk, villagers behaved most peacefully avoiding any confrontation with people en-route. They also took steps to avoid inconvenience to residents. While the world over Islam is depicted violent, Indian one behaved true to the name Islam i.e. submission to the will of god. The faithful reach Bombay and Bandra on the shores of Arabian Sea. They enter the waters fully convinced that the sea will part and give way for the pilgrims; to reach the destinationMecca at the other end. Except for a few skeptics, the entire village people disappeared in the water. No bodies were found. Zamindar and few remaining ones go back to a disappeared village. A decrepit crumbling home of zamindar. He breaths his last at home witnessed by none or mourned.

The chapter1 introduces the main protagonists of the novel, Gibreel & Saladin falling down with all the debris, bodies, limps, & etc. from a blasted airplane, a fantastic imagination.

Gibreel had a childhood in Kurla-Vakola busties under the sky where jets take off. His mother too religious and influences the then named Ismail Najamudin. His papa was working as a lunch career dabawala. The untimely death of mother and then father left the boy an orphan. The president of the dabawala assn. Mhahtre took the boy under his care and employed him to distribute tiffin careers. He was with the family until he grew up. Mhahtre sensed that the boy’s face & body has potential in the filmdom and he posted the boy into the care of a studio boss. From lowly roles onwards, the boy went up in the scale finally metamorphosing as Gibreel Farista. He acted in a number of mythologicals as gods. At the height of his popularity, he became an idol to his vast number of fans. The idea of reincarnation that he picked up from Mhahtre and his success in acting gods was cause enough for Gibreel feel capable of disappearance just like gods. Gibreel got hurt very badly on a film set and was hospitalised almost dead. He lost his belief when came out of danger. One of his fans Rekha Merchant of a too wealthy family in Bombay, with two daughters and a son became madly in love with the actor. They had days & days love making. When Gibreel came out of danger, he celebrates the occasion in the Taj in an unorthodox way, which attracted the mountaineering British woman named Alleiluia or Allie. Both had a debut of sex in the place. She tells him to change his life since he is saved from death and reborn. Gibreel fancies with disappearing like a god. He went hiding without completing the films. The disappearance affected his girl friend Rekha badly and she commits suicide falling from her high-rise apartment taking her 3 children. When Gibreel was falling from sky the ghost of Rekha appears before him, tempting and questioning all the way.

Then is the pre-fall saga of Saladin. He was born of rich well to do parents in Bombay. He a haughty & independent minded boy dreaming to get out of the city of his birth to London and to become an English man. With the support of his industrialist papa, he goes to university inLondon. During vacation, he is back in Bombay but he relation & understanding with his papa falters. He goes back almost renouncing his papa when the mother expires. Long years past Saladin famed as an actor imitating several known & unknown voices in his radio shows. He used to be accompanied by equally talented lady colleague. But they were not lovers. He met Pamela Lovelace & after courting a few days he married her .The marriage was not succesful. Then Saladin & his troupe come toBombay for stage performances. Here Zeenat Vakil a left leaning activist accosted him to bed and sex. This episode reveals the kind of social groups in the theatre circle of the day. Saladin meets papa who married a 2^nd time and also turned his house maid as his 3^rd. (mistress) The tension between papa & son heightened. Zeenat joins with papa. Saladin turns away from all and takes a flight to London. The flight was hijacked by 4 youths one being a woman. Saladin meets the long lost scenic hero Gibreel . They became chums during the 110 days of isolation in a desert airstrip. Plane takes off to London & circles over the British coast when it was blown up by the woman hijacker.

Gibreel & Saladin fell in a homestead of Rose Diamond in the beach. She was 89 and Argentinean the widow of an English man. On their fall, both were taken home by Rose and given shelter. Some one alerts the immigration who came in search. They found Saladin and took him as illegal immigrant. He was arrested but not Gibreel. The latter remains in the house longer in company with Rose her legends in Argentina. Slowly she reaches death bed. Panicky Gibreel leaves the house. Saladin makes a phone call from Rosie’s to his wife Pamela but hears a male voice in response. This happened because Jumpy Joshi becoming Pamela’s lover in the meantime.

Saladin sprouts horns & Hoofs of a goat in the police van. His protestations that he is a British subject finally get confirmed. The police dumps him into psychiatric hospital. He escapes from there and finally reaches home in his new avatar all dirty & dishevelled. Jumpy Joshi was allowed to continue his cohabitation with Pamela and he helps Saladin when he as a goat was thrown out of home. Jumpy takes him to Shaandar B & B operated by the couple Haji Suhiyan. Their 2 daughters not yet adults became friends with goat Saladin. Days later Saladin grew big & big necessitating shifting him to a godown; where wax figures were stored. On next day the wax found melted but Saladin turned into his normal human self.

There is the story of Elena elder of Allie Cone. Though she lived a fast life and died drowned in her bath, she was found to be a virgin all the while. On the other hand, Allie succumbs to temptation losing hers. The incident changes Allie and she goes mountaineering. After hearing, the report of death of Gibreel in the plane blow up, she was feeling unlucky. Gibreel on his way to Allie again encounters with Rekha’s ghost. It analyses the revelations. “Creation of the world acc Archbishop (o`) Usher 4004 B C estimated date of apocalypse …. 1996” six thousand years. Gibreel out in the cold after more hallucinations & escapades falls unconscious while Allie was out from her home. She recognises and takes him in. He was revived after a week or so. Both had unending sex on following days. Then once again Gibreel loses himself, hospitalised. Movie people move in. As he recaptures his mind, he became jealous and envious of Allie and doubts her fidelity. A grand re-entry into the film world was arranged for him in London. The too enthusiastic audience surge forward to the stage upsetting every arrangement. Gibreel turns to fantasies and finally falls at the entrance to the home of Allie. She takes him in to nurse him back.

Again, the fans & receptions, Gibreel & Saladin meet. Saladin had vengeance in heart for Gibreel’s betrayal at Rosie’s place. He feels victimised. Gibreel treats Saladin as long lost friend. Though he was back with Allie, he only uses her as speciality sex object exploiting her situation. He narrates all juicy details of his sex life to Saladin. In this way, Saladin comes to know every aspect of her past & present, a detailed and amplified view of her physique. He knows that Allie has extra long nipples, the hidden folds of her vagina and much more. Through his modulated voice on phone, he infuriates both towards each other. Meanwhile racial attacks & riots on the streets caused by arrest and death of a known African. Shaandar B B went in flames killing the Suyiyan couple. Both Gibreel & Saladin survive the flames. Pamela came to be a victim of her community counselling activities

In the final chapter both protagonists are back in Bombay. Saladin to meet his father afflicted with killing decease of cancer. The scenes are sympathetic. He meets his friends from earlier visit including Zeenat Vakil. There are many other details.

Allie also comes to Bombay following Gibreel. When confronted with Gibreel, Allie loses control goes out into terrace of the building, falls down to death just like in case of Rekha, Then Gibreel comes to Saladin’s shoots himself.

When things get settled Saladin & Zeenat start a new life.

Apparently, the objective of writing this book on the part of Rushdie is obscure. After reading, one gets a sceptical view of high-sounding claims of all religions. Rushdie targeted Islam for his knowledge of that faith and not otherwise. The clergy might of view that Rushdie born as a Muslim should not have commented adversely on his faith. They might also claim that no Muslim has a right to criticise Islam This is laughable considering that Islam as religion has no history beyond last 1500 yrs or so. Prior to that people of the world were professing several beliefs including those who latter converted to the new faith. Ancestors of today’s Islamic population all of them including the prophet were converts and not born muslims, a paradox not admitted by Islamic faithful the world over.

Rushdie has the gift of enviable & colourful imagination to introduce and form appropriate characters. Even they are fantastic at times; they remain very much probable. His language flows easily creating visual images in the minds of readers. To myself this book remains the best of the author’s other books read.

(K.N.Krishnan)