Louis Moon | Contributor
Featured image: The event discussed topics around writing and establishing oneself in the industry, as well as controversial subjects. | Courtesy of Toronto Star
Author and playwright Anosh Irani visited York for the ongoing lecture series Canadian Writers In Person, which took place in the Accolade West building on October 3.
The event featured a guest writer who was invited by York for a mini-lecture, comprised of a public reading and analysis of their own work, followed by a Q&A session.
Irani is an Indian-Canadian novelist who came to British Columbia in his 20s from Mumbai to pursue his writing career.
Today, he has published multiple critically-acclaimed and award-winning books such as The Cripple and His Talismans and The Song of Kahunsha.
During the event, Irani spoke about his latest release, a novel entitled The Parcel. It tells the story of an eunuch named Madhu, a sex worker who is part of the transgender “hijra” community based in Bombay, India.
The story follows the journey of Madhu having to train a trafficked young girl from the province, who is labelled as the “parcel,” as she is new to the business. While Madhu has to get the “parcel” prepared for her new caged life, Madhu’s past begins to haunt her.
Irani’s latest work of fiction explores the theme of otherness, and broadly explores the impact of social values and beliefs upon one’s own personal identity.
Irani’s inspiration for the novel stems from his childhood memories of “hijras” working their rounds in front of the compound he lived in as a child.
“From the time I was born, I lived in a compound in Bombay. Just outside the gates of the compound, across the street, there would be sex workers lined up against the walls of a building. They would have thick black paste around their mouths, and as a child, I did not know what they did. However, I was quite intrigued and drawn towards them. This setting is deeply personal, and has had a huge affect on me. My childhood has inspired me to create art,” he says.
One of the abilities of a talented writer is the ability to weave together stories that are realistic and truthful. An outstanding one should start writing with mere fascination—however, their gift to be able to wring out the trueness of reality should be their primary goal and responsibility towards their readership.
These principles brought Irani to write about the intense topic of human trafficking, and the traditional connotations put on the “hijra” and transgender communities of Bombay.
“Hijras are born with male bodies, but they identify as female. So, at some point, they get themselves voluntarily castrated in a purification ceremony. In that sense, they are continually migrated, and trying to find acceptance in society, as they are often labelled as ‘other’ and pushed to the sidelines,” Irani explains.
From this, Irani formed a certain disturbance that tried to effectively explore and engrave the theme of acceptance in The Parcel. The novel enlightens readers about the social conflicts regarding what is considered normal and different in Bombay society. It also displays the kind of negative impact that otherness has on the individual.
As he put it, “a novel has to have this concept of push-and-pull. I want to write in a way that invites the readers and makes them feel comfortable, then punch them in the stomach and tell them ‘I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean that,’ to help them get up, only to punch them again. This push-and-pull concept signals the readers that what they are reading is negative. It’s the writer’s way of telling them that I’m not done yet—I still have changes to make.”
Throughout the lecture, Irani discussed other topics related to writing, such as seeking out sources for inspiration, the importance of thorough research, and character development.
He expressed the significance of intuitivity and the power of storytelling.
Irani’s astounding work has demonstrated the power of individuality and self-expression, despite the social oppression placed upon those who are deemed as an ‘other.’
