Chapter III

ANALYSIS OF INDIAN ETHOS IN THE GLASS PALACE

3.1. Preliminaries

This chapter deals with the analysis of Indian ethos in ‘s novel The Glass Palace. The chapter tries to focus on the characters in this novel, their ways of behaviour manifesting the notion of Indian ethos and the associations among the characters. The chapter provides a brief summary of the novel under scrutiny as well as analysis in terms of the different parameters of Indian Ethos reflected in it.

3.2. Brief Overview of The Glass Palace

This novel presents the story of three generations and contains refrences to the geographical entities, space, distance and time. It can be seen that Amitav Ghosh has skillfully interwoven many tales together with the inclusion of many characters, families, and their intricate associations with each. It is a tale of an Indian orphan called Rajkumar who is eventually shifted to Burma which is not his native land. In the initial stage of his life, Raj Kumar as an active child strikingly displays his courage, intense awareness and his capacity to adapt to the premeditated tasks. He holds the job at the tea stall of a lady named Ma Cho who remains a mother figure for him. Raj Kumar is fond of overstating his age because of his appearance as a grown-up adult. Throughout his life, he travels a lot and achieves the knowledge of worldly affairs which shows his maturity. Due to his strength he gains success in his business.

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Incidentally, Raj Kumar reaches , Burma which is a foreign land for him and his life-long quest for the wide variety of people as well as places starts. At the beginning of his life in Mandalay, he remains poor in an unknown city without any contact. At last he comes to the shop of Ma Cho and gets the job in Mandalay. In a very short time Raj Kumar becomes familiar with the city of Mandalay and its people and at the same time he bears the sense of aspiration to be a rich business man. It is his strong will power that equips Raj Kumar to pursue the risks and achieve success in his life.

Raj Kumar acquires varied experiences which teach him the best lessons of his life and he moves where his fancy orders him. He used to stare at Ma Cho through the screeches in the wooden walls and thus, comes to know about the female structure and physical associations among men and women. His bodily emotions get aroused because of Ma Cho sometimes but, she restricts herself from being physically associated with Raj Kumar. It is quite sad to see the situation of an orphan, Raj Kumar who gets the experiences from his life itself.

Ma Cho‘s tea stall is at the roadside where he comes in contact with Saya John who is her life partner. Saya John can be identified as the father figure for Raj Kumar. Raj Kumar achieves worldly success due to his dedication and patience. Though he was a poor orphan boy in his initial days, he shows his confidence for his success through his talks and deeds. During the entrapment of Burmese kingdom by the British Empire, he comes to know that the British people are interested in the trade of wood. It is this point, which gives a new turn to Raj Kumar‘s life. He visualizes his wealthy future in the trade of teak wood. In their destruction of the city of Burma, the British employ troops of Indian soldiers for their purpose that was under their control. As a result, Indians turn out to be the objectives of the agitation of crowd. Raj Kumar too gets an attack by the native Burmese but was saved by Saya John.

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Due to his honest character Raj Kumar becomes successful in the achievement of his job at Saya John‘s company but, he shows his wisdom beyond it. In the meantime the palace of King Thebaw in Burma is vacated and he is sent to Ratnagiri, the coastal town in . Everyone enters into the palace to grab the things which remained in the palace. Raj Kumar too joins the mob but he gets entrapped in the eyes of Dolly with whom he falls in love at first sight. He comes to know that Dolly too is an orphan like him and is a maid to the princess of Burma. He gives some sweets to Dolly which she shares with a soldier. This is how Raj Kumar learns the lesson of surrender. In this way, the life of Raj Kumar moves forward along with his own experiences and his receptive nature.

Raj Kumar faces the happenings in his life and establishes the relations with people which would last for long. Raj Kumar‘s upbringing as an orphan too teaches him many things and he becomes capable of witnessing things with an introspective eye. He deploys his own skills to construct his trade empire and attracts the attention of others too. He makes a decision to borrow money from Saya John to found his own timber yard and clarifies the doubts of Saya John. He holds the opportunities as well as risks and develops his business. Raj Kumar decides to move to India in search of his love, Dolly. He is aware of her residence as she is in the troop of exiled King and Queen of Burma.

Raj Kumar reaches India and with the help of Uma. He meets Dolly who is living in the palace of King of Burma and eventually both of then gets married. Raj Kumar turns to be a family man and gives birth to two sons Neel and Dinu. In the later part of the novel, he faces misfortunes and his world gets shattered. Dinu goes far away from Rajkumar and Neel dies unfortunately. Dolly moves herself to a monastery as she feels detached from everything. In the period of alienation from his own family, Raj Kumar develops unfair relations with one of the workers and Ilongo turns to be his illegitimate son.

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Raj Kumar, though he is an orphan, displays the zeal to be a successful businessman. Initially, he gets the help of a woman Ma Cho who remains his mother figure. It is even noticed that Raj Kumar is the last living member of his family and comes from India to Mandalay. Before achieving the huge success, he works as an assistant to Ma Cho in her food stall nearby the The Glass Palace which is the place of residence for King of Burma named King Thebaw. The King resides there with his Queen and his daughters. Due to the frequent attacks on the Kingdom, the local Burmese people used to take shelter in the palace where Raj Kumar notices Dolly and feels love towards her in their first meeting. Dolly lives there as an attendant of one of the Princesses. In a moment of trouble, the royal family is thrown long away from Burma and is forced to settle in Ratnagiri, the coastal town in the West side of India.

Ma Cho‘s lover, Saya John gives the helping hand to Raj Kumar and Raj Kumar proves himself to be the successful businessman of teakwood. At the same time, the King of Burma, starts his life in exile in India which is quite difficult for him. King Thebaw achieves respect from the local people of Ratnagiri and the family of King starts feeling quite comfortable though they are newer to the place. The new collector‘s wife, Uma establishes friendship with Dolly and helps Raj Kumar to meet her again. Raj Kumar even becomes successful to hire workers for his business from India. He starts his own timber yard with Doh Say as his professional partner.

Raj Kumar becomes successful in his plan and marries Dolly. He returns to Burma with his wife Dolly. Saya John meets them and becomes the associate of Raj Kumar in his business. There after we see combination of multi-ethnic families in Calcutta and the life before World War II in Burma and in India. There are some attempts of rubber plantation in Malaya by Rajkumar in which he takes the help of Saya John. There is Japanese invasion on Malaya and

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Burma and the local people lose their lives as well as belongings. Towards, the end of the story the consequences of the World War II and the shattered lives of individuals are noticed.

3.3. Analysis of Indian Ethos in The Glass Palace

The present novel The Glass Palace (2000) is a tale of a family which is vibrant in nature and covers the period of twentieth century in which the Burmese Kingdom is attacked by the British Empire and is thrown away to distant Indian Coastal town, Ratnagiri. A large part of the plot delineates the happenings in India. The story which gives us the idea about the days when India was under British rule. The author has explored minute details where in the ingredients of Indian ethos in a true sense can be observed.

The Glass Palace depicts the historical events of India and Burma in a fine way. ―not only takes its setting and some characters and events from history and makes the historical events and issues crucial for the central characters and narrative but also uses the protagonists and actions to reveal what the author regards as the deep forces that impel the historical process‖ (Abrams: 133) In its dealings with the historical events happening in two nations, the story offers the elements of Indian ethos through which many ample aspects of colonization are revealed.

The story of this novel commences from Burma () and passes through colonized India, some parts of Bangladesh, Malaysia and Singapore and covers three generations. There is variety of characters, their intricate lives and their ambivalent associations with each other all presented in an Indian way. Amitav Ghosh, stands as the practitioner of humanity and Indian ethos who gives the ideal depiction of both the notions in this novel. He holds an ironic vision

65 | P a g e opposing the suppression of the down-trodden people and interference in one‘s kingdom by force. He even holds his sarcasm where he confronts subjugation of men by means of politics, economics and military influence. The novel has portrayed how the attack of colonizers has brutally affected nations that have been compelled to be colonized.

There are three stories which proceed side by side in the novel out of which two stories revolve around Raj Kumar and Dolly and B.P. Dey and Uma. This is the first generation of Indian characters like Raj Kumar, Dey and Uma. The second generation portrays the characters of Neel and Manju. The author has depicted the intricacies in the lives of these characters which attracts the reader‘s attention. The novel concentrates on the socio-political milieu of India and Burma at that time and the way of people‘s lives in which ingredients of Indian ethos gets reflected. We site a number of occasions throughout the novel which depict Indian ethos in a true sense. The period which the author has covered in this novel includes the British rule in India, Burma and Malaya during the outburst of Anglo-Burmese War of 1885. It can even be seen that Mandalay gave up its freedom without fighting for it in disorderly environment.

Amitav Ghosh has tried to offer the fantastic renovation of the history of Indian sub-continent which was phenomenal in nature. Amitav Ghosh portrays the episode of the exile of Burmese King and his family to Ratnagiri, India. The family of King Thebaw is forced to live in the coastal town with the surroundings of common people in India. There is an outburst of plague and poverty which compels the King and his family member to degrade themselves to down trodden Indian people. The villagers of the place construct their residences around the palace of the King. This is common Indian mentality to gather and live together for the sake of any purpose or devoid of any purpose which depicts the Indian ethos. In this way, the Royal family is enforced to mix

66 | P a g e with the ordinary civilization which resembles the element of Indian ethos which is labeled as common living.

Though the family of Burmese King has to leave their country, Raj Kumar takes it as an opportunity to build his career as a timber merchant. He establishes his own business empire with the help of workers from India. His behaviour forms the part of Indian ethos of taking benefit of the opportunity. He is, in fact, a colonizer in the disguise of colonized person. Raj Kumar becomes successful in achieving contracts for Railway Company and starts supplying teakwood to it. Thus, his life gets changed from a labourer to a trader. He shows the features of common Indian people who wish to be prosperous with their efforts. Raj Kumar makes his dream a reality. He shows Indian zeal of dedication for the establishment of his own identity.

There are varied locales which have been used by Amitav Ghosh such as Burma, Malaya, and India. However, the prominent part of this novel occurs in the Indian context. Amitav Ghosh not only portrays the displacement of people from one place to another but also depicts the experiences of life through keen observation of the characters and their involvement with circumstances.

The shifting of Burmese King and his family to Indian town Ratnagiri compels them to absorb Indian ways of life forming Indian ethos. Though they have royal past, their present is an ordinary one. They are forced to investigate their individualities in the Indian context. They succeed in their mission with their own capacities and deeds. The family members of Burmese King try to harmonize their relations with Indian people. It is evident in the friendship of Uma and Dolly. They start being united with the locality of Ratnagiri and try to learn the ways of Indian living.

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In 1850, the British occupied Myanmar. After the occupation of Myanmar, they decided to transport the king of Myanmar away from Burma to some remote place. That decision was made so that they could not lead the Burmese to have any thought of protest and rebellion against the British troops. The King of Myanmar, King Thebaw was coroneted by the conspiracy of his Queen mother and also by the diplomatic moves of his Queen Supalayat from Mandalay, a capital city of Burma. The king is transported to Ratnagiri, the sea coast in western India. The King and Queen are transported and Dolly is one of those retainers who is transported with them. The Royal couple comes to Ratnagiri. They are kept in Thebaw Palace, which is specially constructed for the King in the fort of Ratnagiri. Geographically from Burma, the Royal couple comes which is a shift of locations and a shift in the thematic structure of this novel The Glass Palace.

The British were the colonizers in the both the countries, India and Burma. They had occupied the capital city of both the countries India and Myanmar. These cities were Delhi and Mandalay. In Delhi, Emperor Bahadurshaha Jafar was ruling. He led what British called the mutiny of 1857, which Indians proudly claim as the first war of Independence. He led the 1857 war of Independence along with the various princely rulers like Nanasaheb Peshave, Tatya Tope of Kalpi, Rani Laxmibai from Jhansi and many others. This act of rebellious revolt was crushed by the brutal atrocities of the British forces. British rulers thereafter did not want Bahadurshaha Jafar to remain in Delhi. They felt that such eruptions would continue if the emperor lived in Delhi. Therefore, they decided to transport him to a remote corner in Myanmar (Burma in those days). He was transported to Mandalay where Bahadurshaha Jafar wrote a Gazal (lyrical song) stating that he has got only four days of life and of these four days two days have been spent in desiring things and two days are being spent in waiting. Symbolically, this waiting is equal to existential waiting that is dramatized by

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Samuel Beckett in Waiting for Godot. Bahadurshaha Jafar was transported to Myanmar and the king of Myanmar that is king Thebaw was transported to Ratnagiri on the western coast of India. This place Ratnagiri is a township south of Mumbai. It is a sea port and therefore, from the forest of Mandalay to the seashore of Ratnagiri King Thebaw, Queen Supalayat, Dolly, the Princesses and others were now transported deliberately so that there would not be any contact of the king with his subjects. There would be no opportunity of having any attempt of resistance and revolution in Myanmar. That was a crafted design of the British rulers, the colonizers who wanted to hit towards one and at the same time through this transportation of the emperor of Delhi to Myanmar and the king of Myanmar to the fort of Ratnagiri.

3.3.1. Spirituality

The spirit possesses some divine powers which are invested in God. The guiding principle of the spiritual pursuit of the Vedic Indians ‗known to soul‘ that found expression in the variegated forms of the Vedic knowledge. Spirituality has been appreciated in the Indian culture from ancient period, and it is no astonishment that various innovations in the field of spirituality created in India. Meanwhile people struggle to excel in areas that are friendly with their cultural ethics. India has seen the development of many geniuses in the field of spirituality even in the present times.

These are the mysterious occult power shows in King Thebaw of Burma. He is deported to Ratnagiri. Being a King, it is believed by the people in general in Ratnagiri that King Thebaw possesses some spiritual powers.

This is illustrated in his prediction about the changes in the climate in specific the prior announcements about the cyclone and other sea storms. People believe

69 | P a g e that King Thebaw is always the first to announce about such outbreaks. This is an element of spirituality that is noticed in the characterization of King Thebaw.

―In Ratnagiri there were many who believed that King Thebaw was always the first to know when the sea had claimed a victim.‖ (TGP: 76)

A king is supposed to be the messenger of God. In ancient times it was the belief that the King is God‘s anointed in this world. In India, the King was considered to be the representative of Lord Vishnu on this earth. Similar views were held in Europe too. In France, King Louis XIV declared that, ―I AM THE STATE‖. In countries like Japan, Sweden the sick people used to gather to seek blessings from the King to cure their ailments. They believed that the King‘s divine touch brings blessings to cure the sick and makes children healthy and happy. These beliefs are reflected in the present passage where King Thebaw‘s appearance is greeted and women head their new born children and attracted his attention to make him bless them at the time showering benediction.

Here is another example of spirituality shows in the novel.

―Sawant,‖ said the King, ―there was a storm at sea.‖ He explained what had happened. Sawant went hurrying down the hillside, and the news reached the fishing village before the boats were home. Thus began the legend of Ratnagiri‘s watchful King. (TGP:78)

This example throws light on the aspect of spirituality. One day, in the morning King watches from the balcony and he notices that the fishing boats have gone out of the Ratnagiri harbour. In the evening he watches from the same vantage point. Then King Thebaw realizes that one of the fishing boats is missing. He calls Sawant, the coachman and tells him that there is the storm at sea. Sawant goes to the fishing village on the sea coast. The news given by the King to the

70 | P a g e coachman is circulated. This is how the legend of Ratnagiri‘s King having had spiritual power begins. That is how the King watches from the vantage point of the balcony. From that point, the King has the best view of the sea. He watches anybody in the entire district. He has the divine gift of noticing certain gifts. This shows the presence of spirituality in the narrative account of the King‘s stay in Ratnagiri in the novel.

It is believed by the people around the Thebaw palace that the King has some godly divine qualities. His spiritual powers have consisted in caring the sick blessing the children, predicting the storms, foretelling the accidents and the forecast of the coming monsoon. Therefore, before the advent of the monsoons, the King is approached by the inhabitant of Ratnagiri. The King possesses amazing gift as he gives the most reliable information on the coming of monsoons. Every year he watches outside the window a tiny speck on horizon which soon develops into a moving wall. The monsoon first dash against Outram House in the Fort of Ratnagiri which is the King is royal residence. The King calls Sawant to close the window. So, this is the spiritual power which enables him to predict the nature of the monsoon that year.

Spirituality is chiefly the feature of oriental temperaments like those of the Indian and the Burmese. There was Colonel Sladen who approached the Royal family of King Thebaw and Queen . It was decided by the British Government to send the Royal family with attendants in to exile and they were expected to be sent to India. Just before ten minutes to the transportation of the King, the King opens a room. It is dark but it possessed the most precious possession of the Burmese Royal family. The most valuable possession of the Ngamauk is set in the costliest and the greatest ruby diamond. The King gets a response that was the most unexpected but the King takes it in his stride. He remains calm, quite, composed and balanced. He does not lose his balance. This

71 | P a g e steadfastness becomes a mark of his personality. This is the personal trait that is noticed here. Spirituality is reflected in the above illustration. In Thebaw‘s character spirituality in his nature is present throughout.

―In Ratnagiri there were many who believed that King Thebaw was always the first to know when the sea had claimed a victim.‖ (TGP:122)

Therefore, the reflection of parameters of Indian ethos is seen here. Firstly, there is the use of the Indian word. Secondly, it is the power of prediction that the king has. As a superstition, it is found that people of Ratnagiri believe in the miraculous power that the King Thebaw has. This miraculous power enabled to predict the coming of the storm in the sea area through there were no such signs in the environment. This surprised the people of Ratnagiri and they become wonderstruck on account of this miraculous power that having Thebaw king. It has the historical background as well as there are geographical shifts in the transportation of the emperor from Delhi and the king from Mandalay, Myanmar. Indian ethos various parameters are reflected in this particular example. Of these, the most notable ones are the use of Indian location, Indian expressions and also miraculous powers that the king has, and the belief in the miraculous power of the king. Spirituality is a mark of the parameters of Indian ethos that is reflected in the novel The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh.

3.3.2. Conglomeration of Religions

India is well-known as the land of spirituality and philosophy. It was the origin of some religions, which even occur nowadays in the world. Religion plays an important part in the lives of the Indians. It is found that religion has long had exercised a strong influence on Indian ethos. In the present novel Amitav Ghosh

72 | P a g e mentioned that the first war of Independence like a storm erupted against the British forces in and around Delhi and Lakhnow in 1857. The intention was to end the colonial rule of the British traders, soldiers and officers. The 1857 war had ripple effects on neighbouring counties. By the middle of 19th century, the British powers had deeply entrenched in colonial Burma and so, this country had become a center of conglomeration of various religions of the world. The rulers were Chastain, the Burmese‘s the royal family, their officers and the common Burmese people repeated the prayers to Manipadmahu that is the lotus carrying enlightened one-Gautam, the Budhha. This meant that almost all the Burmese people were Buddhists in their faith. There were immigrants from India, China and the countries such as Malaya, Indonesia. The people belonging to two different religions of Hinduism and Islam dwelt there. The major four religions of the world Christianity, Islam, Buddhist and Hinduism had made Burma a point of conglomeration of major and minor religions of the world. There were traders who belonged to the two other religions from India, namely Jainism and Sikhism. There were some Jew moneylenders who represented the Hebrew religion from Israel. The illustration illustrates the coming together of many religions of the world.

―Usually they were just ―brothers,‖ but at times they were also much more, even the ―First True Indians.‖ ―Look at us,‖ they would say, ―Punjabis, Marathas, Bengalis, Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims. Where else in India would you come across a group such as ours—where region and religion don‘t matter—where we can all drink together and eat beef and pork and think nothing of it?‖ (TGP:278)

The above cited example does talk about amalgamation of religions and practices in India since long time. The people are different religions stay together and same is reflected in the novel.

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In the text mentioned below, this is evident in the meeting of Rajkumar and Dolly and presence of the Queen, the four princesses and other attendant girls, Macho and the British as well and Burmese soldiers. Dolly lowered her eyes like an ideal Buddhist girl with humility and humble modesty.

―Rajkumar and Saya John the busy time of year was when the rivers rose. Every few weeks they would load a cargo of sacks, crates and boxes onto one of the Irrawaddy Steamship Flotilla‘s riverboats: shuddering, paddle- wheeled steamers, captained, more often than not, by Scotsmen and crewed mainly by Chittagong khalasis, such as Rajkumar had himself once sought to be. With the weight of the engorged river behind them, they would go shooting downstream from Mandalay at such speeds as to put the flotilla‘s itineraries to rout. At sunset, when it was time to pull in to shore, they would frequently find themselves anchoring beside some tiny river-bank hamlet that consisted of nothing more than a few thatched huts, clustered around a police station parade ground.‖ (TGP: 65)

This illustration shows the different religious influences. It appears slightly long but it brings together the Irrawaddy, Chittagong Rivers and the outlines of the Bodaw, Men below appeared as familiar sides in dim moonlight. Rajkumar is the Hindu and Saya John belongs to the different religions. The Sailors are from Bangladesh, customers from all the countries of the world, shopkeepers and entertainers gathered for their work. This brings out the fact that there was a vast conglomeration of persons belonging to different nations. Naturally, the people of different nationalities follow different faiths almost all the religions of the world. They had their confluence in that spot where Rajkumar and Saya John were carrying out their transactions. This shows the inter-mixing and intermingling of the religions of the world.

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Amitav Ghosh mentions characters judiciously from the different area. Machoo who is half Indian, Saya John, Matthew is from Malay and Rajkumar is Indian. This again shows that there are people of different nationalities and religions who had gathered in Mandalay. When the great event is reported the Queen, Dolly and others wait for future. This is one more illustration of the configuration of religions.

―It was early evening, usually a busy time at the stall, but in honor of her visitors, Ma Cho decided to close down for the day. Drawing Rajkumar aside, she told him to take Matthew for a walk, just for an hour or so.‖

(TGP: 11)

The foreigners living in Mandalay are not insubstantial. There are envoys and missionaries from the Europe, traders and merchants of Greek, American, Chinese and Indian origins, laborers and boatsmen from Bengal, Malaya and Coromandel Coast, white-clothed astrologers from Manipur and businessmen from Gujarat. There is an assortment of people such as Rajkumar had never seen before he came here. This illustration shows how during the historical movement of expectoration of King Thebaw and Royal Family results in conglomeration of all the religions of the world.

There are different nationalities and different religions are represented by them. Arjun joins the British Army. It shows mix feelings of nationalities and at the same time the glory of the participation in war. In the army, the British officers like Lieutenant Colonel Buckland who speaks business. The configuration of religions is from the different continuant of the world. It is shown in following lines.

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―All right, then.‖ Lieutenant-Colonel Buckland‘s voice was businesslike again. ―You two had better get some rest. Tomorrow we‘ll head southeast. With any luck we‘ll be able to circle back towards our own lines.‖

The rain continued without interruption, the moisture descending with the steady insistence they had all come to dread. Hardy commandeered a bedroll from one of the men, and he and Arjun sat leaning against a tree trunk, sitting at right-angles to each other, keeping watch in the darkness. Mosquitoes buzzed incessantly and for once Arjun was grateful for his puttees. But there was little he could do about his unprotected neck and face. He slapped at the insects and thought with longing of the mosquito cream he‘d left behind at the Asoon River, tucked deep inside his pack.

―Sah‘b.‖ Arjun was startled by the sound of Kishan Singh‘s voice.

―Kishan Singh?‖

―Sah‘b.‖

Kishan Singh slipped something into his hand and was gone before Arjun could say anything else.

―What is it?‖ Hardy said.‖ (TGP: 404-405)

Here, Lieutenant-Colonel Buckland, Hardy, Arjun and Kishan Singh have assembled. The Europeans and the two Indians represent different nationalities. The Christens are Lieutenant-Colonel Buckland and Hardy. Arjun and Kishan Singh are Hindus. Here again there is the conglomeration of religions of the world. They represent Christianity and Hinduism. Here is the conglomeration of nationalities and religions of the world.

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3.3.3. Influence of Philosophy

A philosophy is not born in a day. Lord Gautam Buddha sitting under the banyan tree was encouraged as it was with the truths which he later circulated. Truths never reached in a moment. Indian philosophy specifically shows a spiritual set. The spirit of religion is not rigid in India. Here, religion changes as philosophy increasingly balances advanced planes. Saya John comes with his paper and begins to read the royal proclamations which announce to the heretic foreigner and the hectic forms of a short story. Then the King shows how there is violation of the religion of native country by the colonizers. The King appeals to his countrymen that all of them are bound to their duty to their religion. The good of the native culture and religion is that the religious belief is disbanded but the Indian soldiers in a crowding population of India. The king points out that they have the alignment as significant to the Burmese religion.

―The number of foreigners living in Mandalay was not insubstantial— there were envoys and missionaries from Europe; traders and merchants of Greek, Armenian, Chinese and Indian origin; laborers and boatmen from Bengal, Malaya and the Coromandel coast; white-clothed astrologers from Manipur; businessmen from Gujarat—an assortment of people such as Rajkumar had never seen before he came here.‖ (TGP:16)

The King resolves to achieve the spiritual attachment is the score of the average men and women. This dormant feeling of religion and the philosophical thoughts are almost one and same in Burma. To uphold the Burmese culture depends on three different cases. All the three, one by one, in one and the same to way of following the Eight Feld Noble Faith of whiteness propagated by Lord Gautam Buddha. This path to Nirvala, is the ultimate Buddhist religion.

Saya John and Rajkumar discuss about the intention of the soldiers who make war. Why do they involve themselves in the wars which are ultimately beneficial

77 | P a g e to the foreign colonizers? Is it money which makes do so? But, that is not the whole truth. There is some contrary philosophical action. They do not believe firstly that they are fighting with colonizers, with evil intention. According to them, the good philosophical principal behind that action is to fight the war that has a good purpose and that is the performance of duty to afford the master and British colonizers.

―I would look into those faces and I would ask myself: What would it be like if I had something to defend—a home, a country, a family—and I found myself attacked by these ghostly men, these trusting boys? How do you fight an enemy who fights from neither enmity nor anger but in submission to orders from superiors, without protest and without conscience? ―In English they use a word‖. (TGP: 30)

Amitav Ghosh mentioned that the native soldiers truly believe that they are fighting for their homes, country and family. They are fighting to afford purity and honours. To die for honours is the philosophy of soldiers falling part in the war. This is the philosophical resigning which is offered by these soldiers.

The British officer Sleden informs the King Thebaw and his Queen Supalayat that they would be sent to Ratnagiri, a costal town on the western coast of India about sixty kilometers from Bombay. This decision disgusts the King and Queen in initial stages but they reasoned. They consider that this action would lead them to the path of survival and self-reservation. This is how the philosophical action of the royal couple is stated.

―Sladen‘s appeal went unanswered: there were no volunteers. The King‘s gaze, that mark of favor once so eagerly sought, passed unchecked over the heads of his courtiers. Thebaw remained impassive as he watched his most trusted servants averting their faces, awkwardly fingering the golden tsaloe sashes that marked their rank.‖ (TGP: 41-42)

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The collector Dey defends the action of the British Empire in this house arrest of the Royal couple and their dependents. The collector points out that the British Empire is more powerful than any other powerful history. Even the powerful Alexander the great did not have this much of power. The king does not reply but Queen Supalayat overstates the collector‘s argument. She points out that culturally the orientals are far superior to the others. Moreover, the oriental philosophy has proved to be the best of the lot. In the history of the world, the philosophy and culture of the orient stands supreme and second to none.

―The Collector‘s voice grew sharper. ―May I remind Your Highness that while Alexander the Great spent no more than a few months in the steppes of central Asia, the satrapies he founded persisted for centuries afterward? Britain‘s Empire is, by contrast, already more than a century old, and you may be certain, Your Highness, that its influence will persist for centuries to come. The Empire‘s power is such as to be proof against all challenges and will remain so into the foreseeable future. I might take the liberty of pointing out, Your Highness, that you would not be here today if this had been pointed out to you twenty years before.‖ (TGP: 107)

The conversation goes on between Rajkumar and Uma and they talk about the fortune that is a mass about the Rajkumar- a something like flax. Rajkumar though a foreigner has lived in Burma for a longer time. He is now more Burmese than Indian. They have seen his honesty, industrious enterprise which has given him moral strength like this.

―You will understand what I mean, Uma, when I say that our Rajkumar- babu is not the kind of person to whose society you are accustomed. You may well find him somewhat rough and even uncouth in his manner. You will no doubt be astonished to learn that although he speaks several

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languages fluently, including English and Burmese, he is for all practical purposes an illiterate, barely able to sign his own name. (TGP: 135)

This is philosophical touch that almost sums up the Burmese determination. The philosophical reasoning gives solidity of the action in The Glass Palace.

3.3.4. Multiculturalism

The multiculturalism is connected with a native and outsider cultural group. It happens when a jurisdiction is created or expanded by joining area with two or more altered cultures and it completes colonization from different jurisdictions around the world. The Indian costumes are being put on by the Queen as well as the other female members of her family. They make a comment on women wearing of a sari.. The British rulers do not want him to have any contact with his countryman so that there would not be any question of any attempt of resistance and revolted against the British rule. That is why he was deported to India; he was put on the western coast of India and far away from the forest of Mandalay. He was now on the seashore of Ratnagiri, south of Mumbai. King Thebaw brings with him, the Queen and her four Princesses and there are a large number of retinues, both males and females. Dolly is one of the retinues. The Queen Supalayat of Burma and other ladies have to put on the Indian costumes in a new style instead of having the European costumes such as petticoat, blouses and others. The new style of Indian saris is being put up. This is the impact of Indian ethos on the queen, princesses and other members of the other retinues in particular the female retinues in the royal entourage.

―The Queen took a long look. ―It‘s just a sari,‖ she said at last. ―But she‘s wearing it in a new style.‖ She explained that an Indian official had made up a new way of wearing a sari, with odds and ends borrowed from

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European costume—a petticoat, a blouse. She‘d heard that women all over India were adopting the new style. But of course everything came late to Ratnagiri—she herself had never had an opportunity to look into this new fashion at first hand.‖ (TGP:166)

This illustration is a part and parcel of multiculturalism. Indian costumes are district from all other costumes. There are frocks, sarongs, kimonos in Europe, America, Malaysia, Burma and others. So, it is found that Indian costume is totally different. In Ratnagiri, the members of the retinue of Queen Supalayat were now wearing the saris. The critical comment tells us that the multiculturalism is one of the marks of Indian ethos and so that is reflected here. In India, Burmese females are very much influenced by the sari and they have started imitating and wearing sari here. This is a comment which is made by the Queen Supalayat that she has to put on the sari in a different style or in a different manner that is quite distinctive here. Along with religious differences, ethnic differences, political and economic affiliations and the cultural heritage that is being displayed in the illustrative example in the novel The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh.

The reality of multiculturalism challenges the concept of one nation, one culture, one people and the concept of cultural rights. It is related with the help of regional, autonomy language rights, equal participation of all citizens within the symbols of national choice. This particular passage is the conversation between Queen Supalayat, who is the queen of King Thebaw of Burma and Uma, the collector‘s wife. It is noticed that Queen Supalayat is rather interested and she is very curious about how Uma has put on the sari. She is from Burma but she is now in Ratnagiri so she is very much attracted by the dress which is put on by the Indian women.

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Here, it is found that the collector‘s wife, Uma is wearing the sari in a different manner. Queen Supalayat knows the mixed use of expression like ‗Achha‘, that is ok. She comments on how sari is different kind of sarong which is put on by the Burmese women or kimono, and which is put on by the Japanese women. The kimono is used in Japan, Thailand and Vietnam. The Western dress is now accepted everywhere but, in Myanmar and Malaysia lungi type garment is put on by the ladies. These garments have been commented upon. Sari is the only garment that gives exposure to all the physical features of ladies. It is wrapped around the entire body but at the same time it highlights the women‘s physical features in an artistically beautiful manner. The Indian sari is a peculiar kind of garment. It beautifies the women. It makes the woman more beautiful than what she actually is.

―As you can see, my daughters wear their saris in the local style. But, I prefer this new fashion. It is more elegant— the sari looks more like a htamein. Would it be too great an imposition to ask you to reveal the secrets of this new style to us?‖ (TGP:173)

The critical comments tell us that an Indian garment, the Indian sari is something which is of a different kind; it shows the culture of India. There are no stitches, hooks, pins, and no buttons to this apparel. The Burmese Queen is very much curious to know the way in which Indian sari is put on. Indian ethos is reflected in the Indian way of wearing the sari and the fashion of wearing. The Indian costume is the mirror of Indian culture, Indian heritage. Indian sari, Indian food, Indian manner, superstations, epics, religious sculptures and Indian traditions, all these reveal the Indian ethos. According to an Indian legend, Lord Krishna had saved Dropadi from disgrace by supplying her sari when she was disrobed in front of the court. The sari is considered to be an auspicious garment. In particular, a green sari is considered to be the symbol of Indian womanhood or a

82 | P a g e symbol of a woman who is a married woman because the green sari is a mark of prosperity and fertility of the women. There is an Indian heritage of saris and so from Kashmir to Tamilnadu, from Kerala to Nagaland it is found that in different ways the sari is put on in India. The sari has got historical as well as geographical diversity in it. The sari is also a symbol of the Indian-ness. The sari is one of the best parameters of Indian ethos. The sari contains all the parameters of Indian multiculturalism which are listed in this particular work.

3.3.5. Multilingualism

India is multilingual country. The word ‗multilingual‘ is an extension of ‗bilingual‘ that is common and may in certain cultures be the order of the day. Amitav Ghosh shows an additional sense in the multilingual site taken as a bilingual country where many different languages are spoken. He has written his novels on the background of various continents in particular of Asia, Europe. The novel ―The Glass Palace‖ is on the background of the West Court Township of Ratnagiri.in India and Mandalay the capital city of Myanmar (Burma of former times). The protagonist of the novel is Rajkumar, a young boy who has migrated to Myanmar. In order to earn his livelihood, he works at the road side stall of Ma Cho. This is a pretty job as he is busy in his daily course and duties at the stall. He finds that many factory employees visit the stall. Saya John is a factory employer visits Myanmar and in his earlier visit he meets Rajkumar. Therefore, in his second visit he meets Rajkumar and addresses him in a jocular fashion. He tells him about his real status in Malaya. Rajkumar comes to Mandalay for the obvious reason to earn his livelihood. He just wants a petty job and he gets that on the street side snacks shop of Ma Cho who is a Burmese woman. She is running her stall. Saya John is just like a cool breeze in heat and Rajkumar is delighted to see him. Saya John also addresses him in Hindustani

83 | P a g e and he tells Rajkumar about his condition then he calls Rajkumar ‗a washerman‘s dog‘ and he relates an Indian idiom regarding washerman‘s dog which fully explains Rajkumar‘s status in Mandalay.

―A few days later Saya John was back. Once again he greeted Rajkumar in his broken Hindustani: ―Kaisa hai? Sub kuchh theek-thaak?‖

(TGP: 21)

When I told them how this had come about, they would laugh and say, you are a dhobi ka kutta—a washerman‘s dog—na ghar ka na ghat ka— you don‘t belong anywhere, either by the water or on land, and I‘d say yes, that is exactly what I am.‖ (TGP: 22)

Saya John has made use of Hindustani expressions, Indian expressions such as ‗Kaisa hai? Sub kuchh theek-thaak?‘, ‗a dhobi ka kutta na ghar ka na ghat ka‘ are used by Saya John while addressing Rajkumar. This shows his affection towards Rajkumar. He asks him if everything is okay. He jocularly calls him a ‗dhobi ka kutta‘ that means a washerman‘s dog. This is the phrase which is taken from the Indian idioms which is ‗dhobi ka kutta na ghar ka na ghat ka‘. This particular idiom is used for a person who is nowhere, neither here nor there, such a person is called washerman‘s dog. Rajkumar is addressed by Saya John in the same manner because Rajkumar is neither from India and nor properly settled in Myanmar. So, this particular expression tells about Rajkumar‘s real status here in Mandalay. The Indian expression ‗kutta‘ which is an expletive phrase is used in a polite manner. It is noticed that this word is used for the servants who are lower in status.

John calls Rajkumar as a washerman‘s dog. He wants to suggest that Saya John is superior to Rajkumar and that Rajkumar is subordinate to him. He wants him to settle him at one place therefore, he calls him that he is a dog who has

84 | P a g e nowhere to go, nowhere to resort, nowhere to settle neither in India nor in Burma, in a comfortable status. The reflection of the social status and the geographical diversity between India, Myanmar and Malaya are indicated here. At the same time, Indian expressions are used which reflect Indian ethos. Indian geographical diversity and social status are reflected in this particular illustrative example which throws light on Rajkumar‘s character. The theme of migration in The Glass Palace is reflected in this reflection of a multilingualism feature of Indian Ethos.

India is linguistically very diverse country. It always forms multilingual communities. King Thebaw and Queen Supalayat have four daughters. The youngest is born in India whereas the elder three are born in Burma but now all the four princesses have become Indianised. This was the effect of the colonial rule of the British in Burma. The British deliberately put the King and Queen from Burma in this fort of Ratnagiri. In Thebaw palace, they are kept in house custody. They are almost imprisoned and so, it is found that the parents still retain something of their Burmese culture but the four princesses become totally Indianised. They are now assimilated with the target culture. The very few times they come out of the Ratnagiri fort or the Thebaw palace. They are known to the locals when they visit the Mandvi River or the Bhagwati temple. Indian women particularly watch them and they find their hair style as well as their costumes are totally Indian now. So, they are now known by their appearances. Though they are under house arrest now and there are occasions of coming out of the fort, but they are rarely seen in the township. The princess comes out of the fort only three or four times when they visit the Bhagavati temple, when they go to the seashore, or when they are on the banks of the Mandvi River.

―The Princesses, on the other hand, were seen around town three or four times every year, driving down to the Mandvi jetty or to the Bhagavati

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temple, or to the houses of those British officials whom they were permitted to visit. The townsfolk knew them all by sight—the First, Second, Third and Fourth Princesses (the last was born in Ratnagiri, in the second year of the King‘s exile).‖ (TGP:123)

―One day, no one quite remembered when, they appeared in saris—not expensive or sumptuous saris but the simple green and red cottons of the district. They began to wear their hair braided and oiled like Ratnagiri schoolgirls; they learnt to speak Marathi and Hindustani as fluently as any of the townsfolk.‖ (TGP:123)

Education system in India is truly multilingual. The three-language plan broadly in the country aims at emerging and consolidation the multilingual character of our educational system. Amitav Ghosh highlights indirectly the Indian school system. In the school girls speak Marathi and Hindustani fluently and they have their hair pleated in braid as if these princesses are born Indian girls. Their costume, hair style and language is totally Indian as if the girls are from Marathi family, they are just naturalised Indians and are assimilated with Indian culture. They have totally accommodated the Indian ethos of dress, hairstyle and the use of language. They use Marathi and Hindi expressions. The reflection of Indian ethos which is one of the parameters of the present research study is satisfactorily presented in this example.

There is a fine description of the language, custom and behaviour of the British people and their adoption by the people like Saya John, Raj Kumar and Beni Prasad Dey, an ICS officer in Ratnagiri. This gives a genuine sense of Indian Ethos with the illustration using Indian words.

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―It was a ritual with Saya John, a kind of superstition, always to start these journeys in European clothes: a sola topee, leather boots, khaki trousers.‖ (TGP: 67)

The words topee and khaki are Indian in the true sense. Amitav Ghosh describes this type of language or words very symbolically in his work.

The equality of opportunity shows the matters relating to employment or appointment for all citizens in office under the state. Rajkumar, is the protagonist of the novel who is from India. The novel The Glass Palace tells us about his early years in Burma. He lives there with the Burmese people and not with the other Bengalis in the city. He lives in Mandalay as well as Rangoon for a long time but he does not mix with Bengali people. It is noticed that Rajkumar who is the protagonist of self-independent in spirit. He does not want to have much contact with the people who belong to his home state. Bengalis have got peculiar way of life; peculiar life style and Rajkumar, however, wants to get assimilated with the Burmese culture. He does not mix with those Bengalis who just want to retain their pan Indian and Bengali culture even in the land like Burma. One day, Rajkumar decides to visit Durga Devi temple. This is quite unexpected because he did not mix in the company of Hindu Bengalis for a long time. He never visits Durga Devi temple. This decision of his is unexpected unprecedented and so this is a characteristic feature of Rajkumar. It gives thematic twist to the theme of exile or assimilation into the target culture.

―Rajkumar-babu, the letter continued, had lived in Rangoon many years, but for much of that time he had had no contact with the other Bengalis of the city. Then suddenly one morning, he had dropped down like a hailstone from the sky, right into the Durga temple on Spark Street, the gathering-place of the city‘s Hindu Bengalis. He had come perfectly

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costumed for the occasion, in a starched white dhoti and a gold-buttoned punjabi. To ease his entry he had taken the precaution of bringing along a substantial donation for the purohit.‖ (TGP:212)

Here, some Indian expression like Bengalis as well as Durga temple, white dhoti, Punjabi and purohit are found in the text. The white dhoti is a characteristic mark of Bengali gentlemen, purohit is the priest and Punjabi is the shirt that is put on, and Durga temple is the temple of the goddess Durga. The Durga temple is the mark of Indian Ethos asit signifies religion and the assembly of the Indian worshippers. Durga pooja is a big festival for Bengalis The religious worships, costumes and donations to purohit or priests, these are some of the parameters which are reflected in this particular illustrative example. The parameters of Indian ethos reflected here are those of customs, religions, social culture, cultural manners, costumes, the ornaments and many others things. Social, religious, cultural and other matters as well as physical matters such as ornaments and costumes are also mentioned here.

The Bengalis have their own peculiar culture. In India, Punjabis, Maharashtrians, Tamilians, Biharis and Bengalis have different lifestyles. Their costumes differ such as turban for the Punjabis, cap for Maharashtrians, no head gear of Tamilians and Biharis wear something like a gamcha, a short napkin would be on their head. Their food also differsas there will be Paratha in north India, Roti, Misal Pav in Maharashtra, Idli, Dosa in South India, Rasgulla in Bengal and so on.. The understanding of the socio-cultural progression is incomplete without an understanding of the dialectical relationship of multilingualism.

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3.3.6. Family System

The Indian family system has been an overruling group in the life of individual as well as society. Child marriages have been predominant in various cultures through human history. It has been a typical institution of India and it is shown in the novel of Amitav Ghosh when the character, Uma Dey who is sixteen years old when the Collector of Ratnagiri decides to marry her. Therefore, one night he arrives at Uma‘s father‘s residence at Lankasnka, in Kolkatta. He knocks loudly on the front door. One of Uma‘s aunts opens the door. He asks her to allow him to be inside the house. Uma‘s aunt who allows him inside tells Uma‘s mother that the collector has returned. The aunt also has a comment to make about collector Dey‘s personality that he is really handsome, eligible bachelor and therefore, it was necessary to hook him in marriage. What is found here is that the collector himself is determined to marry Uma and comes on his own to propose to her formally to Uma‘s father.

The collector shows a sort of boldness in proposing Uma in her own residence and in the presence of all her relatives, mother, aunt, father and she herself. The collector Dey is a young brilliant boy in his mid20s. He is a graduate from Cambridge University then he appears for IAS examination and passes it with flying colors and now he has joined Indian Administrative Service. His appointment is at Ratnagiri. Now, he is in search of a life partner and remembers Uma as a young girl performing a pooja. He wants to handle things on his own therefore, personally he comes to propose to her in her own residence in the presence of her family members. He makes use of European system of marriage proposal to be made to the girl and to her parents. He shows how this particular incident indicates the observation of the proposal system of the Europeans in the Indian atmosphere.

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―It transpired that he had seen Uma at a puja: she‘d been sixteen at the time, a schoolgirl.‖ (TGP:251)

Today, child marriage is typically practiced in some countries where traditional practices and custom of child marriages still have a strong impact. Love is the universal theme and it is between two eligible persons. One was young, brilliant, efficient collector Dey, an eligible bachelor and another is Uma, who was beautiful, docile, brilliant, self-made and independent of sprit who is also an eligible girl for marriage. So, the proposal is made by the collector to the girl, Uma in the presence of her parents. Here, the family system is the parameter which is used here and all that is associated with the marriage systems such as social customs and manners, Indian expressions are used in this particular example as the features of Indian ethos are reflected here. The reflection of Indian ethos is that of love, the child marriage system, the proposal of marriage, the customs and manners in the society and the way in which in the Indian marriage system of arranged marriage is retained but, there is European proposal system also which is used in this particular illustrative example. So, this particular example of Indian child marriage is reflected in the novel The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh.

King Thebaw and Queen Supalayat are staying in Ratnagiri in Thebaw palace. Dolly is one of the retinues. They also have their four princesses with them and Dolly and four princesses are still unmarried. It is something about their future and regarding their marriage prospects that the parents are thinking. Uma is twenty-six years who is already married five years ago at the age of twenty-one. Dolly is older than her and there are princesses also who are between twenty- three and eighteen years old. They are now in house custody which is almost like a prison and therefore, she was worried about this. Their marriage prospects appear to be quite dim here in this country to which they were transported. They

90 | P a g e are forcefully migrated to India and there are no Burmese males and also not many persons who are of dignity and status of the royal family.

The prospects of marriage for Dolly as well as four princesses appear to be very bleak. Everybody is worried about their prospects of marriage and here Uma, who is the collector‘s wife, is very much worried because she is a sensitive woman, a true Indian woman. She thinks of the marriage system whenever she finds that there is a girl who is of a marriageable age. She is very much worried about these five females who have come from Burma to her country. She is all the while thinking regarding Dolly and her marriage, the princesses and their marriages. She is very much worried about the lives of these five females from Burma whose life would be just like the life in a desert. They are caged in the compound walls in the Thebaw palace. Thebaw palace is a royal majestic house, a house of splendour, house of prosperity but these ladies are not free. These ladies do not have their own private life to live freely and that is why Uma is worried. Her being worried is peculiarly Indian because all the Indian women think in terms of women getting married at the proper age.

―Uma was twenty-six and had already been married five years. Dolly was a few years older. Uma began to worry:‖ (TGP:181)

This illustration tells us about Uma‘s worries. What is Dolly‘s future? What is the future of four princesses? When will they marry? When will they have children? This is what worried Uma. She asks these questions to herself. She finds that there are as if no answers to these questions. The marriage system is the one of the aspects of the Indian ethos, Indian style, and Indian way of life. The family, marriage system are the part and parcel of any sociological system in any community. Indians belong to various communities but they are formally united in the marriage system as well as the family system. Arranged marriage is

91 | P a g e the custom which is quite prominent in India. Love marriage is also allowed in India. Even there are eight types of marriages in the marriage system of India but of this, arranged marriage is the most prominent one and most of the marriages take place according to this system. Nowadays, the hold of this particular format of marriage has become loose. Inter-caste marriages and love marriages are taking place in large numbers. But, who would marry these women is Uma‘s question. The marriage systems and family systems which are characteristic features of the Indian ethos are reflected in this particular illustrative example from The Glass Palace.

3.3.7. Woman Subjugation

In Indian society, men have always lived their life for the defense of women in the society so; it has never been a female-dominated culture. Nowadays, women want men to accomplish their wish, which has been like this from the beginning. But, nowadays, women have started refusing to obtain slightest accountability. However, Raj Kumar takes those severe words as welcome sign and understands that she is willing to hire him with his acute observation. This sense of reading faces of people is an element of the Indian ethos where we need to comprehend the people with our observation. Raj Kumar meets several hurdles in his beginning at Mandalay but he believes himself and takes each difficulty positively. He is a risk taker which paves him the way for success. Instead of paying attention to Ma Cho‘s words, he takes entry into the fort and moves wherever he wants as per his own wish without caring about anyone. Incidentally, he sees Ma Cho through the creaks in the wooden walls during nights. With his act, he comes to know about female composition and act of physical relation. In one of such incident, Ma Cho tempts Raj Kumar for having sex with her. However, she fails to cross her restrictions.

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―Oh! She grunted. Then, with a starting deftness, one of her hands flew to the knot of his longyi…. Abruptly she pushed him away with a yelp of disgust. ‗What am I doing?‘ she cried. ‗What am I doing with this boy, this child, this half-wit kalaa?‘‖ (TGP: 57)

This sort of self-awareness is a component of Indian ethos where a person knows to follow his or her limits. Our behaviour should be principled and it should not spoil life of anyone else.

There is another incident described by Amitav Ghosh in the novel.

―What could love mean to this woman, this murderer, responsible for the slaughter of scores of her own relatives? And yet it was fact that she had chosen captivity over freedom for the sake of her husband, condemned her own daughters to twenty years of exile.‖ (TGP: 152)

The extract above gives an account of an incident of killing of many women in the palace of King of Burma by his own Queen Supayalat. She is in fact proficient in organizing the intricate plans for the sake of her own benefit. In her life in Burma, Queen Supayalat restricts the mother of king in a corner of the palace and does the same things with his sisters and other wives too. Gradually, she organizes the plans to wash out probable harms to herself and her husband. Therefore, she shows cruelty to kill seventy-nine princess including new born and old ones. She spreads the royal blood for her own purpose and the dead bodies were thrown to the nearby river.

The actual belief structure of defensive women stems from the rudeness of men towards women. This belief structure has been so operated by women that they have prohibited the whole male-gender to an extent that there is absolutely none

93 | P a g e to reflect the difficulty of men in the society. Hence, Queen behaves opposite to the principle of humanity which is highest product of Indian ethos. However, nature of human fortune is incredible and Queen has to live in exile in India leaving her all belongings and authorities.

There is an Indian Ethos in the spirit of Uma Dey, the wife of collector Beni Prasad Dey, who comes to know the futility of her existence in the realms of colonizers being their servant and the oppressors of own people. During the time of rebellion in opposition to the British to set India free from the clutches of the British Empire, Uma comes to know about Giani Amreek Singh who is an old soldier. Giani remains the source of inspiration for revolt for the Indian soldiers working for The British rule. In her curiosity, Uma asks to Giani,

―Why did it take you so long to understand that you were being used to conquer others like yourself?‖ (TGP: 224)

Furthermore, the story is evident of Indian ethos with its long ranging themes of colonial encounter, on the political, economical and social lives of the people of India and Burma. It expresses the sense of self-alienation in the form of character of Raj Kumar and Queen Supayalat and their journey from nobody to somebody and vice versa. The story even goes on to narrating the events of perseverance in the circumstances of foreign invasion. The characters that belong to India are shown as becoming aware about their national spirit. Uma shows extraordinary courage to take part in the movement of freedom fighting of India though she is the wife of collector Beni Prasad Dey. Due to her self-awareness she becomes conscious about her nation‘s struggle and takes part into it as a volunteer leaving her husband. There are some soldiers too who show the dilemma for whom they are fighting and in this way, they too show their national spirit exhibiting their sense of the Indian ethos. They feel reluctant while fighting for the British Empire.

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3.3.8. Unity in Diversity

Unity in diversity is a significant principle because all the people live in a different world. It is essential to respect each other and to support each other no matter what our background, culture, gender and position is. The feeling of homelessness is strong enough in the mind of Burmese King who thinks about his misfortune.

―The king raised his eyes and spotted several Indian faces along the waterfront. What vast, what incomprehensible power to move people in such numbers from one place to another: emperors, kings, farmers, dockworkers, soldiers, coolies, policemen. Why? Why this furious movement – people taken from one place to another to pull rickshaws, to sit behind in exile?‖ (TGP: 50)

The beginning of the story is surprising which covers the period around 1885 Mandalay at the time when Raj Kumar is of only eleven years. King Thebaw was then the ruler of Burma who is residing in his Glass Place with his Queen Supayalat and his princesses. They come to India under the force of the British government in an exile and have to settle in Ratnagiri, a coastal town in India. Thus, their journey is a troubled one and at the same time Raj Kumar starts working at the shop of Ma Cho. He at the same time starts his voyage for survival in Mandalay. Raj Kumar gets accompanied with Saya John, husband of Ma Cho and learns several lessons of his life. Raj Kumar enters into the business of teakwood which establishes him as a successful businessman. His business starts in Burma though he belongs to India and was sometimes labeled as ‗Kaala‖ being an Indian. Thus, it is an outcome of values of sacrifice and dedication instilled within Raj Kumar by his origin from India which makes him a rich prosperous person. His place of residence in Mandalay is finely illustrated as:

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―Hidden behind this wall were vast flocks of parakeets and troops of monkeys and apes – white-faced langurs and copper-skinned rhesus. Even commonplace domestic sounds from the village – the scraping of a coconut-shell ladle on a metal pot, the squeaking wheel of a child‘s toy – were enough to send gales of alarm sweeping through the dappled darkness: monkeys would flee in chattering retreat, and birds would rise from the treetops in an undulating mass, like a wind-blown sheet.‖ (TGP: 90)

After achieving a considerable wealth and being a successful businessman, Raj Kumar travels back to India in search of Dolly who lives in exile with the family of the King of Burma. Dolly is an orphan like Raj Kumar who works as a maid in the palace of the king at Ratnagiri. In fact, she is a true follower of principles laid down by the notion of Indian ethos though she belongs to Burma. She remains a loyal maid to her princess and a loyal wife to her husband Raj Kumar. However, she lives a distressed life due to her husband‘s greed for wealth and physical satisfaction. Therefore, she leaves her husband and prefers to remain a caretaker to her son Dinu who loses his leg due to polio.

Ratnagiri is hundred and fifty kilometres the south of Mumbai on the western shores of India. This is a beautiful seacoast having a sea-beach and there are various historical places which are of religious, geographical and historical significance. This particular fort of Ratnagiri is also a place of historical heritage because two hundred years ago the Royal King of Burma was transported here. King Thebaw as well as his wife Queen Supalayat was brought here and they were there with Dolly and other princesses. Here, they are welcomed by the collector, Mr. Beni Prasad Dey. There is description of the bungalow in which the collector resides.

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This bungalow is a geographical peculiarity that is noticed here in many ways. The bungalow is built in the British time. This is a large bungalow, it has a large compound and there is a porch; it is a portico, it is colonnaded; that is to say it is made of columns. This is a large bungalow with a porch of columns and it has got a roof which is a red tiled roof. That is also a peculiarity of the British bungalows or Portuguese bungalows which were there in Goa and or in many other parts of the British colony. This bungalow is on the top of the hill and there is a panoramic view of beautiful landscape of nature. On one side, there is the bay, there is an Arabian sea and on the other there is the Kajali river that is flowing through a deep valley. There is a hill on one hand and on the other hand there is a valley and the part in the south there is sea. This particular building is a beautiful monument of the British architectural and it has a wall garden and this walled garden is stretched a long way down the slope and it is just stopping where there is the gorge or deep ravine of the river Kajali.

―The Collector‘s house was known as the Residency. It was a large bungalow with a colonnaded portico and a steep, redtiled roof. It stood on the crest of a hill, looking southward over the bay and the valley of the Kajali River. It was surrounded by a walled garden that stretched a long way down the slope, stopping just short of the river‘s gorge.‖ (TGP:174)

The collectors in India are the servants of colonisers. All the facilities and all the comforts of the European lifestyle are given to them and that is why these bungalows are surrounded by the garden, walls and they are always surrounded by the beauty of natural landscape, the splendour and the beauty and wealth of nature‘s bounty in abundantly around these bungalows. There is a river, a sea, a hill, and there is a valley all around this house or bungalow. This bungalow which is called residency, it is residency bungalows and the collector is here like a Resident. He is the chief administrative head of this particular district. This is a

97 | P a g e long stretch of the length of about two hundred kilometres from north and south and it has about sixty kilometres of east west span.

This particular area of about twelve thousand square kilometres is headed by the collector. He is as if the king of this district which he is administering. He has this royal structure as his residence and he enjoys all the comforts there. So, in India colonisers, the British rulers meet the colonised, their servants and their boot lickers whom they call the bastards or dogs and the inhuman treatment that is given to the Indians. Mr. Beni Prasad Dey is an officer in the Indian Civil Service that is why he is given all the prestige that is given to European officers. There is a geographical diversity, a natural landscape, and the confluence of the sea and the river. There are valleys and the hills making it a beautiful place. The colonialism or the colonial rule and the comforts of colonial rule are reflected here. The company of nature is one of the holiest, purists of things. It is as if the worship of God in the scriptures, epics likes The Ramayana and The Mahabharata. The Vedas also speak of the dawn as the royal queen that arrives in the morning. They talk about the splendour of the sun. They tell us about grace of the rains and that is reflected in this residential quarter of the collector. There is a reflection of Unity in Diversity which is shown in the novel The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh

Raj Kumar shows the distinct feature of the Indian ethos in the form of his struggle being a migrant to Burma for the establishment of his own life. Dolly remains the most beautiful woman in the novel but she fails in holding Raj Kumar with her due to his nature of a businessman. Ma Cho‘s roadside food stall remains the representative of journey of the characters. It depicts the sense of the Indian ethos that human beings have to undergo varied journeys in their lives and face many challenges. War is the symbol of destruction and is the most powerful element for the dislocation of the characters. Human beings deviate themselves

98 | P a g e from the values provided by the notion of Indian ethos and thus, fall as the puppets in the hands of somebody. Timber and rubber plantation is the manifestation of wealth which remains the greed for many people including Raj Kumar and Saya John in this novel. This business compels them to exploit human values. We even get the references to cars and airplanes and change in the behaviour of people which depicts the wave of modernization. This sort of modernization can be seen as the supporting factor for the Indian ethos. It is evident in Uma, who being modern, takes part in the freedom fight of India. In addition, the characters of women are manifested for the explosion of strength, human existence and physical satisfaction. It is too a feature of the Indian ethos where people work with specific motivation. Finally, family remains the central in this novel which is again a prime feature of the Indian ethos. Every prime character like the King of Burma, Raj Kumar, Saya John, Beni Prasad Dey gives importance to his own family but fails to hold them forever and meets at the destruction.

Lastly, it can be said that The Glass Palace is a moving tale of love and fervent insistence exploring the features of Indian ethos in a true sense. It is a fine story of great adventures, incredible happenings, dislocations of human beings and shocking confrontations. It presents the social, political and economic milieu around the World War II and gives a fine portrayal of colonialism and internal hostility in the Kingdom of Burma. It even manifests predicaments of immigrants, delights of love relations, natural scenes of Burma and India and assertion of values provided by Indian ethos in the years of colonial influence.

3.4 Conclusion

To sum up, it could be seen that, the notion of Indian ethos is well explored in The Glass Place by Amitav Ghosh which depicts the values practised in India

99 | P a g e and the code of conduct of people who live in India and abroad. It even manifests the adjustments of foreigners with Indian soil learning the features of Indian ethos. The next chapter deals with by Amitav Ghosh with its analysis in the light of Indian ethos.

100 | P a g e