The Indian Curry Dished Out by P. G. Wodehouse (Part 9 of 9)

(Continued)

Love sans Borders

It would not be wrong to say that his works represent the composite way of life on the Indian subcontinent, often unimaginable these days in the din of nationalistic jingoism on either side of the India-Pakistan border. 

The love for Plum’s oeuvre in the Indian subcontinent transcends any such mundane considerations. Moreover, Plum sets a gold standard of pristine humour not only in English but also in many regional languages.  

The reasons for his popularity on the Indian subcontinent are many. Having been ruled by the dispensable siblings of the British nobility, many of them still carry a feeling of awe and respect for their white rulers. Perhaps the idea of acquiring a linguistic skill and being on an equal footing with their erstwhile rulers appeals to them. By taking a saunter down the sunlit valleys of Plumsville, perhaps they are temporarily relieved of the pain of their economic hardships, misery and lack of quality infrastructure and civic services. In other words, at a subconscious level, this could be their style of fighting the depressing shadows of imperialism while nourishing their own sense of patriotism.

He is often regarded as a writer about the ruling classes, touching upon the challenges faced by some woolly-headed but financially well-endowed characters. However, scratching below the surface, one finds that in the vast majority of cases his sympathies are with the less well-off, the underdog and even the down-trodden. Thus, those who happen to be less fortunate in their lives, facing its harsh slings and arrows, perhaps find it easier to identify with many of his characters. Moreover, when he lampoons figures which are dictatorial, authoritarian, magisterial and the bullying kind, one tends to be in sync with him.

Whatever the reasons, Plum’s appeal across the Indian subcontinent is as dispersed as the milk of human kindness coursing through the Wooster veins.

Conclusion

All inputs were invariably grist to the humour-producing mill of P. G. Wodehouse. He had this unique talent of turning and twisting even the most inconsequential things into something which would leave his readers chuckling, guffawing, rollicking, laughing and falling down from their couches. All his works are like beehives dripping with honey which possesses the unique property of making one look at the sunnier side of life. His sole aim has always been to amuse, entertain, educate and uplift his readers. Give him an enigmatic country like India teeming with enchanting wildlife, mesmerising mystics, magnificent temples and gallant men in uniform and he delivers utmost satisfaction. 

Plum dished out his narratives in a pre-Internet era, when access to information was severely restricted. It is amazing that based mostly on secondary data, so to say, he could leave behind for us a spicy Indian curry, making India shine through in so many ways through a vast array of his novels and stories.

Pip pip!

(Concluded)

Notes:

The inspiration for this essay comes from the scholarly work done by Ms. Masha Lebedeva, who had earlier whipped up a research paper entitled The Russian Salad by P. G. Wodehouse.

The author expresses his sincere gratitude to an eminent expert on Plummy matters for having spared the time to go through a part of this composition and provide insightful suggestions. Some fans of P. G. Wodehouse have also suggested improvements in its contents.

Thanks are also due to Mr. Suvarna Sanyal for dishing out the main illustration in Part 1; also, to Ms. Sneha Shoney, who has edited the text.

Those of you who wish to cruise through this essay in its entirety may kindly write to akb_usha@rediffmail.com for a PDF version of the complete document to be mailed to them.

Feedback and suggestions for improving upon this piece, if piece is indeed the word I want, are welcome.

Related Post:

The Indian Curry Dished Out by P. G. Wodehouse (Part 8 of 9)