At 99, Khushwant Singh would have been the oldest Indian writer of pre-Independence era to vote in the ensuing elections but death bowled him out before he could turn 100. For millions of Indians, Khushwant Singh has democratised writing in ways that even his peers and legends who followed him, couldn't. His writing unlike some of his Nobel Prize co...ntemporaries had a magical mixture of elegance, simplicity, information, amusement and food for thought.
It will take many biographers, maybe the likes of Humra Quereshi and Shobhaa De to cover his majestic sweep of works in prose, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, travelogues, histories and biographies, edited anthologies, letters, reviews, essays, obits, profiles and of course, those jokes on everything the Indians love and abhor. You can take "Train to Pakistan" as a moving novel that's semi-autobiographical. Or, you can discuss his stamp of authority in volumes on "The History of Sikhs" (which can be compared in affections and passion for one's homeland with Winston Churchill's body of work in "The History of the English-speaking people"). The man has written about thirty two books and nearly a dozen short stories. He has edited such diverse newspapers and periodicals like "Yojana" (a neat journal on economic issues) and "Hindustan Times" and "National Herald". And he has edited a periodical which fired a generation of readers, including my father, who were trying to unshackle the colonial pangs. Known as the "Illustrated Weekly of India", Khushwant Singh made it a national rage covering topics from economics, politics, art and religion to buxom beauties and saffron swamijis. That it sold over four lakh copies at its peak should tell you how reader-centric Khushwant Singh was. He wrote on sex and sublime matters with ease and always cared for the reader who read his writings with respect, humility and time-sense. You could measure each piece of his for the insights per page; if there was no insight it humored you well with low-downs on people that entertained you.
I got introduced to Khushwant Singh's writings by my father - that propelled me to take up atleast part-time writing, it spruced up my life in ways I cannot imagine. My father used to read out loud his column "With Malice towards One and All", make me underline crafty expressions and turns of phrase and fetch their meanings. Just his range of writing is enough to inspire many writers into the profession of reporting and writing. It is inconceivable he had an opinion on so many aspects of our culture, literature, polity and socio-economic situations.
I still bump into many strangers and acquaintances who bond me with in their love for Khushwant's writing style. While I have followed most of his writings and books, it is the step-up in the pace of his writing during the last ten years that amazes me. In this period, he penned his autobiography "Truth, Love and a little malice" which summed his life in the most honest manner including his foibles and false loyalties with fallen angels like Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi. He wrote a few more pieces of fiction: "The Sunset Club", "Burial At Sea" and "The portrait of a lady". He encouraged more compilations of his pieces including those that hijacked his tranquility (as he was forced to respond more cheekily and non-chalantly): titles like "The End of India', "Inside the Great Indian Circus", "Book of Unforgettable Women", "Why I supported the Emergency", "Death at my doorstep." and more books on malice, jokes and gossip.
Three books stand out for those who love to read more of the humanist and the freethinker he was till the very end. One is "The Khushwant Singh treasury" which includes his favorite prayers, poems, proverbs and profanities for each of day of the year. An entry for 18 November reads thus: "Work is worship, worship is not work". For 19 March: "The one commodity we Indians are never short of - natural gas".
Two, a book of profiles compiled with Humra Quraishi "The Good, The Bad and the Ridiculous" which gives a peep into his lust for painting even the drabbest personality with colors an spice. You could read just two profiles on Dhirendra Brahmachari and Giani Zail Singh to get the money's worth but there's more to it than the two much-maligned people.
Three, the last of his books published by Penguin India in 2013 called "Khushwantnama: The Lessons of my life" - an abridged autobiography for those who dont' have patience for reading all his life's labor, it contains the right chapters about the man's life along with his views that will bone you up with stuff to get inspired. The chapters have so much of wisdom that it can be an epiphany for those who share his interests in the state of the nation, the state of writing in India, what it takes to be a writer, the twelve rules to live long and happy, use of humor as a lethal weapon, state of journalism in India, dealing with death and the importance of Gandhi.
While I regret I haven't been been able to meet or exchange a word with him, I feel connected with him through his writing like millions of readers. Reading his concise writing pulls you into a fellowship of articulateness that speaks much about the man and his values- on how to be a good Indian, a tolerant Indian, an Indian who loves the roots but is truly secular, doesn't put religion before humanism, loves life, celebrates controversy and good sex in utmost loyalty, get disciplined about lifestyle, laughs at self more often and develop good humor and helping nature at all times. Khushwant Singh has achieved every award in India - from Sahitya Akademi Award to Rockfeller Grant and the coveted Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan in time unlike writers like Anita Desai and Ruskin Bond who only got Padma Shri late. He lived a life rich with action throughout -whether as a diplomat, lawyer, teacher, editor or a writer. He was not the craftiest writer who wins Pulitzers and Nobels but he carried himself well right through his innings.
Someone asked Khushwant Singh his comment about being a prolific writer. His response: "No one has yet invented a condom for the pen." Long live the pen in its modern format. Long live Khushwant Singh - the man who erased his original date of birth, 2nd February and celebrates his birthday on the 15th of August. R.I.P.KS.
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