Really? What do you think? Can fiction be the tool that ends conflicts, whatever size they may be - conflicts between two people, or conflicts between two families, or a conflict between two nations?
Well, Naheed Hassan seems to think so. She is the publisher of an online publishing company called Indireads that has recently compiled an anthology of stories by Indian and Pakistani writers, those which focus on present day Indians and Pakistanis and instances of building connections and relationships between them.
Suprose interviewed Naheed Hassan recently and she has graciously shared her thoughts with us. Suprose readers can download this book, Love Across Borders, as well. Please leave your questions for Naheed in the comments section below, and she will answer them for you.
Why did you decide to do this Anthology?
Let me give you the rationale for it, as well as the
inspiration. The rationale is that most narratives about Indo-Pak relations
today seem to revolve around the partition and subsequent wars between the two
countries; these stories primarily deal with loss, displacement and anger.
While such narratives are historically important, the pain associated with them
holds the two nations back.
The motivation for this came from my conversations with one
of the writers whose books we have published as Indireads. As a South Asia
focused publisher, we work with contributors from both sides of the border. One
of my Indian authors commented one day about how surprised she was about the
ease at which she interacted with Pakistanis, and how she had never thought she
would have Pakistanis on her Facebook friends list. That got me thinking about
how for many people across the sub-continent ‘the other’ is still a mystery. I
wanted to remove that mystery and show people on both sides of the border that
all said and done, there are ordinary people – with emotions, fears, hopes and
real lives – on both sides of the border.
Why do you think that a book of fiction, and especially an
anthology, which is really hard to market will help change the way Pakistan and
India feel about each other?
I think we are realistic that Love Across Borders is one
initiative, amongst many, that will be needed to help bring about the kind of
change that we envision. Governments, business, policymakers and even
militaries will need to engage with each other, talk and find mutual meeting
points. What we did strongly feel though was that even with all of that, real
peace can happen only when people across both side of the border begin to view
each other as human beings – with emotions, pains, hopes and joy. Love across
Borders is an attempt to highlight that humanity that exists on both sides of
the border. These stories of connection, relationship and even love will
hopefully give people on both sides of the border a glimpse of what exists on
the other side, and hopefully remove some of the mistrust.
Can fiction really help change perceptions?
We chose the medium of story and fiction because, we feel
that sometimes, issues as politically-charged, political and personal can be
better addressed through an impersonal fictional account, even if based on true
facts. A philosophical, preacher-like approach towards peace just leads young
people away, which is an opportunity lost, so we decided to implement a much
more subtle approach. With fiction you sometimes get the benefit of distance –
and you can say things that would be difficult to express otherwise. The
objective with this collection is not to deny long-established facts, but
highlight the many positive stories that surround us every day.
What do you hope your anthology will achieve?
The objective is not to deny historical facts but showcase
ordinary lives – full of joy, hope, love and emotions – that exist on both of
sides of the border. If we can begin to see each other – across the divide - as
fully functioning human beings rather than stereotypical caricatures, we may
stand a better chance of beginning to understand each other.
How did you go about choosing the stories that went into
this anthology?
The only guiding factor for choosing the stories that went
into the anthology was that we wanted stories of hope and connection, and
wanted to steer away from stories of partition, loss and separation. That said,
these stories are not blind to the environment of mistrust between the two
countries that they are placed in, but we encouraged stories about how the
human spirit overcomes all obstacles to connect. Our stories also focus on the
fact that at a very real, human level, we are all the same – in fact, we are
very similar because of our shared culture and heritage.
Can you quote a couple of memorable lines from this
anthology that stand out in your mind.
Yamini Vasudevan’s Seendipity is about a chance connection
between two young people on a flight:
He regarded me with a steady gaze, and said, “Well, I am
originally from
Pakistan—on top of being Muslim—so if you want to bring the
knives out
now would be a good time.” We looked at each other for a
couple of
seconds, and then burst out laughing.
Anjum by Andy Paula is a heartwarming story of conections
between two newly married young women whose marriages have brought them to Bombay.
One has come from Nagpur while the other has been brought across from Lahore.
I don’t see her for the next few days and decide to be more
friendly when
I see her next. Which is why I venture out and say hello the
next time I see
her opening her door. She is wearing a pretty rose-pink
salwar-kameez.
“That’s lovely,” I find myself saying, “where did you get it
from?”
She looks down and touches her top. “Yeh Lahore se hai. Aap
ko aisa joda
chahiye?”
I nod and then it hits me. Wait a minute, did she say
Lahore? My head
starts spinning. She’s a Pakistani? I conceal my surprise.
Ganesha, was it not
bad enough that you got me married in Bombay. But to give me
Pakistani
neighbours is more than I can tolerate. I have nothing
against any individual
but all those terrifying stories about the bloodshed and the
gore. What were
they doing in India, I mean, was it easy for them to be
here? I can’t believe
it, a Paki in my building…on my floor.
So how can a reader get a copy of this anthology?
Readers can get a copy of the anthology by going to www.loveacrossborders.org or
to the Indireads website www.Indireads.com
So this book is a free download, how do you hope to make
money from this, or do you?
We are not looking to make money from this. This is a civic
and literary initiative by Indireads
Tell us more about Indireads? Who are you targeting and what
kinds of authors are you hoping to publish?
Indireads – the publishing venture that I started more than
a year back -aims to revolutionize the popular fiction genre in South Asia. As
a channel for South Asian writers to engage readers at home and abroad, we
showcase vibrant narratives that describe the lives, constraints, hopes and
aspirations of modern South Asian men and women and capture the ethos and
essence of South Asia. Our focus is completely on contemporary writings; we
want to revive an interest in reading and writing in South Asia, and believe
that can happen with engaging, easy and captivating new fiction, written by younger,
newer voices.
Indireads’ books are written and customized for delivery in
electronic format, and are published online on our website www.indireads.com. Given that our books
are published as e-books, this means that new South Asian writers now have
access to a global audience, including the South Asian diaspora worldwide.
Check us out at www.Indireads.com
What makes a good author for Indireads?
Indireads is looking for writers from South Asia who have an
engaging writing style, and a good story to tell. I have a strong editorial
team that can guide authors, so it is a great opportunity for a new writer who
has done the necessary homework. A vast majority of the authors that we have on
board right now are first-time writers who relish the opportunity to write for
a global audience.
We are especially looking to engage with college students
and encourage them to write. We are also very interested in reaching out to
second and third generation youth and have them write stories about their lives
and their views and put these books in front of an audience comprised of their
peers.
How many books has Indireads published so far, how many more
in the works?
Indireads has published 30 books so far, with another 25 in
various stages of the editing and publishing process. Our initial offering is
romance, but we will soon be adding other genres such as crime, mystery,
thriller and paranormal. I am excited by the very strong stories that we have
in the pipeline.
