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Chitra Divakaruni is an award-winning writer and teacher and the author of 23 books such as Mistress of Spices, Sister of My Heart, Palace of Illusions, The Forest of Enchantments, The Last Queen, and Independence. Her newest book is a biography, An Uncommon Love: The Early Life of Sudha and Narayan Murthy. Her work has been translated into 30 languages, including Dutch, Hebrew, Bengali, Hungarian, Turkish, Hindi and Japanese. They have made into films, plays and dance dramas, and performed as operas. Her awards include an American Book Award, a PEN Josephine Miles award, a Premio Scanno award from Italy, a Light of India award, and a Times of India Best Author award. The Economic Times has included her in their list of 20 Most Influential Global Indian Women. She has been an activist in the fields of education and domestic violence for many years. She is on the Advisory Boards of Daya (Houston) and Maitri (San Francisco Area), both organizations that help survivors of domestic violence. She is the McDavid professor of Creative Writing in the internationally acclaimed Creative Writing Program at the University of Houston.
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TMYS: Please share a significant experience from your upbringing in Calcutta, maybe an experience or memory from your childhood that influenced your literary journey later.
Chitra:
My mother was an avid reader, and watching her enjoying her books (she read mostly in Bengali) was an inspiration. Once I remember her crying over a story she read in the special puja edition of the magazine Desh, which we all waited for eagerly. This was an unusual event as my mother was a tough lady who brought us children up single handedly and I had rarely seen her cry. It made me aware that stories can have a profound effect on the reader. Maybe that was when the kernel of the desire to write was formed in my heart.
TMYS: You co-founded Maitri, a helpline for South Asian women dealing with domestic abuse. How has your activism informed your writing, and vice versa?
Chitra:
Activism has deeply influenced my writing. The many cases I came across where intelligent, educated women were cowed into losing their spirit and their self-confidence. It broke my heart. In addition to helping these women through organizations I was part of (such as Maitri in the San Fransisco area and Daya in Houston), by providing them with financial & legal help and a safe space to stay, I decided I would write about women in challenging situations and how they overcome them. I would place women in the centres of my novels and give them a powerful voice that refused to be silenced. I hoped that these heroines would, in some way, inspire my readers and give them courage. From the hundreds of letters that I have received over the years, it seems that that has happened for many people. For that, I am grateful.
TMYS: In your recent book An Uncommon Love: The Early Life of Sudha and Narayana Murthy, you discussed the sacrifices it takes to forge a powerful and lasting marriage. Narayan Murthy kept his wife out of Infosys as he felt that good corporate governance means not getting family into it and he said if she will join, he will drop. Quoting Sudha Murty: “decided to step back as it was good for my family. My brain agreed, but my heart did not. I wanted to work.” How do you personally look at the general notion where women are expected to sacrifice their ambition in order to have a successful relationship? How do such examples shape perceptions of women's leadership abilities and reinforce gender stereotypes in the corporate sector?
Chitra:
Each case is different; each time period is different. For Sudha Murty at that time, that was the right decision. She found a successful career as a professor and later even more so as a philanthropist and best-selling writer whose books impact millions of people. But even though she told me that, looking back, she feels she should have argued further and convinced her husband that she could add great value to the company and still avoid the stain of nepotism (which Narayana Murthy had been concerned about). I feel that sacrifices are often necessary in a relationship—but both men and women should be willing to sacrifice so each can grow and prosper. We cannot put that burden only on women. And to give Mr. Murthy full credit, the book goes on to explain that he offered to step back and allow Sudha ji to take over the leadership of Infosys. But she thought carefully about it and felt that although she could lead Infosys successfully, he would not be as successful in taking care of their children!
TMYS: What challenges did you face in reshaping the narrative of Panchaali to address gender stereotypes in your book, The Palace of Illusions? How does her story challenge the gender norms of her time, or for the times that followed, especially in a story that is traditionally dominated by male heroes?
Chitra:
I had to reimagine the entire tale with Panchaali at its center. How would things look when seen through her eyes? How did she feel at key moments such as the disrobing scene? I made sure her voice came through strongly throughout the book. That’s all I had to do. When a woman is given her voice, other things fall into place. History becomes Her Story.
TMYS: Your book, The Forest of Enchantments delves into the stories of other marginalized women like Kaikeyi, Surpanakha, and Mandodari. Which aspect of their journeys particularly impressed you, given that these women were either sidelined or hated for a very long period in history?
Chitra:
Once again, Sita was at the center of this novel. It was through her interactions with these women, and her sympathetic gaze, that the reader comes to see these women as human, with their own desires and challenges. There is so much complexity in their stories already—all I did was give them space in the book and not judge them through a male gaze.
TMYS: As a professor, how do you connect with your students in helping them to overcome the conditionings that lead to gender stereotyping behaviour or beliefs? It is often assumed that the west is far more ‘advanced’ and ‘liberal’ than the east. Do you feel the resistance to change is less there or these responses are broadly personal – irrespective of which part of the world people come from or settle in?
Chitra:
I have my students (male and female) read and discuss many woman-centric books—that itself does a lot in changing their perspective and make them think about a story and about women’s challenges differently. Yes, in general women in the west are less tradition-bound, but many cases of gender stereotyping exist. It is also very family-dependent. And many women, especially in the large cities of India, have equal or more opportunities, depending on education and their family background. Ultimately, I feel, what is most important is that women — and men — need to think through these issues for themselves and find a happy balance where they can exist within a society and yet flower and bring their dreams and talents to life. Additionally, I hope they will help their less fortunate sisters to achieve their full potential. If my books help in some way to achieve this, I will be satisfied. That is the legacy I hope to leave behind.
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The interview was conducted by Joyashree Dey.
This interview is included in our book themed on Gender Stereotyping, available worldwide via Amazon. India link is here.