Shashi Tharoor’s Riot: Perspectives on History, Politics and Culture

ABSTRACT

Lexically speaking, Riot is a communal conflict, whether harsh or worse. A Novel evaluates and examines the central theme of the novel, that is, communal tensions with reference to the situations and the characters portrayed to suggest an Indo-nostalgia against the love for the land of India. The fanaticism gives rise to communal pressure, which results in the form of riots. However, it is a love story of Lakshman, an Indian and Priscilla, an American doctorate and social volunteer; who is too much Indo-nostalgic. Her love for Lakshman and India makes her consciously mad. Creating a podium of love between a married Lakshman and Priscilla, Tharoor stresses the Indian marital system. Through Gurinder Singh, Tharoor satirises the policies of Indian politics. The author calls Indian elections as a popular tamasha to attract voters. In his opinion, officials in India are mere puppets at the hands of the Indian politicians. He reveals how power is made corrupted by means of the institution of Indian bureaucracy. On the other hand, through Ram Charan Gupta, a multi-verse dharma-centeredness of Indian people is satirized.

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