Technical literacy is new, particularly to South Asian educated female homemakers, who are an amalgamation of tradition and modernity. In the era of social media having a separate Internet image is in vogue but “the kind of profile which people have is what people want to be or want to look like, not what they actually are,” says Vinita Bakshi, author of “31 Miles”. The novel is a journey of a woman who finds herself immersed in admiration of an online NRI friend Rajan despite being married to a caring husband with two loving daughters.
Technology is pervasive and if not used wisely it slowly crawls in our private spheres to eventually choke and push us into an abyss. Vinita believes that one should be very mindful of technology and says, “Internet is available but the information of its pros and cons, the territory which you are entering, how to cope with it emotionally, such information is lacking.” Even though Mansa, the protagonist of the novel, is empowered and educated but technology impacts her institution of marriage. Her inability to acknowledge the emptiness in her relationship and subsequent inclination towards new found friend on social media traps her in between social customs and so-called modern thoughts. Both Rajan and Mansa try to fill some gap of their individual loneliness. Awareness is mandatory because “before diving into deep waters it’s better to know what you are diving in,” notes Vinita.
Its a perception, especially in South Asia, that marriage is sacrosanct but “social marriage and order are not over and above individual happiness.” Moved by the issues of women, Vinita, the brain behind a seminar series, She Speaks, deals with the issues faced by contemporary South Asian women. She has also published several papers on gender and feminism. To celebrate literature, performing arts, crafts and cuisines, Aambrotsave, an annual cultural festival, is another venture where she tries to give platform to young and mature talent, especially women.
Despite being a voracious reader and a Roald Dahl fan since childhood, she has no favourite in particular but few characters across literature have stayed in her mind. Her admiration towards inspiring and touching quotes is immense and few by Hafez, Rumi, Gabriel Garcia Marquez have occupied their place as epigraphs. One such quote is “The wound is the place where the light enters you” for which she enthusiastically adds, “Catharsis and empathising gives you ability to understand the other person and if you cannot empathise you cannot express it through creative mediums whether it’s dance, music or writing.”
As a debut writer, she expresses her displeasure with the substitute flower, chocolate, kiss emoticons in place of real feelings and actual flowers and chocolate. Human interaction, Vinita observes, has minimised.“Earlier you met people in school, colleges, libraries or while travelling but today you have one more additional space that is Internet.”
For Vinita, “Where we are coming from and where we will go” is a very important question. The elements of mysticism, past life, Nirvana, the cycle of life and death in the novel strengthen the South Asian mindset which strongly believes in age old customs. “31 Miles” is a turning point, a journey towards disillusionment. It’s about creating balance between technology and social commitments but as Vinita believes, “it is subjective.”.
