Pavan K. Varma's debut novel “When Loss is Gain” (Rupa Publications, Rs. 395) has been released across the country. But the present ambassador to Bhutan is no stranger to writing. He is the author of 16 non-fiction books on Indian politics, art and culture. The transition from non-fiction to fiction was easy for him. “The craft of writing is a seamless whole. Fiction is a subjective, internal and often irrational journey. I had a powerful story in my head. One day, I put my fingers on a keyboard and just began writing,” says Varma who has also served as director of the Nehru Centre in London and as India's High Commissioner in Cyprus.
“When Loss Is Gain” is not merely a tale of love, loss and gain. At a deeper level, it is a dialogue between joy and sorrow and the dialectics of Hinduism and Buddhism. “The book explores two fundamental questions: what do you make of life when death stares you at the face? Second, how do we treat the gift of life? So often, we take things for granted, and realise its importance only when it's too late. This story is about each of us because it can happen to any of us.”
Varma uses his characters as mouthpieces to depict the various facets of human nature and society.
“Each character, in a sense, represents both a mental state and a social segment. Anand, the protagonist, is an aspirant. Aditya lives in the sterile one-upmanship of Delhi at the pinnacle. Tanu, Anand's wife, is awed by the glamorous life and hereditary success. Tara illustrates the Buddhist resolve of renunciation and later Anand signifies the belief that joy is the ultimate manifestation of life. All the stories of the characters become intertwined in a fast-evolving story.”
“When Loss Is Gain” is set in Delhi and Bhutan — Varma's home, and present place of residence. “I specifically chose these places to provide a contrast between an overwhelming cacophony of a metropolis with the serenity of Nature and its aloof grandness. I also use both cities as a metaphor,” says the author who recently appeared with Gulzar at the Jaipur Literature Festival.
The defining feature of “When Loss Is Gain” is Varma's frequent quoting of Urdu couplets and Hindi poetry. “I am an admirer of Kabir, Mirza Ghalib and Bulle Shah. I have translated the poetry of Kaifi Azmi, Gulzar and Atal Behari Vajpayee. I have used their poetry to give an Indian context to my novel. These great poets write of truth so succinctly,” says Varma, whose other books include “Ghalib: The Man, The Times”, “Krishna: The Playful Divine” and “The Great Indian Middle Classes”.
English writing in India has become quite a phenomenon, but Pavan argues that stories must be rooted in one's soil. “We cannot become a derivative civilisation. A great civilisation does not produce caricatures. Language is a window to culture; if you shut the window, you disable access to cultural roots. That is why my character Anand lives with Ghalib, Khusrau, Kabir, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.”
Varma the diplomat and Varma the writer never merge. “Diplomacy is my profession and writing my passion. I keep both worlds separate. Sometimes, one may influence the other, which is unintentional. I have travelled the world as a diplomat, but all my 17 books are about India.”
