A Burning by Megha Majumdar is America’s new favourite novel set in India. This raging debut is an illuminating read on the current state of Indian society and politics, which is experiencing dark times under the pressure and influence of right-wing extremism. Modern democracies are becoming corrupt under fascist leaders, making this a story that brings out unmissable parallels between India and the US. Majumdar’s novel has received wide recognition (which it deserves!) and was most recently longlisted for the JCB Prize for Literature, one of India’s prestigious literary prizes. Our co-host Sumaiyya asked Megha a few burning questions we’ve all been thinking about!
Penguin India, 2020
Congratulations on your book! It’s a stellar novel, one of the best published this year. How are you feeling now that your book is out in the world and being talked about?
It's a surreal feeling to see a private document become a book that's in readers' hands!
It doesn’t feel right asking you questions without addressing the current climate in the world. How is the lockdown/pandemic affecting you and your creative life? And were there any unexpected moments or surprises in getting a book published during a global pandemic?
I'm so grateful for virtual communities and virtual conversations. Bookstores have so nimbly taken up virtual events. I've been really grateful for those opportunities to have conversations, to gather, to learn from other writers. At the same time, of course, you hold the truth in mind that there are huge things at stake right now. There is illness, loss of jobs and wages, people unable to be with loved ones. It's a hard time.
When did you start writing A Burning? When did the idea spark in your mind?
I wanted to write about how people survive the turn toward extreme nationalism with their dreams and ambitions and spirit intact.
The characters in your novel are ordinary people; one thing Jivan, Lovely and PT Sir have in common is their ambition and desire for a better life. What drew you to tell the story from the lens of their perspectives?
Exactly! They dream of moving up to a more comfortable life, of stardom in the movies. Their spirit and humor and big dreams felt like the core of the story.
Your novel depicts the intersections of social media and freedom of speech in a modern democracy that is on a dangerous and fascist path. When you set out to write this story had you realized how monumental this depiction would be in 2020?
It is strange to see the resonances this year, for sure. But social media has always been a terrain where people's vulnerabilities come into play. At the same time, it is also a way of telling our own stories, a place where people can put forward their own narratives.
There are tremendous parallels between the Indian and American democracies today. What are some things you want readers in these regions (in particular) to pay attention to in your book?
You're right about the parallels. I hope readers are able to think about forms of injustice, forms of corruption, forms of immoral and questionable behavior that they see around them.
Knopf, 2020
Jivan is wrongfully imprisoned and spends the better part of this novel trying to own her narrative and tell it truthfully. Her story is plucked away from her and her life narrative is restructured by powerful people for their own benefit. As a writer and storyteller, is there a particular appreciation that you have for Jivan’s character and struggle? What do you hope readers will learn from her?
I really appreciate your perceptive read. Jivan's story is so much about who gets to tell their own story. She is let down by the police, by the courts, and even by the nationalist media. I hope it's a story that encourages readers to think about, who has the power to tell their own story? And what kind of false narrative logics might be imposed on certain people by the state?
At a time when law and order are built upon systems meant to oppress certain groups of people. . . . What does justice mean to you?
In this book I really thought about it as the freedom to pursue a meaningful life.
Can you tell us about your writing process? Do you have a routine? What sparks the creative energy in you?
Writing is so much about discipline! I try to have a routine even though I have a very consuming full time job as an editor, which means I often spend nights and weekends reading submissions or editing manuscripts. I love that work though. And it provides fuel for my own writing, which I try to squeeze in when I can.
What type of narratives do you work on? And what are some ways that your job has helped you grow as a storyteller?
I work with an independent press called Catapult, where we publish literary fiction and narrative nonfiction. Some books I've worked on that published/will publish this year are Noé Álvarez's Spirit Run, Vikram Paralkar's Night Theatre, Ruby Hamad's White Tears/Brown Scars and Jessica J. Lee's Two Trees Make A Forest. I hope you'll check out these books! They're magnificent, ambitious books that energize me in my own writing.
Can you tell us anything about your current projects? We look forward to reading more of your work!
I'm working very slowly on a new novel. Thank you so much for asking.
Which books by women brought you respite during the lockdown/pandemic?
I've loved Nafissa Thompson-Spires' Heads of the Colored People, Marie Mutsuki Mockett's American Harvest, Radhika Govindrajan's Animal Intimacies, to name just a few!
About
Megha Majumdar is the author of the New York Times bestseller and Editors’ Choice A Burning. She was born and raised in Kolkata, India. She moved to the United States to attend college at Harvard University, followed by graduate school in social anthropology at Johns Hopkins University. She works as an editor at Catapult, and lives in New York City. A Burning is her first book.
