Indira, the legend and the life

There are many arguments against writing yet another biography of a historical figure; for one, this is the wrong climate for such a biography, and the sheer number of books on the subject being another. One is inclined to think that a biography of the late Indira Gandhi is passé. After all, dozens of books have been written about her across the last century, some even discussed her most personal habits, such as her penchant for saris, and how she wore a men’s watch instead of a woman’s model.

Consequently, when two millennials are assigned the task of creating a graphic biography of Gandhi, it’s only natural they take the point of view of their generation. The authors, Priya Kuriyan and Devapriya Roy, take us through the non-political persona of Gandhi and the multiple facets of her personality. In the process, they have brought out a work suited for a generation unfamiliar with modern Indian history. It must have been a challenge to approach the topic without the book being yet another civil services examination guide. Kuriyan and Roy have put their heads together and come up with a metafictional narrative in the graphic novel genre, which interestingly follows a non-linear chronology to build their story. The story is not told entirely in graphic format; rather, it alternates between a novella and picture-panels across 163 pages.

Indira uses an appealing device to lay out the life story of Gandhi. The real protagonist of the story, however, is Indira Thapa, an 11-year-old in a Delhi government school, who has to write an essay around her name. As she has been assigned the essay by Reema Das, her favourite teacher, Indira is determined to give it her best shot. She lives with her mother in a barsati , and depends on library books and Wikipedia for research. But the feisty little girl is not satisfied. She receives an invitation from her teacher to visit her during the vacation and discuss the assignment further.

The depth of the research is evident throughout the text and panels, as well as in the authors’ acknowledgements

Indira shies from judgements and prejudices, and the political events of the time are narrated without going into finer details

At her teacher’s home, Indira meets her ‘other half’, Priyadarshini, her teacher’s roommate and an artist. Quite coincidentally, Priyadarshini is also writing a graphic biography of Gandhi and trailing behind with the task. The centenary celebrations of the leader are just ahead, and timeliness is important. The story moves forward with the Indira-Priyadarshini duo researching and writing about their ‘subject’. Roy narrates the child’s assignment blues, and Kuriyan sketches Gandhi’s life story.

What is commendable is the way the duo has filtered the incidents of Gandhi’s life in deciding what to include. The book excites the imagination of the reader, even those familiar with the subject, by weaving in now-forgotten backstories and comparing them with contemporary world events.

The historical events are documented through panels without excessive prose, and their recall will be high.

Indira shies from judgements and prejudices, and the political events of the time are narrated without going into finer details. The book deals with the umpteen controversies with élan, not skirting them, but not celebrating them either. Look at the part about the marriage of Indira and Feroze. The discussion in prose refers to the stories and rumours circulated by WhatsApp forward aficionados, but nails it with a reference to an authentic source. The depth of the research is evident throughout the text and panels, as well as in the authors’ acknowledgements. Over 50 books, archival material, multiple people and places, as well as considerable video and audio footage have been perused.

The art in the book is definitely of a high order, complementing the text without being flamboyant. It is sharp and crisp, and will appeal to all ages. One panel that’s worth a special mention is the one where the Kanha National Park is featured.

IndiraDevapriya Roy, Priya KuriyanNon-fictionWestland/Context₹599

The cover carries a portrait sketch of Gandhi from her childhood, which connects with the reader immediately. Using a portrait of the leader at an older age would have defeated the purpose of the book.

The saga of Gandhi’s death and the gory aftermath is well-known, but the book refrains from narrating details. It takes on the point of view of the grandchildren here, which suits the intended audience of the book. There are no suggestions in the lines of the art that could be offensive to any party, and that is a sensible line to take. One is so used to violence laid out in graphic detail, even in comics and cartoons these days.

The Emergency period? Yes, it’s dealt with. But I suggest you read Indira and satisfy your curiosity on that matter. The book is definitely worth your time.

Suneetha Balakrishnan is an independent writer and translator in Thiruvananthapuram