Megha Majumdar's debut novel “A Burning” begins with an incident where more than a hundred people are killed in a fire bombing on a train as part of a terrorist attack by unknown assailants near the slum of Kolkata. There is public outrage and a need for someone to blame. A young working class woman named Jivan views an angry online discussion about it on a phone she feels proud to have recently purchased. Being naïve about the real world repercussions of engaging in virtual chat she posts on Facebook positing that the government is just as culpable as the terrorists. This turns her into a convenient scapegoat as she is imprisoned and faces the serious charge of orchestrating the bombing. Though the evidence against her is entirely circumstantial, the public's desire to see her punished and the government's need to take action means she's incapable of receiving a fair trial. She hopes to help defend her case with the help of character witnesses PT Sir, Jivan's former physical education teacher and Lovely, a hijra who Jivan has been teaching English to. The narrative revolves between the perspectives of Jivan, PT Sir and Lovely as the trial proceeds. The story movingly shows that everyone is capable of corruption in a skirmish for advancement within a struggling society.
It's become commonplace to read inspiring stories about how justice is served after a hard-won battle where a humble individual endeavours to bring down a tyrannical system. So there is something noble in Majumdar's painfully honest depiction of someone who isn't reprieved from false charges because of the corruption and moral failings of individuals as well as the media, politicians and the courts. Though it makes for a depressing read, it's probably more often the case that vulnerable individuals are sacrificed as part of these larger social mechanisms and schemes of personal ambition. PT Sir's desire for political advancement is fuelled after he happens to attend a rally because his train is delayed. His quest for advancement and its privileges means he turns a blind eye to the many people who are unfairly persecuted along the way. Equally, Lovely's dreams of becoming a film star means she's unwilling to face possible public scandal from being entangled in Jivan's case. As we follow the advancement of both these characters we're given more of Jivan's backstory as someone whose family has faced absolute poverty and persecution as Muslims. It's skilful how Majumdar has constructed this novel because it shows how the odds are really stacked against Jivan and her acute personal suffering is wilfully ignored by those who could defend her.
The novel includes many painful scenes but the voices give an energy to the story in faithfully relaying their idiosyncratic perspectives. I was most drawn to the sections by Lovely who is so spirited in her interactions and snappy rejoinders she gives to members of the public who sneer and look down upon her. There's also a compelling depiction of the hijra community (a class of intersex and transgender people in India) through her perspective. I've previously only read about hijras in the novels “The Parcel” and “The Ministry of Utmost Happiness” so I was glad to get another perspective on this particular group and it was moving reading about Lovely's romantic difficulties. It was also effective in how I initially felt very sympathetic towards her but grew to feel more critical as she succumbs to her own shallow fantasies. In fact, all of the characters seem enthralled by the glinting surface of convenience and the illusion of prosperity which makes them ignore a harder reality. The trajectory of these stories mean that “A Burning” is certainly not an easy read but it is one that can cut to the truth of things with devastating effectiveness.
