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R. N. Bashir
Iqbal Nath Sarshar is a poet, likely serving as an amalgamated representation of the various writers in the leftist South Asian Progressive Writers’ Movement (which Mulk Raj Anand was himself a part of). Sarshar agrees with his friend R. N. Bashir that Gandhi is not radical enough in his takedown of caste, but unlike Bashir, Sarshar thinks that Gandhi’s activism will lead the way towards crucial changes. Sarshar is also the first person to connect increased mechanization with the end of untouchability, arguing that the advent of the flush toilet will eliminate the need for scavengers entirely. Bakha finds himself very moved by Sarshar’s words and by his elegant presence.
Iqbal Nath Sarshar Quotes in Untouchable
The Untouchable quotes below are all either spoken by Iqbal Nath Sarshar or refer to Iqbal Nath Sarshar. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Pages 105–139
Quotes
‘It is India's genius to accept all things,’ said the poet fiercely. ‘We have, throughout our long history, been realists believing in the stuff of this world, in the here and the now, in the flesh and the blood. […] We can see through the idiocy of these Europeans who defied money. They were barbarians and lost their heads in the worship of gold. We know life. We know it's secret flow. We have danced to its rhythms. […] We can learn to be aware with a new awareness. We are still eager to learn. We cannot go wrong. Our enslavers muddle through things. We can see things clearly.’
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‘When the sweepers changed their profession, they will no longer remain Untouchables. And they can do that soon, for the first thing we will do when we accept the machine, will be to introduce the machine which clears dung without anyone having to handle it - the flush system. Then the sweepers can be free from the stigma of untouchability and assume the dignity of status that is their right as useful members of a casteless and classless society.’
As the brief Indian twilight came and went, a sudden impulse shot through the transformations of space and time, and gathered all the elements that were dispersed in the stream of [Bakha’s] soul into a tentative decision: ‘I shall go and tell father all that Gandhi said about us,’ he whispered to himself, ‘and all that that poet said. Perhaps I can find the poet some day and ask him about his machine.’ And he proceeded homewards.
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Iqbal Nath Sarshar Quotes in Untouchable
The Untouchable quotes below are all either spoken by Iqbal Nath Sarshar or refer to Iqbal Nath Sarshar. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Pages 105–139
Quotes
‘It is India's genius to accept all things,’ said the poet fiercely. ‘We have, throughout our long history, been realists believing in the stuff of this world, in the here and the now, in the flesh and the blood. […] We can see through the idiocy of these Europeans who defied money. They were barbarians and lost their heads in the worship of gold. We know life. We know it's secret flow. We have danced to its rhythms. […] We can learn to be aware with a new awareness. We are still eager to learn. We cannot go wrong. Our enslavers muddle through things. We can see things clearly.’
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
‘When the sweepers changed their profession, they will no longer remain Untouchables. And they can do that soon, for the first thing we will do when we accept the machine, will be to introduce the machine which clears dung without anyone having to handle it - the flush system. Then the sweepers can be free from the stigma of untouchability and assume the dignity of status that is their right as useful members of a casteless and classless society.’
As the brief Indian twilight came and went, a sudden impulse shot through the transformations of space and time, and gathered all the elements that were dispersed in the stream of [Bakha’s] soul into a tentative decision: ‘I shall go and tell father all that Gandhi said about us,’ he whispered to himself, ‘and all that that poet said. Perhaps I can find the poet some day and ask him about his machine.’ And he proceeded homewards.
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