The Violence in our Bones - Neera Chandhoke

Non-Fiction

Verdict: Read it

I picked up this book because the subject matter has been something I've been turning over in my head for a long time. I hadn't heard of Neera Chandhoke before.

As an outsider here, there are some themes that continually make themselves visible. Violence is one of them. The older I get, the more puzzled I get that I didn't see the inherent violence in the United States where I grew up as well, but perhaps age just opens eyes. India has it's own way of viewing and manifesting violence. The country is so large and the chaos so much that it's both expected and often passed of as inavoidable. A fatalistic societal outlook and the numbers affected and their composition versus the body of people in India make violence an accepted fact. 

The author spends some time in history books as the country was formed and born. Often times, history explains the present, and I agree that India is no different than anywhere else. She addresses violence against women, communal violence, Kashmir, the North East, and Maoists. These are all specific manifestations of a broader mindset. Most of the cases of violence you find fall under one of these headings, though not all. 

I rather wish Neera Chandhoke would have addressed some of the societal attitudes and history that has resulted in the culture of violence as an accepted characteristic. I feel it would have helped in the understanding of why these manifestations, and many other occurances of violence, happen regularly in India. 

That being said, this is a subject that it would be impossible to encompass in one book. The subject matter was laid out in a organized, cogent, supported manner, which is always a joy to read.  I've said many times that India's inherent difficulties are extemely difficult, if not impossible, to improve. This is one such area. However, calling out the violence is the first step to slowly moving the needle towards violence being unacceptable as a societal attitude. 

Not a long or complicated read, but do take the time to contemplate what the author is saying and how many people simply accept the state of things as inevitable. 

Read it!

~Becky~