The cultural self-image that we are forging is part fantastic and part grounded in our society. In this imagination, Gujarati asmita has come to occupy a central space. This asmita is not rooted in either Gujarati language or creative expression.

Most Gujarati writers express dismay that we do not read serious literature, at least not in our language. The Gujarati film industry has died and so has Gujarati theatre, with the exception of some commercial theatre in Mumbai. Even the best apologist for the Gujarat of today would admit that social science writing about Gujarat in Gujarati is an oxymoron. We speak less and less about ourselves in our tongue. In this asmita, the west as a source of consumption and opportunity plays a role.

Ahmedabad is dotted with buildings that bear the name ‘New York,’ and believe it or not, we also have a very un-aesthetic and stunted Statue of Liberty in the main shopping artery of Ahmedabad. And yet, we wish to create an identity that is aggressively exclusive and not inclusive. Instead of a dialogue with those who challenge us, we would prefer their annihilation. Gandhi is a burden that we would rather shed. That reference to Mohandas as Mohanlal was not erroneous, after all. Gandhi as a servant of God defined as the poor and as Truth — as servant of daridranarayan and satyanarayan — is not what we want. We would rather have him follow his ancestral profession of a merchant.

The writer is an Ahmedabad-based social scientist tridip.suhrud@gmail.com