PORTRAYAL OF RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM IN LITERATURE

The beginning of Fundamentalism as a movement can be traced back to the late 19th century, when it was used at the Niagara Bible Conference (1878-1897) for the tenets that were considered fundamental to the Christian belief. The term has gathered momentum ever since with other religious groups defining their convictions- Jewish fundamentalism, Islamic fundamentalism, Hindu fundamentalism, Buddhist fundamentalism, Parsi fundamentalism, etc. The problem arises when after delimiting their precincts these groups strictly adhere to them, expecting others to appreciate and follow their methods, at times bordering on the fanatical. Mention must be made of “atheistic fundamentalism” which means loss of faith in religion and religious practices. Fundamentalism as a term is also increasingly being used as a synonymous one for extremism of any form- market fundamentalism, economic fundamentalism, cultural fundamentalism etc. This paper proposes to evaluate the works of Rohinton Mistry with reference to the religious fundamentalism of the Parsis. The Parsis were originally inhabitants of Persia, modern day Iran. Persia witnessed invasions by Alexander the Great, the Greeks, the Arabs, the Mongols, and the Turks. The Zoroastrians, (followers of Prophet Zarathustra), felt threatened by the Arab dominance and were persecuted in Iran. They were discriminated against and harassed by the Muslim rulers. Rohinton Mistry, a descendent of the Parsi Diaspora, had obvious involvement in matters Parsi, and his works reflect the insecurities of his community, desperately clinging on to their peculiar religious customs. Mistry’s fiction offers multilayered meanings- diasporic reality, Indian post coloniality, Parsi history, Representation of the nation from a subaltern perspective, Portrayal of fundamentalism in religion, etc.