Rohinton mistry's such a long journey: A study in socio-political concerns Singh Kanak Asst. Prof., Dept. of English, TD (PG) College, Jaunpur, e-mail: kanak8636.singh@gmail.com Online published on 3 July, 2021. Abstract Parsis are an “ethno-religious minority” following Zoroastrianism. They were forced to quit Iran (Persia), their native land, as they did not condescend to convert to Islam. They had to leave Iran during Islamic conquest of Persian Empire between 638 AD and 641 AD and had to seek refuge in India at Diu in Gujarat with a pact with the local ruler Jadav Rana. In accordance with the terms of this pact Parsis had to renounce their native language and had to speak the local language and their women had to wear Indian robes. For the Zoroastrians, it was really 'Such a Long Journey' from Iran to the Western Coast of India. Together with Bapsi Sidhwa, Firdaus Kanga and Boman Desai, Rohinton Mistry is a notable Parsi writer whose works seek to portray the socio-political issues the parsi community is faced with. Mistry is a writer of Indian origin who was born in Bombay in 1952. He emigrated to Canada in 1975. As a part-time scholar, he studied English and philosophy at the University of Toronto. So far, he has published three novels, viz., Such a Long Journey (1991), A fine Balance (1995) and Family Matters (2002) and three short fictional works, namely, Tales from Firozsha Baag (1987), Searching for Stevenson(1995) and The Scream (2006). His works mainly deal with such themes as religion, community, history, politics, human relationship, diaspora, nostalgia, homelessness, alienation and relocations etc. About the major concerns of Parsi literature, N.S. Dharan's comment seems worth quoting. He writes, “Post-independence Parsi writing in English is ethnocentric, culturespecific and community oriented” (7). Though Mistry lives in Canada where he penned this novel, he chooses to write about India, depicting Bombay (now Mumbai) in all its highs and lows, its people, its system, its politics and its superstitions etc. The present paper endeavours to study the socio-political concerns of Mistry in Such a Long Journey. Top |