AIDS Sutra by Salman Rushdie

AIDS Sutra Reviews

• 
  Anne

  When I was in high school, I read a National Geographic article about HIV/AIDS in India. The article focused primarily on the sex industry, and I was horrified at the lack of education among the population, as well as the poverty and refusal for government intervention that forced people into such dangerous circumstances. Today (15 years later), there are over 3 million people in India with HIV, but still the secrecy and denial about the disease plagues the nation. This anthology contains 16 essays by some of India's most prominent writers (including Vikram Seth, Kiran Desai, and Salman Rushdie). Each of the essays looks at a different segment of India's population affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic - expectedly, the focus is on various aspects of the sex industry. One of the most powerful essays, I thought, was Rushdie's exploration of Mumbai's transgendered population. The cultural taboos surrounding homosexual relationships, and the effect on these individuals, was heartbreaking. The spread of HIV within the sex industry is clearly a socio-economic problem, and a result of attitudes toward gender and sex. But, so much of this book was also about love and the need for acceptance. This book was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - and I would have liked to see a more lengthy foreword/afterword about the conrete work the foundation is doing to enhance healthcare and education, as well as to reduce poverty in India - directly to address this growing problem. In the past decade, I feel the spectre of HIV/AIDS have dimished in the United States because of a better understanding of how the disease is transmitted, and advances in medicine allowing those with HIV to live longer healthier lives. Yet, these acknowledgements of the need for public health education, access to medicine, and a fundamental acceptance of people for who they are - are clearly missing in so many cultures (and still in the US), and I hope that the need for continued dialogue about HIV/AIDS will not be forgotten, simply because better drugs have been created. This is a depressing collection of essays, but one that is a good reminder that these problems have not gone away, and that we need to work together globally to overcome the devastation they have caused.
• 
  Parikhit

  Liked the book but my expectations were a little higher. Some of the stories could have been narrated better, from the perspective of the people living with a positive status. A deeper insight, I felt, was missing. I enjoyed the stories by Kiran Desai, Nalini Jones, William Dalrymple and Siddhartha Deb. A poem by Vikram Seth in the book is heart-rending. Overall it is a good book and kudos to the authors who have contributed their time and talent for a noble cause.
• 
  Puneri

  They say "Truth is powerful". AIDS Sutra, an anthology of stories about HIV/AIDS problem in India, is definitely one of the most powerful work I have read. The stories written by some of India's best novelists throw a light on the untold and most detested public health problem, which has been denied for too long. This collection of stories covers all the aspects of HIV/AIDS. The prostitutes both male and female, Devdasis, MSMs, transgenders, married couple with HIV, children of HIV positive parents and of course the known and unknown aspects of law enforcement and the brutality of the same. The narration is so simple that it makes one feel the pain of people who are facing this terrible life with HIV.
  
  In India, where even mention of sex is a taboo, people are afraid to talk openly about the infections that are caused due to unprotected sex. They want to push the problem under the rug and think it doesn't happen to "Them". The story of Murad is one such story. Murad's denial led to his ultimate demise. The blatant disregard for doctor-patient confidentiality (Mr X vs. Hospital Y), police brutality (Maarne ka Bhagane Ka), terrible feeling of loneliness (Nowhere to call Home) show the dark side of this problem.
  
  Prostitution perhaps the oldest profession in the world, is though much detested and illegal, is still extremely in demand. Under different social pretenses (Devdasis, historical profession as depicted by Kiran Desai) prostitution continues to flourish. Though needed by the society and expected by men visiting as their right, these women suffer horrible pain and physical ailments. The whole description of sex in forest is just terrible. The men having sex with men or MSMs face another terrible life. At least women are accepted to provide sex to men but men are not only looked down upon socially but they are physically and sexually abused by the police. Of course, not all policemen are like that. Some of them realize the problem but still they have to follow the law. Thankfully section 377 is abolished now and homosexuality is no longer a crime in India, still the problem of health and social acceptance remains.
  
  Not all stories are hopeless. Salman Rushdie's story of transgender community gives hope. Nalini Jones story of love even after HIV positive status definitely is a beacon of hope. My favorite story is Bhoot Ki Kahaniyaan. Children who are infected face terrible social bias with no crime of their own. But still they manage to find love and happiness.
  
  Amartya Sen's prologue is wonderful. It provides explanation of both the economic and social aspects of HIV/AIDS problem. India, the home of almost three million HIV/AIDS cases, needs to look beyond only medical solution to the problem. Understanding and accepting the people is as much important as ARTs. This is a very powerful anthology as well as an excellent social science book. As a social science professional I will recommend this book to everyone.
• 
  Rosun Rajkumar

  This is a gripping anthology of poignant tales of real life people. Harrowing traditions, filthy occupations, restlessness and then HIV/AIDS. The stories told thru some of the most well known names in Indian writing leaves you with heavy sighs. These are not some tailored heros or heroines. They are real people trying to survive the stigma and live thru the dreaded disease. I was disgusted and appalled learning so much about sex workers and their conundrum- health and ethics vs occupational hazards. The MSM (Men having Sex with Men) angle to prostitution leaves little to imagination. Society's presumptuous attitude to poz (HIV+) kids and widows, the glorified sex workers called 'Devdasis', adventurous truck drivers and then the restless youth taking to drugs.
  The facts and figures keep you dumbfounded throughout. Beginning with the idea that India might not be ever affected with this pandemic curse on humankind because we don't have gay men (as was assumed earlier), we have come a long way. Combating the stigma and the disease itself still poses a stringent challenge.
  Great read! SIGH!
• 
  Essam M. Al-Jassim

  السوترا هي مجموعة من الأقوال المأثورة والحكم و التعاليم والنصوص الدينية و الفلسفية في مجالات المعرفة، مستوحاة من التقاليد الروحية للهند، خاصة الهندوسية والبوذية والجاينية. الكتاب مجموعة من النصوص التي تلقي الضوء على الطبيعة المعقدة لواحدة من المشاكل الرئيسية التي تواجه العالم النامي. الهند هي موطن لحوالي 3 ملايين حالة إصابة بفيروس نقص المناعة المكتسبة. يحتوي الكتاب على مجموعة من المقالات لأبرز الكّتاب في الهند. قدم للكتاب حامل نوبل الاقتصادي و الفيلسوف الهندي "أمارتيا سن". لا اعرف لماذا تم الزج بأسم سلمان رشدي في صدارة المشاركين في هذا الكتاب؟ قد تكون أسباب ترويجية لا أكثر، وأن كان رشدي ساهم بمقال مهم عن فئة مجتمعية يطلق عليها (الهيجرا). يستعرض الكتاب و بأسلوب مشوق واقع الوضع الصحي و الاجتماعي الذي يعانيه مرضى الإيدز في الهند.الكتاب ممتع بقدر ما هو مرعب من ناحية الصعوبات و المآسي التي يعانيها المصابون بهذا المرض. شدني مقال شخصي سردي مؤثر للكاتبة "شوبها دي" تسرد فيه أحداث حقيقية واجهت سائق الكاتبة الخاص. يمكنم قراءة الترجمة العربية لهذا المقال من خلال الرابط التالي
  
  http://www.alketaba.com/index.php/201...
  الكتاب يستحق القراءة و كما يستحق نقله الى العربية للاستفادة من التجربة الهندية في التعامل مع هذا المرض.
• 
  Rahul Sharma

  AIDS SUTRA is a collection of short stories based on real life people who are affected by HIV and AIDS. These stories are narrated by 16 new and established Indian writers who visit the vulnerable communities (Sex workers, Truck Drivers, Homosexuals and Eunuchs) to gather stories about Aids. Each story provides insights into an India about which we don't know much or choose to ignore.
  
  I was particularly moved by the stories of Jaspreet Singh where he visits children affected by AIDS, Shobha De who recollects the death of her driver and the one's by William Dalrymple & Kiran Desai who visit the 'Devadasis' of Karnataka & Andhra Pradesh respectively.
  
  In spite of big names like Salman Rushdie, Vikram Seth & Atul Chaudhuri, the book is no where a literary masterpiece but may be it was never supposed to be one! It's a brutal and moving account of AIDS patients across India which has the world's second largest population of HIV patients after South Africa. It's an important book and a must read!
• 
  Peggy

  AIDS SUTRA is a series of essays that describe how AIDS is being transmitted in India and how that relates to culture. Sex work is common and the book presented it as having a kind of blue collar dignity to it--working with the body, just as others do (athletes, farmworkers, haulers). Sacred prostitution has become corrupt. There are prostitutes who are proud their lineage goes back to royal courtesans, etc. Sad stories of girls kidnapped, sold by their parents, all sorts of examples of how devalued women are. Stories about positive men marrying young girls and, though the man's family knows, no one tells the girl, who contracts it and passes it onto her child at birth. Homosexuality is despised, leading to denial, secrecy, and the spread of the virus. What a challenge to do AIDS education there, but it proceeds and things are changing, one person at a time.
• 
  Ricky

  Nice collections from stories from some well-known authors. I enjoyed many authors' descriptions of their travels and interviews with people either at-risk or HIV-positive. However, I felt that many authors never got deep enough in their analysis. I was particularly disappointed in Rushdie's description of hijras, MSMs (Men who have Sex with Men), etc. There's SO much more to their stories than a few interviews plus some statistics! Additionally, I was disappointed that there were no stories from the perspective of people who are positive, leaving a voyeristic/journalistic, aftertaste. Also...I'm not a big fan of the Gates Foundation...Still, I salute the authors who participated and recognize that ANY work in this area in India will get conversations started! I am grateful for that.
• 
  suzy

  Great eclectic anthology. I found all of the stories so interesting, but I especially liked those written by Sunil Gangopadhyay, Nalini Jones, William Dalrymple, and Aman Sethi. Sethi's "The Last of the Ustaads" was tied with Gangopadhyay's "Return to Sonagachhi" for my favorite.
  
  *spoiler*
  
  Was anyone else shocked by Shohaa De's story, "When AIDS Came Home," on pg. 249 how the Dr. called HER and told HER the news vs. telling the patient privately and directly? Wow! I see that India must not have something like our HIPA laws (Health Information Privacy Act) and/or the driver was considered more like a child in status, thus the employer was told instead.
• 
  Neha Gupta

  This book is a collection of short stories by well known authors on real HIV effected people. It talks about the prejudices they go through and the initiatives that have been taken to uplift these people. I took this book thinking of Fictional stories from some of my faviorite authors - but it turned out to be non fiction & mentioned a lot of economical facts & medical state of the country. The book is a great effort from a social point of view, but non-fiction is clearly not my cup of tea. Read it if you like these authors & have a thing for non-fiction.
• 
  Jaykumar B

  its a beautiful anthology about a painful reality with experiences of those who are living and had lived with HIV/AIDS...
  
  I particularly liked Rushdie's unexpected peek-a-boo humour that was entirely unexpected yet totally welcomed by this reader.
  
  Nalini Jones' writing struck a chord and Jaspreet Singh made me cry in silence..
  
  I request people to read this book simply because it truly deserves to be read for the harrowing reality that it presents and the aesthetics of the text as well.
• 
  Issy

  I think my favorite thing about this book was how much I learned about India. These are the kind of stories they don't make movies about and you wont catch Oprah's book club discussing. Naturally some of the essay's are better written than others but on the whole I really enjoyed it. Some of the photography in there is also quite special.
• 
  Gouthami

  A must read for anyone who is human. Some of the stories make you view life from a different perspective, while some of course are downright depressing. However, the positive stories far outnumber the negative ones. Helps you to see HIV positive people as people first. So I think the aim of the book is achieved.
• 
  Amy

  Three and a half... like most anthologies, it had it was inconsistent in its strengths. Some stories were really inspiring and well written, others I found condescending towards HIV victims and not furthering the idea of showing a diverse set of HIV positive people in India.
• 
  Kay Han

  A book that leaves a powerful impact. Some of the stories you just can't help it but to shed tears.
  I will have to admit that after reading this powerful anthology, I began to understand more about HIV/AIDS.
• 
  Prathyush Parasuraman

  Something everyone must read, speaks to the margins of society, the ethics of medicine, and the truly hypnotic hope of the diseased and the living. Some of the pieces don't hold. Some of them are blinding. Some of them make you cringe. And some of them leave you with a whistling devastation.
• 
  Katie

  I love the personal stories captured by Indian authors. Very powerful...Ready to get on a plane back to India!
• 
  Samir Dhond

  It was an eye opener. Amartya Sen's preface is very appealing. The work done by the 14 authors is commendable. Must read if you like books on contemporary topics of interest and concern.
• 
  Lena

  Heavy read that leaves you with a heavier heart. Maybe not the book to finish reading at 1am before going to sleep.
• 
  Susmita Bhattacharya

  educational, eye opener
• 
  Patricia

  Interesting and thought-provoking series of interviews by various authors about AIDS/HIV in India's most susceptable communities.
• 
  Sarrvesh

  An excellent anthology of essays about the day-to-day experiences of people with AIDS in India.
• 
  Virginia Rand

  Quite interesting, but I felt like the authors got in the way sometimes.
• 
  vivek g विवेक घाटे

  beautiful and heartbreaking
• 
  Neha

  This anthology contains many heavyweights yes, but barring 2-3 all of them are insipid, eerily similar reads and forgettable as soon as you start next story. Read one and you’ve read them all.
• 
  Sangyasharma

  not as good as i had hoped it would be.. but a good read..