Interpellation of Shalimar in Rushdie's The Shalimar the Clown

Abstract

The motives of the terrorists vary, from war atrocities to personal woes and before a terrorist attack can take place, a weapon must be assembled. That weapon is the mind of the terrorist. Though terrorism is not a religious monopoly, but post 9/11 it has come to be closely associated with Islam and its concept of jihad. In Shalimar the Clown Rushdie tactfully raises the issue of fundamentalism. The novel conveys both the spectacular beauty and the spectacular violence of the area, offering much to think aboutin terms of the origins of such violence.This thesis explores the issue of how a brilliantly gifted and lovable Muslim lover boy, ideologically turns into a rage filled jihadist. No man Sher Noman, later renames himself Shalimar meaning abode of joy,after the garden in which he accomplished his love, twists himself to revenge. It also delves into what leads him down the path to slashing an American ambassador’s throat, because being extremely dishonored, Shalimar abandons his home and his acting tradition to join the Kashmiri resistance movement, while owing allegiance only to personal revenge. The transformation of Shalimar the clown into a jihadist is the best part of the novel. The shy, romantic boy enraptured by myth becomes a cold- blooded combatant. Key Terms: Fundamentalism,Jihad, Power, Authority, Sovereignty,Power, Transformation, Revenge, Marginalized.