Negotiation between Separatist and Integrationist Tendencies in Nigam'sThe Snake Charmer

Abstract

Sanjay Nigam'sThe Snake Charmerfeatures clash of multi-cultural values and practices or separatist and integrationist tendencies. It encompasses several issues and aspects such as cultural contacts, cultural hybridity and cultural ambivalence. The Indian villagers, Indian metropolitans, non-residential Indians, foreign tourists and journalists merge in Indian metropolitan cities. Therefore, it explores the theme of clash of complex, international and intercultural contacts. Throughout the novel, stereotyped protagonist Sonalal is caught between separatist and integrationist tendencies. Sonalal neither could resist nor could accept the merging values and practices or tendencies but suffers thoroughly because he fails to exchange and negotiate with the merged tendencies. The Indian metropolitan city such as Old Delhi represents the clash of opposite cultural forces. He encounters western, American cultural values andpractices. They meet; clash each other in highly asymmetrical relation of subordination at the same time reveal negotiation between separatist and integrationist tendencies give rise to the ambivalent cultural values and practices.