Diasporic Consciousness in V.S. Naipaul's The Mystic Masseur

Abstract

In The Mystic Masseur V.S. Naipaul has disclosed the diasporic Hindu culture which has been marginalized and dominated by the colonizer's culture. Due to the emigration of Indian people to Trinidad of West Indies for plantation and service, the culture has been changeable and the dispersed people have lost their identity. The major character, Ganesh Ramsumair has stood for Hindu culture. He wants to identify himself as a pure Hindu but eventually becomes the supporter of English culture and is known as the member of British Empire. In this sense the diasporic Hindu culture has not only been dominated but the dispersed people have lost cultural identity, too. The culture has been marginalized in mimicry, hybridity and ethnicity by the influence of colonialism. The Hindu people of Trinidad neither get culturally adjusted in their own culture nor follow the residential culture. In such situation they remain in between ness and get a confused sense of who they are. It shows their diasporic consciousness.